Teeth Or Not Options

[bourdon16]

I have taken up the clarinet so I can appreciate what the kids at school are experiencing.

Should my top teeth be in touch with the mouthpiece? I am wary of this as I have root-filled front incisor which has been through the wars and the vibration can affect it. If I 'grip' the mouthpiece with both lips (I guess like an oboe) is that wrong?

I assume option 1, and wonder if that is what mouthpiece pads are for.

NB I've only been doing it 2 weeks but I can bash through the Grade 1 music.

[kingsley13]

I have taken up the clarinet so I can appreciate what the kids at school are experiencing.

Should my top teeth be in touch with the mouthpiece? I am wary of this as I have root-filled front incisor which has been through the wars and the vibration can affect it. If I 'grip' the mouthpiece with both lips (I guess like an oboe) is that wrong?

I assume option 1, and wonder if that is what mouthpiece pads are for.

NB I've only been doing it 2 weeks but I can bach through the Grade 1 music.

Yes your front teeth should touch the mothpiece, but I think (you'll have to ask other people, I don't know) some players do play with both lips curled over, so no teeth touching the mouthpiece. I would try out the mouthpiece pads if I were you, and see if it's any more comfortable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[rabbit]

I have taken up the clarinet so I can appreciate what the kids at school are experiencing.

Should my top teeth be in touch with the mouthpiece? I am wary of this as I have root-filled front incisor which has been through the wars and the vibration can affect it. If I 'grip' the mouthpiece with both lips (I guess like an oboe) is that wrong?

I assume option 1, and wonder if that is what mouthpiece pads are for.

NB I've only been doing it 2 weeks but I can bach through the Grade 1 music.

Yes your front teeth should touch the mothpiece, but I think (you'll have to ask other people, I don't know) some players do play with both lips curled over, so no teeth touching the mouthpiece. I would try out the mouthpiece pads if I were you, and see if it's any more comfortable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I play with the top teeth touching the mouthpiece - hence the 'dent' which is appearing! I imagine it could get quite painful to wrap your top lip over your top teeth and support the clarinet...

[sbhoa]

I have taken up the clarinet so I can appreciate what the kids at school are experiencing.

Should my top teeth be in touch with the mouthpiece? I am wary of this as I have root-filled front incisor which has been through the wars and the vibration can affect it. If I 'grip' the mouthpiece with both lips (I guess like an oboe) is that wrong?

I assume option 1, and wonder if that is what mouthpiece pads are for.

NB I've only been doing it 2 weeks but I can bach through the Grade 1 music.

Yes your front teeth should touch the mothpiece, but I think (you'll have to ask other people, I don't know) some players do play with both lips curled over, so no teeth touching the mouthpiece. I would try out the mouthpiece pads if I were you, and see if it's any more comfortable. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I play with the top teeth touching the mouthpiece - hence the 'dent' which is appearing! I imagine it could get quite painful to wrap your top lip over your top teeth and support the clarinet...

You aren't meant to support the clarinet with your teeth (Something which my teacher has occasionally noticed me doing!). You should be taking the weight through the thumb rest.

[barry-clari]

You aren't meant to support the clarinet with your teeth (Something which my teacher has occasionally noticed me doing!). You should be taking the weight through the thumb rest.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) the teeth are very much passive in a clarinet embouchure.

In answer to the original question, either a single or a double embouchure is valid - Frederick Thurston, amongst others, used an oboe style double lipped embouchure. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[skylark]

I play with the top teeth touching the mouthpiece - hence the 'dent' which is appearing!

My first clarinet was second-hand and had a deep groove in the mouthpiece! Once you've started a groove, it's very difficult to stop your teeth slipping into it and it's best to try and prevent it, ideally by not creating one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) but if necessary by using mouthpiece patches. I use mouthpiece patches even on my new clarinet in order to protect it from occasional lapses.

[saxophile]

My first clarinet was second-hand and had a deep groove in the mouthpiece! Once you've started a groove, it's very difficult to stop your teeth slipping into it and it's best to try and prevent it, ideally by not creating one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) but if necessary by using mouthpiece patches. I use mouthpiece patches even on my new clarinet in order to protect it from occasional lapses.

Apart from the damage to the mouthpiece (which I assume is only cosmetic unless you actually manage to wear right through (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ), is there any particular reason why a groove from teeth is bad? My mp has a very distinct tooth-groove (I have 2 "rabbit-like" front incisors which are distinctly longer than my other teeth, and frankly I don't think I could possibly avoid them touching the mp and still be able to play).

[skylark]

My first clarinet was second-hand and had a deep groove in the mouthpiece! Once you've started a groove, it's very difficult to stop your teeth slipping into it and it's best to try and prevent it, ideally by not creating one (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) but if necessary by using mouthpiece patches. I use mouthpiece patches even on my new clarinet in order to protect it from occasional lapses.

Apart from the damage to the mouthpiece (which I assume is only cosmetic unless you actually manage to wear right through (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) ), is there any particular reason why a groove from teeth is bad? My mp has a very distinct tooth-groove (I have 2 "rabbit-like" front incisors which are distinctly longer than my other teeth, and frankly I don't think I could possibly avoid them touching the mp and still be able to play).

A player might at some stage want to change the position of their embouchure, and once you've got a groove it's difficult, if you rest your teeth on the mouthpiece even if you don't bite, to avoid slipping into the groove if you want to slightly change your embouchure. Although this is more likely with beginners, my diploma-level teacher had lessons with a clarinettist from a renowned orchestra, and at one of my lessons, she was very excited because she'd just had a session with her teacher and he'd changed her embouchure which had significantly improved her tone.

(On the other hand, I might be talking rubbish as I'm just learning but hopefully someone will correct me if I am (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif))