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Re: mouthpiece squaks

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-06-11 02:41

No.

I might assume you do not have a teacher. There are a myriad of issues that might cause the problem. I'll take a stab at just one.

You may be scrunching your upper and lower lips (they will look puffy and dimply), What happens there is that you are "damping" the Reed in TWO places instead of one (the region of lower lip that covers the lower teeth.

Aim to use only HALF of the pink, fleshy part of your lower lip. Now draw the "corners" of your mouth back and slightly down. You will look like a parrot.....and your lower lip will be thinner and more taught over your lower teeth (the reason for drawing back and down, not looking like a parrot).

This provides ONE, thin controllable surface for the Reed to rest on.

There is such a thing as a "squawk test." Starting close to the tip, play an open "G," then (as you continue to play that note) take in more and more mouthpiece until you get an uncontrollable SQUAWK. Then just back off slightly from there and THAT is the ideal spot on your mouthpiece for your lower lip to rest all the time.

............Paul Aviles

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