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Re: Tips on Arching My Tongue?

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2023-06-26 17:47

Jacob R wrote:

> So I have noticed something going on in my mouth. I have
> noticed my tongue is low or near from being flat while I play,
> which could be the reason why I have a spitty tone. I have also
> noticed that I produce A LOT of spit when I play compared to
> others. Any tips on how to fix these issues?

Are you trying to conflate these issues, making the saliva production a result of your tongue position? If so, I'd say forget it. To the extent that either is a problem at all, they are separate.

You need to be a little careful about trying to "arch" your tongue. Often you don't really feel what's actually happening in your mouth. It may be flat, or it may only be the tip end that's low while the areas farther back are higher than you think. You can introduce unwanted tension by trying to change your tongue shape from the way it naturally forms. Don't go too far down that rabbit hole - if anything you try seems to be causing bad effects, leave your original position alone.

I'm intrigued by how you know that you "produce A LOT of spit when [you] play compared to others." I'm having trouble visualizing the form your comparison could take. If you find a lot of water running through your clarinet, it isn't so much spit as condensation that happens when warm breath hits a relatively cooler clarinet bore. Maybe your breath is more moisture-laden than others. I don't know that there's anything you can do except swab more often. If you're getting a lot of water (saliva and condensation) on the back or your reeds, wipe them off.

Karl

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