 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jane84
Date: 2006-12-16 16:46
Hello everyone! I'm a 2nd year music student from one of those tiny European countries.. I would like to ask your help for a rather big problem with my embochoure, it goes like this: My embochoure gets very quickly tired when I play - like just after a holiday or sickness, except I've been playing (almost)every day since the summer ended. There's been some progress, but it's very slow; I can now play for about 20-25 min. before I'm forced to take an hour-long break, going on this way until I've played 2-2,5 hours alltogether. My teacher is quite at a loss about this and so am I. There are no pains or "buzzing" feeling, just the refusal from the muscels to work as they used to.
Feel free to make any questions or suggestions - as you may understand, the situation is beginning to become desperate because I just can't practise enough.
Thanks in advance,
jane
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-12-16 17:23
Get a softer reed and a suitable mouthpiece. In my early days I got tired after one single long note and my embouchure would start to wobble incontrollably. I then switched down gears and got some 1.5 reeds and luckily my then-mouthpiece supported that (not that the tone was all that great, but who cares about tone when the jaw's about to go on strike after five minutes). Now I'm at 3..3.5, depending on mood or the night before.
And next time you're seeing your dentist, have him check your jaw "hardware" - I know of person who have a 'biting disorder' in the way that they can't steadily keep biting on something but have to constantly move the jaw in order not to get sore muscles (I was told it was some nerve pinching and joint locking that manifested itself in muscle pain).
--
Ben
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-12-16 20:10
I think tictactux advice to soften your set-up (softer reed, shorter lay on your mouthpiece, smaller tip opening) is a good one. As your musculature strengthens, you'll be able to use harder reeds, more open mouthpiece, longer lay.
I also agree with tictaxtux that it is good to be able to play for a longer time --without the rests.
I congratulate you on your atleticsm --being ablt to rest for an hour and then play again. Once my lips are tired, I'm out for the rest of the day.
Bob Phillips
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2006-12-16 22:04
Bob Phillips wrote: "As your musculature strengthens...."
Isn't this missing the point? I read this post as being from an advanced player who is having problems she did not have previously.
I think this question should be answered only by one or other of the following:
1) Someone who has experienced this same problem and has cured it.
2) A doctor.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-12-17 00:41
It sounds like you may have an overbite. A friend in college had this problem. This is when your top jaw is not quite in-line with the bottom. Also having more prominent front teeth doesn't help (as my friend did). They suffered the same problem that you have described, and i'm not sure they went about changing their embouchure as i have not been in contact with them for about 5 years. I don't honestly think it's a setup thing because each player uses their muscles differently in roughly the right areas. I suppose that's how we get our individual sounds. My friend played on a standard setup with a medium open mpc and 3-3.5 reeds. The discomfort was due to the position they had to move their jaw to actually make a sound.
Perhaps try to experiment with how your jaws fit together cause it sounds like your putting undue strain on the embouchure muscles. If it is this then you may need to see a orthadentist (sp?).
I'm sorry i can't be of much more help.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-12-17 14:00
Jane -
There are lots of things you could be doing wrong, or at least inefficiently. This is impossible to diagnose without seeing and hearing you play. You really need to go to a teacher who can work with you one-on-one.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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Author: jane84
Date: 2006-12-17 14:28
Thanks for replies...
To answer your questions: I use a Vandoren B40 mouthpiece and 3,5 V12 reeds - and yes, I used to be able to practise much more before; around 3-4 hours per day without any problems (except lack of time..) I'm taking a bachelor degree, so I suppose the school corresponds to a college.
The problems started after the summer holiday, when I had played less, but not had much of a break as such...I don't know, 1,2 hours a day or something like that. Neither my own teacher, a professional musician, or another teacher I saw can see anything wrong in the embouchure in the line of tension etc. As to how I form the embouchure, well, hm, how should I explain.....I think I need some help with that one. But it's the same one I used last year - as far as I know, you know:)
Again
jane
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Author: Bill
Date: 2006-12-17 16:01
Not sure how you could play a V12 3.5 to play on your Vandoren B40 mouthpiece. If so, sounds like your embouchure is already pretty powerful.
The trouble with softening your reeds is that this must be in such a way that you will not need to work even harder. Fact is, soft reeds can be more of a constant energy drain than firmer ones.
In addition to tone quality and intonation, matching your reed to your mouthpiece is about efficiency. The curve will work best with certain reeds, and less efficiently with others, firmer or softer. There's a sweet spot energy-wise.
I also think one way to approch this would be by asking, "Do you like what you've been playing lately?" Is the joy there, or not so much?
Bill.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-12-17 16:24
you're right Mr. Peacham, my advice to go to a softer set-up can't apply to someone who had been comfortabley playing an M40/3/5.
Bob Phillips
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