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Posture, breathing and embouchure when playing the clarinet
The session guides for beginners
Breathing in and out is not only important for survival in our everyday lives, but also plays an important role when playing the clarinet. It is the origin of every sound.
The right breathing technique: Much more than inhaling and exhaling
In order to get a nice, clean and consistent tone from your clarinet, it's not just enough to learn the different handles , you also need, above all , good breathing techniques . Only through a constant flow of air can you create different and coordinated tones inside the clarinet by opening and closing the different tune holes . Unlike natural inhaling and exhaling, which usually happens through the nose, when playing the clarinet you breathe in suddenly through your mouth and then breathe out again in a constant and rather forced manner through the mouth.
A straight posture is good form when playing the clarinet
Since breathing when playing the clarinet goes hand in hand with your posture and goes together like ebb and flow, you should definitely make sure your back is upright . This is the only way the diaphragm - which is the most important respiratory muscle and also separates the abdominal cavity from the chest cavity - can expand downwards to create space for the lungs . The lungs can develop much better downwards because their space on the left and right is restricted by the ribs and other organs. For beginners, it is advisable to initially play the clarinet standing up. Breathing automatically becomes easier. The method of playing the clarinet while sitting is more suitable for advanced clarinetists, such as those often found in orchestras. If you decide to play while sitting, you should sit fairly far forward on the edge of the chair and also with your upper body straight on the chair.
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As soon as you have internalized the correct posture, you can devote yourself to the embouchure of the clarinet. The embouchure does not just mean the process of putting the mouthpiece in your mouth - putting it on - but the entire process of playing. Finding the right position for the mouthpiece is not that easy and requires some practice. It's best to form an o shape around the mouthpiece and enclose it, as if you were trying to drink through a straw. The mouthpiece should be far enough in the mouth so that the lower lip does not hinder the reed from swinging. However, if the mouthpiece is too far into the mouth, you will not be able to produce any sound. With the correct approach, the lower lip slightly covers the lower incisors so that the blade does not come into contact with the teeth. The upper incisors lie directly on the mouthpiece or on a bite reed, not only to protect the finish , but primarily to ensure a better grip for the clarinetist. The chin muscles are slightly tightened. We recommend that beginners take their first steps with the clarinet with a clarinet teacher. An incorrect posture or even an incorrectly acquired approach is difficult to correct later.