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Help with Stiff Upper Lip and Losing Air



 
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fitzy64
Regular Member


Joined: 12 Sep 2018
Posts: 30
Location: College

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 7:52 pm    Post subject: Help with Stiff Upper Lip and Losing Air Reply with quote

Hi all,

I'm having some difficulty with my upper range. I used to be able to hit A above high C (and squeak out the occasional double C), but I got my tonsils removed about two months ago. Now I can occasionally hit a high F which I need to hit for my marching band show. After about two weeks of analysis, I've come to the conclusion that the cause of the issue is that I have developed a stiff upper lip (my lips stop vibrating but when I play out of the side of my mouth which hasn't been muscularly developed I hit higher notes). Could someone please give me some exercises to loosen my upper lip while playing?

Additionally, I seem to be releasing a lot of air out of the sides of my mouth more than I used to and was wondering if I can do anything to fix that as well.

Cheers,
Fitz
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JVL
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Joined: 07 Feb 2016
Posts: 892
Location: Nissa, France

PostPosted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hello

hard to tell with no face to face, but i'd warm up ppp with a tonic embouchure, a la whisper tones, not pinching the lips or adopting a close embouchure, see what i mean ?
it'll strengthen your muscles, relax the tension on your lips

then play gently, open, in your comfort zone

best
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zaferis
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Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Posts: 2309
Location: Beavercreek, OH

PostPosted: Sat Sep 29, 2018 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Guessing here, but my first impulse is to to say that you were and are using too much mouthpiece pressure to get your high range. So, without realizing it, after coming back from the tonsil thing, range wasn't quite what it used to be, the conscience or unconscience response is to use a little more mouthpiece pressure, but now it's too much, closing off the aperture-the air has to go somewhere (escaping from the sides around the mouthpiece).

James Morrison, Trent Austin, and Jon Ruff all have excellent YouTube videos that address this issue. In essence the embouchure has to be able to support the amout of mouthpiece pressure you use, but our arms have much stronger/larger muscles than your face.

Slurring exercises that have you sliding throughout your range, starting at a mid-point and moving out in both directions. Scales, arpeggios, etc. Being able to move from bottom to top and top to bottom without resetting while maintaining a conistent tone will help.
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Lionel
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Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783

PostPosted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Help with Stiff Upper Lip and Losing Air Reply with quote

fitzy64 wrote:
Hi all,

I'm having some difficulty with my upper range. I used to be able to hit A above high C (and squeak out the occasional double C), but I got my tonsils removed about two months ago. Now I can occasionally hit a high F which I need to hit for my marching band show. After about two weeks of analysis, I've come to the conclusion that the cause of the issue is that I have developed a stiff upper lip (my lips stop vibrating but when I play out of the side of my mouth which hasn't been muscularly developed I hit higher notes). Could someone please give me some exercises to loosen my upper lip while playing?

Additionally, I seem to be releasing a lot of air out of the sides of my mouth more than I used to and was wondering if I can do anything to fix that as well.

Cheers,
Fitz


You said it! Swelling and stiffness are the great enemies of those learning or just playing trumpet in the upper register. This is also yet another reason why I usually recommend that those who are learning the upper register select a comfortable mouthpiece. On which does much of the work for him. Granted by practicing more on your standard mouthpiece you still could possibly meet your high note requirements?

And yet even if you do have the time to devote to extra practicing necessary to compensate for the handicap created by a large cupped, sharp edged mouthpiece? You would still be advised to change to more user friendly equipment just the same. Every trumpet player has limits. Even Mark Zauss. So unless you're well aware of your body's maximum output? You may one day become victim to a nasty surprise. Aka "complete breakdown of your embouchure". It is one thing to burn out your chops from one or two night's excessive playing beyond your body"s carrying capacity..

Yet quite another to "lose it" as a result of many weeks, slowly building up this excessive abuse. I know this because I went through it myself. Fortunately I learned a valuable lesson before I got too strung out. And this was to always stay well within the carrying capacity of my chops. That and to increase my reserve energy by developing my technique on shallower mouthpieces. All I did was start blowing a shallower piece than what I'd used before. Then just re-bore the throat and back-bore to get the big sound same as the deeper piece which I had used before.

"Play smart, not hard".

I see just the opposite of this advice every day. And as I grow older I see my aging friends attempt to get away with using their Bach 1C and/or similar large and larger pieces. Sure they could do this when they were 30 years old. Even 50. But "Father Time" takes his toll. Even Dizzy had Al Cass cut him several pieces smaller than his original mouthpiece.

PS: One well noted example of a complete breakdown in chops was what happened to Herb Alpert back in the late 1960's. While some "serious musicians" like to diss Alpert I've never done this. If only because the man has a fantastic tone. If you want to hear one of the most expressive sounds? Listen to recordings of Alpert.

His tone however came at a high cost to him physically. Due to the great popularity he and his Tijuana Brass had? That and the constant performing year after year? The man had grossly over-reached his embouchure's carrying capacity. After his chops fell apart he was met with horrific psychological pain. All associated with chops being lost. Fortunately for Herb he recovered. Part of what cured his chop problems was no doubt his change to blowing Marcinkiewicz mouthpieces. These have a far less sharp inner rim bite. Though not quite so forgiving as my choice (Al Cass mouthpieces) the Marcinkiewicz line is a far better choice than Vincent Bach. At least for commercial and lead trumpet playing.
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AmericanTrumpet
New Member


Joined: 01 Nov 2018
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've found that exercise tools like the P.E.T.E. from Warburton helped me with some range development, along with practicing of course. It's a break from the horn, and it will still help develop your facial muscles which will hopefully create a firmer lip-mouthpiece interaction. Especially if you're feeling some soft lips.
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Lionel
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Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783

PostPosted: Fri Nov 02, 2018 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Stevens-Costello "Palm" practice technique is great for both reducing the arm pressure habit. That and learning exactly how much real arm pressure we're actually using.

With the horn valve casing resting on the palm start with a tuning note concert B flat and slur upwards as high as you can. Do not play loudly. We just want to get a piece of the notes up high. With this exercise, gradually improve both your range and reduce the arm pressure.

Next, you're probably using too deep of a mouthpiece. That and it likely has too sharp of an inner rim edge. If you are from among this category? Hey why are you killing yourself?

If you're concerned about the edgy sound most shallow mouthpiece give off? No problem! Just have the throat and back-bore professionally enlarged to accomadate a number 22 or so throat diameter. Maynard used a huge throat. Like #15. Incredible! Don't go that large yourself but just experiment to find what works best for you.
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