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 Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible
Author: thecuriousclarinet 
Date:   2015-09-03 09:09

I have always been a biter on the clarinet. It's made me stop playing for long periods at times because I get frustrated that my lip hurts and I can't practice or play as much as I'd like to. I already use a very thick tooth cover so I'm set on that.

I play on a Backun Philadelphia mouthpiece (1.15mm tip opening) with #4 Vandoren V12 reeds and I LOVE the sound I get. But, I have to bite.

This makes me think that really I just need a smaller tip opening (because if I'm biting to get the reed closer to the mouthpiece, then the space is too large). But, whenever I try a more closed-tipped mouthpiece, it sounds terrible in my opinion. Super bright and buzzy sounding. I hate it. I have tried all different reed strengths and various mouthpiece combinations. Right now I am trialing some Fobes mouthpieces with closed tips.

Any advice? I'm not really sure what to do. I love playing the clarinet, I have a degree in clarinet performance, play gigs and teach lessons, but I don't love having to bite to play.

Edit: Also, when not-biting, I am now flat on my G, A, B, and C above the staff.

New Edit: I had a lesson with with a really great clarinetist and he told me that my embouchure looks good and that from his point of view I am not biting. He suggests that my problem is that I don't use enough air. While I do believe that I don't use enough air, my lip hurts after 15 minutes of playing (while using a guard over my teeth, and by hurts I mean it hurts/I can't play without pain for 24 hours or so until it heals), and even my top teeth hurt. I will work on my air more but pretty much feel like giving up at this point.



Post Edited (2015-09-27 01:52)
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 Topics Author  Date
 Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
thecuriousclarinet 2015-09-03 09:09 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
cigleris 2015-09-03 14:41 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
thecuriousclarinet 2015-09-03 18:30 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Paul Aviles 2015-09-03 15:17 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Caroline Smale 2015-09-03 15:36 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
thecuriousclarinet 2015-09-03 18:35 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
faltpihl 2015-09-03 19:04 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
thecuriousclarinet 2015-09-03 19:12 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
kdk 2015-09-03 19:08 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
thecuriousclarinet 2015-09-27 01:48 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Tony F 2015-09-04 06:02 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-06 22:43 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
kdk 2015-09-06 23:25 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-06 23:44 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-07 00:53 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
rmk54 2015-09-07 17:14 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
kdk 2015-09-07 18:04 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-08 03:51 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Paul Aviles 2015-09-08 07:10 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
JHowell 2015-09-08 07:32 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Luuk 2015-09-08 19:27 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
JHowell 2015-09-09 07:20 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Luuk 2015-09-09 14:48 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-09 18:30 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
TomS 2015-09-09 20:41 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-09 21:57 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Paul Aviles 2015-09-10 06:39 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
kdk 2015-09-10 07:43 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
JHowell 2015-09-10 09:27 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Paul Aviles 2015-09-10 15:16 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Arnoldstang 2015-09-10 21:15 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
nellsonic 2015-09-10 23:29 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Tony Pay 2015-09-11 19:31 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Paul Aviles 2015-09-11 22:09 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
kilo 2015-09-12 00:53 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
Luuk 2015-09-14 12:37 
 Re: Open tip mp, sounds great but I bite. Closed tip, no biting but sounds terrible  new
tylerleecutts 2015-09-27 09:36 


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