Embouchure problems

[Tuba5547]

I am 81yrs, and I am seeing a big muscle deterioration in my embouchure.Regarding my Gflat; G; A flat; and A natural. My tone in these notes are splitting real bad. It started about 2 Years ago, with just the G; now it is getting worse, as more and more notes are splitting. I practice an hour each day. Any suggestions for reversing this situation? Thanks!!!

[timothy42b]

I feel like I should go for popcorn.

But first a question. Is this a classic double buzz that you're experiencing?

PS kudos for still going strong at 81. I hope I can do the same.

[Doug Elliott]

Do you use Skype?
I have had excellent success helping brass players on all instruments to overcome embouchure problems including double buzzes, but I have to see what you're doing first.

[Tuba5547]

Yes, I have Skype----Possible hook up Friday afternoon?

[Doug Elliott]

Friday would have worked but maybe you missed my message or it didn't go through. Sunday's open (tomorrow). You can find my contact info on my website.

[Alex C]

As Mr. Jacobs used to say, problems in the upper register start in the middle and lower register. Often these are easy fixes but you need a someone to guide you. If they want to change your embouchure at 81, just say no. That's not the problem anyway, IMHO.

[Doug Elliott]

The OP is the one who titled his topic "Embouchure problems."

He actually did not say whether the problem was in the high range or not.

Somehow I don't think Jacobs or any good teacher who be so quick to say "that's not the problem" without even seeing or hearing the student, 81 or otherwise.

[MaryAnn]

At 81, a whole lot of physical things are not going to work as well as they did even ten years ago, and there may be no fixing it. I'll be very curious to hear how this turned out.

[MaryAnn]

bloke said, thereby opening the door,
"If you discover any sort of reversals with any of these types of problems via the advice of the TubeNet Freak Jury, please post again."

I guess given how long I've been here, I'm a full-fledged member of the TNFJ.

When I was about 40 (28 years ago, ok?) I started having joint problems. My spine hurt so badly it was difficult to turn over in bed. My mother had bad osteoarthritis and was on NSAIDs for about as long as I could remember, so I reluctantly put myself on ibuprofen, which did take care of the pain, but, um, I don't like taking drugs. Then, in one of those miracle-type things, I found a book entitled Arthritis: Don't Learn to Live With It. I bought it, found the first part (osteo) appeared to apply to me, and gave up the entire nightshade family of foods. Not that easy to do.... you basically have to stop buying packaged stuff that lists "spices" as an ingredient, you can't eat Mexican or Italian any more, and have to be REALLY careful where you eat out. Most people are not willing to do this. But I was willing to give it a two week trial (the book said in severe cases it can take as long as nine months) and in two weeks....I was definitely in less pain. I went off nightshades permanently. I found over time, that with me, it is a quantity thing rather than an allergy thing (I presume this is the norm) and over the years I can occasionally have a baked potato or some ketchup. And at 68, it remains the same. I start thinking "Oh I can have a little of this" and well, I didn't get any pain, so maybe I can have a little more, and pretty soon....there I am with aches and pains all through my bones and joints, and I slap myself in the face and go completely off nightshades again. I've gotten to be a pretty good cook too, and reserve my excursions for those times when an extra special dinner out with someone will give me "just that little bit." But I bet no one here will try it, or the other things I don't eat either, like lectins, coffee, chocolate...but I'd just SO much rather not live with the consequences of eating outside what my genetic makeup can handle.

The second part of the book will likely fix you of rheumatoid, if you are willing to do what it says. Americans are trained/enculturated/bullied into taking drugs rather than just changing what they do so they get rid of problems caused by what they do.

[Three Valves]

....taking drugs rather than just changing what they do so they get rid of problems caused by what they do.

30 years ago I went to the doctor and said "it hurts when I go like 'this'"

He said "Don't do that!!"

Last week I went to the doctor and said "it hurts when I go like 'this'"

He said, "get that scanned, start taking this, and see me next week!!"

[timothy42b]

We don't know the extent of the problem. We don't know what range it occurs in, nor if it is the classic double buzz. So we can speculate.

Even if we knew, we could ignore that and speculate, and probably would. <g>

It is possible that this is a solitary symptom that can be corrected.

It is possible that this is an inevitable consequence of the aging process, like the fact that I need special glasses to read music and can no longer memorize efficiently. At 65 there are some other aches and pains I won't bore you with.

Or, it could be an example of someone who played well for years but with slightly improper mechanics that eventually caught up with him. This is common in sports, and I've heard anecdotal accounts of it happening with musicians; it makes sense to me. Experienced teachers (like Doug here) would have seen this side too.

[timothy42b]

....taking drugs rather than just changing what they do so they get rid of problems caused by what they do.

30 years ago I went to the doctor and said "it hurts when I go like 'this'"

He said "Don't do that!!"

Last week I went to the doctor and said "it hurts when I go like 'this'"

He said, "get that scanned, start taking this, and see me next week!!"

30 years ago I was addicted to coffee, but occasionally got stabbing pains in my eye.

I went to two different doctors who told me to stop drinking coffee, but I had to drive early in the morning, that just wasn't an option.

Finally I went to the specialist, who told me.............take the spoon out of the cup!