 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetlearner27
Date: 2005-01-07 02:11
i have a problem with my clarinet and i've been looking for help throughout the web with no avail. I've been playing my clarinet for like 4 years and this the first time a teacher bothered to point out this problem. Whenever I play for a while and my air runs a little low, i start to get something in the back of my mouth that makes like a hissing sound. I know it's not an air leak, plz help me and tell me how i can fix it. It's quite noticable and it really affects my tone, oh yeah, it only seems to happen when i start tonging
Post Edited (2005-01-07 02:14)
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Author: earlthomas
Date: 2005-01-07 02:54
I sugest that you talk with your doctor or see a throat specialist. It may be muscular fatigue in the area of the uvula. I've heard something like that sound from very, very few of my former pupils. I think it eventually went away.
Perhaps, when it starts again, you might stop playing for a few minutes and see if it comes back when you continue playing after a short rest. Again, I think seeing a throat specialist is probably the best course to follow. Good luck, and I hope it goes away - and soon1
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Author: clarinetmajr
Date: 2005-01-07 03:28
Hey clarinetlearner27, I have this issue as well. Let me tell you what I know.
The air leak you are hearing is most likely the soft palate not closing fully which in turn is resulting in a little air leaking out of your nose. It sounds to you probably like a hiss or a grunt maybe, and it can be annoying and distracting at times. It has a technical name: velangeal insufficiency (sp?). It is actually studied in the field of speech since some people have problems with this air leak when they talk. I guess as instrumentalists we have pretty mild cases since we don't experience this except when we play the clarinet. This type of leak is also found in trumpet and oboe players- but not so much in other instruments like sax and bass clarinet.
I've been playing since fourth grade and i'm now in my fourth year of college. I've come to terms with the fact that it is not "me" and that I can't physically control it. There are some things however that do help alleviate it. I've gone from 4.5 to 4 vandorens- the 4.5's were way too hard and it was creating undue stress in having to force the reeds to play. Another good thing to try is to practice breathing so you aren't forcing the air in any way. The best way to do this is to make sure you're breathing really deep so the air is a "release" instead of a "push out", sort of like releasing a flood gate. If you've ever tried yoga, they do something called "yoga breathing"- sometimes just focusing on proper breathing technique can really fix other things that were giving you problems, like articulation. I also recommend breaking up your practice sessions into smaller segments. I like to practice in the morning and at night- I play for 45 minutes then take a break and then play for another 45 minutes. This will give you a good three hour practice and it will also give you time to reflect musically on what you have accomplished. If you are getting tired or notice the air leak getting worse, just take a break.
You say that it affects your tone but i've never experienced this as an effect of the air leak. I hope that some of this helps- and remember you are definitely not alone!
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2005-01-07 09:44
This is a problem that I have when recovering from a cold and have some catarrgh (sp?) in the back of my throat, and at the end of a long session when I am tired. The solution is to stop playing for a bit and drink some water. I find that I can play for longer with catarrgh if I sip water regularly during a playing session. I guess that the soft pallette is not closing properly, as Clarinetmajr says. The extra stress of dealing with congested airways while playing makes the muscles fatigue faster. But in my case, the best way of dealing with it is rest. I am not worried about this, although it is extremely irritating, as it only happens when I am stuffed up anyway.
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