Recommended Tools and Gadgets For Teachers of Beginning Band Students

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Category: Playing an Instrument

Clarinet and Saxophone Mouthpiece Patches
When compared to the many different items one can purchase to help with other instruments the clarinet and saxophone do not have many gadgets to help with instruction.  However, both instruments have some inherent positioning problems that can be fixed with a minimum of effort.  

For the clarinet the most popular accessories seem to be the mouthpiece pads that reduce the amount of vibration that is transferred to the teeth.  They also prevent the user’s teeth from cutting into the mouthpiece and leaving indentations.  A nice side benefit I have found is that for some new players that have problems with their teeth sliding up and down the mouthpiece (due to a lack of firmness in the embouchure) the patch helps them to feel more secure and stabilize the embouchure a bit more. 



Be aware that some professionals argue against the use of mouthpiece patches on both the clarinet and the saxophone but at the beginning levels I have never had a problem with them and recommend them for all of my students.  



 

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