Author: jhoyla
Date: 2017-06-15 14:50
Sarah,
Technique with US reeds is different to European scrape reeds. European reeds have a lot of natural spring to the opening, and we all tend to use quite a lot of lip to keep the opening at a useful size while playing.
Not so, US scrape reeds.
These reeds are designed to have the ideal opening up-front, and all you should do with your lips is seal around the reed. It is a different technique, and takes some getting used to. In the meantime, your reeds will (as you have discovered) have an extremely short life ...
For a US embouchure you should keep your jaw open and roll your lips in, keeping the corners pursed. Think "blowing out a candle at at a distance", then roll in keeping the corners tight. Seal around the heart, don't squeeze. Control the reed using mainly the airspeed which you control from your abdominal muscles. Don't bite, and don't smile.
Hope this helps.
J.
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