Tongue bleeding from Clarinet playing....?

Question

is that normal? I mean, I started practicing more often and I play with the very underside-tip of my tongue...so is it normal?

Answer 1

I actually play the flute and when i first started i used to tongue bleed but as i got used to playing it i had less bleeds. At the present moment I practice 4 days a week and 1 and a half hours each time, anymore than that allocated time i may bleed. If you slow down on practicing try checking the reeds on the mouthpiece as it could have patched rips

Answer 2

It doesn't sound normal. I can go for a while not practising and then pick it up again and do a fair bit it sounds like its a side effect of your technique.

I'm not sure what your doing but all the books I have say you should play with the tip of your tounge. Playing with the underside of your tongue is exposing it to sharp reeds and sharp edges )of the mouthpeice.

It's also not going to help you sound better as if I'm imagining the technique correctly it deadens the sound more which you really don't want especially when you are tounging a passage.

Also the underside of your tongue is more sensitive than the top and tip.

I only use the underside of my tongue when wetting the reeds.

Answer 3

I agree totally with above! Something is VERY wrong and definitely not normal! Use the VERY tip of your tongue on the VERY tip of the reed! But as advised above get a Clarinet teacher!  I too had to totally change the way I played when I went to college! Was very frustrating for me and my teacher Do yourself a BIG favour and get a clarinet teacher NOW!

Answer 4

I usually agree with the learned Lady Prism and bcooper, but not this time.

I'm a full time professional clarinet player too - since '93.  I have met other professionals who are world class players and they all tongue slightly differently.  Lots of people tongue with the underside tip of their tongue.  

However, it is worth asking a good clarinet teacher to have a listen to your playing in person.  It's a really useful medium this (Yahoo A) for asking questions and getting some advice, but you won't learn all you need to know on the internet.

Good luck!

Answer 5

tip of the tongue of the top of the reed

Answer 6

If the under side of your tongue EVER comes into contact with the reed or mouthpiece, you are doing something HORRIBLY wrong!  

You may feel pain in your cheeks and jaw when you first start, as the muscles need time to build.  You may feel pain in your lips if you play for extended periods of time.  Your right thumb may become sore and stiff... but your tongue should NOT be bleeding!

Proper embochure:  bottom lip curled over the teeth SLIGHTLY (enough to provide padding and keep reed off teeth).  Top teeth rest on top of mouthpiece- but do NOT bite.  Use the muscles in your lips to put pressure on the mouthpiece- not your jaw.  Pull the corners of your mouth back slightly towards your ears, and think about keeping your chin pointed.  Do not puff your cheeks as you blow.  

When you tongue, think about saying "dee, dee, dee"... your tongue in the "eeee" position is correct when playing above your middle of the staff "c",  below that, try to position your tongue to say "deh, deh, deh" (it still brings your tongue up, but leaves your throat open for the low notes.  Pay attention to where your tongue is hitting the reed... slightly behind the tip.  This gives you a nice clean articulation, and if you have to play faster rhythms, it has room to move forward on the tongue a bit.  If you find that in saying "dee" the under side of your tongue is still hitting the reed, take in more mouthpiece.

I have noticed a ton of questions on Y!A from you about clarinets, technique, etc... might I suggest that you find a private teacher and take a couple lessons.  Many teachers will give you one free lesson if you ask, or explain to them what you want- they may work something out with you for a discount price.  Even if you don't stick with it, they will be able to give you the basics and make sure you aren't teaching yourself bad habits.  It is hard to unlearn those bad habits later!  

I wish you luck, and happy playing! :)

*EDIT: (Awe, Fwack- you're breaking my heart! lol) I have never disputed that there are a million and one techniques, or that the same technique won't work for everyone.  However, if there is physical harm coming to a player, SOMETHING is going very, VERY wrong, and said person should return to the basics.  

The under side of the tongue can work for a very select few, and those who use this technique have spent more years than I have been alive perfecting it... but I garuantee even THOSE people started with the basics before allowing their technique to morph into something other than the standard, and I believe that the student must perfect the basics before they can surpass the master.   ...just a thought. ;)

Answer 7

now thats dedication! are you new to clarinet or did you adopt a new style of playing recently. I've heard of peoples tongues' being sore but bleeding no, sorry.

Answer 8

No, definitely not. Not only is it damaging to your reeds, your instrument, and obviously your tongue, but this bleeding/soreness is a result of a technique that must be amended. It's best to change your technique and learn to tongue properly now, rather than deal with the frustrations of not being able to change it when you start playing at the higher levels, such as the pieces with 165bmp and a 3/8 time signature with 16th notes.

Also, you know how reeds splinter and break when they're needing to be replaced. It's better for you to simply pull splinters off your tongue when the time comes, rather than trying to pull a tiny splinter out of the underside of a bleeding tongue.

Answer 9

...that's something that I've never heard of.

I've heard of reed instruments having bloody lips, but tongue? I think that it is normal, because your just getting use to everything. But, could it be that you hitting the reed to hard. That's the only explanation I could think of.