I have a very bad problem. I just got braces about four days ago and my tone on clarinet is absolutely AWFUL. I`ve made 1st or 2nd chair every year in my state honors band for the past three years and now I can`t even get my tone to sound half as good as it did before I got my braces. I find my tone to be very airy and I`m definitely having a lot more spit going into my clarinet. I`m currently playing on a Vandoren V-12 size 4 and I`d like to know if I should change my reed or if there`s any particular reed I could use to help me get a better tone with my braces. Someone please help me!!

Hey

I don`t really know about that, I don`t play clarinet. But one of my friends who play the flute had the same problem when she got her braces, eventually, b/c she practiced with them, it turned out alright. I really don`t know how to help you. Maybe you should ask your band director or something. GOOD LUCK!!!

hey. i hvae braces and started clarinet with them on. and i don`t believe you will have that much ov a problem. wait 2 more weeks and practice often, but not so much that your braces ache. let`s say siince you just got them on, once every 2 or 3 days, cuz ur obviously way better than i am. don`t practice too much. and don`t play that hard if you play before around 3 or less days before your monthly tightening (of course it depends on what he does to your teeth) sometimes i have problems for days. but nothing major. i have band class on tuesday, and i always get my braces fixed on monday, and it`s not that bad . lots of musicians or ppl in band have this problem and it is really worth it in the end. i`m not done with my braces yet, but i`ve seen real successes.

of course, maybe since your in the state honors band (wow ) you can use other options. if you ask your orthodontist, maybe he`ll know where to get a special appliance (i don`t know what it`s called cuz i don`t need it) that helps you play with braces on. especially brass instruments cuz it can be near impossible sometimes as i`ve heard. but i`m sure you`ll be ok!

jay.

Ask your orthodontist for some orthodontic wax to place over the front four-6 on your bottom teeth. if he doesn`t have it, then ask where to get it. I know Long`s Drug Store or Rite Aid has it. but most orthodontists give it for free.

Hiya! I know what you mean about playing clarinet with braces on. Ouch! I`m actually having mine taken off tomorrow! Yay! However when I first had mine put on, I used a double lip embouchure for a while. This is (in case you don`t know) when you cushion your top teeth with your top lip. At the moment you probably just tuck your bottom lip under and put your top teeth on the mouthpiece, yeah? Try it just for the first few weeks. Then when it stops hurting so much you can go back to how you were before. Then every time you get them adjusted, just don`t play for a couple of days and you should get used to it. Good luck!