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RE: Smile?

Author: angella
Date: 1999-08-08 20:19

here some ideas from various old method books

from "introducing the clarinet" james o froseth:
stretch the lower lip against the lower teeth and draw the chin muscles downward as if pronouncing a highly exaggerated "yes"

...seal the lips around the mouthpiece with a firm inward pucker. only a thin ribbon of lower lip should CUSHION the reed, and the chin muscles should be drawn downward.

from "enjoy playing the clarinet" by ruth bonetti
to find an embouchure that is natural and suited to your own physical make-up, think of the position of your mouth and jaw as you smile or drink through a straw. (notice the chin is down in this position)
with the top teeth on the mouthpiece, keep the chin firm.
smile, but don't let air escape.

from "the student clarinetist" by benjamin spieler:
the red part of the lower lip should rest flat against the lower teeth with a small lap over the teeth to CUSHION the reed. if you have difficulty with this, try pressing the lower lip against the teeth with two fingers and then SMILE slightly. think of your chin as being down, long and pointed. next wrap the lips around the mouthpiece and seal like a rubber band. in your mouth the reed should feel that it is resting gently on a cushion. do not bite.

from an unidentified photo copy:

rest your top teeth directly on the mouthpiece. close your mouth in a DRAWSTRING fashion with equal pressure on all sides of the reed. your chin should be flat and pointed.

these are just some ideas, but mostly they all say to keep the chin down, flat and make sure you keep the corners inward! like a drawstring so that no air escapes. the bottom lip is as a cushion, though that doesn't mean bunched up!

hope this helps.

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