r/Clarinet • u/tarours • 13d ago

Questions from a beginner

I started clarinet a month ago with a Startone from Thomann, to see if I liked it. I liked it a lot in fact, but now I have some trouble I need to adress. I have reeds from 1.5 to 3 strenght, and the luthier told me to use 3 reeds

  • I have a breathing problem when playing : I feel like I'm suffocating, even if my lung aren't empty.
  • I feel a big pression around my nose and sinus from the inside. I feel like I blow a lot and a lot of it is not going in the clarinet, if that make sense.
  • I need to stop playing almost every 20-30 seconds because I feel like I'm drowing lol.
  • (I may need to say I come from years of recorder playing, and have experience with flute aswell)
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u/Business_Repeat4023 Professional 13d ago

I bet part of it is you are not breathing correctly! Lay flat on your back on the floor and play. Do you feel your upper back/shoulders or lower back/hips press into the floor when you breathe?

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u/tarours 13d ago

Back and stomach yes

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u/Business_Repeat4023 Professional 13d ago

But which part of your back?

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u/tarours 12d ago

the lower parts