 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarchick
Date: 2011-10-15 19:13
Ok, I am playing 4 instruments at my school-Eb, Bb, A, bass, Sax. My teacher (who is also playing Eb, Bb/A at her school) says that the constant switching could be causing me to have "embouchure confusion". Bb is my main instrument. When I'm play I get a "quiver" sound and my teacher says the sound is "tight". I'm not sure what she means by this and I don't know what to do. Articulation is particularly difficult now. Its like I have forgotten how to produce a good sound! R13 w a Vytass Krass mp my teacher gave me (only can be played w blue box which drives me nuts too). Any help appreciated.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-10-15 19:53
Until you get used to playing several instruments, it may take a minute or so to feel comfortable after a switch. Once you are well-practiced, you can switch in a second or two. IMHO, "embouchure confusion" is a myth, and you should consider going to a professional teacher, not another student. There are people who jump between trombone and clarinet with perfect ease. Clarinet to sax is simple.
IMHO, and based on 55 years of experience, any brand of reed can be played on any mouthpiece. The maker may say "This mouthpiece is designed to play best with XXX reeds," but as long as the reed is the right strength, any brand you like will be fine.
The quiver is probably due to embouchure muscle weakness. The cure is slow, boring long tones. When I had to drive for an hour back and forth to work, I made an embouchure and held a mouthpiece and barrel there. Eventually, I could hold it for 60 seconds, and it made a world of difference to my endurance.
There have been several recent threads on tonguing. What's your particular problem? Anchor tonguing? Slowness? Extraneous noises? High notes? Endurance?
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-10-15 22:39
Sounds to me like problem #1 is the mouthpiece you're using on clarinet. You should not be having that problem with a mouthpiece. You hate the blue box yet you have to use them, that's the first sign. Sometimes I have to switch from clarinet to bass to Eb, of course I'm a professional but I don't remember having a problem when I was a student, and I played sax, flute and oboe for a while too. The basic embouchure is the same for all the clarinets and sax. A little more relaxed on bass and sax, but just a little, and a little more"secure" for Eb because it's a smaller mouthpiece. When you switch back and forth don't think of the other instrument, just think about how to play the one you're on, don't compare. Yes, strengthening the embouchure is important, of course long tones work but so does playing slow scales and slow etudes and other slow exercises like 12th, which I love, and slow octaves. I used to keep my embouchure formed while watching TV or in class just to keep the muscles shaped, I guess it worked, can't hurt. Just blow gently with the formed embouchure. Your friends will think you're crazy but you'll strengthen your embouchure. My 1st wife thought she made a big mistake when I did that driving on my honeymoon, she was right. :-) ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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