Allison Gerber

MUSC 862E
June 29, 2010
Problems and Solutions Regarding Clarinet Embouchure

Correct clarinet embouchure is essential for the clarinet. If the embouchure is awry, then

the tone, control, and intonation of the instrument will be problematic. To understand

embouchure pedagogy we must understand how the clarinet developed and adapted to advances

in technique and technology.

The clarinet was originally made of wood and the reed was positioned on top of the

mouthpiece. Both the top and bottom lips were curled over the teeth. This is called double-lip

embouchure. Eventually it was decided that a smoother tone and greater control was achieved

by turning the reed around so that it was in contact with the lower lip (Weston 20). In order to

protect the soft, wooden instrument a double-lip embouchure was still used. Once the hard

material ebonite was used for clarinets, many began to release the top lip. Carl Baermann, the

first to use single-lip embouchure, argued that playing with double-lip embouchure did not

produce a smoother tone. Most players agreed that there was no drop in tone quality but only

greater endurance with single-lip embouchure.

The sound of the clarinet is controlled by pressure from the jaw on the reed. If you have

a student who struggles continually to find the proper spot for the clarinet to sit on the bottom

lip, they should try using a double-lip embouchure. This forces the clarinet to sit where it most

naturally fits under the top lip. The bi-symmetry of the lips forces the bottom lip to conform to

the natural top lip position (Campione 10). Carmine Campione calls this concept the lip/teeth

relationship and argues that it counts for 80% of correct embouchure. This essential pressure

from the jaw, not the lips, must be applied to the point where the reed blends with the

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mouthpiece. Teachers should help students find this spot by drawing a pencil line at the bottom

of the lay and regularly check the position of the reed.

To develop a strong embouchure a students should start by sustaining a high C on the

mouthpiece for ten seconds. Then practice on long tones, which require firm lips throughout,

starting in the chalumeau register and slowly working up. Begin each note without tonguing so

that the lips are in total control of the sound and crescendo then decrescendo during the tone.

Maintaining embouchure through dynamic variance can be difficult. The sideways tension, or

pressure, of the lips should never change with the dynamics. To develop muscle strength play

long notes in the high register with the tongue starting on a forte and decrescendo from there.

Another exercise is to slur up to the high register on octave intervals giving more lip pressure for

higher notes. Teachers should watch that students do not slide back on the reed when doing so.

The thumb key should be pushed up slightly to keep the lip pressure in the right place on the

reed. If a student struggles with the reed sliding out they should practice the octave interval

while intentionally taking too much reed until they achieve the desired tone.

Tension in the embouchure is also important for intonation. Beginning students may play

flat but will improve over time. If a student’s pitch is dropping when they blow hard, they may

be loosening their embouchure. The pitch will rise if the lips tighten during a soft blow. To help

this, the student should play tied whole notes forte then piano and vice versa. The embouchure

does change slightly with the pitch. It is looser for lower notes and tighter for higher notes. To

practice the change as the pitch goes up, students should gradually raise the lower jaw using the

vowels aw-ah-eh-ee (Weston 57). Change of embouchure can also be practiced by playing

octave intervals, slurred and tongued, upwards and downwards. Intonation can also be affected

by whether the barrel is pushed in fully, pulled out a little, or pulled out a lot. The embouchure

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will need to adapt to each. Vibrato can also disrupt embouchure so students should practice

vibrato while tuning the pitches to make sure the fluctuation of lip tension is appropriate.

Students will struggle with initial note entries unless they learn to change the embouchure before

the pitch starts.

Some students are not able to tune enough with embouchure changes. If the high break

notes are sharp, the student should place the middle and ring fingers of the left hand on the holes.

“Flat notes above b'' can be brought up to pitch by placing the right little finger on the g#/d''#

key. Do not do this for d'''# and e''' because the seventh harmonic becomes too strong resulting in

g'''# and a''' instead. Flat very high notes can be raised by using either one of the ring finger

keys,” (Weston 62).

Some students do not have confidence in their embouchure, on high notes in particular.

To help this psychological battle, students can practice playing the high notes with ‘long’

fingerings, which covers more holes (Weston 59). They should also use exercises that cross the

break frequently.

If a student is blowing excessively and wasting air they need to take less reed or just blow

less. When students produce a breathy and weak tone after a long rehearsal the muscles are

strained and need to rest. Also make sure that the student is not applying pressure with the lips

instead of the jaw and becoming fatigued. Lip fatigue will produce squeaking and a small, tight

sound. If a student has a thin, restricted tone in general they need to use more reed. If they

produce an undertone on higher notes, because the necessary harmonic is not able to come

through, they should take more reed and use more lip pressure (Weston 60). They should lessen

the lip pressure and take less reed if they produce harmonics and squawk on the lower notes such

as producing a high D on an open G. Also try increasing the angle of clarinet by bowing the

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head or lifting up the clarinet. Uncontrollable squeaking can sometimes be fixed by rolling more

of the bottom lip over the teeth. If the sound is small and subdued, the bottom lip might need to

be rolled out.

The chin's somewhat pointed position should come naturally as the result of the lip/teeth

relationship. The chin can bunch or be pushed upward a result of a lack of jaw pressure and the

collapse of the embouchure. To combat this Campione writes “While using one's finger to

determine the proper bottom lip/teeth position, press that finger down and slide it into the mouth

with continued pressure,” (Campione 7). The lips should remain passive throughout acting as a

link between the jaw and the reed.

This lip/teeth relationship can also be upset by large breaths. After students have

practiced breathing without changing the embouchure for a couple weeks they can return to the

normal method of breathing out of the corners of the mouth. When breathing the top teeth

should never be visible. This is fixed by keeping the top lip and teeth together when breathing

off of the mouthpiece. If a student has an over-bite, the clarinet should be pulled closer to the

body. If a student has an under-bite, the clarinet should be held farther away from the body.

Practicing in front of a mirror will solve many embouchure issues like puffy cheeks. If

there is no mirror available they should play an open G while checking the cheeks with the left

hand. Another facial problem could be dimples caused by opposing muscles. Students should

play long tones in front of a mirror to monitor the dimples. The same method should help

students who have air pockets under their lips when playing.

The important thing to remember about embouchure is that every student's embouchure

will be slightly different but they can all be successful in tone, control, and intonation.

Experiment and provide exercises that will help your students discover their best.

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 References

Baermann, Carl. (1938). The Bettoney Baermann Clarinet Method. New York, NY: Carl Fischer,

Inc..

Campione, Carmine. (2001). Campione on Clarinet. Fairfield, OH: John Ten-Ten Publishing.

Galper, Avrahm. (2001). Mel Bay Presents Tone, Technique & Staccato. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay

Publications, Inc..

Timm, Everett L. (1971). The Woodwinds. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, Inc..

Weston, Pamela. (1976). The Clarinet Teacher's Companion. Great Britain: Robert Hale &

Company.

Westphal, Frederick. (1985). Guide to Teaching Woodwinds. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown

Publishers.