Bach219

Yesterday I was reading Donald S. Reinhardt's intro to The Pivot method. I also read these exercises he recommended, such as; The Pivot System Buzzing Routine, The Jaw Retention Drill, and The Pencil Trick Routine. I'm only going to do The Jaw Retention Drill and The Pencil Trick, for now. I started them yesterday, and once again today. I do 3 sets of each, for how ever long I can keep hold them. I do it for 2 days straight and take a 1 day, break, 2 days straight and take a 1 day break, etc........ Am I doing too many day of the exercises, without a good rest day/s? I don't want to hurt myself, so I need to know before hand. I'm so far not really feeling anything from it, but I don't want it start getting worse!

Has anybody else been doing any embrouchure exercises?

P.S. I finally figured out that I'm a IIIB Type Embrouchure!

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My Trumpet: Bach TR300

Mouthpieces: VINCENT BACH 7C and VINCENT BACH CORP 10 1/2 C

Planning on: Getting a new/used SILVER trumpet and a Bach 3C mouthpiece.

CHAMP

i used to do the pencil trick, but the weight wasn't enough...i moved on to a drumstick and then a broom...i just now started putting weight plates on the end of the broom...getting freakishly huge buccinators...still can't play worth a crap.

p.s. i'm a type LXIXASAP Type Embouchure!!!

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POW!!!

Smirnus

I stand up straight, compress the fleshy parts of my lips together, apply mouthpiece, and blow.

TrumpetScreamer

Well, in my opinion the best embrouchure exercises are slurs, chromatic scales, and long tones. I tried the pencil/pen trick for awhile but I didn't feel like I was getting much out of it. If you try building the strength of your embrouchure through practice, you will be able to build your range and begin to develop a good/better tone.

I also don't think you would hurt yourself even if you did the pencil trick every other hour.

mrmusicnotes

Try the pencile exercise without using the pencile,Just hold until you feel a burn,release and flutter you lips to loosen things up, repeat up to 3 times and for not more than 4 minutes a rep.I think this helps with your stamina but not much else.You can do this anyware an not look like a crazy man with a pencile hanging out of your mouth. I do it on the bus ride to work in the morning.

MJ

Tasty LOL

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edcon1981

pencil exercise? please explain... i need all the "recovery" help i can get. i fear my embouchure has atrophied...

Miyot

::: Eric Bolvin Music Studios - Music and Trumpet Stuff::: See this site for pencil exercise and other helpful ideas.

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!!!!!!!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Bloomin Untidy Musician

Good analogy Rowuk with the diet , i also entirely agree with your opinion upon the embouchure. In my 17 years of playing, i don't think i can name many people who have solved their problems with an embouchure change. In fact i know more people who have damaged their playing as a result. The only people i have seen it work for is "John Merrick" style players; players who play with the lip rolled out, or near the corner of there mouth with the bell serenading their toes etc.

I changed my embouchure 12 years ago, and it taken about 3 frustrating years of battling to get it settled. It is a bloomin hard thing to do even with a competent teacher. It annoys me in hindsight at how many valuable musical experiences i missed as a result of this relatively fruitless exercise.
Once my new embouchure had settled i still had the same problems as before. Massive tension in the tongue and neck. My biggest problem was not the embouchure, but an ignorance of trumpet playing mechanics and intelligent, patient practise focused upon producing a beautiful sound in an efficient way (whoops i nearly said relaxed).

Oh well there's opinion for what it's worth.

REMEMBER above all else, opinions are like arses; everybody has one!