 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: abiqen
Date: 2016-08-16 22:29
I'm a student clarinetist with about 5 years experience with playing the Bb clarinet. I've never been the best player, and my embouchure is not very good - or at least, if it is, then my tone quality doesn't reflect it. You know that kind of ugly flat tone middle school clarinetists with loose embouchures have? It's that kind of squawky, dying frog sound, but instead of flat, it tends sharp. At this rate, I'm wondering if it's a reed issue. I play on a 4 Vandoren reed, which is unusual for my level of experience - most of my peers play on 3's and 3&1/2's. I had to change last year when lower strengths keep squeaking on me. (They also wore out incredibly fast - the reed were spent after a couple of hours playing.)
So is that an indicator of any issues with my embouchure? Or is it an indicator of something else?
Also, as for any other problems my embouchure has - sometimes air leaks from the sides. That's about it. The instructor says it looks visually fine.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2016-08-16 23:27
Reeds do not die after two hours of playing. I've used V12 3's for decades and usually get a month or two of daily playing on them. Perhaps a lesson or two with an experienced clarinet teacher would help. Good luck!
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2016-08-16 23:43
Abigen -- first it's hard to say whether a 4 is too hard without knowing what mouthpiece you use. But from what you're describing:
1. Yes, a 4 is too stiff.
2. You're using too much mouthpiece, biting/flexing the embouchure too hard, or both.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: abiqen
Date: 2016-08-17 00:00
Wes, thanks! But I don't think my reeds have ever lasted over a month. And I'very taken a few lessons before with a professional but they've never noted anything about my reeds.
Tobin, thanks for the advice! I used to have those problems when I started playing (esp. biting) but I fixed those several years ago when I started to focus on my embouchure. My mouthpiece is student-quality Vandoren. I forgot the exact model - but it's a concert mouthpiece, not a jazz mouthpiece.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2016-08-17 00:15
You should find out what mouthpiece you are playing. If the logo has worn off, look at it outside in bright sunlight. You should be able to read '5RV', 'M13', etc.
Is there a 'lyre' emblem? This is stamped into the mouthpiece and won't fade.
What is your reed break in procedure? Or do you just take a new one out and start playing it. (5 minutes the 1st day, 10 minutes the 2nd, 15 the third, then if it decides it loves you put it into your regular rotation.
Do you rotate your reeds or just play on one until it dies then play on another one? I have 5-10 in my reedguard, and rotate them - I play on a different reed every few days. A properly broken in reed should last days or weeks.
Do you use a reedguard? (Not the holder that new reeds come in - that goes in the trash can when you open up the reed).
Do you leave your reeds on the mouthpiece after you finish playing? Or wipe them off and put them in a reed guard to dry?
Regular private lessons with a good teacher would really help.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2016-08-17 01:20
I can't comment on the original question, except to say I respect the work of good teachers who deal with so many individualistic questions and often vague situations.
I won't disagree with anything said here, but will point out that peoples' experiences and accustomed practices with reeds are widely varying - see many threads on this board. My own situation in this regard appears to be an outlier, but I mention it for reference.
I play Vandoren 5's that were bought around 1970; they're about 3.5 strength today. M13 Lyre mpc. I don't break in reeds, though I'll give a new reed a brief trial to decide whether to use it or put it aside (whence it will eventually get one or more further such trials.) I play a chosen reed every consecutive day until it dies, about 3 hours per day. I wash reeds in quite warm water after every play. I don't put them in a holder, they air out flat side up between uses. I started with my current reed in March of this year, and it's still going strong. The previous reed lasted less than three months; the one before that lasted 10 months, a record for me.
According to others, listeners and local musicians, I sound good. I don't particularly agree, my sound is a work in progress, but it doesn't appear to suffer symptoms of using reeds that are overplayed or weak.
Other's mileage surely will and certainly does vary. I can't account for that.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-08-17 06:52
When I started playing again I had the leaking out of the corners issue. I started on hard reeds for a beginner - 3s. The corners would just give out. I don't know if I was doing something wrong, but it took a long time to go away.
You are using VERY hard reeds. Some pros use 4s and 5s, but they usually work on them, so that they're actually softer. They also break them in well and have a matching mouthpiece.
Using a harder reed isn't always better. Since you are having problems, try some 3s for a couple months, and if it doesn't get better then look into another mouthpiece. If you are trying to place a hard reed on a mouthpiece that is very resistant or very open, it will create problems.
Generally speaking, hard reeds go with close tip openings and long facing curves. Soft reeds go with open tips and shorter curves. It's also a matter of what works for you.
I played a B45 in music school, and loved it. Contrary to what is often said, it's not a "medium" mouthpiece. It's actually very open. I played soft reeds. When I started playing again I struggled. My embouchure would wear out quickly and I started biting. I bought a very close tipped mouthpiece, and things have gone better. I now play harder reeds than I did before and don't bite.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-08-17 19:41
Your mouthpiece is a serious concern to me. If you can email it to me I will check it, adjust it if needed, and ship it back to you at no charge; the same day. You can email me at savagesax@aol.com. If you need a new mouthpiece I will call you.
If a mouthpiece if off a bit in measurement, has a chip mark, a small ding, this can cause the reeds to chirp. Just something wrong as thin as a human hair or less will mess up a mouthpiece.
In your case I don't recommend the Vandoren mouthpieces right now, because you are playing on the flat side already. Vandoren's tune on the flat side.
I don't know where you live. I'm in California, close to Los Angeles. If you live outside of the US I have some great student mouthpieces and I can donate one to you.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2016-08-17 23:14
Bob Bernardo wrote:
> If a mouthpiece if off a bit in measurement, has a chip mark, a
> small ding, this can cause the reeds to chirp. Just something
> wrong as thin as a human hair or less will mess up a
> mouthpiece.
Yup. So frustrating. I will add that a mouthpiece that tends to chirp, in my (very annoying) experiences, chirps more frequently with harder reeds that softer.
>
> In your case I don't recommend the Vandoren mouthpieces right
> now, because you are playing on the flat side already.
> Vandoren's tune on the flat side.
Yup. Also frustrating.
I would also recommend a few lessons. Honestly, I never got lessons till WAAAY into playing the clarinet. About ten - fifteen years after I started, I had the opportunity to take lessons about once a month for a year with a great teacher. I could tell an immediate difference in my playing after just applying what I learned the first few lessons.
You don't need weekly lessons for years to learn and apply the basics. A teacher can help you find a good stable embouchure, offer you tips on how to find it every time, and you can work on it on your own and make a good leap forward.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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