 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: laughhearty
Date: 2004-03-11 00:00
Hello all.
Some embouchure advice. I'm having a hard time playing high C and middle F with out wittling away my mouthpiece. I just bite down too hard in order to keep the clarinet stable. I'm beginning to realize that I may need to switch to double lipped embouchure, but before I make that painful journey can any single lip players give me some tips. I feel I get a better tone with the single.
Thank you,
Alicia
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great
and noble."
- Helen Keller, Author and Inspiration
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Author: Neil
Date: 2004-03-11 00:39
I use the RH Ab/Eb lever when playing high C to stabilize the instrument. It doesn't hurt the tone and is used for notes up in the altissimo. I don't use it for throat F but I don't think it would hurt; you'll have to experiment with a tuner. Alternatively, if you switch to a crystal mouthpiece, you can bite pretty hard without leaving teeth marks.
Post Edited (2004-03-11 00:47)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-11 01:49
For High C and Throat F, I found out that if you somewhat take your thumb and push the clarinet up against your top teeth, this not only helps stabilize the clarinet (due to the pressure making sure it can't move too much), but it reduces "pinching" of the reed and makes for a softer bottom lip (which helps the tone a bit). Maybe you can try that and maybe it'll work for you!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-03-11 02:17
Lighten up, Alicia --
Playing the clarinet is nothing, not even remotely, like lifting weights.
If you're biting at all... it's too much. Well, maybe just the tiniest bit... but no serious biting -- the embouchure (muscles) should be doing all that's necessary to control your reed. You can work on refining your airstream and all that other stuff later, not now.
If you're biting... well, betcha a box of reeds you're clamping the horn too. If you are (of course no one here can observe you), stop it. Cradle it as though you're holding a puppy - tenderly.
Don't change your mouthpiece or anything else at this point; just relax. The more you're able to relax, the better you'll sound and the easier it'll be for you... Guaranteed!!!
Happy Tootin' to ya, Alicia 
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: laughhearty
Date: 2004-03-11 06:07
Ron'b,
You are a clairvoyant ;O).
I've already figured out I was clamping the clarinet. Especially, when the shoulder pains started. I've lightened up a bit but I have to be extremely observant. I still catch myself doing it half the time.
Thanks for the tips so far. Can't wait to put them into practice tomorrow.
Alicia
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great
and noble."
- Helen Keller, Author and Inspiration
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2004-03-11 12:07
This might sound crazy but ... when using the ATG Reed System it adjusts the reeds so that the high notes come out very easily. I'm no pro but am an advancing beginner. As soon as I started using the ATG there was no need to bite or add much (if any) extra pressure. It really solved the high note struggle for me. Hi C comes out easily ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
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Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr.
Date: 2004-03-11 18:01
Yes, clamping is probably the villain. You might also consider varying the angle between the clarinet and your body; a closer angle may liberate the reed. And, of course, strength of the reed and the opening of the mouthpiece may also affect the way the clarinet resonds.
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Author: laughhearty
Date: 2004-03-18 06:45
Thanks everyone for the advice.
Thank you Ron b for your offer of a box of reeds. It's really not necessary and besides I haven't a clue which brand I prefer. I've only been using Rico 1 1/2 because that's what's mostly available here in Santa Barbara.
I just got some La Voz 2's. We'll see...
But after I posted my original message and tried to put advice into action my fledgling embouchure simply fell apart. Except I didn't realize this. So my tones were sounding stuffy and I was having a horrendous time in the upper registers, squawking and squeaking.
I had 3 days of practice, 3 days of frustration. I finally realized that I needed to go back to the beginning of my method book and practice just blowing notes and working on my embouchure. I've printed out some online embouchure info which I keep on my music stand and refer to the tips before each exercise. This is really helping tremendously. I wasn't keeping my chin flat and my top lip was not hugging the mouthpiece.
Anyway, this is a long winded way to get to a really dorky joke my boyfriend told me tonight.
I said to him, "My embouchure just wasn't ready to play the exercises I wanted to. I guess I was just too ambitious."
He replied, "No, you were too "embouchious".
I told you it was dorky....
Alicia
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great
and noble."
- Helen Keller, Author and Inspiration
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2004-03-18 09:28
haha!
