 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Greybeard
Date: 2006-01-12 11:53
Hello,
I'm a mature (50's) novice, picking up my daughters old clarinet (she is an accomplished player, but not keen on dad getting in on the act, so reluctant to help!)
Can someone help me out with the basics of the clarinet embrochure please? I'm having real problems getting a consistant noise of any sort out of the instrument, and I need some advise on the basics.
Many thanks in advance,
Greybeard
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Very many thanks to all who have responded to my posting - all very good advice, and I'm now beginning to get the hang of this instrument, albeit slowly.
The point about lessons is well made, but at the moment I'm working Monday to Friday in Amsterdam, and travelling home to the UK at the weekends, so fitting in 'local' lessons is a bit of a problem. Once I get going, I may look around for a tutor in NL.
Again, Many thanks to all.
GB
Greybeard
Post Edited (2006-01-13 08:15)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-01-12 12:20
Dear Grey,
Starting with the lower lip over lower teeth is just the beginning of the "support" one needs for a good emborchure. The entire mouthpiece must be surrounded with firm lip support - imagine a rubber band around the mouthpiece. You are therefore actively drawing the upper lip down upon the top of the mouhtpiece (not just resting it there) and engaging the buccinator (sp?) muscles of the cheeks (used for sucking liquid up a straw) to support the sides. So.......the area from the lower lip to the chin should be stretched out and firm (much like what you would do if you ever shaved that beard) and the entire aperture into which you insert the mouthpiece is FIRM.
This is an important point. You are not "squeezing" the mouthpiece in a cruching fashion, you are merely creating a firm platform all around it. You should conscientiously be able to form your emborchure sans clarinet and then put the mouthpiece into that space.
Also, try to maintain enough of an angle with the clarinet so that the lower teeth are not perpendicular to the reed but 45 to 70 degrees off the perpendicular (down of course!!!).
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2006-01-12 16:06
You might check out the thread above re: Double-lip. Sound reasoning on both sides. Also to be considered is whether you "own" your own teeth. I have a false upper plate. It shifts when playing and causes problems so at times double lip is better. I've even tried it (double-lip) with my upper plate out--but I look like Popeye!. I'm 80.
Check the archives, do a search on both. The main thing is BE COMFORTABLE and stable!
Bob A
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-01-12 16:24
Paul's description is excellent.
An additional wrinkle I just learned (after 44 years): Take in the right amount of mouthpiece. The lower lip should overlap the point on the bottom of the mouthpiece where the reed departs from the mouthpiece. If you take too little mouthpiece, you will have a thin sound. If you take too much, you will loose control of the reed, and it will "chirp" when you start a note.
Probably better to take too little until you get reliable sound. Then, take more and more until you start chirping.
(NOTE. Off subject: my fingers seem to want to type chrip!)
Bob Phillips
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Author: marcia
Date: 2006-01-12 16:39
Congrats. for starting something new at a "mature" age. I would strongly reccomend a few lessons. That way the teacher can actually see what you are doing, demonstrate so you can see what the teacher is doing, and hopefully it will prevent the formation of bad habits that might need to be "unlearned" later on. I know a fellow who is probably close to my age "mature!" who took up clarinet about 18 months ago. We have had some very in depth discussions about various aspects, and I did encourage him very strongly to take some lessons. He is a very busy surgeon and I don't think he has done so. Some of the questions he has asked me could be answered MUCH better if he were to take lessons. Self learing does have its limitations.
Just MHO.
Marcia
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2006-01-12 16:39
You'd do much better to get a few lessons, really!
You say you can't get a consistent noise, but you don't say what noise you do get. Playing the first few notes is actually very easy. Most of the advice on this board is about improving your embouchure once you can play a little; as a beginner, you don't need to get every detail right on day one. Moreover, it is wrong to assume that there is one correct embouchure; mouths are not all the same.
But the following points are essential:
- The reed mustn't be too hard. If you borrow reeds from an accomplished player, they may well be too hard for a beginner.
- The reed must be damp. If you attach a dry reed and try to play, nothing much will happen. You should wet the thin end in your mouth for 20 or 30 seconds, then wipe off any droplets before you attach it.
- The reed must be properly positioned. Exactly central, and just a fraction of a millimeter short of the end of the mouthpiece.
- Having put the instrument in your mouth, you must squeeze a little on the reed with your lower lip. If the instrument is flopping around, your embouchure is too loose. If your jaw aches after a minute, it is too tight.
- You need to blow steadily but not very hard. If you blow like you were playing a recorder, not much will happen. But neither should you huff and puff like you were trying to blow the house down. Inhale a reasonable amount of air, but not so you feel like you are going to burst. Blow steadily, not like a kid trying to blow out all his candles at once.
As soon as possible, you need to learn to tongue, not just blow. But you should be able to get an acceptable sound without tonguing.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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