 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: The Break
Date: 2012-02-21 04:38
Hello everyone, I've come with a question that seems to plague, from what I hear, many other clarinetists - including myself. For years I've played the Clarinet with what most would consider a "perfect" (or near perfect) embouchure. Since then, I don't know how, but the corners of my mouth weakened, letting air through... to the point where you could hear the air coming from the corners of my mouth while playing.
My question to you all is if there are any exercises any of you know of to help regain the strength in my embouchure. I want to get rid of this habit as quickly as possible! Thanks, again.
The Break
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2012-02-21 05:03
The only exercise that I know that really works, is the old "oooo, eeee" exercise. First you say "oooooooo", puckering your lips as hard as you can . Then you say "eeeeeeeee", pulling the corners of your mouth out in a tight smile as hard as you can. Repeat that about 50 times, and you have a great workout for your embouchure. You can even do it while driving your car, but you may get some strange stares from passing motorists!
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
World Class Clarinet Mouthpieces
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-02-21 07:57
As a beginner, who had to start from scratch with developing an embouchure I read of a device sold in the US for this purpose. In simple terms it looked something like a trumpet mouthpiece. You put the mushroom shaped head behind your lips and had a tug of war. with your lips trying not to let it get pulled out. The other half of the exercise was to turn it round and clamp down as hard as possible, lips only, on the stem.
For a while I more or less did the same 2 exercises with a 1" dia button on a string, holding the button in my mouth by lips only while gently pulling on the string and clamping down hard on a pencil, lips only.
To be honest I've no idea whether it did any good but my embouchure, while not strong enough for consistancy with the highest notes doesn't leak at the sides.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-02-21 09:43
For me the corners are defined by the cheek muscles and upper lip muscles. You should be able to counteract what is happening by concentrating on these.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2012-02-21 13:40
It's important to decide whether the corner leak is the result of fatigued (weak) muscles or an embouchure change that's pulling the corners back too tightly. Does the air leak happen when you first start to play or only after you've been playing for some length of time? If it's there from your first few notes, I'd suspect that you've made some change in the way you're applying your facial muscles. If that's the case, strengthening won't help as much as identifying the embouchure problem and correcting it.
Karl
Post Edited (2012-02-21 19:17)
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-02-21 14:20
These are all good suggestions. In particular, kdk brings up some great points.
For a long time, I used a mouthpiece with a close tip and a very long facing. It was somewhat comfortable to blow and I got a great sound, but I'd always experience embouchure fatigue. If I played professionally and practiced for long periods of time each day, it might not have been an issue, but I'm not in that situation. Switching to a slightly more open mouthpiece with a slightly shorter facing length worked for me.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-02-21 18:56
Several of the above suggestions are very good. Here's a few others. Practise douple lip for a few minutes each day concentrating on wraping your lips around the mouthpiece. Play for a few mintures, rest, repeat several times. Also, when you're watching TV practise blowing into a straw for half an hour each day wrapping your mouth around the straw. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-02-22 00:29
When playing double lip, I happen to play this way all of the time; anyway as Eddie says practice this technique a few minutes a day. Added to his recommendation I would also practice articulation, short staccato notes as well as really smooth articulation such as some of the slow movements in which you hardly touch the reed with your tonque. This could also help the tongue get a hold of this new setup you are doing.
For whatever reason when playing really fast I articulate more with a flat tongue, just behind the tip of your tonque and not with the tip, which I find can really slow you down.
Hope this helps and try looking into a mirror when playing. This often shows some issues, not only with your mouth muscles but your fingering, air pressure and the position of your horn.
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2012-02-22 14:32
I find that the corners of my mouth hold out longer with my double lip embouchure than with single lip. Also, I've recently gone down 3/4s of a size in reed strength and this has helped.
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Author: SamKaestner
Date: 2012-02-22 15:36
I wrote a blog post about embouchure strength a while back. Maybe it will help:
http://bit.ly/AwX5OX
Sam Kaestner
West Point Band Clarinetist
www.samkaestner.com
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