Lip swelling and its effects on articulation.

Gordontrek

If any of you have experience in dealing with players who have dealt with lip swelling problems or had them yourself, what was, if any, the effect on their/your articulation? Was the response or tone affected? Did muscles in the lips and face move a lot to attempt to compensate?
The reason I ask is that my lips have been swelling within a few minutes of playing ever since my articulation went down the drain and I'm wondering if it could be related somehow. The swelling is in the area where I put my mouthpiece on my lips (yes we have medically ruled out mouthpiece allergies, both by an allergist and the fact that the swelling also happens with a plastic mouthpiece).
My teacher tried something new on me last week: he gave me a trombone mouthpiece and had me tongue a few notes. I had no trouble whatsoever. All the notes were right on, crisp and clear as a bell. Then I transitioned back over to the trumpet and had my same problems. Could this mean that the swelling I get from my mouthpiece is affecting my articulation like I originally thought?
Once again as with any medical-related issue I am not asking to be diagnosed. Only asking about what swelling might do to one's articulation.
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jscahoy · Veteran Member Joined: 07 Mar 2007 Posts: 415

Swelling makes everything more difficult - tone, range, articulation, and definitely endurance. The more the lips swell, the more resistant they are to vibration. The standard diagnosis is that it's caused by too much mouthpiece pressure, but my chops will start to swell just doing free buzzing. Some of us are cursed. In my case going to a deep, open mouthpiece (CG Personal with #20 throat) helped to compensate.

John Mohan · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:06 am Post subject:

Yes, even slight swelling will have a significant effect on articulations.

I can articulate cleanly on very small mouthpieces, even as small as a 13A4A, for about a minute of playing. Then, as my lips swell just a bit to their normal level of playing size (after a minute or two of playing), I can no longer play small mouthpieces well (or in the case of one as small as a 13A4A, at all). Note that the amount of swelling I'm talking about is very low (but enough to keep me from being able to play said small, shallow mouthpiece for more than a matter of a minute or so at the top of the day).

It sounds like you just need to go to a bigger mouthpiece size. Although I have played most shows on a Reeves 43C for many years, toward the end of the run of Addams Family I was experiencing articulation issues in some of the middle register stuff in the show. Especially on matinee shows following double show days, it was an effort to play musically and not get air-balls here and there. Finally, I took the age old advice in Vincent Bach's Mouthpiece Manual to heart and went to a bigger mouthpiece (my copy of Arturo's MV3C).

mavrian22 · Veteran Member Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 147

I know you don't want general diagnosis of your issues, but man lip swelling after five mins and loss of ability to articulate are major physical issues. I'm not a doctor, but when your lips swell basically everything is harder. Playing on a larger mpc can help articulation, but you already play on a 1 1/2c. It sounds to me like its time to take a couple of weeks off completely and then do a week or two rebuild of your playing afterwards. Really focusing on letting your chops taking their natural shape and really focusing on a steady airflow moving between them. Maybe after you come back in a couple of weeks at first you would just do the six notes of Caruso a few times a day for a few days. Its just some advice take it or leave it, but if after a two week break you're still having these physical issues then you'll really know if its something playing related or physically related (in which case you would seek medical treatment).

dstdenis · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2015 10:17 am Post subject:

Yes, swelling can trigger a domino-effect of other problems, especially if your mpc is already a tight fit for your chops.

You asked if this can cause movement of other muscles to compensate, and that reminded me of a problem I had in junior year of high school. I was playing a lot, including strenuous parts, and my mpc was a tight fit. I developed a habit of rolling my lower lip in slightly over my bottom teeth. Didn't even notice I was doing it at first, but later I realized that my subconscious brain was trying to find a way to get my lips inside the cup.

Some fine trumpeters can play very well with a setup like that, but it really messed me up. My upper and lower lips weren't evenly aligned, and my embouchure became less responsive, which caused trouble with articulation, among other things.

I got a bigger mpc and worked with my teacher to get my embouchure straightened out, and everything was fine. It took awhile, though.

I'm not saying this is what's happening with you---no idea without seeing you play. Just thought I'd mention this in case it might help.
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