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Embouchure question

Author: maxopf
Date: 2016-05-26 08:56

I recently borrowed a copy of Larry Guy's book on embouchure building as a checkup for my embouchure.

The one thing that baffles me is the idea that the embouchure should be 100% formed before the mouthpiece is ever inserted. I can flatten my chin, bring my corners in, insert the mouthpiece etc. just fine, but when I go to push air through the clarinet without changing anything, the only sound I get is a "whoosh."

In order to get a full, steady, supported sound, I have to engage my corners and upper lip in a way that I can't do without the mouthpiece in my mouth. (I ever so slightly raise the corners of my mouth and tighten my upper lip, putting a dimple in the corners of my mouth.) Once I do that, the sound is fine, and I can keep my embouchure constant without problems. I observe the same thing trying to play with a double lip embouchure — I have to sort of "engage" the embouchure once the mouthpiece is in my mouth.

This doesn't really feel "wrong" — my chin is still flat, my corners are still pushing in, my top lip is still engaged, and this is how I usually play — but it's contrary to what the book suggests. Any thoughts?

Here is a video. (Sorry for the poor sound quality.)
I first form an embouchure without the clarinet and try to play with that embouchure; then I switch to the embouchure I usually use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP7M-gk9zPI

I'm not too concerned about this since it doesn't seem to be a detriment to my playing at all, but I'm just curious if the embouchure really must be formed separately from the mouthpiece.

Post Edited (2016-05-26 10:20)

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maxopf

2016-05-26 08:56