pencil exercise

trumpetplayer87 · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 4:40 pm Post subject:

hello!
I've heard a lot about the pencil exercise but I'm trying to find out if I've figured it out completely. Should my lower jaw come out any at all? Should I tuck in the corners of my mouth? Should I feel it burning in my jaw at all? Thanks......

Bonnie

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 5:33 pm Post subject:

I've been doing the pencil exercise about every other day and I try and set my embochure like I would be playing and hold the pencil with just my lips and not my teeth and it seems to work pretty well. I'm not exactly sure if I'm doing it correctly either. Does anyone have any insight on this? I would like to know if I am doing it correctly. Thanks!
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

Williams · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 5:58 pm Post subject:

Bonnie,

Jon's got the right idea. Fix your embrochure (and jaw) like you're playing your horn. Hold the pencil between the lips but away from the teeth. Keep the teeth open just like you would while playing but don't put strain on your jaw.

If you still feel burning in your jaw, i'd lay off the exercise for a little while.
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Music!!!

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 7:11 pm Post subject:

Yea, I don't think your jaw should be hurting by doing the pencil exercise. If it is hurting then you are probably tensing up your jaw while you do the exercise. Maybe take a few days off of the pencil exercise and if you decide to start back, then work on relaxing your jaw completely, and not tensing it up. Let your corners do all the work, you should only feel your corners burn and maybe some other areas around your embochure, but your jaw should not be feelin' the burn.

_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"