 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-08-13 10:12
I use a thick rubber patch (Vandoren) on the mouthpiece, and bite into it such that I need to replace it every few weeks.
However, I don't think I'm biting in the sense of clamping my jaws shut on the mouthpiece. The cause seems to be rather that my hands are pushing the clarinet upwards against my upper teeth.
Should I worry about this? Should I be pushing the clarinet less, or taking more of the push on my upper lip rather than my teeth? Or is it not a problem?
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Author: Danny Boy
Date: 2008-08-13 10:29
It's very difficult to answer this without actually watching you play.
There are those who believe that going through patches and/or having to wear teeth guards are automatically symptoms of biting on the mouthpiece. However, it must be remembered that every single player is built differently and some people have sharper teeth than others. I wear through a thick rubber patch in around 6 weeks - but in all the teaching I have ever had I have never been 'diagnosed' with biting and am comfortable with the sound that I produce. I simply have sharp teeth, top and bottom.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-08-13 11:42
As a kid, I bit like an alligator and the old mouthpiece has the chomp marks to prove it. In high school, unlearning that bite improved my tone quality. As an adult amateur, I sometimes use double-lip embouchure, but I also use a thin patch because I change embouchure to single lip sometimes. I like the patch in part because I don't want to mark up a better-quality mouthpiece, but also because I think I hear the true sound (as someone else would hear it) more accurately when it's not transmitting quite so directly into my facial bones.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-13 12:10
"It's very difficult to answer this without actually watching you play."
...or hearing you play.
Bearing in mind as Daniel said above, we're all different: when I play single lip I probably would go through a patch once a year...and I was still biting. Now I play double lip.
I don't remember from your posts, are you studying with someone? If not, it might be useful to go in for one lesson as a "check up".
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-08-13 12:59
Tobin asked:
"I don't remember from your posts, are you studying with someone? If not, it might be useful to go in for one lesson as a "check up"."
Quite so. There are many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many many things wrong with my playing (and that's only counting the ones I recognise) and I did indeed have a first lesson with a new teacher a few days ago, and intend to schedule more. Good teachers are not easy to find in rural areas - I could go to London for lessons, but that takes time and adds to the cost.
The new teacher identified tonguing as something to work on, and I think he will be pleasantly surprised at the progress I'm making. But it's making me conscious of my embouchure, and the possibility that I'm making tonguing more difficult than it ought to be as a consequence of doing something else wrong.
I certainly seem to get through patches much faster than I used to, and am not sure whether the reason is:
- I'm doing something different
- the Vandoren patches are softer than the ones I used previously, which I can't find any more
- my teeth are getting sharper (not as improbable as it might sound).
But I'm also not sure whether it's something I need to worry about at all. Danny Boy's post suggests to me that maybe it isn't.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-13 13:29
"Danny Boy's post suggests to me that maybe it isn't."
Exactly. Now Daniel and I (or anyone else on the BB) can only speculate based on what you provide...but your teacher can notice things that you aren't aware of (and of course they're in the same room!).
Could there be a problem? Yes. But you might also just be over-analyzing because you're devoting a great deal of concentration to the tonguing adjustments that you're making.
When changing/adjusting fundamental skills you can accidentally fall down the slippery slope...finding problems everywhere. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-08-13 15:52
Fuggedabout it.
My teacher was surprised to note that I have not marked the thick-ish patch on my mouthpiece. He proposed moving my patch down on the mouthpiece so that when my upper teeth nested into the groove, I'd have more reed in my mouth. No bite crease --didn't help.
My guess is that we all apply different amounts of force to the top of the mouthpiece, this force reacts through the right thumb, the lower lip and the neck strap (if any).
Bob Phillips
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-13 16:16
Have you got crowns or veneers on your top front teeth?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: hans
Date: 2008-08-13 17:24
Attachment: ShawMethodInstructionsP2.bmp (239k)
NorbertTheParrot,
I use a patch, after with playing double lip embouchure for 46 years and switching to single lip about 3 years ago. I'm still using the same patch I put on then and it shows only slight wear. That experience makes me think that you are probably biting excessively.
The attachment is an excerpt from the Artie Shaw Clarinet Method that you may want to look at.
You may be able to reduce your tendency to bite by switching to double lip embouchure for a while, and leaving the patch on may make it a little more comfortable for your upper lip. I would expect your tone to improve when you have learned to play without biting.
Hans
Post Edited (2008-08-13 18:29)
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Author: D
Date: 2008-08-13 20:27
you could try several layers of electrical tape instead of the patch, if you happen to have sharp teeth then maybe you aren't bitting/pushing up that much at all.
Any chance of borrowing or buying mouthpiece with a different profile? It might just be the angle of your top teeth and the current profile are not an ideal combo.
Or perhaps get a load of dental wax or similar and make a triangle to go between your back teeth on each side that starts to make resistance just before you can induce much pressure on the mouthpiece to try and help unlearn the habit. Or course, you would have to be very very careful not to inhale this, so if it didn't feel secure in your mouth, don't do it.
Or, and chance of getting what is effectively a plastic retainer to go over your top teeth from your dentist. Doesn't have to retain anything, but would render your teeth 'not sharp' without having to have them filed down.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-13 20:43
Norbert...have you thought about switching your BB name to "NorberttheVampire"? Or perhaps "SabretoothedNorbert"?
But do let us know what solution ended up solving the problem (if a problem you have)!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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