bfpri

I have a slight underbite. But i am playing with a downstream style. would playing upstream improve my playing?

Vulgano Brother

Playing downstream with an underbite is completely natural, and there are plenty of monster players with this combination. Some players will push their jaw out to compensate for the underbite, and still get excellent results, but changing from downstream to upstream is akin from changing from being right-handed to left-handed. It can be done, I guess, but why? It will be confusing, and a lot of things will get dropped.

There is nothing wrong with the horn pointing down as long as both lips are working together. If the lower lip slides behind the upper one and/or the chin bunches, odds are you won't be getting the best results possible. Work with a good teacher is called for any time we start thinking about changing our chops, and any time we aren't happy with the results we are getting. The money spent for a lesson or two is very well spent.

Good luck!

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rowuk

Changing from down- to upstream will NOT improve your playing.
The success of your embouchure has very LITTLE to do with the angle that you point your trumpet and very MUCH to do with a lot of factors like teeth, tongue position, muscle geometry, breathing habits, mouthpiece depth, mouthpiece rim and most of all your practice habits lining up.
Fighting mother nature seldom reaps benefits! Spend your time working out a decent program - MUCH less frustration!

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oldlou

[quote=Vulgano Brother;322360]Playing downstream with an underbite is completely natural, and there are plenty of monster players with this combination. Some players will push their jaw out to compensate for the underbite, and still get excellent results, but changing from downstream to upstream is akin from changing from being right-handed to left-handed. It can be done, I guess, but why? It will be confusing, and a lot of things will get dropped.



Underbite is defined loosely as "bulldog Jaw", with the lower teeth in front of the uppers, when the jaw is closed and at rest. Overbite is known as the Bucky Beaver mouth.


Because of this underjaw condition, I would assume that the natural,comfortable position,( angle ) for the horn would be a more upstream hold. If you are a novice player this should probably be remedied by a competant teacher. If you are an experienced player with a set embouchure, it would probably be wise to not try to fix what ain't broke.


OLDLOU>>

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rowuk

Keep the pressure off of that top lip!

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mike ansberry

If your current embouchure is working, don't mess with it. If it isn't...

I've been a beginning band instructor for 24 years. Speaking in generalities, it has been my experience that most people with overbites play with the mouthpiece mostly on the top lip, or half and half, and play with the horn tilted slightly down. Most people with underbites play with the horn 2/3 lower lip or half and half and play with the horn tilted up from their embouchure. There are of course exceptions to this and if something is working well for a kid I don't try to change them. But I find a lot of kids with regular overbites who try to play with the horn pointed up and 2/3 lower lip will eventually get a harsh tone and "hit a wall" with their progress.

But then a lot of great lead players like Nick D play 2/3 lower lip and play great. There just aren't any hard and fast rules. Go with what works.

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bfpri

Well, the thing is, i had(not anymore) braces on my front teeth, so basically my front teeth is in front of my lower teeth at a slightly tilted out angle. But i have a underbite.. So i don't really know how i should play it.

Schwab

Just make sure you have even pressure on the top and bottom lips and don't worry about your embouchure or which way the horn tilts or what it looks like. Go for the best sound and the rest will work itself out.

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TheRiddler

I was actually the same type of player.... Armando Ghitalla actually did a fair amount of research about this sort of thing. He says that a downstream air column is perfect for a horn player, but a trumpet player would want a perfectly straight shooting embochure. I started working on this with my teacher last spring using a visualizer that fits into the the mpc receiver. My goal is to put the air straight down the tube and hear the air blow through the horn. Since starting about 5 or so months ago, I have straightened it out a good bit. It has focused my sound alot and has helped with efficiency tremendously - it also has added about a minor third on my range thus far. I'm about halfway there, but and hope to be 'there' around xmas... My main advice is this:

1. Don't obsess over it... if you've gotta good embochure that's not letting you down - don't worry about changing it - think about improving it.

2. I work with that visualizer for MAYBE 5 mins. a day TOPS. Then it goes back in the mpc pouch and I forget about it. Gradually over time, it will be your new habit to shoot it straight down the pipe. I believe very much in the Arnold Jacob's school of thought... analyze what you're doing physically for maybe 15-30 mins a day.... THEN quit worrying about it and go back to just making music. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS!

3. And prob the MOST important.... Ask a teacher's advice, if they say don't mess with it... DONT MESS WITH IT. There are TONS of sucessful downstream players.

I decided I wanted an improvement on my chops because things weren't focusing, my low and high registers didn't have the same sparkle my middle did. I believe that by rolling the top lip in and creating more buzzing surface area between the top and bottom lips, I will acheive a sound with more tone per square inch (Ghitalla's teaching).

Hope this helps, good luck!

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Vulgano Brother

My bad! I got under and over-bite mixed up--looks like I bit off more than I can chew this time! Sorry.

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