 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-03-29 01:30
Ken, you said in other posts, "As to strengthening your embouchure, I put an old mouthpiece with a split reed in the glove compartment of my car and held it in my mouth as I was driving. Fairly soon, I got to where I could do that with a barrel attached. I got some pretty odd stares, but built up embouchure strength quite a bit over several months. You could also do it at home while watching TV."
I've tried this now in my car and at home and can not seem to be able to do it. I can't hold it at the correct angle in my mouth without holding onto it with a hand. You did this with no hands, correct? I just can't do it. Can't get a firm grip on the thing all by itself either, with or without a mouthpiece patch. Could you possibly go into a little more detail about this for me? I really need some help with embouchure strengthening (especially since mine is just going no where and my tonguing is even worse...). Thanks.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-03-29 13:18
Bigno -
The mouthpiece, the reed and your lips have to be dry and grease-free. Dampen an old handkerchief or a corner of a cloth swab and scrub the top of the moughpiece and the reed completely clean, and wipe your lips off, too.
Start with just the mouthpiece, which is light enough to hold without too much effort.
You can sometimes get a better grip by turning the reed upward.
Don't worry about the correct angle. Try to hold it straight out.
When I was really on top of it, I could hold the mouthpiece and barrel for close to a minute.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2004-03-29 13:31
Ken-- Might it make a difference if you are using a single-lip or double-lip embouchure? Without checking it out myself, I would assume that one's upper lip might provide sufficient friction to keep the mouthpiece in place, whereas using one's teeth might tend to force the mouthpiece out of one's mouth (unless one had gouged out a slot for the teeth to grip).
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-03-29 14:26
Don -
I play double lip all the time. I invented the exercise to strengthen my upper lip.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-03-29 14:54
Ken,
tell us when you're able to talk on a cell phone and eat a big mac at the same time as your mouthpiece trick. I'll take public transportation that day.
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Author: clarinerd
Date: 2004-03-29 16:13
You're not alone with the mouthpiece in the car thing. Frank Cohen can be seen with his mouthpiece and reed in his mouth while driving to Severance Hall. This cuts his warmup time down getting used to the feel of it in his mouth. He also said that if you are going to have to take time off, that if you don't want to get really out of shape, you can just bring your mouthpiece wherever you're going and keep your embouchure strong.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-03-29 17:14
Larry -
I not only do that, but also charm a snake (which I keep wrapped around the steering column), write a novel on the pad I keep on the steering wheel, with a pencil taped to my nose, and compose music on the 75 bicycle horns I borrowed from the guy at http://www.hugi.is/hahradi/bigboxes.php?box_id=51208&f_id=681 and have glued all over my car.
clarinerd -
Frank Cohen is not the only one to do this. In an article many years ago in Woodwind World, Phil Farkas (principal horn in Chicago) wrote that he always carried a "ring on a stick" -- a mouthpiece rim mounted on a metal stalk -- to keep his lip in shape when he was on vacation.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-03-29 17:15
Ken - all that activity must make it hard for you to catch some sleep while driving
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Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-03-29 19:46
Thanks Ken, and everyone. Hopefully I can do this often and improve my embouchure strength a bit.
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