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Concerns about tense facial muscles while playing



 
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KLKTrumpet
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Joined: 23 Jan 2021
Posts: 1
Location: Los Angeles

PostPosted: Sat Jan 23, 2021 8:27 pm    Post subject: Concerns about tense facial muscles while playing Reply with quote

Hello - have any of you found yourself tensing up the muscles in your nose (like the opposite of flaring your nostrils)? I've just realized this is something I occasionally do and I'm not sure if it is something I should be concerned about in my playing. Since I am a returning player after a couple years off, I am curious if it might even be my facial muscles naturally trying to somehow support my embouchure because it lacks the strength I once had. I'd love to hear about anyone else's experience with facial tension beyond the embouchure and if it has ever lead to any problems or positives in their own playing?

Quick blurb about me: I regularly played trumpet from about 10 to 22 yrs until I took a few years off to focus on my career (aka find a job that allowed me to move out of my parents' house). I've been playing regularly again for about 4 months now =]
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wilder
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Joined: 27 Jun 2020
Posts: 341
Location: NYC

PostPosted: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't worry about it. jw
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trumpet56
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Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 623

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you mean the embouchure is the vibrating lips then the facial muscles should support the lips (embouchure). It wasn't before I started swapping between the tuba and trumpet I realised I was using too much embouchure (facial muscles) tension. Once the facial muscles relaxed my trumpet sound blossomed
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JayKosta
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Joined: 24 Dec 2018
Posts: 3276
Location: Endwell NY USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:51 am    Post subject: Re: Concerns about tense facial muscles while playing Reply with quote

KLKTrumpet wrote:
Hello - have any of you found yourself tensing up the muscles in your nose (like the opposite of flaring your nostrils)? I've just realized this is something I occasionally do and I'm not sure if it is something I should be concerned about in my playing. ...

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From your description you might be lifting your upper lip towards your nose. If that's the situation, then you're either using too much upward pull on the upper lip, or not enough downward (counter-acting) full on it. The various muscle 'pulls' that are used to adjust the lips must be controlled and balanced.

Mouthpiece pressure should not be excessive - it can prevent vibrations and cause injury. And the mouthpiece pressure between the upper and lower lips needs to be controlled and adjusted by the amount of rim pressure on the lower lip - by use of the lower jaw.
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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'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.
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trumpetteacher1
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Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 3398
Location: Garland, Texas

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 9:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This post was in the BE forum. Since there is no specific BE content, I moved it to Fundamentals.

Jeff
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Billy B
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Joined: 12 Feb 2004
Posts: 6126
Location: Des Moines

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How does it sound?
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