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Untame Regular Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2023 Posts: 42
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 12:41 pm Post subject: Managing lip hair (beards / mustaches) |
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Anyone find that their facial hair gets in the way? If so, how do you accommodate / manage it?
I keep a tight beard (3/16in-1/2in), and I feel like once it is getting longish the hair on my upper lip either feels uncomfortable or maybe influences my lip placement on the mouthpiece. I have wondered if it makes sense to do a little extra trimming at the point of contact... but don't want to be wearing a bald lip circle! _________________ I don't practice, and I never perform. I just play.
- 1979 King 602 Cornet
- 1927 Conn 80A Cornet
- 1960 Holton Super Collegiate Cornet |
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Halflip Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1968 Location: WI
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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Have you considered the Fu Manchu look? Or perhaps the more abbreviated version popularized by beloved Mexican comic actor Cantinflas (Mario Moreno)? _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run" |
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Untame Regular Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2023 Posts: 42
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Halflip wrote: | Have you considered the Fu Manchu look? Or perhaps the more abbreviated version popularized by beloved Mexican comic actor Cantinflas (Mario Moreno)? |
LOL... I'll pass on the Cantinflas!
_________________ I don't practice, and I never perform. I just play.
- 1979 King 602 Cornet
- 1927 Conn 80A Cornet
- 1960 Holton Super Collegiate Cornet |
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TrumpetMD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2427 Location: Maryland
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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I've had a moustache since the 7th grade and a beard since college. For me, the mouthpiece rests a bit on facial hair on both lips (upper lip more than lower lip). It doesn't bother me, although the mouthpiece grips my lips better when I'm clean shaven. But it's never been a problem. I suspect it comes down to personal preference.
Mike _________________ Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
Olds L-12 Flugelhorn (1969), Yamaha 13F4 Mouthpiece.
Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns. |
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Jaw04 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2015 Posts: 903 Location: Bay Area, California
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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I trim my beard to keep it off the lips and it's never affected me. I don't do any extra shaving besides just keeping it off the lips. |
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Dkjcliff Regular Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2020 Posts: 97
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2023 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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I definitely feel like the length of the mustache part of my beard affects my playing. Whenever I have a bad playing day, I know it’s grown too long. After I shave it, my playing is back to normal. I don’t know exactly what is going on, but it feels like the longer hair is somehow making it harder for my lips to vibrate freely. I keep it around a “3” on my beard trimmer. _________________ Selmer Radial II
Yamaha YHF-635T Flugelhorn
Martin Indiana Cornet |
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oxleyk Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 7:40 am Post subject: |
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No lady likes
To snuggle or dine
Accompanied by
A porcupine.
Burma Shave |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9089 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 9:00 am Post subject: |
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I think the more you obsess on it the more it affects you. I've never given it a second thought.
(LOL, I wonder how many readers know "Burma Shave".) _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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trumpet2012fhl Veteran Member
Joined: 30 Jan 2011 Posts: 269
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 10:52 am Post subject: |
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Interestingly enough, this is the reason I started to grow a beard/mustache in high school. I would get ingrown hairs or razor burn near my lips and it would hurt. So I grew it out to see what that would do. I have never really had an issue and I've had it since high school. |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2616
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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oxleyk wrote: | No lady likes
To snuggle or dine
Accompanied by
A porcupine.
Burma Shave |
Lol - I wonder how many are going to have any idea what you're referring to.
I only know because some relatives had a book about the history of Burma Shave signs. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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Halflip Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1968 Location: WI
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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Robert P wrote: | Lol - I wonder how many are going to have any idea what you're referring to. |
In this world
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin
Burma Shave
. . . I do. _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run" |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2616
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Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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Halflip wrote: | Robert P wrote: | Lol - I wonder how many are going to have any idea what you're referring to. |
In this world
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin
Burma Shave
. . . I do. |
_________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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mograph Veteran Member
Joined: 17 Feb 2020 Posts: 139
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:20 am Post subject: |
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Halflip wrote: | Robert P wrote: | Lol - I wonder how many are going to have any idea what you're referring to. |
In this world
Of toil and sin
Your head grows bald
But not your chin
Burma Shave
. . . I do. |
From MAD Magazine:
Empty beer cans on the road
Are ugly, many say.
