 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tdinap
Date: 2007-05-15 02:08
Hey everyone, I’m a relative newcomer here--I’ve been reading the site for a couple of months, but I haven’t yet posted anything. I apologize for opening with such a massive post; in the future I’ll try to keep them to a bit more reasonable length…
A substantial amount of time searching the site tells me that a discussion about double-lip embouchure is probably beyond beating a dead horse for most of you guys, but my question is a bit different from the standard “which is better?” type query.
See, this fall, I had the privilege of studying with the wonderful Julie Vaverka, the longtime student of Harold Wright. I came to her right out of high school with a myriad of problems, one of which was, not surprisingly, far too much biting and jaw pressure. This, along with some other factors, led her to suggest that I try playing with a double lip embouchure. I quickly discovered that this was essentially what I had been looking for all along--I had always been uncomfortable with many aspects of the single-lip embouchure, but it had never before occurred to me to switch to double.
Anyway, as some of you already know, Julie had to go on leave around New Year’s, and has yet to return (at least as far as I know). Since then, the only instruction I’ve had specifically regarding double lip technique has been a tiny bit from my current teacher (a single lip player) and a bit of my own research (mostly from what I believe to be the famous Ralph McLane article, this board, and other similar sources.)
So here is my predicament: I will be returning home to New Jersey for summer vacation in about three weeks, and I’m hoping I can find a teacher in the area to study with until September. (I’m a physics major here at Dartmouth, and I can’t practice nearly as much as I’d like during the school year, so I want to try to make up for it somewhat over the summer.) Unfortunately, all the clarinetists I know back home play single lip, and as teachers don’t generally advertise specifically what embouchure they prefer to teach, I have no idea how to go about finding one, other than just asking around. Does anybody here know of anyone in the New Jersey area who teaches double lip and would be willing to take on a student for the summer? I live in central Jersey, so pretty much any part of the state is manageable, and I’d even consider traveling to New York of Philadelphia in a pinch.
Thanks for trudging through all that, and for any input you may have. See you in the forums!
Tom
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2007-05-15 02:25
I think whether or not the teacher plays double-lip, they should be able to offer you good instruction that relates to both single and double lip. For the most part, the concepts are all the same, and if you feel cofortable with double lip, there is a very good chance you are lined up correctly as it is. I would try to just find a good teacher, regardless of their playing preference.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-05-15 13:40
Roger McKinney at The College of New Jersey was a good teacher when I had him back in the early 1990's. He had studied with Gigliotti and Bonade. He didn't exactly play double-lipped, but sort of "rolls" the top lip in front of the teeth which he believed gave the same effect (opening the throat cavity) to a double lipped embouchure without the pain. I think he would be worth a try.
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-05-15 15:22
Tom,
I actually studied with Julie Vaverka and played double lip for 7 years. Oddly enough, I also studied with Roger McKinney about 13 years ago. The two have completely different playing styles, so I would not suggest studying with McKinney if you are interested in the Wright School of playing.
Contact me offline for more info. I also live in central NJ.
Grifffinity@yahoo.com
Post Edited (2007-05-15 15:24)
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Author: jendereedknife
Date: 2007-05-15 22:24
Dear Tom & Grifffinity,
As fate would have it, I play double lipped (professionally), and I studied with Julie and Roger, and I am from NJ, too!
I will be in Edison NJ for a short spell from June 8 - 12, if you would like to meet for a lesson. Please email me privately at: Prez@jendeindustries.com
Tom Blodgett
Sincerely,
Tom Blodgett
President,
Jende Industries, LLC
www.jendeindustries.com
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