 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-10-14 14:31
Hello
I'm transcribing a solo of Armand Angster on bass clarinet, and he plays very high. I was playing a phrase which is made mostly of altisimo G, A, C, D. After I played it for a little while I noticed it hurts, because I need to make a lot of pressure so my teeth are pressing into my lip too hard. For me it is actually worse than most people because I have a tooth in the middle instead of two teeth in the middle.
I noticed some clarinet and saxophone players sometimes use rolling paper on their teeth but I'm not sure if it is to prevent this, since I think my teeth will go through the paper easily.
Is there something I can do about this? I thought maybe put some thin rubber thing (can't think of something that will work yet) on my teeth.
Thanks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-10-14 14:45
Clarnibass,
There's plenty of stuff you can stick inbetween your lower teeth (tooth, as it seems to be in your case) and your lower lip. If you simply put a small strip of paper there, your're right, between the saliva and pressure it might not do any good. But take a slightly bigger piece of paper and fold it a few times, and it'll probably be good to go for an entire session/concert/whatever.
There have been a few threads about things to stick between your teeth and the mouthpiece. One of them right HERE that I'm ... proud? to say, I started, and has some great suggestions in it including one that JJM has suggested a few times (and sounds like a good idea if you have the extra scratch to put up).
Hope this helps a bit.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: martind
Date: 2005-10-14 17:07
Clarnibass,
Some ideas to consider:
1. biting low lip, using undue pressure indicates an embouchure problem.
2. using a buffer pad between lower teeth and lip would help ease the
physical pain no doubt.
3. I use surgical tape (cloth, 3/4-1" width) purchased at your local drug
store.
4. Cut 1" - 1 1/2" (more or less), trim corners, fold over to make a two ply
strip that you place on top of your lower teeth.
5. the tape will absorb your saliva and form around your teeth.
6. after playing, remove the pad carefully, your teeth indention will be
visible.........let dry and reuse.
Give this a try and see if you have success and perhaps solve the sore
lip problem.
Martin
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-10-14 18:01
Thank you very much Alexi and Martin.
Alexi, I think I'll try that suggestion by John about the dentist thing. I might not have to pay.
Martin, I'll try your offers (at least the ones I understood since English is not my first langauge).
About this being an embouchure problem, this is a possibility but has a problem . I can play the entire register up to about altisimo G for a long time with no pain at all. When I play for a very long time (for example have a few rehearsals in one day plus practice by myself) my embouchure will get tired but still no pain at all in my lip. As soon as I play the high C and D it hurts very quickly since the teeth just press my lip very hard. Maybe my embouchure is not trained to play those notes, but I can't practice since it hurts imediately when I play them a few times.
Thanks again.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-10-15 01:09
Clarnibass,
In light of the above posts, and the thread provided by Mr. Alexi, let me add in my two cents. I have seen several people use a small piece of a plastic shower curtain liner, which they folded over their lower teeth while playing. If you buy one of these, you could probably make enough teeth gaurds for a small army, considering the size of one shower curtain liner. Also, my girlfriend informs me that there are also shower curtain liners which are mildew resistant.
Best -
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2005-10-16 21:07
I have been using a thin piece of leather since August. It has so far shown no signs of wear whatsoever and protects the lip beautifully. I hope no one finds out I took it from the back of one of my pair of jeans - who needs the label anyway?
.......Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2005-10-16 21:08)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Max S-D
Date: 2005-10-16 21:45
It sounds like you're biting to get those notes out. On bass clarinet, to hit the altissimo notes, think less about embouchure pressure and more about adjusting the airstream. Faster for higher notes, slower for lower notes.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2005-10-17 03:35
I couldn't agree with Max S-D more. Bass is a different animal altogether, although I still use a lip-guard for both.
.........Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
