RODDY o-iii<O

Mouthpiece Pressure

An awful lot of trumpet players use too much mpc. pressure in all registers a lot of the time. This generally (depending on how much pressure is being used) results in lip swelling to a greater or lesser degree. Trying to avoid (or use less) is not easy as you need to learn to make lip compression your close friend.

Lip compression is the lower lip pushing up towards the upper one. If you get sore or tired after a day's playing, then you can surely bet that you're using too much mpc. pressure. Lots of players do not have a closed enough aperture to be able to utilise a faster air system which in turn cuts down on mpc. pressure.

The players with an open setting quite often set their embouchure correctly but in their effort to take a large breath, spread their lips open thereby creating a large, open aperture. They can then only play with a degree of control when the mpc. pressure flattens the lips enough so that they are touching.

The cure for this excessive pressure disease is free lip buzzing. This will help in closing the lip aperture. The problem with getting into lip buzzing, is that the setting you produce with the lips only, must equal exactly the setting you produce to ''mpc. buzz'' which in turn must equal the setting you produce when playing the trumpet. In short, the lip buzz, must equal the mpc. buzz, must equal the trumpet playing, with exactly the same setting.

Many players of course can play well even with an open setting because they are used to gauging the amount of lip swelling to form their embouchure. They usually have to play a certain set of exercises every day, as prescribed, so that they can produce the same amount of swelling and therefore gain some order of consistency.

If you learn to play with a closer lip setting, a number of things become apparent. You find you don't need to warm up so much, your tone becomes purer, your endurance is extended, your higher notes are more attainable, longer phrases become easier, breath control becomes more efficient...

Take my 10 minute Efficiency test later!


... and above all, you need less pressure to achieve all the former attributes. Therefore success leads to more success, without depending on lip swelling, a difficult variable to maintain control of.

As stated before, most players use excessive pressure when moving to the upper register, they also have a habit of using too much pressure in the lower and middle registers. They find that in moving to the upper register the added pressure results in a totally squashed aperture and they quite often describe ''hitting a brick wall'' at a certain note.

Everyone should practise using as litle pressure as possible in all ranges.There is no such thing as a ''No(n) pressure technique''. If you must add more pressure at any given point (this will be at a different point in everybody's range) then try and add the pressure to the bottom lip. This aids in closing the lip aperture while allowing the upper lip the freedom to keep on vibrating.

Pressure test / lip vibration indicator . . . . .

I guarantee you use TOO much mpc pressure already in ALL registers

...WE ALL DO!!!

WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT YOUR TEETH ALIGNMENT WHEN IN A NORMAL PLAYING POSITION IS MOSTLY ALIGNED EVENLY IN THE TEST TO FOLLOW.

OUT OF KILTER EITHER WAY BY A DEGREE WON'T UPSET THE TEST TO FOLLOW THAT MUCH, PROVIDED AS ALWAYS THE EXTREMETIES OF JAW POSITION ARE AT A MINIMUM.

Try this little test.....

1. Free lip buzz a second line G, and, roll a pencil slowly down from under your nose until it comes into contact with your Top lip. [note what happens to the buzz]

2. Next buzz the second line G again and whilst doing so roll the pencil up from the chin until it it comes into contact with your lower lip [note what happens]

A number of scenarios are possible.....

.....there are a number of known 'people variations'...

[and some unknown I've no doubt]

Mostly......

1. the top lip is the vibrator [bottom lip/jaw compression] -the commonest form.

2. the bottom lip is the vibrator [top lip compression ] -not very unusual, however as the top jaw is fixed, the top lip compression is achieved [in my opinion] by top lip tissue compression [not much]...and or lip stretch / facial / corner compression [contortion.]

3. Bottom and top lip vibration [Ideal]

...you would think would'nt you that number 3 would be the most desirable and it is

I suppose...but...it is only a small [but nonetheless significant] part of the 'chops set up'... you have to consider amongst many things, TENSION [facial / corner / compression or lip curl] mentioned above, as it's all linked up....

A Strobosopic Analysis of Lip Function by Robert D. Weast [1962] and amongst the proportion of trumpet players who took part it was found that a very high percentage [if not all] of them had the top lip as the primary vibrator.

MY WHOLE POINT TO THE ABOVE IS THIS.....

FIND WHICH IS YOUR PRIMARY VIBRATOR AND TRY AND KEEP A MIND TO MINIMISING THE PRESSURE ON THAT PARTICULAR LIP[S]!!!!!

Which lip do you consider to be YOUR primary vibrator?...

TOP / BOTTOM / BOTH EQUALLY?

STOP SQUASHING IT / THEM!!

You may want to try the mpc pressure device available from amongst others Osmun music [USA] ...beware that the device extends the playing length of the trumpet when added so you need to take into account a pitch variation. I would'nt recommend it for prolonged usage, but it is a useful 'personal pressure indicator'.

Exceptions to these Principles......

There will be people who contradict these principles, however their method of achieving their success may be SO specific to their individual physical makeup and/or highly individualised routine, that it may be impossible for another player to achieve the same results without the EXACT same circumstances / physiology [same teeth / oral cavity etc..]

REMEMBER.......

AIR + RELAXATION = FRIEND // ....EXAGERRATION = FOE (Don Jacoby)

DON'T EXAGGERATE YOUR ADJUSTMENTS TOO FAR!!!

LET THE SOUND BE YOUR GUIDE!!!

RELAX...ENJOY THE PUZZLE!!!

Try my 10 minute Efficiency test!

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