wet vs. dry embouchure?

voyage · New Member Joined: 03 Dec 2003 Posts: 4

What kind of advantages/disadvantages do these embouchures have?
Does one work better in jazz/classical music?
Can someone name famous trumpetplayers using wet and dry embouchures?

Jon Arnold · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2002 Posts: 2026

I play a wet embouchure. The disadvantage is getting chapped lips. My skin also gets dried out from the furnace in the winter. I have to keep my chops moisturized. I am not sure how I started playing a wet embouchure, but I have played that way for years.

Chaser · Veteran Member Joined: 01 Nov 2003 Posts: 441

You'll probably find alot of people who like one over the other, but I know of one person who played dry and he had a problem with his lip rubbing raw to the point of developing a cyst.

I prefer the wet so that my embouchure can move depending on how low/high loud/soft I am playing.

the chief · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2004 12:52 pm Post subject:

I play with the dry. If I do a lot of double/triple tonging, I tend to spit all over my mpc, so I play better with it dry. It seems to grip better.

jazztrpt · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 1:52 pm Post subject:

Wet!!!!!!!!!!

_dcstep · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 2:50 pm Post subject:

Either, doesn't seem to matter for me. I went through a transition and it seemed to help then, but now that I'm settled into a new embouchure, it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Dave
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voyage · New Member Joined: 03 Dec 2003 Posts: 4

My teacher said that wet doesnt work in the high register as well as dry embouchure.

Chaser · Veteran Member Joined: 01 Nov 2003 Posts: 441

Maybe for him, but many guys play great lead (like Craig Johnson) with the wet.

LeeC · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Posts: 5730

Voyage,

Whether a wet or dry embouchure works at all depends upon the physical mechanics of the player.

I don't have enough statistics at hand here to make a public judgment but feel confident that a dry embouchure is more likely to work on a more protruded jaw setting. This is my experience from playing both receded jaw and forward jaw.

My receded jaw embouchure doesn't respond well when dry in any register. Conversely my protruded jaw chops sail way over double C completely dry.

There are some facts to back this up in the Reinhardt Encyclopaedia.

lee

AccentOnTrumpet · Heavyweight Member Joined: 03 Nov 2002 Posts: 878

Either works for me. I find myself preferring to play with wet chops if I'm a little stiff getting into the session (doesn't happen too often but every now and then it does) and I keep playing that way and loosen up a bit and then I can still do both. It's mainly about what's comfortable for you. I used to not be able to play with wet chops, but now I can for some reason as of the past couple years.

BullJive · Veteran Member Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Posts: 175

I prefer a dry lip over a wet one, but I guess either works pretty well.

I know that Herseth likes a wet lip, and he said Andre likes a completely dry lip... in fact if you ever saw Andre in performance he sometimes wipes his lips off before putting his horn up to the mouth. I think we can all agree that both of those guys do pretty well on the trumpet, so I would say that it really does not matter what you do, just as long as it works for you (I just made a poem).

But really... this point probably shouldn't be over-analyzed. Most of these preferences should be decided in the sub-conscious. And later on, if you stop to think about it you might discover what your preferences are. Some things are too complicated to fuss about (like most things in relation to the ENTIRE embouchure, IMHO). Just focus on the sound you want, and in time your body will do what it needs to do.

Kent

HMHustead · Regular Member Joined: 23 Dec 2003 Posts: 73

While I like it wet as much as the next guy, a dry setup gives me more traction and control.

LeeC · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Posts: 5730

HMHustead,

Your previous statement can be taken at least two ways. Please clarify (laugh).

Bootleg · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 7:41 am Post subject:

i think a dry embouchure is more relaxed than a wet one. Just my opinion because when you use a dry one, you use less lip muscle to keep your lips there and you rely a little more on the grip of the mouthpiece, while with wet, you will always have to concentrate more on keeping your lip position especially when playing high.

iunno, just the way i feel so i use a dry.
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JonKratzer · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2004 10:05 am Post subject:

I dunno....I prefer wet lips. I've never had any issues playing in the upper register. I seriously playing wet or dry is a comfort issue and really jsut depends on the make up of the player.
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