dnmusic
Embouchure
A player’s embouchure is the formation of the lips and facial muscles to buzz through the mouthpiece. All human faces are generally the same, which means there is generally a “correct” (or “effective”) way to address the mouthpiece. All human faces are unique, which means each person’s embouchure will be a little different.
There’s been a lot of research into how different embouchure formations work and what is or is not effective for playing brass instruments. Yet, embouchure development remains a poorly-understood aspect of brass playing. As a result, it’s likely that most of the music teachers you work with will not focus much on embouchure development.
There are three general types of embouchures. Depending on your anatomy, one of these will feel more comfortable and natural to you than the others. Within that, you will find the exact placement of the lips on the mouthpiece that works best for you.
Embouchure problems can be corrected, but it’s better to start off in the right direction. Otherwise, there will come a time when you have to backtrack and build your embouchure again in a different way. The delay may interfere with achieving your goals for playing. Some guidance in this area is beneficial, as it’s easy to get into bad habits.
I want to avoid going into detail here, because your embouchure is unique to you, and we’ll need to work on it in person. To give you a sense of how I approach it as a teacher, consider the explanations in the following videos and Internet resources.
Dave Wilkin: Brass Embouchures: A Guide for Teachers and Players
Dave Wilkin: Brass Embouchures Presentation North Carolina Trombone Festival 2024
Lloyd Leno: Lip Vibration of Trombone Embouchures (1980s)
An Introduction to Donald S. Reinhardt’s Pivot System
- Part 1: Mouthpiece Placement and Airstream Direction
- Part 2: Embouchure Motion
- Part 3: Very High Placement Type
- Part 4: Medium High Placement Type
- Part 5: Low Placement Type
- Part 6: Embouchure Form
- Part 7: Mouthpiece Pressure
- Part 8: Embouchure Consistency
- Part 9: Embouchure Analysis and Troubleshooting
- Part 10: Postscript
Ryan Beach: A Beginner’s Guide to Embouchure Changes on the Trumpet
Weebly: The Trombone and Euphonium Embouchure
Embouchure Overuse Syndrome in Brass Players
Embouchures.com (fixing broken embouchures)
Pressure
How firmly should we press the mouthpiece against our lips when we play? We need to form a seal, but we don’t want to interfere with the movement of our muscles or damage anything. In general, aim for just enough pressure to form a seal and no more than that.
An indication of too little pressure is that air escapes between your lips and the mouthpiece. Also check to see that you’re setting your embouchure correctly before playing. In the attempt to minimize pressure, some people pull back so much that they are relying on the lips to create the buzz without adequate support from the embouchure muscles.
A possible indication of excessive pressure is a red ring that forms where the rim of the mouthpiece contacts your face.
The photo is of renowned euphonium soloist Steven Mead. It’s a screen capture from a video of his in which he demonstrates how to practice a certain piece of music. The red ring may be caused by any of the following:
- excessive pressure
- extended practice time
- natural complexion
When practicing, it’s sometimes a good idea to check yourself in a mirror periodically to look for a red ring like this. If it occurs early in a practice session, it may indicate you’re using excessive pressure. Blow out your lips and relax for five minutes before you resume practicing, and then pay special attention to how much pressure you’re using.
If you don’t see a red ring until late in a long practice session or rehearsal, it may be a result of fatigue from playing for an extended time. Check yourself to see if you’re getting tired “in the right places” - that is, your embouchure muscles instead of your upper lip. You may want to do a warm-down and rest for a couple of minutes before resuming, and a slow warm-down at the end of the session to help your embouchure muscles stretch and relax.
If your complexion is pale, like Mead’s, the red ring might not signal anything about pressure against the mouthpiece. Blood naturally comes to the surface of your skin as you play, and in very pale individuals this is visible. Pay close attention to how your chops feel and remember to take short breaks during extended practice sessions to relax your embouchure.