Forming the embouchure
Before the embouchure is formed, and the instrument is played, be sure to hold your horn properly. Depending on your height, you may need to hold the horn up off of your leg. Make certain that your head is in natural alignment with your spine, and that your head in a natural position. The lead pipe of your instrument should be perpendicular to your mouth.
Step 1: Form the Lips
Say 'DIM' or 'EM' and hold the 'M' sound. Set the lips against the teeth. Your teeth should be about the thickness of the tip of your tongue apart.
Say 'DIM' or 'EM' and hold the 'M' sound. Set the lips against the teeth. Your teeth should be about the thickness of the tip of your tongue apart.
Step 2: Buzz Without the Mouthpiece
Moisten the lips. With your mouth in this formation, blow air against the closed lips for a feeling of compression of the air stream. Let a sudden burst of air out in the syllable PEH. If you do not create a buzz, try placing fingers on the corners of your mouth while you attempt the buzzing.
Moisten the lips. With your mouth in this formation, blow air against the closed lips for a feeling of compression of the air stream. Let a sudden burst of air out in the syllable PEH. If you do not create a buzz, try placing fingers on the corners of your mouth while you attempt the buzzing.
Step 3: Placing the Mouthpiece
Use a mirror and place about 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the upper lip and 1/3 of the mouthpiece on the lower lip. For many students, the lower rim of the mouthpiece sits on the lip where your lip begins on the bottom lip. The upper rim of the mouthpiece should be above the upper lip line. Place the mouthpiece several time to get the feel for where it should be.
Use a mirror and place about 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the upper lip and 1/3 of the mouthpiece on the lower lip. For many students, the lower rim of the mouthpiece sits on the lip where your lip begins on the bottom lip. The upper rim of the mouthpiece should be above the upper lip line. Place the mouthpiece several time to get the feel for where it should be.
Step 4: Buzz with the Mouthpiece
With the mouthpiece in place, follow the instruction in step 2. Imagine the air streaming aiming through the mouthpiece shank (tubing).
With the mouthpiece in place, follow the instruction in step 2. Imagine the air streaming aiming through the mouthpiece shank (tubing).
Step 5: Check for Jaw Flexibility
While buzzing with the mouthpiece, move your jaw as if you are lightly chewing. This flexibility will be used when playing in the different ranges of the horn. The jaw will be lower for low notes and higher for high notes.
While buzzing with the mouthpiece, move your jaw as if you are lightly chewing. This flexibility will be used when playing in the different ranges of the horn. The jaw will be lower for low notes and higher for high notes.
Step 6: Buzz with Instrument Assembled
Place the mouthpiece into the instrument. If you need help with instrument carriage, ask your teacher. The mouthpiece and lead pipe of your instrument should be pointed at the music stand in front of you, not horizontal, but downward. This will help allow the upper lip to vibrate freely. With the mouthpiece and instrument in place, follow step 4. |
Ideal ToneIf you follow the steps listed above, the result should be what you hear in the sound clip to the right.
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embouchure trouble shooting
Are you having problems creating a good tone? If so, compare your tone to the tones that you hear in the sound clips below. These are the sounds of common embouchure problems and information on how to fix what is going wrong.
what it sounds likeNo Tone, Rushing Air
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What is happeningThe Cause of Your Problem:
When you are not producing a tone, here are possible reasons why: 1) Your lips may not be together enough. 2) You may have too much of a pucker formation ("oo") in your lips. 3) Your lips and mouthpiece might be too dry. 4) You are not using enough air. |
how to fix itTo fix this,
1) Reform your embouchure using the steps listed above. 2) Reform your embouchure and do not have a pucker formation ("oo") with your lips. 3) Lick your lips and the inside of the mouthpiece. This helps with creating a vibration. 4) Take a deeper breath and move the air out faster. |
Airy Tone
The Cause of Your Problem:
A tight, thin tone happens when you have too much tension in your embouchure: 1) Your lips may be tense and in a pursed formation. 2) You might be using too much of a pucker ("oo") formation. 3) Your throat might be tight, or closed. |
To fix this,
1) Relax and reform the embouchure using the steps listed above. 2) Have less of a pucker formation ("oo") with your lips. 3) To relax and open the throat, think about yawning. When you yawn, your throat opens up. Try to have this feeling as your play trumpet. |
Tight, Thin Pinched Tone
The Cause of Your Problem:
A tight, thin tone happens when you have too much tension in your embouchure: 1) Your lips may be tense and in a pursed formation. 2) You might be using too much of a pucker ("oo") formation. 3) Your throat might be tight, or closed. |
To fix this,
1) Relax and reform the embouchure using the steps listed above. 2) Have less of a pucker formation ("oo") with your lips. 3) To relax and open the throat, think about yawning. When you yawn, your throat opens up. Try to have this feeling as your play trumpet. |
Stopped or Restricted Buzz
The Cause of Your Problem:
You are not producing a tone because: 1) Your lips may be tense and in a pursed formation. 2) Your are pressing the instrument into your lips too much. 3) Your throat is closed off. |
To fix this,
1) Relax and reform the embouchure using the steps listed above. 2) Relax your left hand hand. Do not put your pinky into the hook. 3) To relax and open the throat, think about yawning. When you yawn, your throat opens up. Try to have this feeling as your play trumpet. |
Other explanations of
embouchure formation
In the resource book "A Complete Guide to Brass" by Scott Whitener, the embouchure formation process is explained like this:
1. Bring the jaw forward so that the upper and lower teeth are more or less aligned. A small space should be between the teeth for the air stream to pass through. 2. Take a piece of paper and hold it about a foot and a half from the lips. Blow a stream of air at the paper while saying "tu" ("too"), causing the paper to fold back. Keep the "u" ("oo") going while continuing to blow, until the air runs out. This will give the right feeling of blowing the air forward while forming an embouchure. Pronouncing "tu" brings the lips into a slightly pursed formation that creates a cushion for the mouthpiece to rest on and helps the embouchure vibrate when air is blown. Be sure that the lips adhere to the sides of the teeth. |
3. Place the mouthpiece (no instrument yet) in the best position for the embouchure to vibrate freely in a controlled way. The mouthpiece rim should be centered horizontally on the embouchure. Some people, however, need to play off-center due to the way their teeth are formed inside their mouth. As for the vertical placement of the mouthpiece, for horn, students should start with 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the upper lip and 1/3 on the lower lip. The lower lip should serve as the "seat" of the mouthpiece on the embouchure and should have just enough pressure on it to create an air seal.
