Embouchure Efficiency

BarryWilson · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 32

Would there be any advantage to using a larger mouthpiece than normal...during warm up and occasional practice routines...to improve embouchure efficiency?
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JayKosta · Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 10:06 am Post subject:

What do you mean by 'embouchure efficiency'?
Are you striving to increase endurance - i.e. having more good playing duration before your chops get tired?

My guess is that sensible practice using your regular mouthpiece is best.
Your lip muscles might become stronger by using a oversized mouthpiece, but perhaps also reduce the precise skill and control when using the regular mouthpiece.

Jay
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BarryWilson · Regular Member Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 32

cheiden · Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 4:00 pm Post subject:

While it's not impossible it's not something I'd advocate for. If you think of the embouchure in terms of strength above all else then perhaps a case could be made for time on a big piece. But in my experience embouchure is much more about refinement, and playing a piece that's otherwise too big is just as likely to lead to chop confusion and hinder growth.
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BobList · Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 6:38 pm Post subject:

I double on beginner trombone a few minutes each day, it seems to help my chops a little bit. I would experiment with that, a MUCH larger piece and a whole different horn doesn't mess with me. I don't think I would try a bigger trumpet mouthpiece on the same trumpet ..... too many ways to mess me up. Maybe try Flugelhorn to see how you react to it?
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Lionel · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Jul 2016 Posts: 783

Jaw04 · Posted: Mon May 18, 2020 8:39 pm Post subject:

I personally have never really done that. I sometimes do the opposite- if I am struggling to find my nice sounding upper register, or feel that I am working too hard, perhaps too much tension in my embouchure, I will put in my super shallow and tight mouthpiece to feel how easy and "not high" the upper register is. The lead piece encourages relaxation and less force. After just a couple minutes on the lead piece I will go back to my deeper and more open mouthpiece and feel much better for it. This is all during practice, not on a gig.

soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

I do this and have done this for years.

There are some people who feel switching mouthpiece rim diameters is a problem for their embouchure, some who don't. Personally, I play on pretty shallow mouthpieces with a rim diameter of about a Bach 5. On occasion, I will practice on the biggest mouthpiece I own (Bach 1B), just for giggles. I'd caution you that switching between radically different sizes can be a problem when going back to a shallower mouthpiece during the same session. And yes, it taxes your muscles much more and you have to be careful not to press. For the record, I also double on trombone (and when I say double, I mean I've been playing both for over a decade). There is absolutely some benefit to buzzing on a radically larger mouthpiece like that as well, since it works different muscles groups.

All in all, rather than buying a different mouthpiece, since the main advantage is muscle building and focusing your airstream, I'd just try to do isometric exercises or free lip buzzing. Couple that with some Clarke studies at sotto voce to tighten your aperture.

In the end, try it and see how it affects you. I mainly do it because I think it's fun (trumpet playing is supposed to be fun... I think I heard that somewhere). If you struggle after a few weeks, at least you know what your problem is and how to fix it lol.
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kalijah · Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 10:06 am Post subject:

I have had some success practicing on slightly smaller diameter equipment for the soft , low, fine control excercises. And then using slightly larger and deeper for the calesthenic work, such as Caruso.

Then perform on the preferred "middle" mouthpiece or even the larger one depending on the performance required.

It gives good results for me.

soulfire · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 334 Location: NJ

kalijah · Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 2:15 pm Post subject:

Exactly. Just occasionally for me too.

Beyond16 · Posted: Tue May 19, 2020 4:37 pm Post subject:

Well just for grins I tried a tuba mouthpiece on a cornet. Shocker, it doesn't work that well. I couldn't even complete a single octave of a major scale.