Sofus

When Jeff Smiley talks about The Balanced Embouchure, he mentiones a "flat chin" as the cause of trouble for many trumpeters.

Could anyone explain to me what a flat chin versus a non-flat chin is?

Also, has anyone tried both and thereby experienced a difference?

__________________
" There are no secrets to trumpetplaying - except Practice Your Head Off - and that´s no secret! "

Bud Herseth 1977 in Hamar, Norway


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Mouthpiece and Solidarity

TheRiddler

A flat chin causes a couple of things to happen. One it keeps the oral cavity open and resonant. Others teach this by teaching a good vowel sound (i.e. tOOh or tAAh) Also it provides enough space for the tongue to move around without creating a shreeky sound. It keeps the upper register sounding open as opposed to a closed jaw shrill sound.

__________________
Kunst kommt nicht von können, sondern von müssen.

Jerry Freedman

>A flat chin causes a couple of things to happen. One it keeps the oral cavity open and >resonant.

Interesting..How can the position or shape of the external muscles in a chin have anything to do with keeping an open oral cavity. I don't know about you but my oral cavity is separated from my chin by lots of teeth and bone

>lso it provides enough space for the tongue to move around without creating a shreeky >sound

Again, how does the structure of my chin muscles have any effect on the size of my oral cavity. I checked this out in front of a mirror and I just can't see it

rowuk

Jerry,
I think it is a visualization, not anatomy or geometry. The problem is, without the firsthand visualization, there is a big chance that the player will get it wrong - and make everything worse than before.
I am very critical of DIY embouchure and bet that even the best websites and books have screwed up more players than they have helped. Come to think of it, the same is true of many teachers that force embouchure changes.............

I don't complain. It keeps the competition at bay. The best thing that a student can do is a week before seating auditions, give the hottest competition an embouchure book. It works EVERY time! The problem is that the "giver" gets suckered in sometimes too and they both lose!

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Mason

how about a double chin lol

__________________
"Ultra-Pure Rocks!" - Chris Botti


This is a temporary quote untill i find a good one.

rowuk

the double chin is for double c when you have a flat skull

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Mason

i dont get that rowuk

__________________
"Ultra-Pure Rocks!" - Chris Botti


This is a temporary quote untill i find a good one.

TrumpetMD

Jeff talks about the flat chin in the first chapter of his book. This chapter is freely available online at The Balanced Embouchure. Jeff states that the flat chin is bad, because you end up stretching the lips muscles away from the mouthpiece.

I just started the BE. Seating auditions are next week and my best friend gave me the book to use . Just kidding (but rowuk does make a good point). However, I did recently start BE. I think the flat chin is similar to when you smile too much to hit high notes, as opposed to locking the corners of your mouth and moving your lower lip towards the mouthpiece.

Mike

Sofus

The way I see it, one can either

1) relax chin muscles
2) push lower lip upwards (towards upper lip) with chin muscles
3) pull lower lip down (away from upper lip) with chin muscles


So, which of the three states means "flat chin"?
And, which of the states means "non-flat chin"?


And, by the way TheRiddler, could it be that maybe you´re talking about the Larynx and not the chin?
I think that the Larynx would actually affect the things you mention in the way you mention . . .

__________________
" There are no secrets to trumpetplaying - except Practice Your Head Off - and that´s no secret! "

Bud Herseth 1977 in Hamar, Norway


********************

Mouthpiece and Solidarity

RobertSlotte

I second TrumpetMD here. For me if my chin is going flat/flatter it means I´m stretching the lips muscles away from the mouthpiece. If playing with the upper and the lower teeths aligned like I do this flat chin stuff Is to be avoided.....at least for me, but hey..maby its good for someone.

__________________
THE TRUMPETS SHALL SOUND!

Robert Slotte

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