Author: RobinDesHautbois
Date: 2012-02-02 10:51
Not so much pressure on the eyes, but breath-support can increase sinus pressure. Sinus pressure will be felt in the eyes and cause redness... for me fibromyalgia (triggering muscle strain) will actually cause this. See if you have any allergies (often food-related like less-than-natural bread or highly processed milk products or overly engineered soy products or pesticide-rich berries).
I'd make sure your reeds are easy to play and don't restrict your blowing. How people perceive this might be contentious.
Most people in North-America will say that Philadelphia-scrape (American or long-scrape) produces easier reeds, but for the years that I used them, they gave me dizzy spells and I always felt like I was choking.
It is generally accepted (all over the world) that short-scrape (European) reeds are "harder", but I really find they accept my air volume and pressure more easily and respond to articulation more easily... I feel much more comfortable with them, especially when tied on big staples.
You might want to experiment with this and decide for yourself.
Robin Tropper
M.A.Sc., B.Mus., B.Ed.
http://RobinDesHautbois.blogspot.ca/music
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