[TPIN] Off Center Aperture Questions

[darren.windham at comcast.net]

I also play off centered too.  Granted I am a comeback player and just play for fun in a community band.  I've always played that way and have never had a lesson teacher try to get me to change it.  I tried when I started my comeback to play center and it just wasn't the same.

I'd say stick with what works.  I played for 7 years when I was younger this way and managed to stay in the top few chairs in a high school with 30-40 trumpet players.  

Others may have better advice as I'm not a teacher or a pro player.


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Dave Arndt" <darndt at oriongate.net>
> 
> Note that most players play a *little* off center.  And... One question is
> "centered with what?"  
> 
> Your lips?  Your teeth?  Your jaw?  Most people (and their parts) are not
> perfectly symetrical!  When I line up perfectly in the center of my lips, I
> notice that I'm a wee bit out of line with my two front teeth, etc.
> 
> There are and have been great players that play WAY off center.  Nick
> Marchione - a monster lead player/1st trumpet, plays way off center.  He
> also appears to play to with great ease.  Roger Voisin, infamous principal
> with the BSO for years, played way off center, and VERY downstream also.
> 
> While I do believe it is theoretically better to play centered, it's clear
> that this isn't a show-stopper given the company you're in.  Changing ones
> embouchure is dicey business (I did it years ago with some success, but I
> admit that the wisdom of doing so is questionable).  It's hard if you're a
> young player - and VERY hard if you've already developed some real
> expertise.  Work with what you've got, unless you're very young.
> 
> Regarding the lip buzzing:  A lot of very fine teachers/players don't
> believe you should attempt to play with the same feel that you lip buzz.
> i.e., lip buzzing is an exercise that might do some good, but it's not to be
> applied literally.  I *tend* to agree with this perspective - I know there
> are folks who can lip buzz double high C's and pull the horn on/off while
> maintaining the pitch, etc., but I'm not sure that most great players would
> rely on this.  Some pressure seems to be essential to getting (and
> maintaining) a big sound - especially up high, of course.
> 
>  - da
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> Is it wrong to play to the side of the upper lip dip?
> 
> Will lip buzzing through the middle be limited by the upper lip dip?
> 
> Should I adjust my lip buzzing to match how I currently play or adjust my
> playing to match how I naturally lip buzz?
> 
> 
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