The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinet60
Date: 2009-10-08 16:21
A while back I read about a "bunched" embouchure in a book by one of Keith Stein's students (I don't recall the name of the book). I wanted to find out how many folks are using this style of embouchure and if it was successful, etc. I also recall the George Jones, former professor of clarinet at Rutgers Univ. taught this style...thoughts?
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Author: clarinet60
Date: 2009-10-08 16:32
My understanding of this embouchure is that the lower lip itself is bunched up, and placed under the reed, giving it more of a cushion. Anyone use this?
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-10-08 19:44
If it means using mainly the lip muscle to support the embouchure and placing only a fraction of the lip over the teeth then that is what I use, in conjunction with a double lip embouchure. However the bunching must give a firm, flat, bed for the reed not a mushy loose flesh.
Many (40+) years ago I came across an embuchure book by (I think) one Walter Eby.
One might not agree with all, or even any of his observations but it opened my mind up to experiment with the many possibilities available, and was certainly far more detailed and enlightening than the bald statement in many old tutors to "place the lip(s) over the teeth".
I think Stein was also in favour of double lip if you could manage it.
The downside for me is that it is rather more tiring to use and requires lots of use to maintain lip stamina. The upside, for me, is that it helps me get nearer to the sound I want.
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