 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: john
Date: 2002-06-21 20:08
When I am doing a lot of tounging, I seem to get a lot of saliva on the inside of the reed. The problem with this is that it not only distorts the tone, but it can waterlog the reed. Although I can take of the reed and wipe it, or try and suck the moisture out while the reed is attached (which usually doesn't work as well as I would like for the large amount of saliva on the reed), I am wondering if their may be some better way of preparing to play, or controling the moisure in my mouth to not go into the clarinet, which will help to eliminate this problem. BTW, this only occurs when I am tounging a lot, particulary fast staccatto. Also, the formation of moisture on the reed/facing seems to collect in large amounts in some places, and not so much in others, consistent usually one time to the next.
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Author: Kristen D.
Date: 2002-06-21 22:01
John,
I must say I once had the same exact problem. I know that
everyone is different, but I will let you know why I had
the same problem. The main reason I was putting out so
much moisture was because my tongue was just too low. When
my (or anyone's) tongue is low in the mouth, it promotes
slower, warmer air which is more likely to cause an increased
amount of "condensation" or as we call it--spit. When I changed
my tonguing syllable to "Tee" or "Thee" as compared to the
"low tongue" syllable of "Tah", the air was cooler and faster.
Using fast and cool air should eliminate some of the moisture.
Another tip: be sure you are tonguing lightly. When we tongue
with too much force, it can also promote extra moisture.
Good luck!
Kristen D.
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Author: Rene
Date: 2002-06-22 10:57
I first assume that is really saliva, which spoils your tone. Saliva is produced on the sides under the tongue, and can be pressed out like a fountain towards the front of the mouth, if the tongue lifts. It then wettens your read and gets on the inner side of the reed by the airstream, burbling and spoiling your tone.
I had the same problem, but it disappeared after a while. Don't know why. Maybe the saliva is no longer emitted once the brain learns that there is nothing to eat while playing clarinet. Also the tongue action got more limited and effective with experience. The mouth does now keep much dryer overall. Also I never play when I am extremely hungry or shortly after a meal.
The condensation problem is different. I doubt that it can be helped by the tongue position as Kirsten says. Maybe it helps to take less air more frequently. The longer the air is in the body the warmer and wetter it gets. I tended to play really long phrases with one air breeth, which is technically dangerous and moreover I had lots of water in the tone tone holes. By the way, the reason I did this is because I had problems with the first attack after each air breeth, having to re-position to the correct embouchure.
I believe, these problems will go away.
Rene
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-06-22 13:41
When I play the saliva collects in the space behind my lower teeth, under my tongue. Then I swallow it at opportune moments.
If I was to tongue not with the tip of my tongue, but further back on it, then the tip of my tongue would be occupying (filling) the saliva collection area; the saliva would then get above my tongue and past the reed. I wonder if you are doing just that?
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Author: Kim
Date: 2002-06-22 16:12
One thing that is sure to make the problem worse (at least it has for me) is eating foods high in salt/sodium prior to playing. If I forget and eat pretzels or something else high in salt before playing, I'm always sorry afterwards!
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Author: Signe Crawford
Date: 2002-06-22 20:32
The most effective thing you can do to push saliva through your mouthpiece is to give good breath support, and to keep the air moving forward as you are tonguing. Obviously as you do short tonguing, you have to stop the tone between the notes. Unless you've been taught otherwise, you will interrupt the airstream. The trick is to keep pushing with your diaphragm during the instant you're cutting the note off with your tongue. It's like a water hose hooked to the house faucet, which has a squirter at the end of it. The water is your air, the faucet is your diaphragm, and the squirter is the tongue regulating the buildup of pressure created by turning on the faucet, (diaphragm). If you just "let" a little bit of it out, you will have a lot of pressure. You can demonstrate this yourself by forming your tongue as if you were going to blow a note, but keep the air from escaping. You're pushing with your diaphragm, but no air is escaping. It's actually like grunting. Now let a tiny bit of air out, and close it right off again. That's how you tongue. Imaging firing off short notes in succession like that, as if you were a machine gun. Saliva won't be a problem.
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