 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bartmann
Date: 2007-10-03 15:58
Friends,
Since learning flute several years ago I've noticed that I really don't play clarinet anymore.
My schedule only allows me to play on weekends. I can't play my clarinet every day which is necessary to maintain embouchure. What usually happens on the weekend is that I assemble both my flute and clarinet. Play my clarinet until my embouchure dies: about 15 minutes. Then I play my flute for three hours.
I go through this routine every weekend. In contrast with the flute, the clarinet requires daily practice to maintain the strength to hold the clarinet embouchure. Yet after dedicating over a decade of daily practice to my clarinet, I really don't want to abandon it entirely.
So I'm trying to figure out how to maintain a low level of clarinet skill so that when I retire, I won't be starting from scratch. Because during retirement I can easily see myself playing my clarinet a little every day. However, as an older man at 59.5 years of age, will my lips be too aged to effectively relearn and maintain the clarinet embouchure?
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bartmann
Date: 2007-10-03 17:01
David,
I've quite seriously considered using a softer reed. I use Vandoren White Master strength 3. Which worked fine when my lips were really strong from daily practice.
I recall trying different strengths years ago when I got the mouthpiece, a Viotto. I didn't like the increasing raspiness, (kind of like the tone of a crumhorn), and the loss of focus of the weaker reeds. In my head I have ingrained the idea of a beautiful clarinet sound and perhaps I didn't want to tamper with that.
I still have some of those boxes of 2 and 2.5 lying around. It might be time to break them out and give them a try.
Now the implications of your suggestion are fairly significant: reed strength may go up and down depending on the condition of the clarinetist.
Thanks,
Bartmann
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-10-03 17:23
Ya,
I use softer reeds for a week or so when coming back from a vacation. Try that until you can rebuild the embouchure.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-10-03 19:08
I can't remember who it was on this board (I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably either Ken Shaw or GBK) who had some interesting suggestions for building and maintaining an embouchure. One suggestion was just to have a spare mouthpiece/reed/lig in your car and just to hold it in your mouth while you drive with your embouchure. Weight shouldn't be too much of a problem and it'll help build/maintain those facial muscles. I remember them saying that from the distance and through windows and glances, most people would probably just assume it's a short stubby cigar or something.
Another method is just to use your thumb. Form an embouchure around your thumb when you can during the day. And keep it there. (Probably best to do when noone is watching or they might be getting you an adult pacifier for your next birthday). Maybe while watching TV, once again while driving, just different times during the day.
I'm going to try these methods as I'll be going on a bit of a break from serious practicing for about a month and a half but want to maintain my muscle strength so I can get back to it as quickly as possible.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: am0032
Date: 2007-10-03 21:07
I have the opposite problem. Maintaining a good flute sound has always been difficult for me. I have to practice flute first. My clarinet practice ruins my flute sound if I try to practice flute after clarinet. I have always thought that the flute embouchure was more delicate and easier to ruin by playing clarinet.
Adam
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: srattle
Date: 2007-10-03 21:20
I know Franklin Cohen keeps a spare mouthpiece with an old reed on to blow through and keep the muscles working when he can't be at the clarinet all the time. . .Is your workplace somewhere that you could keep a mouthpiece around for this purpose, or is it too 'public'?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Pam H.
Date: 2007-10-05 02:36
I'm more like Adam. Maintaining flute profiency has always been more work for me. If I neglect it for 5-6 days straight, yuck. I can though mix it up between flute and clarinet with only a brief weird flute sound. I think my mouth just knows the clarinet embochure - no thought involved anymore.
Try playing the flute after the sax if you want to hear really weird stuff.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
