 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: aerostyc
Date: 2011-01-19 22:48
Hey fellow clarinet members of all sorts of experience.
Today I would like to discuss my recent problem of my embouchure.
To set some facts, I'm currently a freshman, and I just finished the best time of my music career (Marching Season, lol).
Now I am set in concert season, and I've been switching from my normal 3 reed to a 3 and a half.
Don't burn me for this, but I've also been using Rico 3 reeds, and I just got a 3 and a half Vandoren from a fellow friend.
Now I've been trying to get used to 3 and a half over the winter, and I decided to call it quits, and go low with my 3 for now.
Then this problem shows up, where my embouchure is struggling to keep up with runthroughs, and even like sections of pieces. Main areas that I'm considering is my upper lip (it weakens and lets short bursts of air out, making a "pffffft" sort of sound) and my cheeks (I know how to stop it, but then my cheeks hurt even if I tuck it in)
All I need is I way to prevent this, and tell me what I'm doing wrong.
P.S. This problem barely happened with marching season.
P.S.S Didn't wanna admit it, but I barely practice my clarinet.
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-01-19 22:59
First off, if you're getting an airy sound from a tired embochure from a 3 reed, then may I ask what you are doing moving up to a 3 1/2 if a 3 is even too much for you. I'd say stick with the 3 until you can get used to a 3. Also, what mouthpiece are you using? Sometimes a 3 is right for an open mouthpiece. It all depends. Also, you just have to practice. You can't run a marathon without at least being used to running at a steady pace for longs periods of time. Same with clarinet, if you just play for a day and say you're tired, well, you may need to get used to it. Practice, as much as it sucks and we all hate doing it, you just have to practice. Let us know what mouthpiece you're using.
Post Edited (2011-01-19 23:00)
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-01-19 23:06
Your endurance problem will best be solved through practice. You probably didn't notice it while marching as it is most marching band pieces are pretty short so you likely didn't have to play for more than maybe 5 minutes at a time. Practicing longtones will help you build up your endurance fairly quickly.
As for the reeds don't make the mistake of thinking that a harder reed is necessarily better. I was taught the same thing when I was in middle school and it's simply not true. You need to find a reed that is appropriate for the mouthpiece you are using which will be determined by the type of facing it has. In general the required reed strength increases as the facing length gets longer or the tip opening gets smaller. Conversely, as the facing length gets shorter or the tip opening larger a softer reed will be required.
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Author: aerostyc
Date: 2011-01-19 23:06
Thanks for the feedback!
I forgot the fact that I jumped at 3 from a 2 1/2 (Wow, Man I'm growing my mouth way too fast, xD)
Also, my mouthpieces seems to be a default plastic mouthpiece that came from a cheap clarinet that I bought for a 100.
Do you think I should go to locals and rent a clarinet instead?
Edit:
One of the main reasons I jumped to a 3 and a 1/2, is most of my pieces require me to jump at 3rd C and D, and E. With a 3, or even a 2 1/2, I'm squeeking myself like a fool in front of everyone (Why did I get 1st chair in the first place)
Post Edited (2011-01-19 23:09)
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-01-19 23:16
Do yourself a favor and buy a decent student mouthpiece. I'd recommend the Fobes Debut, Gennusa Mezzo, Hite Premier, or Behn Overture. Any of these can be had for $30-$35 and will be a massive improvement over the mouthpiece that came with your clarinet.
As for your clarinet, was this a new clarinet you got for $100? If so it might not be a bad idea to have it checked out. New instruments in this price range are almost certainly Chinese-made and don't have a great reputation for playability. I wouldn't suggest renting a clarinet. You can buy a good used student clarinet for what the cost of a few months rent would be.
Post Edited (2011-01-19 23:17)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2011-01-19 23:24
This is actually a very common problem for clarinetists in general. As you advance the air leaking out will stop.
As far as your upper lip goes, it sounds like your muscles are a bit weak, which can also be fixed and often the reason for the air leak.
First off the reeds... Rico reeds are pretty soft, so a 3 strength Rico is probably closer to a 2 1/2 Vandoren. When you switched over from a Rico 3 to a Vanddoren 3 1/2 it is actually more like a full strength reed change, not a 1/2 strength. For example it is like going from a #3 Rico to a #4 Rico.
