trumpetpr

I would like to know any possible solution to this situation: My airstream is going downward and not hitting the center of the mouthpiece as shown while using the visualizer today. I was told by my teacher to move the trumpet angle but it didnt work at all. Furthermore, I tried to adjust my embouchure but this also didnt function at all. Long story short no way I can blow centered. Any suggestion?

Miyot

I'm not qualified but perhaps try this. If you move your bottom lip out or forward slightly the airstream will center or move upwards. Pull it in a bit and the airstream moves down. You may have to move your jaw in or out slightly but be cautious here. Try just the lip movement. I would think a change in horn angle would be a bad idea. But your teacher should know what is correct. Someone here more qualified than I will surely offer some advice. If you change the position of your lower jaw, the horn angle should change along with it.

trumpetnick

"2 of 3 people have jaw formations that make the lower teeth bite behind the upper ones. This type can often be seen with the instrument pointed very much downwards, like a clarinet, and they just accept that because the mouthpiece touches first their upper lip first when they get ready to play, it is supposed to do more work than the lower one.
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For the lower lip to do its half of the buzzing the jaw has to be jutted forward, lining up the bottom teeth with top so that there's no overlap and be held there."
from "Trumpet Playing" (multimedia foundation course) by Anthony Parsons (trombone with BBC SO)

The primary goal and result from this is to minimize the pressure on the upper lip by transferring it to the lower one. A secondary result is often changing the air stream direction by centering it up. However, it would be better if a qualified and experienced brass teacher can lead you through this process. Hope that this helps.

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Spada Bach B flat 72, leadpipe 2L/DWMM1.5C
Spada Bach C 256, leadpipe 2LQ/DWMM1.5C
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet
Spada Custom Piccolo

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rowuk

Where is it published that we need to focus our airstream at the middle of the mouthpiece? Who has determined that this is the only way to play trumpet correctly?

Last time that I checked, teeth position, jaw formation, tongue position in the mouth, lip characteristics all come into play when trying to produce tone. When I tongue a note, the air gets pointed in a different direction the closer the tongue gets to the teeth. I find the visualiser useful to check aperature or if the red part of the lips is truly inside of the rim.
The cup of a mouthpiece is a resonant chamber, pointing your airstream at the throat will offer NO advantages!
The issue of over and underbite has been exhausted with NO SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSION possible. There are just too many players that are having success regardless of embouchure!
Could it be that your trumpet teacher wants to change your embouchure for other reasons? The fact that most of us do not know enough about embouchure (especially yours that we have never seen.........) to make any educated guesses is why I try to avoid the nonsense of internet help on the matter. Any advice is only a guesstimate that probably has no significance. You cannot google the right embouchure for you. There is no cheat to download!

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Miyot

When I think about it, rowuk is correct. I have an overbite. My horn points down. My airstream is down. And as I climb in range I tend to roll in my bottom lip slightly, which forces the airstream down. I wouldn't change my embouchure set up. It's working and getting better.

trumpetnick

Though with the last post the discussion may look closed, I though that it may be interesting to go further...As Robin pointed out, there may be other reasons for changing the embouchure. Though there is players who may have found a way to play with overbite, I would say that most beginner overbite players tend to have problems with stamina and high register, which is caused by excessive pressure on the upper lip which is often result of an incorrect breathing and unequally shared pressure by the lips - much more on the upper than on the lower lip.

We have no idea about your current level of technical command of the instrument. If your embouchure works as it is, good for you, an embouchure change is a tough business anyway. But if there is another reason then just the airstream for a change, then probably you should be more careful to the idea of changing your embouchure.

When I started college some people were speculating also about how much of the MP should be on the upper and how much on the lower lip. The usual advice is 1/2-1/2 or 1/3-2/3. Then when I saw Thomas Stevens playing with a very low embouchure I stopped worrying about that as it worked quite well for him. Could it be similar withoverbite/underbite issues? Probably. What is your case? Well, if you got a qualified and experienced teacher it may be useful to get him explain you why did he require this change. Or go to another qualified teacher and see what he would say...if you doubt in the qualities of your present teacher...

__________________
Spada Bach B flat 72, leadpipe 2L/DWMM1.5C
Spada Bach C 256, leadpipe 2LQ/DWMM1.5C
1956 Olds Ambassador Cornet
Spada Custom Piccolo

If you don't know where you are going, you 'll end up someplace else

Vulgano Brother

As do most beginners! It doesn't really matter which way the air points as long as it gets the lips vibrating, which gets the air vibrating, which keeps the lips vibrating. If we are downstream players, blowing straight down can cause the lips to close off, and nothing comes out the bell, but for the most part, airstream "direction" is a concept and a feeling. The feeling of "blowing straight down the trumpet" will allow the trumpet to do more of the work, regardless of what wacky direction the air actually "goes"--in fact, if all goes well, our air moves somewhere around four miles an hour, because we are busy creating standing waves that, well, just stand there. Ask you teacher for some more clarification.
Good luck!

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