Unresponsive lips

[CJceltics33]

So I know all, if not most of us have days where our lips just don't feel responsive. Attacks are very slow and delayed, notes don't sound too pretty and don't at all come out easily.

I had one of those days yesterday. I did half of my practice in the morning; I felt terrible the whole time. With the symptoms I described above. So I took several hours off and didn't come back to the horn until late afternoon. Like magic, I felt incredible when I played again. Everything was clean, easy and precise. I was even slotting notes a third above where my usual ceiling is.

So what causes these unresponsive lips? And is the best anecdote rest, as I did?

[oxleyk]

What size mouthpiece do you use? I've had similar problems with one that is too small.

[RandyTX]

[brassmusician]

Interesting point by Oxleyk. One cause of unresponsive lips is swelling which can have more impact on a smaller mouthpiece. I found my lips can swell slightly due to factors like humidity, diet....things I don't foresee and then when I am playing I can have trouble if I am using a mouthpiece that is too small. Of course, too much pressure causes swelling and the day after a hard gig it can be hard to get the sound going. Something I have found useful is playing breath attacks (poo), one quarter note per measure while slowly tapping my foot say 70 bpm. Do this for 5 minutes or more in the lower register. Next time I pick up the horn, it is all good again. Gentle pedal notes is another technique I find helps. Your choice of mouthpiece rim can effect how easy it is to get response going, I found on a bach 7EW, wide round rim, I had a lot of trouble getting clean starts the morning after.

[CJceltics33]

Wow thanks. I hadn't considered it being due to the mouthpiece. I do sometimes get the feeling that it is too small--I play on a GR 64M, comparable to a 7c. I have fairly large lips too. The rim is pretty wide, and a little curved. Are you suggesting a smaller rim aids responses? And I suppose a slightly larger diameter would help for me, too...

[Robert P]

The only time I've ever experienced something like what you're describing is after overdoing it blowing a trombone. My upper lip in particular felt like it was two inches thick, felt hard, was visibly swollen with a certain amount of discomfort. Couldn't get a note out.

Otherwise, I've never felt delayed response as you're describing.
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[dstdenis]

[dkwolfe]

Good Evening;

Any number of things can cause that, and I'm not actually sure that it matters what causes it. What I think is most important is how do you deal with it when it happens. For me, lots of slow, light, and soft practice seems to help. Long tones/flow studies, lip bends, flexibility studies, etc; all in the middle of the range and no louder than mf seems to really help.

That, and this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0WWSvdRhHU

Good luck,
D
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[Grits Burgh]

Discussion on treatment for swollen lips:

https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1405175

Warm regards,
Grit
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[Billy B]

When the chops are stiff I find it helps to rest MORE than you play. For instance if I play a long tone for 20 seconds, I rest 30-40 seconds before playing the next long tone.

Also we tend to focus too much on the chops. If you keep a clear, vivid image of the sound in your imagination and remain PATIENT, things will clear up.
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[RandyTX]

Sigh, when all else fails, go buy another mouthpiece. That'll fix everything.
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