 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kathy Handyside
Date: 2000-04-21 00:20
Hello Everyone! I just got my clarinet back from the shop - I took it in for a complete overhaul and repadding and I'm all set to get back to playing it after a 20-some year hiatus. I was wondering if anyone could suggest ways to get my embouchre back - any good exercises you could suggest? I used to play on a #5 Vandoren reed when I was in high school, but even a #3 feels like a popsicle stick!!!
Thanks much!
Kathy
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-04-21 00:47
If you can remember how to make one, the only thing to do is do it all the time to build up strength. When you are waiting in line, make the embouchre and see how long you can hold it. Just keep doing this whenever you can. I do it in the car when I am driving. This will help build up strength faster than if you just do this during practie times. Have fun!! :o)
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-04-21 01:09
go to a #2 and stay with that for a while. also go for a better quality reed; they are worth the price.
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Author: Michael
Date: 2000-04-21 03:20
Kathy Handyside wrote:
Hello Everyone! I just got my clarinet back from the shop - I took it in for a complete overhaul and repadding and I'm all set to get back to playing it after a 20-some year hiatus. I was wondering if anyone could suggest ways to get my embouchre back - any good exercises you could suggest? I used to play on a #5 Vandoren reed when I was in high school, but even a #3 feels like a popsicle stick!!!
Thanks much!
Kathy
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Hi Kathy, I did much the same thing as you. I had to start with a soft reed (still using it) a #2 Mitchell Lurie Premium. I have boxes of other reeds waiting for the day I can use them, but so far these reeds have been the most consistent for me. Dee suggested the Mitchell Lurie. Michael
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-04-21 03:57
Warm up with long tones. Play a scale slowly holding each note as long as you can, holding it as steady in tone and pitch as you can. Play scales and arpeggios also to warm up.
As the others have suggested, for now drop back even further in reed strength. A Vandoren #2 or Mitchell Lurie #2.5 might be suitable for someone starting back up. Note that the Vandorens tend to run hard in comparison to other brands. Mitchell Lurie reeds play exceptionally well right out of the box and don't need any breaking in. However, as a result of this, they do tend to have a somewhat shorter life. They are nice for beginners or people getting back into the clarinet as it is one less thing to worry about in the initial stages.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 2000-04-21 04:10
Try a LaVoz medium. It's not as stiff as a typical #3 from anybody, yet 7 reeds lasted me 6 months.
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Author: Katherine Pincock
Date: 2000-04-21 14:10
If you want to build up your embouchure strength a little faster, as well as practicing in the car etc. like (I believe) Amber suggested, do several 10 to 15 minute practices a day of just long tones. You probably will find yourself getting pretty tired by the end of each, but if you do several of them, separated by an hour or so, it'll come back very fast. Then you can start lengthening the sessions or running them together into one longer session. Hope this helps!
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Author: Mike M
Date: 2000-04-21 14:29
I was in a similar fix, having not played for about 13 years. I would suggest taking it slowly. Find a brand and strength that’s comfortable, practice a little every day, then move up when that feels too soft. I don’t know about you, but looking back to High School, I tended to play too hard of a reed (Vandoren 5 on a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece).
After taking lessons from a few orchestral players in recent years, I have found a real advantage to a "comfortable" reed setup. I find it promotes a subtlety of playing that I could never achieve before. Now I play Vandoren 3.5 and Zonda 3.0 on a Gregory Smith Chedeville. By the time my reeds are broken-in they are more like 2.5 to 3 because of the sanding and polishing.
Of course what I call comfortable or soft, my 3rd year clarinet student daughter finds very hard, so there is some muscular development evolved. But you don’t need jaws of steal to have a nice sound over the entire range of the instrument. In short, forget the numbers, find what works, and enjoy making music.
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Author: Kathy Handyside
Date: 2000-04-22 19:59
Thank you so much, everyone, for your great suggestions. I'm happy to report that when I played my clarinet for the first time Thursday night (having been away from it for all these years) my tone is still there! I'm really excited! I worked really really hard in high school to develop a really warm tone - Robert Marcellus was my inspiration! - and I am so happy that it's still there! I sanded and polished a #2 Vandoren reed and it seems pretty comfortable now, so I think I'm all set. I will try what all of you have suggested.
Thanks again!
Excitedly, and happy to be playing my beloved clarinet again,
Kathy
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