I love that joke!
But,... terribly sorry + embarrassed to ask, what does 'dorky' mean?
(am not a native speaker of English).
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: simonlemon
Date: 2004-03-18 09:46
Could someone give me some imformation?
which brand is the best clarinet among world?
3x
hello,everybody!!
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2004-03-18 11:29
Claclaws: "Dorky" is similar to "strange, off-the-wall, dumb", etc. It's not in my English dictionary (but I'll bet it's in my Canadian Oxford Dictionary that I can't find), but it's a word that North Americans commonly use.
laughhearty: Good for you, that you went back to basics and found the solution to your problem. Those of us who've played for many years still sometimes get lazy and then have to pull up our socks again.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-18 13:07
A few words on the issues your having"
Reeds are not going to solve an entrenched problem with biting. Learning the proper formation of an embouchure is something few teachers delve into because it is an area that people neglect. Firstly, you should set yourself up with having 1/2 inch or so of mouthpiece in the mouth....you should form the embouchure before the breathe, and once formed maintain it EVEN WHEN BREATHING!!!
As to the specific elements of what is causing this specific problem I cannot see and or hear you. However, chewing is a nasty problem.....so maintain a steady formation of the lips and concentration on the air rather than trying to adjust for every note. The embouchure for the upper register is not different than the lower....it is rather the issue of air flow and how you voice the sound that is different...consult a professional or a teacher.
A mirror can also show if you are trying to aim or 'ADJUST' as you go from note to note!
David Dow
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2004-03-18 13:25
1-1/2 reeds are unusually soft--it's not surprising that high notes are hard to produce. See what happens when you get the #2 reeds- I think you'll get the idea. By the way, I second Rev. Avery's comments about the ATG Reed Finishing system. I never could reliably get altissimo B and C until I started using the ATG; now these notes come out readily without "really biting".
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-18 13:31
Also note that the type of mouthpiece can make a great deal on how easy it is to sound the higher notes. With my new Greg Smith, I can pop out anything up through altissimo A with pretty much any dynamic, very reliably. True, I mess up sometimes, but this new mouthpiece helped my voicing and control of each note to increase dramatically.
And yes, I too think that that very soft reed might be a culprit. Although there have been a fair amount of soft reed players that could play any note any time (Benny Goodman?) Just keep practicing and you'll find the 'sweet spot' eventually through trial and error. Try to remember where that spot is and pretty soon you'll have complete control over it too.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Cyladie
Date: 2004-03-18 14:46
hmmm... at the risk of sounding idiotic... what exactly is the ATG reed finishing system??
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-18 19:10
Once again, I am at variance with the general consensus
I adjust all reeds from a box which don't work well, and can get 9 out of 10 Vandoren # 4 V12's to play fine. All I use is an Exacto knife and Carbide paper.
For me at least it is knowing how much to take off and developing a feel for the way the reed plays....I suggest Kalmen Opperman's book on Reed finishing!
David Dow
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-03-18 20:59
Hear hear! David Dow speaks the truth.....with a good mouthpiece, and some basic reed-finishing a la Opperman, one should be able to get a solid 70-90% success rate from a typical box of reeds. Even those supposedly inconsistent Vandys y'all complain about so much.
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Author: laughhearty
Date: 2004-03-21 01:17
Hello,
I just had my first clarinet lesson on Friday and boy did I learn alot!
First off, I have a new mouthpiece, Vandoren B45 and a new ligature, Rovner Lite L5. I increased my reed thickness to 3 and I'm playing on Michel Lurie's.
Apparently, my standard issue mouth piece was a dud.
I also need to work on mechanic so that I completely cover the tone holes with my fingers: hence squeaky upper register.
I love the tone I get out of my horn now.
Oddly enough, my teacher said my embouchure is pretty advanced for someone who's not played in 20 years. Well, I've been putting in an hour and a half of playing daily over the last 3 weeks. So maybe that's the cause.
Alicia
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my
chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great
and noble."
- Helen Keller, Author and Inspiration
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-21 02:50
Dear Alicia
That is excellent...a new mouthpiece will give you so much more...it will also help you evaluate your strong and weak points..
Good luck
David Dow
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