Jaw Pain When Playing Clarinet Options

[pianoandflute]

i don't know why but i have suffering jaw pain when playing the clarinet for the past 3 years. anyone experienced it? is there something wrong with the holding position of the clarinet?

[Soph15]

I used to and still do sometimes, but that was due to injuring it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[barry-clari]

Is the pain consistent, or do you find it only happens when you're trying to tongue?

[TSax]

When you say jaw pain do you mean the joints of your jaw bones (in which case I've nothing to add) or the muscles in your cheeks that are kind of over your jaws?

If it's the muscles in your cheeks, then yes, I do occasionally get that kind of pain especially if

a) I'm playing something slow with long notes
b) I'm playing something quietly and trying to maintain a decent tone
c) I'm playing on a harder reed than I'm used to, or a new reed
d) I haven't managed to do my long note practice for a few days

My self-diagnosis is that it's muscle pain due to being used a lot after a period of not enough use - and, a bit like weight training, I need to practice just up to the point it's hurting so much I can't continue effectively, then rest, then repeat. In that way you start to build your cheek muscles up so that you can play for a decent length of time without it hurting. Long notes are the way forward!

[pianoandflute]

When you say jaw pain do you mean the joints of your jaw bones (in which case I've nothing to add) or the muscles in your cheeks that are kind of over your jaws?

If it's the muscles in your cheeks, then yes, I do occasionally get that kind of pain especially if

a) I'm playing something slow with long notes
b) I'm playing something quietly and trying to maintain a decent tone
c) I'm playing on a harder reed than I'm used to, or a new reed
d) I haven't managed to do my long note practice for a few days

My self-diagnosis is that it's muscle pain due to being used a lot after a period of not enough use - and, a bit like weight training, I need to practice just up to the point it's hurting so much I can't continue effectively, then rest, then repeat. In that way you start to build your cheek muscles up so that you can play for a decent length of time without it hurting. Long notes are the way forward!

i am not sure but i think it is the muscle. i just get the pain everytime after playing for like 10 minutes.

[barry-clari]

When you say jaw pain do you mean the joints of your jaw bones (in which case I've nothing to add) or the muscles in your cheeks that are kind of over your jaws?

If it's the muscles in your cheeks, then yes, I do occasionally get that kind of pain especially if

a) I'm playing something slow with long notes
b) I'm playing something quietly and trying to maintain a decent tone
c) I'm playing on a harder reed than I'm used to, or a new reed
d) I haven't managed to do my long note practice for a few days

My self-diagnosis is that it's muscle pain due to being used a lot after a period of not enough use - and, a bit like weight training, I need to practice just up to the point it's hurting so much I can't continue effectively, then rest, then repeat. In that way you start to build your cheek muscles up so that you can play for a decent length of time without it hurting. Long notes are the way forward!

i am not sure but i think it is the muscle. i just get the pain everytime after playing for like 10 minutes.

In that case, I think there's a very good chance it's option d) on TSax's list, and as she says, plenty of practice to build up embouchure strength is the only way...

[pianoandflute]

i feel extremly painful in the last few weeks but only on thr right side of my cheek muscle, is it normal?