 The Fingering Forum
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Author: band luver!
Date: 2005-03-15 23:13
argh! i've playing bassoon for half a year, and it seems that if i practise A LOT, my upper inner lip really hurts. A couple of times, it even bled. Ugh. Is this an embouchure problem, or am i biting too hard? i don't think i'm biting too hard because if i don't then i go out of tune. help! thanks!
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Author: Joel Clifton
Date: 2005-03-16 18:46
You shouldn't bite at all. The reed should be rather loose on the reed with no tooth pressure. Your embouchure should be a similar shape as if you were saying "ooo", not the shape of the reed.
Is it bleeding where your teeth are contacting your lips? If so perhaps you should go to a dentist and have your teeth smoothed off. I had that done once. It's kind of a disturbing thought, but they use a small drill with what looks like a tiny masonry saw at the end, and they used it on my front teeth.
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Author: band luver!
Date: 2005-03-19 02:28
hmm. ok. that's a bit weird, becuz my teeth ARE pretty smooth...and i shouldnt bite? but my teacher told me to put pressure on the reed, like bite down on it. he keeps telling the "amature" bassoonists in my band to bite down harder becuz he's always out of tune. well, i'll see if that helps. thannx!
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Author: Joel Clifton
Date: 2005-03-19 16:08
You should perhaps put some little pressure on it, especially the high notes, but most of the pressure, as far as I know, should be done with the lips. When I played the bassoon, I don't remember ever having to bite nearly hard enough to hurt my lips, even when playing for long periods on the extreme high register (around g-d, 3-5 ledger lines above bass clef).
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Author: musical lottie
Date: 2005-04-01 14:30
Where do they bleed - inside or out? If they're bleeding from the outside because they've cracked then it's possible you're allergic to reeds (my clarinet teacher and myself are) - do they get itchy and dry at all? And if they're bleeding from the inside then ignore me.
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Author: band luver!
Date: 2005-04-01 19:30
it's on the inside. thanks anyways =)
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Author: musical lottie
Date: 2005-04-02 17:52
Well in that case, I'm not a bassoon player but I'd say it was because your lips just aren't used to playing for a long time all in one go. I have a brilliant oboist friend who did a band course after he'd been playing for a year or two, and his lips bled purely because they weren't used to playing that much all in one go.
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