stchasking

Tony,

I need to know where my lower jaw should be while playing. I am trying to put a little pressure on the mouth piece with my lower lip as a way of positioning my jaw. I also lowered my horn from straight out to down a little. I think this is helping control the aperture above the staff. I still drop my jaw when playing low but I am trying to keep the lower lip against the mouth piece even for g below the staff. This will take some time.

It looks like I'm going to play the 3rd book for "42nd St." I don't have the endurance to play 1st. We will be looking for a pro in the St. Louis area to cover.

Jim

kadleck

Hi Jim -

Enjoy 42nd St.! I've never played it, but everyone says it's a fun show to play.

As for jaw placement: I certainly drop my jaw for low notes (for better or worse). My teacher used to tell me to keep my jaw as "pointed" as possible, and that my jaw always looked "mushy" to him, especially when tounging. So unfortunately, I may not be the best person to ask here.

Regarding horn placement - it's hard to evaluate without seeing you play. I play way "down" because of the structure of my oral cavity. I may be the "uncoolest-looking" trumpet player I know. (Always wanted that Freddie Hubbard embrochure!) But, that 's the only way I know to get a decent sound out. I would let the sound be your guide - if you are more comfortable and have a better sound by dropping the angle of your horn, by all means do it.

OK embrochure afficianados - let's hear your ideas?

stchasking

I think the phrase "pointing the lower jaw." Is what I am trying to do. It makes a difference.

I'll be tuned in to hear other comments.

Jim

trumpetnick

If you have normal jaws they are not aligned - the upper teeth a goin infront of the lower ones. That's why many trumpet a shifting the lower jaw forward in order to equalize the tension on both jaws. This makes also holding your horn bit more upright. These are basics, but still from one to another person there this may be different. Anthony Parkins and Rod Franks are explaining and demonstrating this in their Playing Trumpet Multimedia Foundation course but I am not sure if this is still available

camelbrass

Tony,

If you don't me adding grist to the mill. Dave Hickman explains in his book 'Trumpet Pedagogy' about the nature of what he call floating jaw players and fixed jaw players (great book for those that are interested).

I won't begin to describe it:

A. Because I won't do it justice and
B. Somebody will read it and think it will solve all their playing problems (it won't)

But if somebody wanted to research it, it's a great resource.

Regards,


Trevor

Manny Laureano

Although this is going to sound like an ad, please be assured that it's not. It's just the only place I can think of where you can watch a variety of players in a variety of styles close up. I hope the images and sounds help clarify what you're looking for.

David G. Monette Corporation

Scroll to the bottom and check out the video collage. Again, hope it helps.


ML

stchasking

This is good information. I can see this as another graduate course in trumpet playing.

I had orthodontics so my lower jaw teeth are behind my upper teeth. This is good information. I'll try to get the Hickman book.

I am glad Manny provided some input. I didn't want to step on any toes asking others to comment but Tony said it was ok.

I will have to go to the links when I am at home. I'll check in late tonight.

Jim

I just watched the Monett video. Great playing Manny! That is what I really want to do some day. Seemingly effortlesss playing.
Jim

rowuk

The best place for the lower jaw is somewhere under the upper jaw......
I had a trumpet teacher that played around with lower jaw position and came to a lesson hardly able to talk. He had somehow thrown his lower jaw out of socket. Those were exercizes that I stopped right away!

Let's look at what moving the lower jaw does: changes the alignment of the teeth, which changes the support surface behind the lips. This creates a need to angle the trumpet differently to equalize the pressure between the lips.
It also changes the path that your air takes to enter the mouthpiece, as your tongue has learned to work with the "other" geometry.
Depending on how much "overbite" that you had, bringing the lower jaw forward can also increase the size of usable oral cavity, unbalancing the pressure relationship on both sides of the lips (back pressure from the horn/mouthpiece support the lips on the outside, breath support on the inside. They must be balanced to be able to produce a sound!).
This is a pretty major change in embouchure, that brings a whole lot of other requirements with it. You will have to change many habits.
What do you think will get better?