Wet or dry lips for your high notes? Let's take a poll.

[Lionel]

It hasnt been discussed in many chop books. I almost feel like it is the "dirty little secret" for lots of good lead players. First time I read about it was in Reinhardt's literature and he advised against it in his encyclopedia of the Pivot System.

But the fact is that he noticed it in many a strong high note player. And Trumpetherald's old friend Chris LaBarbera (fantastic pro out of the East coast) has stated many times that Reinhardt privately admitted the words that,

"If you really want all the range you can get? Play dry".

But again publicly he advised against.

I can not derive any advantage by playing dry. Or at least not like it adding any serious register to my range. Not like the fascinating true story Lynn Nicholson occassionally shares. About how he as a mere high school band player went for a squeaky high G but didnt have time to wet his lips. Instead of a weak high G? A massive double C resulted. Its a great story.

As I said, my chops do not respond much better dry than wet. That and I tend to lose some flexibility. However as my range and endurance have improved greatly the past two years Ive finally decided to get my top lip a little bit less wet. At the start of long phrases.

So? Let's not make a formal poll. But just answer these rwo questions,

1. Do you have a solid, musical sounding G above high C? And,

2. Do you prefer some kind of dry lip setting or not? Please specify which lip or lips you retain either dry or eet. Like if you keep your upper dry and lower wet? Thst was Maynard's setting. And you can watch him dry his upper lip many times. The "La Pagiacci" performed live at Knotts Berry Farm shows him doing this several times.

I cant help but notice Mark Zauss dry his chops at Disneyworld with Future Corps. Louis Armstrong always carried the hankerchief to dry his chops. But boy did that dry lip texture burn the hell out of him. And Bill Chase had the most frightening scars from dry lip play Ive ever seen.

Me? Like I said, wet mostly. That and no major advantage. All of my strength must come from my facial muscles. But once they get near bionic in strength? I start to get similar results as the big guys do. And my original method for high notes was Maggio. He insisted upon wet lips. And his was a pedal book. Most pedal tone players use wet lips I think. That and more forward jaw types prefer dry.

These are just my observations anyway. And I am fallible. So? Have at it! And thanks in advance for your input.
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"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[Rod Haney]

Lionel
I'm just starting to get that G back but not where I want it yet. Ive been working a book called 'corners' by Allan Colin and it is very brief but intense if you really follow and concentrate on detail. In his instructions on one exercise he instructs you to pull horn from face and reset embouchere each tome and wet the lips each time. After 2 months I am finding that this is becoming habit. I always played dry but i am only now doing higher notes with less pressure which allows me to hold my range at least an hour longer.

I could be wrong because I am not using an instructor on this, but the wetting of the lips in this case is to help make sure the appeture is open slightly at the start of the note - for whatever reason I seem to be on the 14 squared rule, if I do it 14 times a day for 14 days it becomes habit. So in my case I think the wetting of the lips is a part of something else that is improving the way I play, not the wet lips per se. You probably want to hear from those hi chop guys, but I thought this an interesting aside. Maybe those guys read the same book and got such marvelous chops by getting this habit, hope so - its about time for some accelerated advancement!!!
Rod

[rufflicks]

I think the lethal combination is dry upstream.
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[bnsd]

I play moist... not quite one or the other. But when my lips gets sweaty (hot stage) if it gets too wet I lose some range

My G is not totally consistent during a song, but I can play it any day, just with differing strength

yeah... I know that means I don't really own it yet.

[Rod Haney]

[rufflicks]

Rod,

Yours is the classic magic bullet request.

I think Jim Manley is one of the best recipes for extreme upper register playing.

Best, Jon
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Rufftips

Remember this is supposed to be fun.

[Rod Haney]

[Robert P]

Al Hirt played dry, played a Jet-Tone, I believe would be classified as upstream (?) and as far as I've been able to tell had about a G. I've never heard him play higher - and he sounded like he was working for that G.

Doc didn't play dry and had a musical Eb over dub C. I don't know what the absolute highest note he ever played was. At least as important Doc's sound was superb. Don't dry players tend to get brittle and raspy?
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Chinese Flugel

[lmao_a_horn_player]

Honestly, I have not really thought about this for more than around a minute until today, but I know many people who play either moist or dry they seem to be doing fine in the high register. All I'm trying to say is if you can't find anything in literature, go with your gut. Whatever feels better for you (I personally play with a light coat of Carmex)

[rufflicks]

Bud Brisbois upstream, Jin Manley dry, Johnny Madrid upstream dry.
_________________
http://www.youtube.com/user/Rufftips

Remember this is supposed to be fun.

[Lionel]

[Robert P]

[Lionel]