 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Whitney C.
Date: 2001-08-05 03:47
I use this embouchure (where the corners of the mouth are pulled back and the lip is pulled tightly against the teeth). A fellow clarinet player told me that this is out-dated and old-fashioned. The woman who told me this has a degree in performance so I took her comment somewhat seriously. She told me my embouchure is the main cause of my sometimes poor intonation and occasional squeaking, as well as my ever-present weak tone. I was wondering if this is true, because this is what my private teacher has taught me to do since I first started playing. He is older, I think in his early 60's (but a well-respected player) so if this is out-dated, it is probably what he learned back when he was in college.
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Author: rutherman
Date: 2001-08-05 04:44
i don't think that kind of stuff can be outdated. People aren't coming up with new embouchures every day.
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2001-08-05 09:58
This type of embouchure is usually combined with a double-lip or it doesn't come naturally. I personally don't like the idea of doing anything funny to the face whan playing the clarinet. Just do the minimal changes that are necessary and stay out of "face-making". Life is too short for tricks.
Alphie
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-08-05 16:07
I think the smile is the first half of getting it right, as it correctly positions the lower jaw. But then I like to see the corners of the mouth pulled in toward the mp without allowing the lower jaw to change. The result is more pressure from the sides and less from top and bottom when forming the embouchure.
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Author: Kim
Date: 2001-08-05 18:10
Smiling when you play causes there to be to much tension when you play. The embouchure needs to be relaxed (more inward) for the fullest sound possible. Smiling is also tiring.
Good luck,
Kim
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Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2001-08-06 14:47
Whitney:
Please see the comments made on the above posting "Is my teacher teaching me wrong?' I think this will help you a lot.
Bob Curtis
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2001-08-06 17:52
Hi,
the smile embouchure is not outdated. There are many types of embouchure that pros use and all of them work, including the smile embouchure.
If you are squeaking, have poor intonation and a weak tone, then your embouchure is probably not correct. Don't forget that a good sound is a combination of many factors including air support, lips, tongue, throat and of course reed, mouthpiece, ligature, clarinet, etc...
I think of my lips as a tight rubber band around the mouthpiece, the position of the tongue is fairly high in the back low in the front to give direction and speed to the air going through the mouthpiece.
You have to concentrate on legato exercises, play with your embouchure and tongue position until you find the optimal configuration for you.
-S
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-08-07 15:05
I know a very accomlished smile embouchure player who was turned down for recording work because of the hissing sound of air leaking out the sides of his smile. ;-() :-o
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