How I Teach Clarinet Embouchure

Students MUST have a mirror to watch so they can see what I’m talking about on their own face.

I teach clarinet embouchure with a story. This is what I say to the kids:

“Ok, so how many of you have ever had a milkshake in your life? Raise your hand. So almost everyone – if you haven’t you can use your imagination. Imagine you are at a restaurant that has really great milkshakes. And you’re dying for a milkshake and you order one and their machine is a little out of whack so it makes it extra thick. So imagine this yummy milkshake. It’s really thick and you’re so thirsty. But here’s the catch. They’re out of spoons and regular straws and the only thing they have there for you to drink it is a coffee straw. So imagine you have this really thick, yummy milkshake and you’re drinking it through a coffee straw. Show me what that would look like.”

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