 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: smross
Date: 2005-08-13 15:39
I know there have been posts in the past on experiencing bottom lip playing, but I feel like I have taken the proper measures for preventing such pain. For the record, I use wax on my bottom teeth every time I play to prevent my teeth cutting into my bottom lip. A couple days ago, I practiced for about 3.5 hours - not drastically more than the days before - and I even divided up my sessions. I split it into about 3 sessions of about equal length. I nearly always do this so I don't get exhausted, as well as to keep up my concentration mentally.
However, the next day my lip pain was nearly unbearable (hurt just to put on chap stick!) - and all I could stand was to warm-up.
Any thoughts on why this might be? I'm back to normal now, and I feel like I could play as much as I wanted today without a problem, but I'm afraid this kind of pain might come back. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
Sam
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-08-13 18:06
Maybe what you were playing that day contributed to the extra discomfort. Were there a lot of high parts? Slow parts? Extreme dynamics in extreme ranges? Just some thoughts.
-Tyler
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Author: vin
Date: 2005-08-13 19:38
If it is the specific bottom teeth against lower lip pain, you will eventually develop something of callous there. I had this problem for a long time and sometimes, believe it or not, you just have to play through it. This is the only kind of pain that I play through. What you can do, though, is work on biting less and letting the air do most of the work (you can search the BBoard archives for how to do this). Try to acquire a tone production that is easy and natural. Think about using more upper lip, a flatter chin, blowing through the clarinet more. Try using a tuner and getting the sharp notes to be in tune, but with a good tone. To do this, you will probably have to aim the air differently (usually down- hence, this helps with biting). Ultimately, though, this is part of being a clarinet player and the best ones "suck it up" and play through it, or, have refined their sound production to a level where it rarely hurts. I hope your lip feels better!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2005-08-13 22:51
For long practice sessions with the higher reeds (clarinet, soprano sax, etc.) I fold a cigarette rolling paper into a small square which I place over the lower teeth. This makes a little pad that keeps the teeth from cutting into the lip.
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Author: smross
Date: 2005-08-13 23:36
As mentioned above, I'm already using wax (actually those EZO denture pads) on my bottom teeth every time I practice.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-08-14 00:49
Have you tried to check if you're simply biting too hard? Try a double lip embouchure and see just how much pain your upper lip is in? Maybe the culprit is a case of overbiting and a half size softer reed and less of a bit might fix it right up . . .
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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