 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kevo2012
Date: 2008-09-21 03:24
I had surgery on my wisdom teeth and was out for about a month this summer. I started playing again and took it slow but had to hurry to get ready for college auditions. Now that I am in college, I am still left with this frustrating problem that I cannot seem to get rid of and that is two things. First, the side muscles used with my embochure burn out fairly quickly. They begin to fatigue and then full out burn after only about 10 minutes of scale playing. I begin to experience an air leak that is not only annoying but it also affects my tone quality in a negative way. The second thing was the air leak. It is a result of the fatigue caused by this.
My professor advised softer 3 1/2 reeds, which I have been doing but to no avail. My mouth still burns regardless of the softer reeds. This surgery has set me back many many months of practice because I cannot play more than about an hour a day at the absolute most but that is with a lot of pain. I feel like I'm taking a huge step backwards because of all this. I also went to a 5RV lyre to try to help and it did significantly help the fatigue.
Has anyone had surgery and had this similar problem? Any known solutions? Any advice would be helpful. As a full time college student, the pressure to practice is greater than ever, and I need to hear whatever you are thinking.
Kevin A. Collins
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-09-21 04:21
Try weaker reeds. 3.5 is still in the stiff catagory. Tone with soft reeds should not be a problem if you are using air properly.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-09-21 05:37
The burning is basically the same burning that occurs when you overuse your muscles.
Skygardener and I agree (for the second time tonight!). A 3.5 on a 5RVLyre is in the middle range of what the mouthpiece wants (vandoren recommends 3-3.5-4). Move down for a while, take frequent breaks (more frequent than you want) and allow the muscles to redevelop.
Every time you excessively overuse your facial muscles, you are increasing the amount of time that will pass before you return to normal stamina.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-09-21 06:26
I would even drop to a 3 or a 2.5. Getting wisdom teeth removed hurts quite a bit, and with all of the nerve endings that are present in that area I wouldn't be surprised if it took you a year to get back into shape. Of course, I may be overreacting a bit due to bias (I had eight teeth removed, wiki "hyperdontia", and my jaw cracked) but it's still not a pretty predicament, and you don't want to overstress it at all.
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Author: RoseLove
Date: 2008-09-21 21:40
This happened to me last fall as well, only I was out two months due to infection & dry sockets. I remember it taking a little under two months to be able to play for more than 45 minutes at a time, and I was playing on 3-3.5's.
It'll get better as long as you keep at it as much as possible without causing pain or discomfort that will last for a significant period of time after playing.
When I had this problem, I started playing at 20 minutes a day once my mouth could handle it. Each week, I added 10 minutes to my practice and eventually got back into playing as much as I expected to.
Good luck!
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-09-21 22:04
Look at it as an opportunity to try softer reeds, and/or maybe a different mouthpiece (if you have easy access to one) that's happy with a softer reed.
Muscles don't (re)develop over night, and while you can try pulling the grass, it won't grow faster.
I had a similar (although unrelated to yours) experience when I started with bass. My mouth was used to the small beak, and now that I was faced with a huge trunk instead, my lip muscles started trembling, whimpering and leaking in no time. So it was back to a 2.5 reed and start getting used to the new situation. A lesson in humility, maybe.
"Size matters" doesn't apply to reeds, IMO.
--
Ben
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-09-22 12:16
Here's another thought that may contribute to strengthening the embouchure: It's from David Pino's book, "The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing" chapter 5, The Embouchure. On page 59 under the sub-heading of "Embouchure Subtleties and Remedial Techniques" Mr. Pino recommends the double-lip embouchure as a "temporary remeidial technique to stop jaw bite and to open up the oral cavity of a tense, pinching player." In the next paragraph he mentions thinking of the tongue as part of the embouchure, having it low and forward in order to not pinch off the airflow.
These could help at a time when your jaw strength is compromised. Be warned, however, that when beginning to use the double-lip method you'll have to start with a much softer reed, perhaps a #2, and your lips will tire very quickly. After a very short 2 minute rest you can start playing again. The clarinet can wobble, you'll get a sloppy sound, etc. But with time the face muscles will strengthen and take up the job of supporting the mouthpiece and reed from the jaw muscles, and over time your tone will sound much better when you return to single-lipping.
Perhaps these suggestions would help you over the hurdle until you feel better. (David Pino's book is on the suggested reading list, by the way. It was good company for me while winging our way over the Atlantic a few years ago and has greatly helped in my teaching.)
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