 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Meri
Date: 2000-12-14 23:10
I seem to be having trouble teaching grade 5/6 kids (10-12 years old beginners) correct embouchure. a couple at my group lesson with them grasped it, but most are having difficulty with it.
Any ideas? (solving their other playing problems was far simplier)
Meri
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Author: Kim L.
Date: 2000-12-15 00:20
Embouchure is so hard! Even as a college junior, it is a problem. The way my teacher is teaching me to form my embouchure is to first smile. After the smile is formed, bring the corners of the lip close together making sure that the chin is kept taut.
If any of the students do not keep this position, put your index finger or pencil underneath until they do. If a pencil is under the lip, it will roll up if the lower lip rolls over the lower teeth. It happened to me, and is quite uncomfortable.
To have them practice forming the embouchure, bring a mirror to class to make sure they know what they are doing right or wrong. Eventually, they will grasp forming the embouchure.
Hope this helped.
Kim L.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-15 12:42
Have you read Larry Guy's book? As an adult beginner, I find his illustrations compelling and straight todapoint.
There's a simple, "Blow through a straw whilst lookin atta mirror." exercise that was very helpful.
First with the straw in front of the mirror, then without the straw, holding the same lip position.
Also, have they done any exercises with just the barrel/mouthpiece and reed?
Lastly, look into the Legere reeds the kids will have trouble breaking them and they sound pretty good (much betta dan de ole Bari synthetic).
Best of luck to you, there's a special place in heaven for the elementary music teacher!
anji
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2000-12-15 13:55
"
Best of luck to you, there's a special place in heaven for the elementary music teacher!
anji"
I hope it is not next to the brass section. (smile)
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2000-12-15 15:30
Meri -
A great exercise that was posted on the Klarinet board a couple of months ago:
Imagine there's a small feather stuck to the point of your chin, and try to blow it off.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-12-15 15:41
Meri - I am about to supply my copy of Stein, "The Art of Cl etc" to an only-slighty capable student with emb and breath-support problems [my analysis] whose teaching in insufficient to hopefully help. Will order a new copy via Amazon, {OK, Mark??] Don
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-16 01:28
BG -
I'll bet they can really bring down the house.
(Nyuck-nyuck)
Here's an interesting twist, the local senior center has a "Mostly deaf orchestra" staffed by and large with retired puclic school music teachers and band directors.
With familiar tunes, they need not really hear one another.
Many of them considered encroaching deafness something of a blessing as they approached retirement. They would cringe each year when the next Maynard Ferguson heralded his arrival to the stage.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-12-18 01:49
I thought that Kim's ideas were pretty interesting. I have advised students to practice long tones or memorized scales in front of a mirror, but have never thought about bring a mirror to lessons. I think I'll start doing that this week!
The Standard of Excellence band book has a pretty simple embouchure exercise in the very beginning. Once the clarinet is on the lower lip and the teeth are on the mouthpiece, students are told to form the words "we too." Of course, they have to remember to hold the "we" while they're adding the "too" but it seems to help.
Allen Cole
allencole@richmond.com
http://allencole.tripod.com
http://www.jamschool.net
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