Embouchure is just the fancy word used to refer to the way in which a player applies the mouth to the mouthpiece or reed of a wind instrument. This simple yet fancy word, however, is the foundation to achieving the desired tone! On a brass instrument, it is the player's lips that produce the vibration necessary to create sound and not any part of the instrument itself. Though this form of producing tone is not difficult, you must keep in mind that the lips of a beginner are not accustomed to vibration and will feel strange the first few times. On your horn, we will focus on how to properly position your lips and the mouthpiece and what to listen for to ensure the correct embouchure is being used to produce the proper tone.
The Mouthpiece
Before attempting to form a proper embouchure, you should be sure the mouthpiece you are using is right for you and will set you up for success! Mouthpiece selection is important for each student as an individual, and though it is true that new student-line instruments usually come with a mid-range mouthpiece suitable for the average beginner, individual characteristics such as your teeth, jaw, the shape of your lips (thickness and width), and the strength of your embouchure can affect which mouthpiece you will be the most successful on. Talk to your director or private instructor to assist in finding a mouthpiece that is right for you!
The Process
While many teachers will ask their new brass students to first buzz their lips, then add the mouthpiece, and finally add the instrument, this practice is not necessary and can sometimes be confusing to the beginner. There is a big difference between buzzing the lips and the act of buzzing on the mouthpiece, and there is a big difference in the amount of back-pressure or resistance produced by the mouthpiece alone and the back-pressure or resistance produced by the mouthpiece when it is connected to the instrument. It is important to note, however, that mouthpiece buzzing exercises are a very useful teaching tool after the beginning stages of embouchure development.
With your lips in the "M" position, keep the corners of your lips set and make a strong consonant "P" sound like you are spitting out a seed. This simulates the proper shape of the lips when starting to buzz or vibrate them, which you will want to remember when we add the instrument later. Be sure you are not creating too big of an opening in the lips or too much pucker. |
Maintaining the "M" position with your lips, bring the mouthpiece up to your embouchure and place it comfortably on your lips with 2/3 of the mouthpiece over your upper lip and 1/3 over your lower lip. The mouthpiece should also have a slight downward angle, rather than horizontal, to allow free vibration of the upper lip. Remember how this feels so it is easier to reproduce again later. |
Now it's time to attach the mouthpiece to the body of the horn! Using a gentle twisting motion, insert the mouthpiece into the leadpipe of the horn. This will create a firm connection which will prevent the mouthpiece from falling out.
*** IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Be sure your horn is in good working order – we don't want a poor quality instrument getting in the way of our great tone! Incorrectly strung or placed valves, bent slides, and dents in the body of the instrument or mouthpiece are just some things that can have a negative effect on your sound. If your instrument hasn't been in for repairs in a while, or you think something might be wrong with the instrument itself, see your director, private instructor, or local repair shop for help with this. ***
With the horn assembled, make sure you are sitting or standing with correct posture and holding the instrument properly (as instructed to do so by your director or private instructor). Re-form the "M" embouchure, place the mouthpiece comfortably on your lips at a slight downward angle with the correct 2/3 to 1/3 ratio, take a deep breath, and blow with the same amount of air pressure you would use to blow out birthday candles. As your lips start to buzz or vibrate, remember the shape your lips were in when making the strong consonant "P" sound (like spitting out a seed).
With no valves pressed down, one of two notes are likely to sound: 'G' or 'E'. You may also find you are sounding a low 'C', but that is less likely. You can use a tuner to check which note you are playing and if you are getting the correct pitch, or just match the pitch and sound you hear below.
*** IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Be sure your horn is in good working order – we don't want a poor quality instrument getting in the way of our great tone! Incorrectly strung or placed valves, bent slides, and dents in the body of the instrument or mouthpiece are just some things that can have a negative effect on your sound. If your instrument hasn't been in for repairs in a while, or you think something might be wrong with the instrument itself, see your director, private instructor, or local repair shop for help with this. ***
With the horn assembled, make sure you are sitting or standing with correct posture and holding the instrument properly (as instructed to do so by your director or private instructor). Re-form the "M" embouchure, place the mouthpiece comfortably on your lips at a slight downward angle with the correct 2/3 to 1/3 ratio, take a deep breath, and blow with the same amount of air pressure you would use to blow out birthday candles. As your lips start to buzz or vibrate, remember the shape your lips were in when making the strong consonant "P" sound (like spitting out a seed).
With no valves pressed down, one of two notes are likely to sound: 'G' or 'E'. You may also find you are sounding a low 'C', but that is less likely. You can use a tuner to check which note you are playing and if you are getting the correct pitch, or just match the pitch and sound you hear below.
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TroubleShooting
If you are not quite able to match the correct sound on the horn, don't get worried just yet! There are several things we can change and fix to help you achieve the proper embouchure and produce the correct sound! Listening to the examples below, find which one most closely matches the quality of the sound you are making and follow the instructions provided to help you get closer to the desired tone.
* Please note that the examples below, when a pitch can be heard, use the starting note 'G'. If your more comfortable starting note is 'E' or low 'C', you can still use the troubleshooting tips below based on the sound quality you are hearing.
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Are you not getting any tone and just hear rushing air when you play, like in the example here? This could be because your lips are not together (creating an opening in the lips that is too big) or there is too much pucker in your lips (creating an "oo" shape). To fix this, re-form and maintain the "M" position with your lips while emphasizing no pucker. If that doesn't solve the problem, you may not be using sufficient air to make your lips vibrate. This can easily be fixed by simply using faster air – imagine you are blowing out birthday candles with a lot of air pressure! Another cause of this problem could be that your lips and/or the mouthpiece are dry, in which case you can lick your lips and/or the inside of the mouthpiece to remedy this.
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Are you able to get some sound but hear a lot of air, like in the example here? Some airy tone is common for a beginning player until your lips begin to vibrate naturally. However, this could also be because your lips are not together (creating an opening in the lips that is too big) or there is too much pucker in your lips (creating an "oo" shape). To fix this, re-form and maintain the "M" position with your lips while emphasizing no pucker. |
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Are you hearing a tight, thin, and/or pinched sound, like in the example here? This could be the result of excessively tense and tight lips (also referred to as biting). To fix this you will need to relax your lips – re-form the "M" embouchure keeping your lips relaxed rather than tight. There may also be too much pucker in your lips (creating a hard "oo" shape). This can be fixed by re-forming and maintaining the "M" position with your lips while emphasizing no pucker. In addition, your throat may be too tight or closed. When taking your breath, the sensation you feel should be similar to a big "sigh", keeping the throat relaxed and open.
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Are you not hearing any tone OR air when you play, like in the example here? If the sound is completely stopped, it could be the result of excessively tense and tight lips (also referred to as biting). To fix this you will need to relax your lips – re-form the "M" embouchure keeping your lips relaxed rather than tight. Your throat may also be too tight or closed. When taking your breath, the sensation you feel should be similar to a big "sigh", keeping the throat relaxed and open. Another possible cause for this could be that there is too much mouthpiece pressure being applied toward your lips. If this is the case, relax the grip of your left hand.
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Flying Along! ...
Now that you have mastered your horn embouchure, it is time to move on to your First Notes!