Page 10 - Embou-Sure Book Series

Reed alignment and ligature tightness are extremely important. A reed placed too high or too low will not respond correctly. Placed too high, it in effect becomes a slightly stiffer reed; too low, it will not vibrate properly. When
the reed is not centered on the table, vibration is also greatly affected. When the ligature is too tight, the cane of the reed is gradually warped; when the ligature is too loose, the reed literally moves around on the table--a full-bod- ied tone is a virtual impossibility. THESE FACTORS ARE CENTRAL IN MY INSISTENCE THAT THE TEACHER SOAK, TEST, ALIGN, AND TIGHTEN THE REED. A host of undesirable variables are thereby elim- inated and the student’s chances of immediate success are multiplied many times over.
CLARINET BODY ASSEMBLY
Assembling the body of the clarinet for each student (again, prior to class time if possible) and laying it in the student’s case is another important facet of EMBOU-SURE. At the point in teaching where the body of the clarinet is needed, the last thing you want to do is break the train of thought by having to stop to explain the hazards of joining the bridgework between the upper and lower joints. You must, of course, be prepared to teach this, but that comes at the end of the first lesson--not in the middle.
So, assemble the clarinet bodies (carefully checking the position of the bridge keys) and place them in their respective cases beside each student’s chair. You are now ready for that new batch of fledgling clarinetists!
BREATH SUPPORT
Chances are, you already have your own method of teaching breath support Chances are, it matches up perfectly with breath support practices in clarinet playing. So, this will be quite abbreviated. Also, too much can often be made of proper breathing---to the point where all sorts of unnatural physical things start to happen.
If you stress: sit tall, full breath, fast air...in your own words, of course, that’s enough. Be sure that the student is not slumping forward, that he takes a breath similar to a big sigh, and that he understands that the air is to be expelled as though trying to blow out candles. When you stop to think about it, if you are sure the student is sitting correctly, getting him to take a deep breath is simple: he’s been doing it all his life. The only unfamiliar part is air intensity. Even that is easy with such statements as:
• “Blow out making the loudest, longest, hissing sound you can.”
• “Imagine a piece of paper flat against the wall; blow a fast enough
air to hold it there as long as you can.” (The real physical act of placing a piece of paper against the wall will actually work.)
Embou-Sure
FORMING THE EMBOUCHURE
Present each of the students with his own reed/ligature/mouthpiece/barrel combination. Also have your own prepared and ready to assist in demon- strating. Instruct the student to firmly grasp the barrel with his left hand (a preliminary move which eventually establishes the left-above right hand posi- tion). Demonstrate and mention that the reed faces toward the student. Also give caution about rubbing the reed against clothing, chipping the reed, etc.
Now, using your own facial expression and voice, instruct each student to “make an exaggerated, facial ‘A’ sound.” The muscles which control the chin and lower lip must visibly move: the lower lip plus the muscles and tissue covering the chin becoming very flat. To be certain that a facial ‘A’ is formed, the visual image of “showing a deaf person the letter ‘A’ with your facial mus- cles” is usually very clear. If not, this is: “Imagine you are putting Chapstick on your lower lip. Run your finger over your lip as though it were the tube of Chapstick.” (If you look in a mirror, you will notice that the famous “flat chin” portion of the clarinet embouchure has been formed.) Now instruct the students:
“Maintaining the feeling of the facial ‘A’, add a facial ‘Q’ on top of it.” (It is the “oo” sound we are interested in.) This instantly brings into position the muscles which surround the lips and completes the formation of a perfect clarinet embouchure.
THE FIRST TONE
The next step is to couple the embouchure formation with the reed/ ligature/ mouthpiece/barrel combination. It is important to mention that the reed rests on the lower lip, while the upper teeth contact the mouthpiece. Instruct the student to take about half-an-inch of reed into the mouth. (Watch the angle of the mouthpiece/barrel combination to the body; keep it down. Also note head position; keep it up...level.) Demonstrating for the student, explain:
Embou-Sure – 12
Take a deep breath, re-form the embouchure (“A-Q”), and “blow out