Is my Embouchure Off or Wrong?

[Bootleg]

I've been from Grade 4 and I'm in Grade 10 now, so about 6 years, but on and off and not really serious about it.

Now, I am trying to get better because I want to play lead in Jazz Band and if I am good enough this year, I'll be able to, however, I am having endurance and range as a slight problem.

For 99% of the pieces, I've got the range, meaning I can go from the low F# to the high C. (Some parts go up to high E and some solo's go up to Dubba C)

However, I am having problems with my endurance. I play like a couple high C's and some stuff between a high C and a G and my lips are too tired to keep them tight together.

From what I read at TH, it seems that my lips aren't "curled" in enough. I believe too much of my lips are exposed *the red stuff* inside the mouthpiece, and it forces me to use a little mpc pressure and lots of lip muscle to keep them together. However, I play like that because I began playing with a low C and so when i play like that, i have to stretech for the high notes, but I can easily go down to the low notes.

So I am trying lessbrass's embouchure where you fold your lips inward more and protrude the lower teeth a little over the front teeth.

This makes my trumpet go up in the sky a little rather than the 85 degress I held it before. But when i play now, i get a high G at the top, but i feel lots of space inside the mouthpiece...

I m still working on it, but should I be changing my embouchure so its more folded inward to reach the high registers with endurance?

[Nonsense Eliminator]

If you're going to mess with your embouchure, get a teacher -- preferably one who will tell you not to mess with your embouchure.

[fuzzyjon79]

Practice more and find a good private teacher. I wouldn't be tinkerin' with anything without guidance from an experienced teacher if I were you.
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

[Gorkk]

Bootleg--

I am currently going into my first year of college, and I have had lots of experience with trying new embouchure methods, etc. over the past two or three years. I was always really hung up over range and endurance in the high register that I neglected trying to improve technique and musicality. Over two or three years of trying to increase my range through different embouchures (self taught, by the way), I find that my range has increased maybe a whole step or a minor third, and my endurance has increased very little. In the past two weeks or so, I have concentrated much on working on technique, accuracy, musicality, etc. instead of trying to just play higher longer. I've made more improvements in two weeks than I had over the past 3 years at least. My suggestion would be to get a good method book (I suggest Clarke's Technical Studies) and chug through it. I think that playing softly has also had quite a bit to do with my successes in the past few weeks. I like how Roddy puts it when he says (paraphrased) to practice the technical exercises (but play them musically) and achieve more range and endurance as a by-product. If you are serious about playing the trumpet and playing it well, mastering technique will put you waaaay ahead of the competition-- or at least next to them. I sincerely regret not having put more effort into technical exercises in high school. I sat first chair throughout all of high school and played lead parts, solo parts, etc. but I still didn't play well enough to get into the school of music at the University of Illinois. I am enrolled there as an engineering major, but next spring I am determined to get into the school of music as well to obtain a minor in music.

Sorry, that sorta rambled on and on... It's late at night and I need some sleep.

I hope that paragraph of incoherent babble helped in some way shape or form. Feel free to contact me if you want to talk more about my embouchure experiences.

~Nick
nickwondra@yahoo.com

[Mean Liberal]

Some teachers are completely against embouchure changes, and others believe that changes are completely necessary to improve playing. I am currently caught between two of these teachers and am still analyzing the situation!

For you, the best thing to do is to find a teacher that you trust to help evaluate whether or not a change would be productive. Also try talking to others who are familiar with your playing such as band or orchestra directors, and take their comments into consideration.
_________________
Chaz Ross

Bb Trumpets: Bach Stradivarius 37, Mt. Vernon Bach Mercury

Mouthpiece: Schilke 11

[Bootleg]

I guess changing the embouchure isn't a great idea. Arban said in parts of his intro that chaning the position of the mouthpiece could be disasterous and i guess embouchure chaning isn't much different.

I have technical studies and characteristical studies by clarke, so I'll continue working on that wit the arban stuff.

[Castle Bravo]

I suggest practice. I'm going through an embouchure change right now, and it takes a long time, and is hard work. Recommending an embouchure change without seeing you play is not wise, so instead I recommend a teacher.

[David]

With all respect to lessbrass I would NOT suggest you change to his embouchure - it is EXPERIMENTAL.

It is fine for an old pro like Lee or a comeback player who doesn't have any playing commitments to try things like this, but an active student at your level of development should be very carefull.

Definitely find a GOOD teacher. Look for one who has students that exhibit the success you seek. Talk to the students - has the teacher really contributed to their playing and enparted an understanding of the instrument to them.
_________________
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and it annoys the pig.

[Oxfordite]

Embrochure change can be bad, but not always. Generally any change that is done gradually will give you enough time to adjust appropriately. If you have a newer addition of Arban's read the footnotes. You will find that Claude Gordon states the he has taught several students to change their embrochure without any problems. The only problem you are going to have is that if you try to change now you better work twice as hard. Considering you are going to audition soon, you don't have much time, and you don't want to be stuck. Still with the right teacher (a must) and lots of practice you could get there. Arban had many great things to teach, howbeit his suggested position of the mouthpiece is not nearly as popular today as it was in his time.

[Bootleg]

kk...no changing....just chug away and see what happens in september....
_________________
"If brute force doesn't solve your problem, then you're not using enough!"