 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2019-10-07 03:36
To those who have played short facings (say 30-32) and long facings (say 40-42), do the longer facings generally require less embouchure side pressure?
(I realize that reed strength and tip opening can have quite an influence here.)
My thanks for any responses.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-10-07 04:16
For me it is only a matter of larger or smaller aperture, or more or less stuff in the oral cavity. I am guessing that a majority of us have a preference though of one way or the other, or somewhere in between. It took me too many years to realize that I am much more comfortable with short (15mm or so) facings.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2019-10-07 21:09
Dan, are you measuring by half-millimeter? I've been playing facings from 18 to 21 mm that are also fairly open (1.08 to 1.16), and try to use a fair amount of side pressure. Unless you combine a closed facing and really stiff reed with the long facing, as a lot of Austrians seem to, they're more sensitive to jaw pressure, and side pressure seems to help in avoiding too much of that, with the attendant instability. I've tried short facings but not played one regularly; still, they seemed to me less sensitive t side pressure.
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2019-10-07 22:39
Allow me to try and explain the rationale for my question. I have embouchure dystonia on the right side of my mouth. My upper lip muscles are quite stiff and my right side muscles are very sensitive to inward side pressure. In other words, they easily become strained and by the following day, the muscles on the right side of my mouth are fully self-contracted leading to a semi-permanent, 2-3 day awkward smile coupled with a rather deep, one-half inch vertical indentation on the right side of my upper lip before the muscles begin to loosen up. Yes, muscle relaxer medications do help.
When I play on a short facing, Brand 30-32, mouthpiece, my upper lip muscles are very "crunched" up and they feel quite contracted and uncomfortable. The muscles on the right side of my mouth are contracted while pushing inward. So far, playing on a short facing with the mouthpiece in the center of my mouth always produces the worst dystonia, self-contracted, muscle effects. Playing off center to the right to relieve the excessive right side muscle stress not only feels awkward to me but also puts extra stress on my left side muscles.
I believe that playing on a long, Brand 40-42, facing would "stretch" the side muscles as well as smooth out the upper lip muscles, but, since I've never played this type of mouthpiece before, I have no idea as to the inward, right side pressure required. I also suspect that this inward side pressure may very well vary depending upon the tip opening. I agree that a small tip opening would most likely be more "sensitive" to lower jaw/upper teeth pressure for proper centering of the sound. I suspect that a wider tip opening of maybe 1.08 to 1.15 would reduce the sound centering sensitivity, however, I believe a greater lower jaw/upper teeth pressure would probably be required for proper centering of the tone. My central unknown is still...how much right side, inward pressure would be required to adequately seal the mouthpiece.
I apologize for the long explanation and hope that all of the above makes some sense.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2019-10-08 01:27
To my way of thinking the short facing will generally lock pitch in better. You have less flexibility but there is less tweaking with the embouchure. I would think this is what you want with your embouchure issue. Trial and error is likely the way to proceed. Best wishes.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-10-08 07:00
It almost sounds like using a German mouthpiece would be the IDEAL solution for you. I was schooled by Bas DeJong of Viotto mouthpieces a few years ago about German playing. Basically none of them (Germanic players) understand our obsession with embouchure. They use a soft reed (ideally a Vandoren White Master 2 1/2) with a long facing and a very small tip opening ...........and "just blow."
Another aspect of this type of mouthpiece is that you do wind up opening up more to take in more mouthpiece. Again, with this VERY easy, light set up, there is really no "pressure" to speak of, side, up/down or otherwise. When I first tried this set up my initial reaction was, "Ha, it feels like beginner band all over again." But I realized (the next day actually) that I had gotten a really lovely sound and a wide dynamic range as well. After about a year with it, I was enamored enough with the concept to use this approach to embouchure and playing though I have since returned to French mouthpieces.
Just try out a Viotto N1 and see what you think.........it could be a game changer.
...............Paul Aviles
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