 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-03-02 22:50
I'm coming back a 40 year lay-off. When I gave up in 1973, I was pretty good for an amateur (my brother was a professional and it was partially comparing myself to him that I realized I was much less of a musical talent and had perhaps less potential - Of course he practiced hours each day and i was just a high school star). Now coming back I'm almost at a month of consistent every day work which includes muscular exercises to strengthen my chops, computer work to get strong rhythmically and lots of going through the scales in my mind while fingering an imaginary clarinet. When I get home after work, I'm all enthused and throw myself into the work. For the first 20 minutes the pitch problems are 80 percent solved, the tonal quality is strong and I feel great. For the next 10 minutes, squeaks slowly start creeping in and then the dreaded blowing air out through the corners of my mouth and not through the mpc begins. I still soldier on but for the next half hour while things degrade into severe pitch problems, sour notes and actual wrong fingerings. I feel I must have long sessions in order to get better as I can't think of any skill one could develop on just a half hour a day. If there are some music teachers on the board, could they please comment on the value of practicing past the point of good control in order to develop greater strength and endurance.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2012-03-03 00:11
Question: Are you still playing the same reed/mouthpiece combo you did 40 years ago? If so, you need to reconsider reed strength and, perhaps, another mouthpiece.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-03-03 02:18
I tried a few different mpc's and reed combinations. I tried the Vandoren B46, Selmer 4 and Vandoren 5Rv (not Lyre). I used to use the 3 strength reeds and now I'm happy with 2.5 and a Rovner ligature. The 5RV still seems to be the best.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-03-03 15:37
Occasionally I'm in the same boat as you are; especially after say a 2 week break or so, I can feel how much my embouchure has suffered.
If you start leaking with the corners of your mouth, it's of little use to fight through. Take a one minute break and do all funny grimaces with your mouth until the cramped muscles are a bit relaxed again, then resume practicing.
If you can't practice (eg late at night), you may want to try a trick my teacher taught me: Remove the bell from the clarinet, and in its place put on a party balloon over the tenon. Hold the clarinet, close all holes, and inflate the balloon via the mouthpiece (with the reed on), without actually making a sound. Once the balloon is full, keep it for half a minute or so, then let the air escape and inflate again. Repeat until happy or tired. Not only will you strengthen your embouchure muscles (as you would with playing long notes), you will also improve your finger placement and learn how little (or how much) finger pressure is actually needed for a good seal.
Of course, you can do this with the mouthpiece alone, or with mouthpiece and barrel.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: salzo
Date: 2012-03-03 15:43
When you start having issues, stop practicing. You have to develop some out of shape muscles, it will take some time to build strength and endurance. The worse thing you can do is over work tired, out of shape muscles.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2012-03-03 17:30
Before I switched to double-lip I had little use for long tones. After I switched I had trouble developing the endurance that I needed for my musical demands for a long time .
I adopted long tones as the beginning of my practice and the increase in endurance through the day was immediate.
I just put the metronome on 65ish and crescendo for six beats/diminuendo for six beats. I play from chalumeau E to open G.
When you're tired -- I agree with Salzo's comments above. I would also suggest inserting a short break in your current practice (and more breaks later when your sessions are longer).
Welcome back to the musical life!
James
Gnothi Seauton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-03-04 01:17
I tried this exercise and I found the most difficult part the holding. During the holding stage am I supposed to breath in through my nose and then out through my nose? Also, I found that when I blew a little harder, the low E could be heard even through the balloon. Is this normal? I also found that after ten minutes my lips were trembling. I guess that would what one would expect from such a powerful exercise.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-03-04 03:24
Since 1973 is some layoff. I'm not sure what you can expect, but if you want to play an instrument, any instrument, as well as possible, I advocate a 12-hour rule. Don't go more than 12 hours without playing your instrument. If you played 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, you might find that you improve faster, both in embouchure strength and in facility.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-03-04 09:36
Yes, you are supposed to breathe through your nose.
If you make a low E while inflating, you pinch the reed - relax your jaw some more and just seal the lips around the mouthpiece.
And yes, this exercise can be pretty taxing, so don't be surprised if you get tired after a couple of minutes - you'll improve over time, no doubt.
--
Ben
Post Edited (2012-03-04 11:13)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
