Originally Posted by rowuk

Bach219,
you are asking the impossible as we can't see if you are doing the exercizes right, if the rest of your routine is too short, if you are getting enough tunes in.

I will NEVER recommend DIY embouchure changes as they most often mess up more than they help. IF you get professional help, there is still no guarantee but the chances are better.

I consider embouchure methods to be like dieting. The first couple of weeks you are motivated and things seem to get better because you have lost some weight. For most dieters after 4 weeks there is no improvement because the first couple of weeks was just water loss and no real change. When the going gets rough, most quit and try to find another diet that is easy and promises even more with less work. The real problem is between the ears, not around the waistline (wasteline).

The same is true with embouchures. The first couple of weeks, you are really paying attention to your chops and every somewhat higher note is judged a major success. After a couple of weeks, the player discovers that their playing has NOT really improved and they look for the next promise (lie).

I am not saying that diet or embouchure method XYZ is good or bad. Most all of them have some success stories. What I am saying is DIY embouchure is very seldom successful because the player that is trying to teach themselves has no idea what to look out for - or what dangers are involved. The change is between the ears nowhere else!

The method with the best chances is to get a sound, DAILY, basic routine that is safe. Buzzing, long tones and slurs all played very softly, cleanly and precisely. After that you play some tunes and at the end technical stuff. Never beat your face up when practicing and only go after high notes with musical content - instead of stabbing at high notes, play some Clarke technical studies up an octave. THAT will build high chops that are good for more than annoying sax players.

Leave embouchure changes alone unless you have professional help. The odds are miserable and hardly anybody has enough time to practice anyway!!!!!!!