Now for your air leaking out of the sides of your mouth. An easy fix is to play with a double lip; meaning you not only cover your lower teeth with your lip, but also use the upper lip to cover your upper teeth. You don't have to do this full-time, just a few minutes a day to build up the weak upper lip muscles.
If you don't wish to try the double lip, do a mess of long tones, starting with the low E. Play the low E very softly and then gently increase the sound to FF, the decrease back to to really soft -pp. Take note that you control your air from leaking out. Work your way up the scale doing this type of practice. Make sure your throat is open, by saying "O", not "E" as this is actually closing your throat.
If I were you, once you do this exercise for a month or so, everyday, you should be able to handle a Vandoren #3 strength. I actually warm up my mouth muscles and warm up the clarinet too. I start with this everyday, and I've been playing since the 1960's, 9 years old, so it is a very good habit to try everyday. Even for symphony work and studio recording sessions I arrive around 15 minutes to 20 minutes early just to make sure the horn is warmed up along with me.
What kind of horn are you playing on and what type of clarinet mouthpiece are you using? Sometimes a type of mouthpiece can make a HUGE difference in reed strength selections, as well as your ease of playing, with your upper lip problems.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2011-01-19 23:28)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-01-19 23:46
One thing jumped out at me as I read your post - tell me if I misread it instead. You got *a* #3-1/2 from a friend? You might have gotten the worst reed in the box (no box of reeds is completely consistent from one reed to another - cane is a natural material and not every piece vibrates equally well). In that case you're struggling to play on something that an experienced player would either adjust or discard. If it was the best reed in the box, your struggles would show it isn't the right strength for you and your mouthpiece. But without trying several VD 3-1/2s you'll have no way to know which end of the spectrum is your reed or if it's in the middle somewhere.
So, to all the other advice I would add that if you want to give 3-1/2s a serious try you should buy a box of your own so you have a sample of 10 reeds to compare instead of the single reed your friend gave you.
Karl
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Author: William
Date: 2011-01-20 15:47
kdk noticed the same thing I did and I think that may be a big part of your
"problem" with weak upper lip and leaking air. Vandorans are notoriously inconsistant and you may have picked the worst one in the box rather than the best. Usually, out of a box of 10 V12's, you will be lucky to find 2 that play well without major adjustments--balancing, sanding, etc. Go through a whole box of V12 3.5's before making a lasting decision regarding what is the proper strength for your mouthpiece.
However, unless you spend some quality time practicing your clarinet, you are wasting your time worrying about reeds. Your real problem is lack of muscular strength in your embouchure area (lips) for you to blow into the mouthpiece and get a decent sound. You need to practice regularily--an hour a day, for ex--for the next year to develop the strength your want. You cannot buy it with a new reed or mouthpiece.
So, unless you are willing to put forth the effort to bulk up your lip muscles (embouchure) for the long run (endurance), I would strongly suggest the bass drum, flag squad or study hall.........good luck.
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Author: 78s2CD
Date: 2011-01-23 02:44
Or take up seriously a brass instrumet. It will do wonders for your clarinet endurance!
Jim Lockwood
Rio Rico AS\Z
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-01-24 00:49
PSSSS. I don't practice clarinet much. Well Duh! ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
PS. Rico makes excellent professional clarinet reeds, not just the "student" cut.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2011-01-24 13:14
The lip muscles can be isolated by exercise when you're doing something that doesn't require you to be in public.
You can use a business card, just a regular heavy paper one is the best. The business card will be folded in half, in half again, and in half again. Then fold it in half the other direction. This way it's become a fairly strong spring. Being paper, it won't slip out of your lips like plastic (or a pencil) will.
Place the open side (not the folded side) between your lips only, don't use the teeth. Close your lips to hold it in place and the springy tension will cause you distress in only a couple minutes. Rest for a couple minutes and insert again. Just like anything, with time you'll build up your muscle strength. If you have one side that's weaker then you can use this on the weaker side.
This way you can exercise the lip muscles while away from your clarinet.
(This makes me remember the old song "Lucky Lips" from the '50s that was on the radio yesterday.)
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