 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: knotty
Date: 2009-10-12 16:23
I was taught to take a breath in clarinet by dropping the lower jaw but was recently wondering if breathing through the sides of the mouth like in trumpet is also OK?
Thanks..knotty
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2009-10-12 19:00
I think breathing out the sides is better since it does not require so much re-adjustment of the embouchure after a breath.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-12 20:56
John is right, breathing from the sides of your mouth is best. If you do open your mouth to breath it needs to be as little and quick as possible for the reasons he gave. I have an article on that on my website in the clarinet page, check it out if you're interested. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: knotty
Date: 2009-10-12 21:25
Thanks guys, again invaluable advice. Since I started clarinet again recently, I found myself breathing from the sides of the mouth because it felt more stable rather than dropping the lower lip. But I didn't know if I was doing the right thing.
It's nice to have something confirmed by professionals. I have about all your pdf files saved Ed.
knotty
~ Musical Progress: None ~
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2009-10-12 22:48
Through the mouth always, never through the nose unless it's one of those snatch breaths or indeed circular breathing.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Steve L
Date: 2009-10-13 11:43
Peter, I always breathe through the nose naturally (to me breathing through the mouth is unnatural) so in effect I do the opposite to your advice. I tend only to breathe through the mouth if I take a snatch breath.
I wonder why you say never through thre nose.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2009-10-13 12:12
The rhythm of breathing should be established and continued through just ONE medium. Of course, if you can play the clarinet through your nose, more power to you.
But serisously, the other consideration besides one of constancy is one of achieving a full intake of air. I can't imagine being able to take a full lung's worth of air through the nose, nor could I imagine it being anything less noisy than dropping a metal mouthpiece cover during the opening of Firebird.
Singers breathe through the mouth - so should you.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Steve L
Date: 2009-10-13 15:38
The thing is, I can and do take a full lung of air through my nose and do it as quietly as breathing through the mouth as I bet a lot of people can also.
When I'm out cycling I always nose breathe. Nature has provided you with two mediums for breathing, when one is bunged up with a clarinet, to rule the other out completely as a method of filling your lungs with air seems a bit...well, alien to me.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2009-10-13 19:03
Steve L,
Exactly as Paul put it really. I every tutor book I've ever read going through the centuries says never to breath in through your nose.
I could not imagine you would be able to get sufficient enough air through your nose to be able to play the long phrases in the Debussy Rhapsodie for example.
I feel you just can't breathe deeply enough through your nose, ask any self respecting professional or indeed amateur and see what they say. None of my wind colleagues do that's for sure.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2009-10-13 20:59
I can't see anything wrong with breathing through the nose when you have time to do so. I've seen many professional singers do it.
To inhale very deeply in as short a time as possible, try inhaling on one side of the mouth only. It's seems counter-intuitive but if you try it you'll see that you can actually get more air faster because the hole is bigger.
In any case, I certainly don't believe that there is only one correct way to inhale. Like most things- do what works for you.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2009-10-13 21:24
While most people breathe through the corners of their mouth, I have seen many players do it by dropping their jaw. To me, dropping the jaw is about the scarriest way to breathe due to the fact that you'd have very little time to reposition the embouchure.
However, there is a 3rd way that hasn't been mentioned. I played in a masterclass with Paul Meyer this summer, and he breathes by taking his top teeth off of the mouthpiece (the opposite of the jaw situation). While I don't play like this, it is very good to do. It tends to keep the muscles and airways open and free, as you have no time to clench or be tight in the chest, throat, and abdomen.
I consider it to be in the same category as double lip playing. It's a good way to double check the breathing mechanism.
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