Common Brass Tone Production Issues & Their Solutions

A demonstration of common brass instrument tone production problems and their solutions.

[@badihelzoghet70]

This video got me second seat in my SECOND WEEK playing the horn. Earned my sub

[@MatthewHaislip]

I’m so glad to hear! Good luck with your playing! Have fun!

[@thatonespaniard6509]

I found this really helpful on my second day of playing the horn.

[@ProjectMaelstrom]

As a new horn player at my mid 30s (😁) I have some of those problems but thing is that its either an overlapping issue or something similar so the diagnosis seems .... .hard at the best

[@musictomymouth7327]

Great video for teaching, thanks Matthew! Many familiar sounds and great solutions for those that work with younger students.

[@MatthewHaislip]

Thank you for the feedback! I appreciate it! Glad it is helpful!

[@ivanfhorn]

Thanks Matthew. -6th grade French horn player

[@MatthewHaislip]

Glad to hear this was helpful!! :)

[@leftylo5tar309]

This helps because I'm learning the French horn coming from trumpet for 3 years. The pinky ring came off the first time I grabed it. And I can't get a stable note out. I think it's because I can't add enough pressure to my lips without the ring

[@theperson1936]

Thank you it was very helpful!

[@danielwomer]

Thanks, very insightful!

[@MatthewHaislip]

Daniel Omer Thank you for watching and for your nice comment!

[@leogolive]

I’m having some of these problems but on trombone. I’ve only been learning since December. I am seeing some progress but this video definitely helped me to see some of the things I’m doing wrong.

[@MatthewHaislip]

I am so glad to hear! Best wishes with your trombone playing!

[@leogolive]

@@MatthewHaislip Thank you!

[@hyphen8d725]

This was really helpful!

[@MatthewHaislip]

Thank you! Glad to hear!

[@grantfowler19]

Thanks I can relate

[@eclipse8579]

Whenever I play, I have the right fingerings but I think my embouchure is off because when I try to play notes it kind of sounds like it’s in between notes and sounds weird

[@aaaaze]

my notes are super airy and/or ugly sounding but i think im applying enough pressure. what else am i doing wrong? its especially bad on my low notes (ex really bad on my low F, G and A) and my high notes sound ugly for some reason, like super forced and not elegant

[@tommyromanowski]

I’m just starting to play the horn. I’m noticing it’s easy for me to hit higher notes but I can’t play anything below a first space f without in sounding just terrible and with no volume? What am I doing wrong?

[@imogenrobinson6026]

This is a really interesting video! I've been playing the horn for about 10/11 years. For as long as I remember I've had the problem of resting my mouthpiece in the inside of my bottom lip, for which someone recommended that I switch to a larger mouthpiece to solve. However I still have this issue and I struggle to reach the higher notes which is something I would like to try and remedy. I would be super grateful for any advice you might have on this problem

[@MatthewHaislip]

Thank you for sharing this, Imogen! Glad to hear this was helpful!

[@legmith7045]

Something my teacher has been after me for awhile is letting the air do all the work. He says I’m super tight and I’m letting my embouchure do too much. I’ve done everything he’s asked me to do, but I still can’t figure it out. Do you have any tips?

[@MatthewHaislip]

Thanks for writing and for watching! I would work from the middle range outward; striving for ease of sound production without gripping with the upper lip as you ascend. Relax and allow the air to lead everything you play. You will develop the engagement again in the upper register with the lower lip becoming more stable/firm/rolled in *slightly* for the upper register, but that upper lip needs to be free to vibrate. For many of us, we develop too much tightening of the upper lip and have to go through a period of relinquishing control altogether to get to a place of freedom. Give yourself room to grow. :) It may take some time. Best wishes with your journey on the instrument!

[@gregmonks]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Matthew, but the lips don't buzz. They undulate with the air-column. They don't physically touch or hit. If you would like to learn the underlying science involved, I would suggest a book or three of brasswind physics. At the top of the list is The Science of Brass Instruments by Campbell, Gilbert, & Myers. Lip-buzzing is a myth that a good many educators have bought into that stands squarely in the way of an accurate understanding of the mechanism(s) involved. Secondly, when I was a kid with chop problems, the top educators moved problem students to instruments with a larger mouthpiece, or recommended a larger mouthpiece. I switched to trombone and euphonium for a time, used a 6 1/2 AL, and all was well in the world. Today I use a custom mouthpiece (on Horn) having a 20.5 mm cup diameter and can dislodge the conductor's cheap toupe from a distance of 50 yards. Chase Sanborn, who teaches trumpet here on YooToob, is one of the best brasswind teacher going, and unlike legions of self-appointed "experts", knows what he's talking about. He understands the underlying physics better than most on this site.

[@introbe1]

The lips do touch. It works the same way that vocal folds work when someone sings. This has been documented with video evidence.