Mouthpiece Placement

[Mr. Bubbles]

When I got my braces on 3 years ago I stumbled on Lynn Nickelson's video talking about anchoring the mouthpiece to a tooth and playing off centered. This really helped because instead of sitting on 2 brackets and being in the middle it was resting on the wire making playing so much more comfortable. I have had my braces off for a long time now and my range is so much better off center like I can comfortably play a high E or F depending on the day and usually if it's a good day I'll end up being able to slur up to a Double B. Now centered I feel like my endurance is much better and lip slurs feel way more comfortable but I can't even play a high C. I'm not bottoming out because centered I put a lot less lip in the mouthpiece because what's known as Cupid's bow is in the mouthpiece not the fat part of the lip connected to the philtrum. I think it's best that I center my embouchure but I'm not sure how to get my lips to vibrate fast enough to play as high as I do off center. Any ideas?

[MF Fan]

Lynn's protocol doesn't dictate or even recommend playing off center. His advice is that you should find the spot where your teeth provide a natural anchor. For some, that may be perfectly centered, it's going to be different for every player based on their unique dental structure.

Assuming your overall playing (beyond the high-notes) is better off center, e.g. tone, flexibility, etc., why change it? There is no universal truth that says playing in the center is advantageous.
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[Mr. Bubbles]

[quote="MF Fan"]Lynn's protocol doesn't dictate or even recommend playing off center. His advice is that you should find the spot where your teeth provide a natural anchor. For some, that may be perfectly centered, it's going to be different for every player based on their unique dental structure.

Assuming your overall playing (beyond the high-notes) is better off center, e.g. tone, flexibility, etc., why change it? There is no universal truth that says playing in the center is advantageous.[/quote]

My playing is all better in the center except I can't play higher than a high C. I also puff out my cheeks which is annoying but I think that's because my embouchure isn't as strong in the middle or something of that sort.

[abontrumpet]

If everything is better somewhere, then you should stick with that. Get a private teacher to help you develop healthy habits and the range will come.

[HERMOKIWI]

The switch to a centered position seems to have seriously compromised your range. However, I also note your comment that your endurance and lip slurs are improved. That makes it very complicated to make a recommendation. So my comments are general comments.

There is nothing magic or required about playing centered. Lots of great players played off to one side. That doesn't mean that playing off center or playing on center is necessarily right or wrong for you. It's all about results.

Until you know WHY your range has diminished and WHY your endurance and lip slurring are improved it will be very difficult for you to determine whether off center or centered will be best for you in the long run.

I will say that most significant changes produce compromised results for awhile but sometimes ultimately result in significant overall improvement. Working with a competent teacher who can guide you and who can accurately evaluate existing results and predict likely future results would be a big help.
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[doitallman]

Sadly we are the only ones that know what works for us. No one can give you any real advice without seeing you and hearing you play.
I would suggest you try to switch to whatever works best. Forget range for now. Keep experimenting until you find the spot. Trumpet is a lifetime of work.
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[pepperdean]

One of my teachers, I think it was Doc Reinhardt, used the analogy that a 'stool must have four legs' to be stable. Your mouthpiece should have a stable (four points) of your teeth as a foundation to rest on. Depending on your tooth structure and jaw position when playing, this could be anywhere.

It appears you are a young player. The best advice is to get a good teacher who will guide your development. Don't be surprised if the mouthpiece position shifts as you advance on the trumpet. If you don't force it into some contrived placement, and if you practice wisely, it will find its own spot.

Best wishes,
Alan

[Brad361]

[JayKosta]