Involuntary jaw and lip shaking

[mitahale]

Hello all,
I'm looking to discover helpful information and/or recommendations from players that are going through this problem.

This happens when just blowing air through the mp as well as any notes from 2nd line G up. I cannot play a steady tone without a very wide unwanted vibrato. Tonguing rhythmic patterns or starting a passage softly usually comes out as a lot of misfires. I've had to withdraw from accepting playing gigs as well as teaching. I've read about some of the medical conditions like focal dystonia, and I sincerely hope I don't suffer from this!

I'm am now a retired band teacher and I'm trying to assess the possibility of returning to playing (and enjoying) the trumpet. I do admit that in my years of professional playing, touring and recording, I was playing a lot of lead. Thinking back on those years, I did very little in terms of maintenance, routine or seeking professional advice.

I'm now paying the price for that neglect and looking to restart the rebuilding process after about a year off. Rather than focusing on why it's happening, I'm looking more for what I need to do to start fixing it. It's been quite a struggle. I feel like there are lots of long tones and mp pressure exercises in my future! I own most of the more popular method and etude books out there from my school days.

Are there any success/overcoming adversity type stories out there? My current setup is a Bach Strad 180/43 and Bach 3C. Many thanks!

[Andy Del]

[JayKosta]

In addition to what Andy Del mentioned (and I agree with him), have you tried any DIY 'jaw tests' to see what happens? Perhaps just gently clenching your rear molars, or perhaps chewing a tough piece of meat? If you can produce similar jaw/lip symptoms from 'everyday' activities, it might assist in a medical diagnosis.

Jay
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
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[Robert P]

[Jerry Freedman]

I have an "essential tremor" mostly on my right side. Yes, I have extended life experience ( 70) years old. It is mild and intermittent but there are meds to control it. See your Dr.

[CalletJazz]

I'm pretty sure this comes from weak corners and the embouchure trying to compensate.

I used to have this too. I was using too much muscle in the center of the embouchure instead of the corners.

Careful and slow rehabilitation was necessary but very effective.
Take a lesson with Bobby Shew, correct lip buzzing made all the difference!

[kanemania]

I think I know what you're going through. I've written about this subject in the past, but I haven't been very active on TH for a while, so let me post an update. Apologies in advance for the length of this reply.

For me, it started slow, in my mid-50s. At first, it sounded like I was just playing with a wide lip vibrato, but over a couple of years, it progressed to affecting my ability to make clean attacks. A few more years, and it had progressed to the point where I was unable to hold anything longer than an eighth note with a steady tone.

I went to my internist, who sent me to a neurologist. The neurologist diagnosed it not as Parkinson's (thank God) and not focal dystonia, but as essential tremor (he called it essential idiopathic kinetic tremor, to be precise). He prescribed a beta blocker, which worked like magic for about a year. Then its effectiveness started to fade, so we upped the dose. This worked for a while, until it didn't. We tried several combinations of different beta blockers and anti-seizure drugs. Their ability to control the essential tremor was minimal, but the side effects were pretty nasty.

At this point, I went to see probably the world's leading authority on motion disorders for musicians, Dr. Steven Frucht (he was at Mt Sinai at the time; he's now at NYU). He confirmed the diagnosis of essential tremor, and after one more round of drug treatment, he gave me the news that I already suspected: There's no medicine that will cure it, no therapy that will control it.

(Weirdly enough, the tremor I have does not affect any of the other instruments I play -- only the ones that require a controlled embouchure.)

So now, some seven years after the initial diagnosis, I don't perform any more. I don't even practice. I don't take that nasty cocktail of drugs any more, either, so I actually feel terrific. I just can't play the trumpet.

My advice to you:

1. Go see a neurologist. If you don't have Parkinson's or focal dystonia or essential tremor, then go see a chop doctor.
2. If you do take beta blockers or some other drug, understand that it's only going to be a short-term solution that can have some nasty side-effects.
3. Keep playing as long as you can; enjoy your music as long as you can. And when you need to put down the horn, pick up another instrument. You're not just a trumpet player -- you're a musician.

[plunkett]

It looks like you have plenty of good advice above, but I'll just briefly add my two cents... I had the exact same problem years ago and thought I'd never be able to play in public again. I, like you, got advice from other players and decided to take the easiest road and it worked for me. The road was this: just keep practicing and it will eventually go away! Well, that worked for me - after about a month or two it just went away. I should mention, however, that I am a bit high-strung and do take a beta-blocker before virtually any public performance where I am mostly solo (I play trumpet and flute at church and multiple instruments in an Irish traditional band). I don't have the nervousness when I'm playing in a trumpet section (as long as I'm not sitting first chair!). Good luck and I hope you get the problem solved!

Pat
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Pat Plunkett

[John Mohan]

You definitely should first consult with your Physician and possibly be referred by him or her to a specialist (Neurologist) to rule out any medical cause. It is possible you have developed an Essential Tremor.

https://www.healthline.com/health/essential-tremor

If that's the case, it is treatable.

After said medical exam, if all checks out (sure hope it does!), lessons with me or someone else competent in setting you up with a good developmental and progressive daily practice routine would be your best plan of action. I don't think your past lead playing is to blame. It seems to me that you have perhaps tried to get back to your prior level of playing ability a little too quickly and developed some bad habits. Barring any type of neurological cause, I am sure your issues can be resolved with a well-balanced practice plan that starts fairly easy and slow builds up in terms of practice time and intensity.

Best wishes,

John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested
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Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

[mitahale]

Thank you all of your wise words and recommendations! I truly appreciate the energy of your responses to my search for info.

My first big decision was whether to even start the journey given the mountain of work that is needed. Sessions are sounding awful at startup, but I try to remain positive and patient, looking forward to hearing any progress daily.

I have embarked on creating a daily routine of exercises that I have left me with positive results in the past. Not afraid to throw out what's not working; I'm focusing on breath efficiency, some lip buzzing, air flow, compression and follow through. Long tones, chromatic scales and single tonguing are my main focuses and there is some evidence that endurance is improving, coming from almost none. Reviewing Bobby Shew's articles are a big help as well.

Upon further review, the "jaw" shaking is actually a fast up and down movement in the muscles between the chin an the lower lip. Strengthening the lower corners helps to at least stop the movement periodically which gives me hope that the movement will just go away the stronger the corners get(?) I'm at the point

I'll check in for additional responses, but for now the goal is to stay the course... play-rest-repeat. Thanks again; i wish you all the best in your own journeys.

[cary_phil]

I just go over a similar condition. I noticed a buddy of mine had his lips drawn in tight at the corners for his embouchure. I realized that I had gotten out of the habit of doing that and began concentrating on that. An instructor of mine also suggested to pretend I was about to play a fourth space E and set my embouchure for that. It took some time but I have gotten over it and my playing has improved a lot.