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Ways to Soft & Supple Lips...?


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healey.cj
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:13 am    Post subject: Ways to Soft & Supple Lips...? Reply with quote

...

Last edited by healey.cj on Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:04 am; edited 1 time in total
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deleted_user_fdb91a0
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lip balm.
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healey.cj
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

...

Last edited by healey.cj on Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:05 am; edited 1 time in total
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yankeesstink
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pedal Tones!!
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Yamahaguy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:51 am    Post subject: Re: Ways to Soft & Supple Lips...? Reply with quote

healey.cj wrote:
You can squeeze your lips for all your worth but if they aren't soft enough to vibrate then you've got no hope.
There's the problem right there...focus on the corners, not the aperture (lips). Squeezing=bad!
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shofarguy
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Lip balm.

Quote:
Lol not sure if that was a serious recommendation or not lol


Well, it was the first thing that came to my mind, because I spend alot of time outside and in harsh eneironments. My lips really suffer, sometimes, and can start to get leathery. Quality lip balm (Bert's Bees is my favorite) helps protect the suppleness.

The most effective means to restore suppleness to my lips has been to play lightly and quietly in the staff for about an hour or so. This seems to bring blood flow to the area without bruising, breaks down the tougher surface cell layer and restores flexibilty to my playing. It can take a couple of days, though.

Brian
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BenH
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Deleted.

Last edited by BenH on Fri Feb 05, 2010 6:26 am; edited 1 time in total
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matzentrpt
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first four exercises in Thompson's Buzzing Book.

And drinking plenty of water. (not beer.)
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perspective
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In my youth, I frequented the ballrooms ( yes, this is in the danceband days) on a saturday night. If I happened to be late getting there and the band of the evening was taking sustinence in the bar, I could unfailing identify the trumpet players, as they all seemed to have a "dewdrop" of soft tissue on the upper lip. No doubt cultivated and honed to perfection, from years of hard playing.
I deduced from this that this was the essential tool necessary to send it up there like they did. Over the years, this theory has been confirmed by observing the lips of various pro players.

So, if you haven't got one of these already - grow one
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healey.cj
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 4:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

...

Last edited by healey.cj on Sat Jan 18, 2014 4:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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roynj
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

matzentrpt wrote:

And drinking plenty of water. (not beer.)


Heresey! One of the main staple foods (uh, drinks) of all brass players being dissed like this is terribly dissappointing. And I suppose this includes Guinness too?

Roy
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joey
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hydration is a good start, but to really get everything feeling great, there is no substitute for kissing.

No, this is not a joke. When I was in 9th grade (first year of marching band), I showed up for a lesson with fairly stiff chops. When I asked my teacher what to do, his response was, "do you have a girlfriend?" I thought he was messing with me, so he told me to go ask his wife (who played horn in the Symphony) what she thought. So I walk out to his living room and ask his wife what to do for stiff chops, at which point she said, "do you have a girlfriend?"

Of course, I had been set up, but they were right.

So tell your wives/girlfriends or husbands/boyfriends that it's part of your daily practice. After all, they want to help, right?

Joey
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petere
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another idea that works for me: play a trombone/euphonium sized mouthpiece in addition to trumpet. Take a little time off from trumpet when your chops get stiff or tired or swollen. The bigger piece takes the pressure off the trumpet playing area and really loosens things up.

The bigger horn reinforces the helpfulness of deep breathing too.
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Bri
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is not a joke:

After you brush your teeth, brush your lips. I have a seperate "very soft" toothbrush for this. It removes any small bits of dead skin and it gives a great massage. Since I started this, my lips feel great and I love the sound I produce.

Plus.....your girlfriend will thank you!
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pedaltonekid
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. Keep well hydrated with water
2. Massage liquid vitamin E on your lips every night - I started doing this after learning that Maurice Andre did this and figured it couldn't hurt
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Billy B
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 6:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Soak them in cider.
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houdini1313
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use DCT (Daily Conditioning Treatment) almost religiously. It is by Blistex and feels wonderful. I won't put it on before I play, but afterwards it is a surge of moisture that just stays there. It is great.

I used to use chopsaver but have moved away from it for some reason.
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danambro8
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've found that lip balm really does help, try moisturizing chapstick, burts bees, or chop saver. Also try to avoid playing within an hour after youve woekn up. as you sleep your blood doesnt circulate as well and your lips are usually really swollen with blood, and although it sometimes improves my tone quality, it doesnt truely reflect how i play the rest of the day. also try warming up with pedal tones to get things lose a ready to play. if you find your lips deflating through the practice routine or performance you may be using too much pressure or just playing too much. remember to rest as much as you play. i think it was claude gordon that said that.
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Dave C.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bri, your suggestion of March 6th of using a soft toothbrush to lightly brush the upper lip worked wonders for me. I am 75 yrs old and whether or not it removes an old layer of skin or not, it left my lips soft and tender.

I did this an hour or so before a rehearal during a warmup, and when rehearsal started, I could tell right away that my control and other good things seem to fall right in. A good suggestion for sure.

Dave
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YoungMW
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PostPosted: Thu May 18, 2017 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

joey wrote:
Hydration is a good start, but to really get everything feeling great, there is no substitute for kissing.

No, this is not a joke. When I was in 9th grade (first year of marching band), I showed up for a lesson with fairly stiff chops. When I asked my teacher what to do, his response was, "do you have a girlfriend?" I thought he was messing with me, so he told me to go ask his wife (who played horn in the Symphony) what she thought. So I walk out to his living room and ask his wife what to do for stiff chops, at which point she said, "do you have a girlfriend?"

Of course, I had been set up, but they were right.

So tell your wives/girlfriends or husbands/boyfriends that it's part of your daily practice. After all, they want to help, right?

Joey


I am totally going to use this as a line
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