 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Andrew
Date: 2001-10-14 23:10
I've noticed through the last few months, I have been practicing more, and my tone is going and FAST! How can I make my tone better! And, my private lessons teacher keep getting on to me to keep my chin as flat as possible, How would this affect how my tone souds???
Thanks for any help you can be!
:-) Andrew
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Author: kenabbott
Date: 2001-10-14 23:25
Andrew, tone is something that can take many years to evolve. When I was in HS, my technique was far superior to my tone. In college, I played *very* frequently and managed to develop a sound that was (more or less) impervious to reed quality. Now, (20 years later) my tone is superior to my technique. IMHO, it's a delicate combination of embouchure, reed, mouthpiece and horn. For me, the key thing was training my throat cavity. For you, it may be something else.
Do what your teacher says, but experiment with reeds and mouthpieces.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-10-15 02:09
Typical bad lip shape is 'smile' embuchure. This makes your lower lip tensioned and the vibration of mouth's inner soft tissue with that of reed is impeded and also prevents very slight adjustment of lower lip or other mouth muscle. These result in poor tones and lack of playing flexibility.
Embouchure should be tight at the corners of mouth but flexible at the center.
Your teacher's advice is a way to attain this. In fact, if you continue to do a 'smile' embuchure you depend on the lip tension to hold reed and your mouth corner muscle will not be developed enough. Whereas if you adopt what your teacher tells, although at first it may be difficult to hold reed and may make sometimes squeeks, in due course, provably in a few weeks to a month of dilligent practice, you would recognize something different in your tones and will start to know to continue practice with that embuchure seems to have much meaning: this is what I experienced myself.
Tis way of embouchre, lowering jaw looking more flat, is also generally taught for other wind instruments.
IMHO.
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Author: Carmen Izzo
Date: 2001-10-15 03:24
My thoughts:
Since the upper lip has just as much importance as the bottom one, try to keep that one smooth and streched towards the corners and you'll notice that the bottom lipchin are flattened and streched automatically. These muscles remaining in this position helps keep the embouchure frim and in control of your sound.
~Carmen
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-10-15 10:59
Put your finger in your mouth as if it were a mouthpiece, with your normal mouthpiece.
Make a 'flat chin'. Next, dramatically bunch up your chin.
Notice how different it feels to the underside of your finger.
I think you will find that the tight-chin shape makes a narrower (from front to back) 'cushion' for the reed to sit on. The bunched chin will push your lower lip up and make a much thicker (front-to -back) cushion.
This wiill most certainly affect tone. A thick cushion will muffle some of the sound.
It is possible that you are over-practicing (and posibly undersleeping?) and putting unaccustomed demands on the muscles which normally control the tension within the lower lip, making the muscles tired so that the tension is difficult to maintain. Then there is a temptation to bunch up the chin to give a rescue support for your lip from below. But this thickens the lip 'cushion' mucks up the tone.
Just a 'maybe' off the top of my head. 
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Author: HAT
Date: 2001-10-15 14:09
The first thing you need to do is not take advice over the internet about your embochure. I have seen many different types of embochure produce a wonderful sound.
The best advice you can follow not from a good teacher is to listen to many, many recordings of clarinetists. When you hear the sounds you like, listen over and over and over again. Your ear will be trained and you will begin to go in that direction.
David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com
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Author: Andrew
Date: 2001-10-15 17:44
I only play on a reed for about a week at the most, Don. ;-)
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Author: Andrew
Date: 2001-10-15 19:20
Could it be my clarinet?? I play on a buffet e-12. I played on a c-12 and It sounded great! and I recieved many compliments on my tone when I played it!
Thanks for all of your help!
Stephen
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Author: Andrew
Date: 2001-10-15 19:20
Could it be my clarinet?? I play on a buffet e-12. I played on a c-12 and It sounded great! and I recieved many compliments on my tone when I played it!
Thanks for all of your help!
Andrew
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-10-16 21:29
To play a clarinet satisfyingly depends on the clarinet being totally leak-free and with adequate pad venting. Seeing you USED to be happy, perhaps your clarinet has developed leaks.
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Author: Joel Clifton
Date: 2001-10-18 01:16
I find that opening my throat gives me the best sound, especially in the higher register. What I mean is, instead of blowing through the mouthpiece, breathe through it (not sure if that makes sense).
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