4. Inhale by opening the sides of the embouchure (the corners of the mouth). Blow the air out while pronouncing "tu." Keep the "u" going while blowing strong. A sound should happen. If sound does not happen, take a finger and close part of the end of the shank (the tube at the end of the mouthpiece). This should cause the lips to vibrate.
4. Inhale by opening the sides of the embouchure (the corners of the mouth). Blow the air out while pronouncing "tu." Keep the "u" going while blowing strong. A sound should happen. If sound does not happen, take a finger and close part of the end of the shank (the tube at the end of the mouthpiece). This should cause the lips to vibrate.
J.D. Shaw
Professor of Horn at the University of Southern California "Say 'MM' and then pay 'Poo.' Blow the air through the center of the mouthpiece and feel the air on the other side. Make sure that it flows and it is not turbulent." "Make sure that the aperture is open 'Poo.' It is more of a pucker than a smile. It is a kiss." "If their sound is stuffy, their teeth are clenched." "Hum until you want to sneeze, then give them the mouthpiece and try to create the same vibration and sensation." |
This step-by-step process can be found in the resource book "Wind Talk for Brass" by Mark C. Ely and Amy E. Van Deuren. This is the abbreviated version:
1. Put your lips together lightly as if saying "um." 2. Bring the corners of the mouth back slightly and firm them in a downward direction. The horn embouchure is firmer than other brass embouchures. 3. Lower the jaw slightly to separate teeth. 4. Align the upper and lower teeth as much as possible without feeling uncomfortable. |
5. Without the mouthpiece and while maintaining firm mouth corners and proper teeth alignment, blow a steady stream of air out of the mouth, letting the lips separate (do not try to buzz). The lips should separate naturally in the center.
6. Repeat step 5, but this time moisten the lips slightly and hold them together a little more firmly. This increased resistance should cause the lips to vibrate or buzz. This buzz should happen in the center of the mouth.
7. Without buzzing, form the embouchure as stated above and bring the mouthpiece to the lips with 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the upper lip and 1/3 on the lower lip. Exhale air and create the vibration or buzz.
6. Repeat step 5, but this time moisten the lips slightly and hold them together a little more firmly. This increased resistance should cause the lips to vibrate or buzz. This buzz should happen in the center of the mouth.
7. Without buzzing, form the embouchure as stated above and bring the mouthpiece to the lips with 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the upper lip and 1/3 on the lower lip. Exhale air and create the vibration or buzz.
From the article "Basics for Beginning French Horn Students" by Nicholas Perrini:
...it is generally agreed upon that the "pucker" embouchure is the most successful for horn playing. To form this embouchure, the student should first smile, then pucker, bring the corners of the mouth in slightly to form a firm cushion of flesh in the center of the lips. The teeth should be kept apart. The student should be warned against over-puckering (as if to whistle); this embouchure would produce a large, but somewhat uncentered, lifeless sound. The embouchure formed by pulling back the corners of the cheek muscles may produce a thin, harsh tone, limited range, and poor endurance. It is suggested that the formation of the embouchure should be practiced first in before a mirror until it has been perfected. The student should exercise the facial muscles daily by forming the embouchure rapidly from a relaxed lip position.
...it is generally agreed upon that the "pucker" embouchure is the most successful for horn playing. To form this embouchure, the student should first smile, then pucker, bring the corners of the mouth in slightly to form a firm cushion of flesh in the center of the lips. The teeth should be kept apart. The student should be warned against over-puckering (as if to whistle); this embouchure would produce a large, but somewhat uncentered, lifeless sound. The embouchure formed by pulling back the corners of the cheek muscles may produce a thin, harsh tone, limited range, and poor endurance. It is suggested that the formation of the embouchure should be practiced first in before a mirror until it has been perfected. The student should exercise the facial muscles daily by forming the embouchure rapidly from a relaxed lip position.
From the article "Fundamentals of French Horn Playing" by Joseph Schmoll:
The correct embouchure is formed by shaping the lips as if to whistle. The corners of the mouth should be held firmly together, however. Surrounding muscles will be made tense if the corners of the mouth are held together. This is highly desirable because effective use of the muscles will eliminate excessive mouth pressure and make playing more effective. ...The chin should be pointed downward... The corners of the mouth should not spread outward in any circumstance... Puffing of the cheeks is an indication that the facial muscles are not being used properly... Protruding the lower lip away from the teeth is another fault that will cause a great deal of trouble.
The correct embouchure is formed by shaping the lips as if to whistle. The corners of the mouth should be held firmly together, however. Surrounding muscles will be made tense if the corners of the mouth are held together. This is highly desirable because effective use of the muscles will eliminate excessive mouth pressure and make playing more effective. ...The chin should be pointed downward... The corners of the mouth should not spread outward in any circumstance... Puffing of the cheeks is an indication that the facial muscles are not being used properly... Protruding the lower lip away from the teeth is another fault that will cause a great deal of trouble.
This website was created by Philip Bossenberger, a student at The American Band College of Sam Houston State University.