But at night, reflecting bright
They safely guide the way!
Burma Shave _________________ 1985 Bach 37
1980 King 601 (it's bulletproof!)
1978 Couesnon flugelhorn
Playing for fun since 1979.
Fmr member 48th Highlanders of Canada Mil Band
Into that jazz devil music |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9089 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Used to have hair on my royal crown.
Year by year it's fallen down.
It used to strike an impressive pose.
Now it just grows out my nose. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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shofarguy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 7014 Location: AZ
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 8:49 am Post subject: |
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I have whiskers that grow right on the edge of my lips and they stick straight out. I always shave around the rim of my lips before I play each day. I wear a goatee and make sure that my mustache hairs are trimmed so they don't poke my bottom lip. Those are the only two things I need to worry about before I am comfortable playing my horns. _________________ Brian A. Douglas
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper
There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds. |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8927 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 9:27 am Post subject: |
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I routinely sport a mustache and goatee with soul patch. I never shave the mouthpiece area but I do use a beard trimmer to keep that area from getting too long. If I don't manage it I feel it does interfere with my playing. _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart
Last edited by cheiden on Wed Jun 14, 2023 7:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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JWG Veteran Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2011 Posts: 260
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, I would think it all depends on your underlying skeletal structure supporting your embouchure, the size/shape of your lips, whether you have fine hair or thick whisker-like hair interfering with your embouchure, whether that hair grows quickly or slowly, and where you place the mouthpiece on your lips.
My $0.02: I suffer from in-grown facial hair; thus, daily shaving results in infections more often than I would like.
Hence, I keep a very short beard that I trim weekly down to stubble.
Under most of my lower lip, I shave down about 3/4 of an inch to where my lower jaw turns outward, because I hate catching food there when eating. Just keeps my appearance tidy and allows me to easily wipe below my lower lip with a napkin.
Above my upper lip, I trim a very small arc to match the arc where the top of my mouthpiece rests. I do this by turning my Braun electric shaver from the horizontal to the vertical and shadowing where my mouthpiece normally protrudes above the red of my lip. This has served me very well, and most people do not even notice it due to the contours of my lips. _________________ Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb and C with 1.5 TCC, XT, C, C-O, O, & L mouthpieces
Bach 183S (undersprung valves & straight taper pipe) with 1.5 Flip Oakes XF |
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Halflip Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1968 Location: WI
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2023 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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cheiden wrote: | I never shave the mouthpiece area but I do use a bread trimmer to keep that area from getting too long. |
I've never tried that! Up 'til now, I've only used my bread trimmer when making finger sandwiches for parties and get-togethers. _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run" |
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cheiden Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 8927 Location: Orange County, CA
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Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2023 7:36 am Post subject: |
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Halflip wrote: | cheiden wrote: | I never shave the mouthpiece area but I do use a bread trimmer to keep that area from getting too long. |
I've never tried that! Up 'til now, I've only used my bread trimmer when making finger sandwiches for parties and get-togethers. |
Doh! _________________ "I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart |
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Halflip Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1968 Location: WI
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Posted: Wed Jun 14, 2023 7:51 am Post subject: |
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cheiden wrote: | Halflip wrote: | cheiden wrote: | I never shave the mouthpiece area but I do use a bread trimmer to keep that area from getting too long. |
I've never tried that! Up 'til now, I've only used my bread trimmer when making finger sandwiches for parties and get-togethers. |
Doh! |
Shame on me, Charles -- I couldn't resist! _________________ "He that plays the King shall be welcome . . . " (Hamlet Act II, Scene 2, Line 1416)
"He had no concept of the instrument. He was blowing into it." -- Virgil Starkwell's cello teacher in "Take the Money and Run" |
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