Uncontrollable Vibrato from lower lip wobble

darrenrowan · New Member Joined: 23 Apr 2018 Posts: 2 Location: Calgary

Hey Everyone. I am having issues with my bottom lip wobbling too much. It is causing an uncontrolled vibrator. I can get away with it on the cornet but my trumpet sounds terrible!!

I am thinking its to do with the muscle strength around my embrasure. Can anyone suggest exercises to strengthen my bottom lip and/or corners of my mouth!?
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Regards Darren Rowan darrenrowan@gmail.com

trickg · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 12:23 pm Post subject:

Yes. Fundamentals. All of them.

There are no shortcuts. Everything I'm about to list will help to strengthen your embouchure:

Long tones - this one is obvious. Do them in the low to middle range - nothing above a tuning C.

Articulation exercises - tuning C on down. Lots and lots and lots of tonguing. Why? Because you can't articulate cleanly if your chops aren't focused and you aren't properly using your air, so in working on them to clean up your articulation, it will strengthen and focus your chops.

Lip slurs - keep them easy, soft, and no higher than tuning C. I tend to start on G, slurring up to the next partial (rather than starting on C and slurring down to the next partial) but I keep them easy and controlled and work down chromatically to low F#. Arpeggios are good too.

Out of curiosity, how old are you and how long have you been playing?
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khedger · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 12:44 pm Post subject:

I think you've nailed it. Wobbly lip is a sign of muscle fatigue.

TrickG has got you covered....

HERMOKIWI · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581

The pencil exercise is specific to building lower lip strength.
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HERMOKIWI

trumpet56 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 623

Without being able to see and hear what's going on with your embouchure I would highly recommend getting lessons with a trumpet teacher.

Denny Schreffler · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:59 pm Post subject:

Could it be the jaw that is actually wobbling?

Without seeing your "symptoms" or reading a detailed account of you and of what you're experiencing -- your problem could be a neurological sign of a tremor or dystonia of one type or another. Benign essential tremor, for one, can affect the jaw.

Consider seeing your physician for an evaluation.

-Denny

rufflicks · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 1:54 pm Post subject:

I absolutly second what Denny said.

Best, Jon
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dstdenis · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 5:36 pm Post subject:

That’s also a symptom of chronic fatigue, especially if you’ve increased your playing significantly more than you’re used to and haven’t been getting enough time for rest and recovery. Not sure if that’s your situation, but something for you to consider. If it is, then increasing the level of exertion right now would only make things worse, not better.
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Billy B · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:14 am Post subject:

Tension
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John Mohan · Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:17 am Post subject:

https://medlineplus.gov/tremor.html

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Essential-Tremor-Information-Page

See your doctor. If this is what you have (an essential tremor) it can be treated with medicine.