 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-06-10 20:09
What causes a leaky embouchure (air leaking around the mouthpiece)? I have heard different opinions on wether or not a leaky embouchure is ok or not. On one hand some will say that you can use it to get rid of the air you are not gonna use, but on the other hand some are very strict about NOT doing it. I believe it is caused by a weak embouchure, or just a tired one. Any opinions? I had a leaky embouchure a while back, but after some time of lots of heavy practicing it has mostly stopped on its own. I'm just confused when it comes to teaching other students with it.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2008-06-11 00:30
With two VERY young kids in my house, practice time is irregular and often infrequent. This results in the leak you describe.
The embouchure is dependent on muscles, and they respond to training.
Playing double lip seems to develop some security and grip.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-06-11 01:44
Generally it is not good to have a leaky embouchure but it does depend on how much it’s leaking. This is a very common problem. So common that I don’t even notice it sometimes when my students ask me about it if they think they are having a problem. Of course, at some point it is obvious and can be annoying to the player and listener, even to me. I don’t think a slight leak is a problem if it is not audible. Beyond that you should really try to fix it. The problem is often that the lip is not covering the mouthpiece and reed at all points but you don’t want to pinch or tighten up in order to fix it, that creates a whole new set of problems. You just have to identify where it is leaking and experiment with slight adjustments to the embouchure and angle of the mouthpiece. Sometimes it’s just a matter of identifying the problem, other times it’s very difficult to overcome. I’ve known some fine professionals that have never been able to completely cure it themselves. Working on double lip can help improve the problem if only for a few minutes at a time. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 (listen to a little Mozart)
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-06-11 03:24
Ed Palanker and Synonymous Botch,
Thanks for the tips. I'll try practicing double lip for a few minutes a session, and see if it helps any. I've tried double lip before, but not to fix the leaking problem. My upper teeth tear through mouthpiece patches like no tomorrow, so we'll just have to see how the inside of my lip fairs.
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Author: ASBassCl1
Date: 2008-06-11 03:49
I just got out of this problem recently. My teacher wanted me to strengthen my upper lip by pulling my corners all the way back in a smile and tons of air would leak out. At first it wasn't too bad, you could hear air leaking out but the tone was really good. Then some peers started to complain, and it even started bugging me. It's about getting the proper seal on the mouthpiece, and for me, I moisten my lips to do that. They get very dry when I play and thus the seal is lost, and air leaks out. So use chapstick after practicing. Hope that helps.
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Author: LonDear
Date: 2008-06-11 03:53
Try Ed's suggestions first, as always.
Then...
Try relaxing the cheeks. If that doesn't work, relax the jaw. It might bring the pitch down, but that can be dealt with later.
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