gdong

I have an ugly story about this. When I started playing i had a really high-center embouchure with a MASSIVE aperture and almost no bottom lip in the cup. I was diligent and enthusiastic and disciplined and so I was able to be a good HS player, but after having my teacher at Interlochen switch my embouchure, I realized that i was doing 10X the amount of practice for the same payoff as I could now on a more balanced embouchure. You have to have an acceptable set-up, and the sooner you get one, the sooner you can just shed-till-yer-dead.

Are both lips inside the mouthpiece, and is there a portion of part above each lip on the rim? DOUBLE CHECK WITH TEACHERS THAT KNOW!

Bobby Shew is VERY good, he does webcam lessons, you can send him photos. Also, my teacher in Michigan is a master of fundamentals (Ken Larson). Get a lesson with someone who went through what you are going through, many teachers will tell you to just play through it when you would be better off switching it now!

Maybe we could have a maser thread on embochure/position pics, lol?

Good Luck!

Al Innella

i went through the same changes. had the same problems when in high school. i had to use a much larger mouhpiece a bach #1.it finalytook .i built my range up to a f above dbl c with solid d above dbl c

screamingmorris

Please explain what note you are referring to when you say "F above Double C".
In the United States that would normally mean 2 octaves above top-line F, which is quite a feat on a Bach #1.

- Morris

__________________
1962 Conn 5A cornet
Weril W46, Bach 7E, Bach 7

Al Innella

sorry i forgot to tell you i then worked my way down to smaller mouthpieces bachs jettones i am now using a warburton 6sv &3 backbore on a bach LT180s43

screamingmorris

Oh!!!......
Well, then, no wonder you are playing F's above Double C.
With such a mouthpiece, an F above Double C is guaranteed or your money back

I'm just one octave behind you, and at the rate I am progressing, I'll be playing F's above Double C about 40 years from now.

Now if only I could learn to read music...

- Morris

__________________
1962 Conn 5A cornet
Weril W46, Bach 7E, Bach 7

Newguy

Morris -- you are probably there -- you just don't know it 'cause you can't read it!!

__________________
Bernie
1959 Holton Super Collegiate Trumpet
1960 Holton Super Collegiate Cornet
2008 Barrington Trumpet

hound101

well the pivot embouchure series help try it helped me alot

carltonsstudent

Mouthpiece placement and embouchure development is an important subject but one in which a good teacher is very helpful. In playing the Maggio Way the mouthpiece is preferable placed 2/3 on the top lip and the lips are sloppy wet. The lips are closed and the top lip slightly overlaps the bottom lip. I know from my own experience that the top lip holds the mouthpiece in place by gripping it on the outside. The muscles in my top lip outside the mouthpiece are noticeably developed but there is no gripping by the bottom lip which is left free to move up and behind the top lip as I ascend in range. One gets as much of both the top and bottom lip in the mouthpiece as possible by keeping the lips closed and overlapping. The center of vibration inside the mouthpiece must be free to vibrate and the top lip does most of the vibration while the bottom lip's role is to regulate the aperature. I don't detect any muscular development of the top lip inside the mouthpiece. Play the Pedal Tones to set the embochure correctly. When I am practicing, I play the Pedal Tone exercise before every thing I play. The goal is to play everthing throughout the entire range with the Pedal Tone embrochure. The 'Nose Breath' is used whenever necessary to reform the embrochure in the Forward-Closed position. Buzz downwards.

Practicing the Pedal Tones on the mouthpiece alone is extremely helpful in embrochure formation and teaching the lips to vibrate correctly. The trumpet can mask problems that become easily evident on the mouthpiece only.

Get the book 'The Original Louis Maggio System for Brass' by Carlton MacBeth. Buy it at Music Books, Charles Colin Publ Brass & Jazz Methods, Practice rooms, music lessons

Follow directions carefully. Every word is important.

Basically, I think your teacher is giving you correct advise but there is possibly more to it and this book will help both you and him.

One last thing is that the bottom lip is free to move and I have never noticed any pressure on the bottom lip at all.

RobertSlotte

I the last 5 years I have finally found the embouchure that is right for me. After many difficult years of playing. Infact listening to my teachers has ben very devastating for my embouchure I realise now when looking back.

Today I kep my mouthpiese LOW on my lips and the sound, range and enduranse is 10 times better than ever before.

This ben said I only wanted to point out that everyone is different and teacher have not always the right answers.

Robert