 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2013-10-23 17:06
I'm back to doing long tones because my endurance frankly stinks. Towards the end of a four minute piece, tension starts to creep in and moments later I start to hear the dreaded sound of air escaping around my embousure. To remedy this I started back again with long tones which I have neglected for about a year. I use a very slow adagio setting on the metronome and begin my ascent through the scales with each note getting four beats. By the time a few minutes pass, my embousure is completely shot. Anyone have suggestions on how to approach this?
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-10-23 17:51
Well, the only 'long tone' practice that I have used was passed on by Clark Brody and incorporates dynamic practice as well. At the pulse of 60 per minute or so, you start a low E as quietly as possible (literally sneaking in) and crescendo to your loudest possible level in 8 counts, then take 8 counts do go back down to absolutely nothing (that's one breath). Do that twice on that note. Then do the same routine on low F, F# and finally G. This accomplishes a multitude of things.
However,
Any time you are NOT tonguing, you are technically doing 'long tones.'
Also I would suggest that your embouchure shouldn't be exhausted at all. Perhaps you just need some padding between your lower teeth and lower lip, or perhaps the reeds you use are a bit too resistant for that mouthpiece.
.....................Paul Aviles
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Author: AAAClarinet
Date: 2013-10-23 18:35
As always Paul's advice is great. At some point add a tuner to your long tone exercises.
AAAClarinet
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-23 19:17
Another tip o' the hat to Paul -- this is the long tone exercise that I use and teach.
I adopted it to strengthen my double-lip embouchure endurance considerably.
Garth -- (this is a shot in the dark) -- I would guess that you have trained yourself to "exert" the facial muscles while playing. In the beginning when learning the correct embouchure or, more still, when changing from a defective embouchure to an improved one there IS a lot of exertion and "flexion" in the facial muscles.
But as you perfect the embouchure it is supposed to dissipate. Some people must consciously "let go" of the exertion/flexion and simply let it work.
Do I recall correctly that you were a dancer previously? A great way to recognize what you're looking for, a comparison of over-exertion to simply-doing, is to stand up: recognize how few muscles it takes to keep you upright and balanced. For comparison -- flex most of your muscles while standing, and then release them and return to normal, balanced, standing.
I'm guessing that while you play your embouchure/facial muscles could be much more relaxed while maintaining their function.
My apologies if this was down the wrong alley and of little use!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2013-10-23 22:34
It is true that as a dancer when everything is going well, the body seems to move effortlessly and without tension. In fact, it is the lack of excess tension that allows the dancer to appear natural and fluid. I should say this with a note of caution. I believe that one of the ways that a ballet dancer achieves this lack of tension is by being so insanely well aligned and so overwhelming strong that only a small portion of one's strength is being used to do extensions and balances and jumps. A ballet dancer often trains with developing enormous strength at the bar so that he can do things in the center with strength in reserve. Also, correct alignment usually gives one a feeling of release rather than exertion in any particular movement. This is why I feel I need to do things like long tones, so that I can have strength that allows me release and relaxation.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: kdk
Date: 2013-10-23 22:42
The usefulness of "long tones" IMO is in checking on and developing your basic tone quality and level of control without the complicating influence that finger motion can have.
I tend to agree with Paul that "any time you are NOT tonguing, you are technically doing 'long tones.'" In fact, to go even further, any time you're playing continuously, even if you're articulating, you're placing mostly the same stresses on the muscles that form your embouchure, so that correct, efficient playing of almost any sort will have the same benefit of building endurance. So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if playing long tones has failed to improve your endurance. You're tiring quickly because somewhere in your way of producing a tone you're working too hard. Two most likely reasons, already suggested, are playing out of habit with too much exertion (unnecessary tension or pressure) or playing on too resistant equipment, causing overexertion.
I don't think it matters much whether you're playing long tones or rhythmic scales or literature (without a lot of rests in it). If you're working too hard to produce the sound, you're going to tire. You need to find the source of the fatigue.
Karl
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2013-10-23 23:48
The first thing I play in my daily warmup, taught by Dr Bob Spring and Dr. Josh Gardner at ASU is long tones chromatic 4 counts each for 4 "measures" (16 counts total) 4 counts rest all the way up to c7 or higher if you can. Play these with a drone on a tuner or speaker and adjust for just intonation. Probably one my favorite parts of the warmup besides articulation. Really helps train your ear. Change the drone fundamental every day. It really helps build those muscles on the embouchure.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-10-24 18:12
Hi Garth,
"A ballet dancer often trains with developing enormous strength at the bar so that he can do things in the center with strength in reserve."
That's true. But in this analogy the enormous developed strength would equate to relaxed deep breath, wind control, and voicing, not the embouchure.
The embouchure is only a firm as it needs to be to do it's job -- just like the muscles of the body are only and engaged as needed to stand.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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