[TPIN] Embouchure question

Tue Apr 22 11:52:22 EDT 2008

Some very players do/did play "low" on the upper lip.   Lee Morgan did, for example.  I think Marsalis sets quite low also.  Hard to argue with Lee's jazz playing and Wynton's total mastery of the instrument cross-genre.

That being said, it is indeed one of the few "embouchure truisms" that anchoring at *least* a little bit above the line of the "red meat" is preferable, if possible.

If he has really huge chops, I would encourage a larger diameter mouthpiece, and also for him to "visualize" setting a little higher each day when he warms up - baby steps at a time - just nudge it up a little.  This way, there's no "overt" radical change - just a gradual "nudging up" over time.   I went through this when I was in high school - and it worked transparently for me.

Another thing to consider, if this is all too much of a physical hurdle:  Maybe a switch to trombone is in order.   I don't know how severe his situation really is - but fighting mother nature seldom yields any lasting results.   She usually gets her way, nomatter what you do.   I've heard of a number of players who "found themselves" in the trombone after struggling for years with the trumpet.

 - Dave Arndt

On Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:52:29 -0500, Daniel,John wrote
> Bob, 
> I would try to get him to roll in his lips.  Once he 
> begins to get the hang of it, you might try larger 
> mouthpieces. 
> John 
> 
> On Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:50:25 -0700 
>  "Bob Romans" <cellblk7 at comcast.net> wrote: 
> > How many great trumpet players play on the bottom/red 
> >part of their upper lips? I have a student who has very 
> >thick lips that make it impossible for him to put the 
> >mouthpiece on any part of his upper lip...He's a smart, 
> >talented 7th grader...good ears and desire...but I feel 
> >like he's hampered...he gets up to the top-line F, and 
> >his tone immediately gets very stuffy....HELP! 
> > Warm regards, 
> > Bob Romans, 
> > 1617 Lakeshore Dr., 
> > Lodi, Calif. 95242 
> > Ph 209-747-1148 
> > www.cellblockseven2002.net 
> > _______________________________________________ 
> > TPIN mailing list 
> > TPIN at tpin.okcu.edu 
> > http://tpin.okcu.edu/mailman/listinfo/tpin 
> 
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