The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Newer Topic | Older Topic

glottal leak?

Author: GKF
Date: 1999-08-18 03:27

Please take a little time to help me, if you can...

I have a "condition", I guess you could call it. I belive I have heard it called a "glottal leak". There was an article in THE CLARINET about it last year -- I need to go back and review it. But, let me try to explain it to you:

When I play for a very long time, or play a very demanding piece (Copland Concerto, Debussy)-- my throat starts to make a scratchy sound as the air passes through it. I am unable to control it, and as I keep playing, the problem gets worse. After a few minutes of fighting this, it begins to feel as if the air is going back into my sinuses, rather than into the clarinet -- sometimes my ears even pop! This makes a successful recital nearly impossible, and is VERY frustrating.

This may sound very strange to some of you, but I know I am not imagining this experience, because my teacher has had students experience it before, and as I said, there was an article written on it. The magazine article, by the way, said that sometimes it can be improved, and sometimes not. NOT VERY ENCOURAGING!!!

So, if you have any suggestions, comments, or especially if you have had any personal experience with this frustrating "condition", please let me know --- THANK YOU VERY MUCH

GKF

Reply To Message

RE: glottal leak?

Author: Joanne
Date: 1999-08-18 06:25

Same thing happens to me when I practice too long. It feels like the air just leaks out the wrong place, instead of going into the horn. I can get the same kind of effect by making a "K" sound with my mouth closed. It's like "hitting the wall" after too much excercizing - nothing you can do about it once it happens. You just need to slowly build up endurance, same as with any muscle.
Good luck!

Reply To Message

RE: glottal leak?

Author: mike
Date: 1999-08-19 17:22

I found that it would happen to me at the onset of a cold, or after recovery from a cold...never knew anyone else to have expierianced it....also, like you said, after playing for an extended (longer than normal) time....an hour or two never seemed to cause it thou always longer...

Reply To Message

Avail. Forums | Threaded View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

The Clarinet Pages

For Sale
Put your ads for items you'd like to sell here. Free! Please, no more than two at a time - ads removed after two weeks.