| Re: Can lip buzzing and mouthpiece buzzing become harmful if used to much?
Valid points all... however.... buzzing with or without a mouthpiece CAN help you focus in on the actual pitch center. Using your valves gets you into the general ballpark, but if you can hear the actual pitch center in your head BEFORE you use your horn, then you'll be more accurate and in tune than anyone!
The risk comes from over-blowing. The mouthpiece is not as loud as your trumpet, and may cause you to play too loud when your buzzing, and then you could bruise your chops. So follow rowuk's advice on keeping it to a minimum.
Use buzzing when you find you're having trouble with intonation or having trouble nailing certain notes (upper register maybe?). But buzzing is not an end in itself, use it in conjunction with the passages you're having trouble with. Play through the passage...slowly and down an octave if it's in the upper register. Then buzz the same passage on your mouthpiece, playing very slowly in order to just focus on the pitches. Then play with the horn again and repeat until up to tempo.
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