Double lip embouchure

Hello Professor Friedland,

I played the clarinet 43 years ago and just recently started studying it again. I’m trying the double-lip embouchure. It works great until I get to F on the staff. It’s here where I have problems balancing the clarinet. When I use my upper teeth I have no problem. I just can’t figure out to balance the clarinet staff and higher notes. Thank you, Marty

Dear Marty, Double lip embouchure is actually preferred by many as a way of holding the mouthpiece between your lips, instead of the teeth. It makes for more sensitivity to the sound, actually making a better sound more easily controlled and almost always preferable to any other wayc of  playing the clarinet. When first playing the f on the staff, there is no way of controlling because you are holding the instrument with only one finger, Many players simply place their left index finger above the a key, holding the instrument without using the key which will give you the control you need , momentarily. As soon as this becomes somewhat habitual, you will develop the control to hold the instrument while you are negotiating this problem..The same problem occurs when you play high c., and solved by the same method.

Good luck, and practice,sf