Unbalanced Embouchure

[Stefan Kac]

If you can get a hold of a copy of "The Art of Brass Playing", by Philip Farkas, it might help you out.

[The Impaler]

Lately I've been re-reading my Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind book, which is published by WindSong press and Brian Frederickson. When I got to the section on embouchure, I was amazed that I had really forgotten what the great Mr. Jacobs had to say about it. He states that it's not all that important (within reason) what type of embouchure you have. What is important is what kind of musical message you're sending from your brain to your face.

Now, would a more 'balanced' embouchure help you out? I think so. But it's important to remember that it's not all about the embouchure, and therefore 'balancing out' your embouchure isn't going to instantly fix all your problems. To improve the sound coming out of the horn, you've got to improve the sound going into your horn. Get an idea of what you want to sound like, and then make that sound happen. This is the proper approach to sound.

[joh_tuba]

Lately I've been re-reading my Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind book, which is published by WindSong press and Brian Frederickson. When I got to the section on embouchure, I was amazed that I had really forgotten what the great Mr. Jacobs had to say about it. He states that it's not all that important (within reason) what type of embouchure you have. What is important is what kind of musical message you're sending from your brain to your face.

Actually, if you read a bit deeper into Song and Wind he relates an interesting story about curling in the lower lip to help facilitate the ease of playing in the high register. I would argue that 95% of all brass players use an 'unbalanced embouchure' with very good results. Most favor one side over another as well as favoring either the upper or lower lip. Doug Elliott has suggested in the past that having a 50/50 embouchure is actually a very poor choice for most people.

I've heard Wes play. He doesn't have nearly enough to worry about in his playing if this is what keeps him up at night. What he describes doesn't sound so terrible to me if his flexibility and sound are good.

Wes!! Give me a call! We have much to talk about.

The teacher

[tubacdk]

personally, I use probably 2/3 upper lip and 1/3 lower lip. my mouthpiece is pretty close to center, but the thing that I've found interesting about my personal setup is that even though my mouthpiece is pretty centered, it doesn't go square off of my face. the mpc aims off to the right a bit, and the right corner of my mouth seems more firm than my left corner.

but, I don't seem to have any particular issues coming from this, so I don't worry about it. my issues are all related to air and practicing.

[Leland]

If you can get a hold of a copy of "The Art of Brass Playing", by Philip Farkas, it might help you out.

Just in case you haven't seen this book --

Mr. Farkas took closeup photos of the ebouchures of each of his fellow brass players in the Chicago Symphony while they buzzed on those rim-only visualizers. What surprised me the most was the wide variety of embouchures. Mr. Jacobs even had one that was a sort of zig-zag shape.

Certainly, nobody complained about how that brass section played.

[tubacdk]

I think I am beginning to see the general consensus about my embouchure problem. I've always been an analyzer and I guess I thought that maybe there was just one thing wrong and when I fixed it--WHAMO I'd be playing beautifully. I just always hear the old "2/3 upper lip, 1/3 lower lip" when playing a brass instrument, and am very aware that I do not fit that norm. I'll start listening to my sound more, and I guess all that I can do is find what sounds best and then stick with it. I hope that's enough...

I have one word when it comes to analyzing embouchure: STOP. In the vast vast majority of cases, brass players' embouchures are just fine. so long as they are using their air well, their embouchures are okay. There are so many great players whose embouchures look completely wacked out, there's no way that you can say that an embouchure has to look a certain way to work properly. dental structure and musculature vary from person to person, so nothing can be perfect for everyone.

I have been down the embouchure analysis road and back again, and nothing happened except that I lost years of productive practice. If you find that you're having issues, look at your air first. most problems can be fixed with proper air usage. once I finally decided that my problems were not embouchure related but instead air related, my practicing became simpler and more productive, and I was much much happier with the result. The only thoughts that I give to my embouchure is to keep it open and don't let it get in the way of the air.

My $.02...

-ck

[Leland]

I have one word when it comes to analyzing embouchure: STOP.
-ck

I've heard a story of a famed concert pianist who, while practicing one day, started watching his fingers flying around they keyboard and thought, "...wow, that's a really complex series of motions..."

It wasn't too long before the "complex series of motions" became overwhelming for him to analyze, and his playing broke down. He had to stop performing.

[joh_tuba]

I have one word when it comes to analyzing embouchure: STOP.

Thanks Chuck!!


Wes, let the stupid trumpet players have their fun with over analysis. Trumpet players have TONS of *terrible* ideas about embouchure.. the vast majority of which don't work on trumpet yet alone carry over to tuba. Most all of us have been down the path that you are describing atleast once. Take heart that most of us have managed to recover from our sins and now know better.

Good luck!

[Leland]

You'll be fine. Give it some work (duh, you knew that ), and treat it like a trombone, and nothing like a tuba. Some people say that it's the closest a brass instrument can get to actual singing, and I'm inclined to agree.