 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Christine
Date: 2002-10-07 01:49
I could use some new ideas for teaching embouchure to my beginning- and intermediate-level students. I find myself saying "Pull your chin down" over and over again, but if they don't know what I mean, how will they learn to do it? Also, when they do understand, it's so difficult to get them to think about it all the time. I realize this has to involve their individual practice time, but I need some more strategies for getting them to understand what a correct embouchure feels like. Also, any ideas on how to explain the concept of upper-lip pressure to my high school student?
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-10-07 03:24
Have them play an open G and with their left hand have them feel their chin. Also have them put a finger on your chin while you play so they can feel the difference.
I don't believe it's important for beginners in particular to have the idea they should be thinking about their embouchure all the time. Particularly for students who haven't played any instrument before, there are too many things for them to handle at once. I usually tell them to think about their embouchure during their scale practice and I tell them to do about 3 minutes of long tones a day during which they are ONLY to think about their embouchure and how they sound. It really works to isolate different factors of technique and music. Ultimately I tell them it's all about muscle memory and just like when they learned to walk as babies, they need to keep doing it until it's second nature.
I'm a bit confused by your last question. Don't you just tell your student to push down on the mp with their upper lip?
Katrina
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-10-07 03:37
Try F. U. L. D. O. M. P. which is full upper lip down on mouthpiece.
Try to get the student used to drawing air in from the corners of the mouth.
Work on diaprahmic breathing....
Teach your student at a relaxed and slow rate until they can do the above naturally.
Make sure they keep the seal on the top of the mouthpiece at all times.
Try to get them to keep their chin ppointed like the word "
Make sure they are not playing on too hard of a reed at first.
Watch for raising shoulders and puffing of cheeks...definite bad signs....
Best wishes
DD
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-10-07 03:41
Ps. the word is "dew" or the equivelent sound of ...I think of the embouchure as a well formed circle...
--
Jaw hinges relaxed and pointed
Best wishes
DD
'let patience be your guide"
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Author: Rene
Date: 2002-10-07 06:04
"let patience be your guide"
Well said.
Beginners tend to embrace the mp too hard, and at the same time blow too softly. It seems to be a difficult thing to do just the opposite. Then the struggle with the fingers! You can call yourself lucky, if the learner tries to remove his problems by patient practising all by himself. That attitude is the best you can teach.
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Author: Robert
Date: 2002-10-07 07:31
I just read Larry Guy's "Embouchure Builiding for Clarinetists", and found it to be a very clear and excellent guide to the subject. By the way, I ordered it from Gary Van Cott (one of the sponsors of this site). I've had fantastic service from Gary, and recommend his wonderful site.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-10-07 12:03
Amen to LG's text...
There is a simple exercise involving a drinking straw illustration.
Why not try getting the kiddies to play double lip?
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-10-07 18:21
Do a search for embouchure beginners and you may find some more ideas.
Meri
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2002-10-08 07:01
I agree with the straw analogy. I usually tell my kids to imagine drinking a pineapple milkshake and getting a piece of pineapple caught in the straw, or trying to suck through a milkshake that is close to frozen in consistency.
Another good approach is used by the Standard of Excellence Band Book. The player is instructed to do a two-step procedure with the mouth saying "We, too." (hold the "we" while saying "too")
I also agree with Kat that embouchure is only one element of instruction, and best worked while practicing cut-and-dried items like long tones and scales.
It's easy to obsess on embouchure with beginners, but it's going to be slow to develop and we should be careful not to hold up other productive instruction while waiting for it.
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