 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rob
Date: 2002-11-29 23:03
It seems to me that there are quite a few clarinet players of all levels who have a hissing noise coming out of the sides of their mouths. I have been to masterclasses and music festivals in which nothing has been said about the players air leak at all. Is that hissing noise not a very big problem for clarinet players to have? Is it not a problem at all? Are clarinet players that have this hiss looked up to? I know that for me, the hissing noise gets in the way of the music.
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Author: Burt
Date: 2002-11-29 23:22
I try to avoid hissing. However, when I am physically tired from playing, it happens. In addition to being noisy, hissing wastes air, and would force me to take extra breaths at undesired times.
I don't look up to players who hiss. Fortunately, I rarely find this problem.
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Author: tww
Date: 2002-11-29 23:51
I don't think it's a problem. I've known clarinetists who let air leak out the corners of their mouths all the time (I presume to save chops.) The audience doesn't hear it, so I guess it doesn't matter. I have to admit it's kinda annoying sitting next to one of those people, though.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-11-30 00:32
It's best to minimize the air leaking out of the sides of the mouth as it could be a distraction to nearby players and, in chamber music settings, it could be heard by the audience. However, one of the most beautiful sounding clarinet players in an orchestra was Walter Thalin of the Minneapolis Symphony in the 40s and 50s who released a tremendous amount of air as he played. It couldn't be heard in the audience.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2002-11-30 02:55
Air leaking out of the sides of the mouth is not acceptable in a recording studio, or most professional settings where I work.
It is distracting and sounds bad to the other musicians and the conductor, not to mention the contractor.
Some fine professional players have been asked to stop the air leaks, and when they could not, they were not rehired.
It is a problem that should be dealt with at an early stage, and corrected before it becomes a bad habit.
I have corrected this simple problem in dozens of students over the years, and found the correction to be permanent in most cases.
If this is not a problem for you, the other musicians you work with, or the conductor, then just let it be.
Good luck,
JJM
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-11-30 10:34
Snort - intransitive form of verb. Snort like a horse! Cellists seem to do it more than other musicians.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-11-30 10:57
The vibrations from the cello probably release sinus mucous
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Author: Eugene
Date: 2002-11-30 16:59
How do you stop it I recently was asked to play at a aunts funeral and played extremly soft all the way through 3 short pieces but it was completely solo its the only time i was aware i leaked I took large volumes of air when i could but it was not getting out fast enough
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-12-01 04:13
My boss (an operatic bass) said once that he never really liked the sound of a clarinet because all the clarinetists he knew always leaked air. For him, lack of exposure to people playing "correctly" obviously has hindered his experience of great music! ;^)
At any rate, he heard one performance of mine with the ethnic music group I used to perform with, and he was amazed that the hissing wasn't NECESSARY to clarinet playing! This man is not stupid, but he certainly must never have heard a really great player play live! No, I'm not saying I'M great, just that everyone else he had ever heard must not be very good...LOL.
Katrina
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Author: vin
Date: 2002-12-01 15:57
c'mon guys. forget the euphemisms, cellists don't release sinus mucus, they release SNOT!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2002-12-01 21:08
I used to play cello. I never remembered my sinuses getting involved ...
Alexi
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-12-02 17:22
There can be a number of reasons for the hissing.
For beginners, especially if they are using the mouthpiece that came with the instrument, it's often the mouthpiece.
It sometimes happens when someone has done a lot of playing.
It can be a result of poor breathing habits.
It can be a sign of an embouchure that's gotten too loose.
For anyone doing a lot of playing regularly, it could be a sign of TMJ, especially if it happens regularly.
Meri
BTW, Hi, Rob.
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