 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aa
Date: 2002-05-16 23:59
Can anyone offer a suggestion as to how I can prevent air escaping out of my nose when I play? It has never happened before and has only just recently started happening, sometimes it is more pronounced than other times, but it is really starting to worry me and my teacher isn't sure how to correct it.
Thanks for any advice that you can offer.
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Author: Joe Garza
Date: 2002-05-17 00:22
Hi Aa,
I'll try taking a stab at this since I too thought it was a problem I had playing.
The one thing I can really suggest/ask is about tongue placement. My problem was that I kept my tongue back in my mouth to where it would block some of the air current and make it instead (in theory I thought)come out through my nose. My teacher said it really wasn't escaping as I thought it was (when you think about it, for as fast as you have to press air through the horn, it makes it difficult to let air out from anywhere else, which is hard enough without an instrument). What you should try to strive for is keeping the tongue low and forward in you mouth to where it functions without getting in the way of the air.
The only other thing I could think of is perhaps reed strength or lip pressure and how hard your trying to push air through. Anywaya, hope I could help somehow, sorry if I can't!
Joe
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Author: William
Date: 2002-05-17 13:22
Try this--build up a considerable amount of pressure with your tongue in position to say KAH. Try to expell air as hard as you can WITHOUT letting any air actually escape through your mouth or nose. Then, suddenly let it go through your mpc and sustain the resulting sound. Then, practice this "Kah" articulation with shorter tones, but each time with the air build-up and sudden release. This may not produce a very satisfying articulation, but it should help you learn to hold back air with your pallate and focus it through your mouth. If this does not work, then perhaps you have a pallate defect that needs professional medical attention. See posting above.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-05-17 14:54
Mark -
I think "palatal leak" is the key. "Palatial" would refer to a fancy house.
Aa -
It's possible that you have developed a polyp in the area that seals off your nasal passage. If the problem persists, you should definitely see an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist doctor, preferably one who has experience with wind instrument players. To find one, check with your local symphony players.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-05-17 15:12
Ken Shaw wrote:
>
> Mark -
>
> I think "palatal leak" is the key. "Palatial" would refer to a
> fancy house.
True, Ken, but searching for
palatial leak
<b>will</b> bring up the relevant info!
;^)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-05-17 15:52
Can you blow up a balloon? I don't think you could with a nose leak. If you can, then consider....
Are you creating the leak because you are desperate to breath faster for more oxygen?
The clarinet uses less air than normal breathing does, and this takes a bit of getting used to. (I've never come across this problem for flute players.)
Perhaps during rests you need to breathe out before you breath in, so you don't need to breath out so much while you are actually playing.
Regarding this being a recent phenomenon.... Are you less physically fit than before? Are you playing better and hence needing less air? Are you trying to last longer for each breath?
Only suggestions.
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2002-05-17 19:09
That happened to me years ago, when I was trying a very open tip mouthpiece on tenor sax. Went with a more closed 'piece, and the problem went away!
-- Dan
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Author: Clairgirl
Date: 2002-05-18 05:02
I have this problem too!! it is a pain most of the time, but it really gets me when I have to perform in front of people. Somehow, even if i'm not really that anxious, it gets a lot worse during performances. I am stuck as to what to do to fix it, if it can be fixed at all.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-05-19 13:11
Others have the problem of blowing air out the sides of their mouth, making hissy sounds. I know an otherwise very capable player who could never get recording work, supposedly because of this hissing.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-05-19 14:46
Gordon: I have that problem after I've been playing for long periods of time because of a jaw problem (premature arthritis? Who knows...) That's why I like playing basses, because there's less room and less possibility for air to escape.
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-05-19 21:51
Most of the time the hissing sound is not audible in the concert hall unless there is a real problem..sometimes this is due to embouchure fatigue and means more sleep and less practice....Galper tone enhancers may help here...these are like little side platic piece you put beside the rails of the mouthpiece...James Campbell apparently uses them and he practices alot more than i do.
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