 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clariphant in Bb
Date: 2007-05-12 00:29
Every time I change my mouthpiece cushion, I notice that the groves from my center two upper front teeth are off to the right side of the cushion instead of right in the center. This happens with all of my mouthpieces, so it's not a mouthpiece problem, and I finished having braces a year or so ago, so my teeth are definitely alligned correctly. What is the cause of this? Is it a problem? I never noticed it until examining the cushion once, and it "feels" centered when I play...
Post Edited (2007-05-12 00:29)
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-05-12 00:39
The goal of braces - beyond the aesthetic appearance of ones smile, is to correct the "bite". If you played before and during having braces, its possible you have adjusted over time to changes in your teeth. Also, while the bite may appear aligned to your eye, its possible it is a bit asymetrical when you play clarinet. As well, teeth can continue to move for a few years after you have had braces - hence why it is important to always wear your retainer when not playing or eating (according to your ortho's instructions). I had braces from ages 17-19, as a Freshman and Sophmore performance major in college...so I have first hand experience. My teeth have moved slightly in 10 years, although I faithfully used my retainer for 2 years after I got my braces removed.
As long as you are not experiencing pain, odd fatigue of the embouchure, or technical problems with tone, air leakage, articulation..an off centering of teeth is not a problem.
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Author: Clariphant in Bb
Date: 2007-05-12 00:44
Thanks for the quick reply!
I do wear my retainer, and I don't feel any odd fatigue, etc. as you describe.
I brought it up with my teacher a while ago, and he said that it's fine as long as it doesn't cause any noticeable problems. I just wanted to get some other opinions on the issue, and it seems that you're in agreement.
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Author: D
Date: 2007-05-12 13:20
I recently lost another small bit of one of my front teeth. Although it is not immediately obvious when I look in the mirror, it shows very clearly on the mouthpiece cushion.
I think as long as the strength is coming from your lips and not your teeth and you are experiencing no pain, then you don't need to worry about it.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-05-12 13:33
Even though both my (artificial) front teeth are relatively flat, there is definitely more pressure exerted on the left incisor judging by the dull area on my mouthpiece patches.
But my left front incisor has a veneer, and my right one has a crown which has a smoother biting edge.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2007-05-12 21:17)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2007-05-12 13:37
I have a chip in one of my top front teeth which makes there be only one tooth mark on my mouthpiece patches. I think that it works just fine. And asymmetry isn't a problem either, as long as you can get the sound you want without hurting your embouchure.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-05-12 13:43
None of us are symmetrical - one way to spot an alien in human guise is that it's left and right sides will be perfectly symmetrical.
Is a snowflake the only thing occuring in nature that is perfectly symmetrical?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-05-12 13:59
Mark Nuccio said at a master class that it's important to have the same embouchure all the time. The last thing you need is to have to adjust because you move the mouthpiece around.
Of course you create your embouchure to fit your anatomy. Steve Girko, for example, has uneven front teeth and rotates his mouthpiece noticeably to the side to adjust. However, he does that to line up the reed with his lower teeth. I don't think the upper teeth make nearly as much difference.
Find what works best, stick with it and don't worry about how the mouthpiece pad wears.
Ken Shaw
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-05-12 17:15
Who was that jazz sax player whose head was titled pretty much 45 degrees and would straighten out his head and hold the sax out to his side like a flute when he got REALLY into it? The name escapes me but I remember someone mentioning him eariler and I looked up pictures and was amazed at just how much head tilt he had.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-05-12 18:14
Alexi, I think it was Lester Young (but I'm not sure).
The marks on my mouthpiece cushion are also not center (to the left). That's because my lower teeth have one tooth in the middle instead of two (like most) so my mouthpiece rests on the middle tooth and another next to it (and the mouhtpiece is not aligned with the rest of the clarinet). It never caused any problems.
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