EMBOUCHURE: Are You Doing This? | Trombone Basics

Do you play trombone? Have you ever had issues with your mouth shape? Are you looking to experiment with your sound? Are you just curious about how trombone playing works? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this video is for you! I wax on at length about different issues a player might have and ways to go about changing their approach.
Mostly I just like talking. Haha.
00:00 Intro
02:15 Jaw opening
04:55 Mouthpiece pressure
07:25 Overall tightness
10:23 Demonstrating on the trombone
11:50 Outro
ALSO, if you are interested in trombone lessons online, feel free to check out the info below!
Lessonface: www.lessonface.com/AllisonMartin
Outschool: outschool.com/teachers/Alliso...
If there’s anything you’d like to hear, feel free to leave a comment, tweet, email, etc.
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[@PortmanTone]

I was looking up a ton of trombone resources earlier today for some help (kinda frantically just coming to terms with the fact that I have a lot to fix in my technique--might have even discovered a little bit of focal dystonia), and whew I'm glad I stumbled across this. I didn't know about the jaw/air information, and I think it really helped my lungs and my embouchure out.

[@AllisonMartin]

Hey, I’m really glad to hear it!! The frustrating thing with embouchure talk is that so much of it doesn’t work for everybody…for me it’s mostly finding a shape that gets me good sound/little tension with lots of flexibility (without having to shift the mouthpiece). Glad to hear some stuff is working for you!!

[@pestsandclays]

You are a very good teacher who explained things well, very light hearted and funny with it too, which gets you the fifth star in my book 👍

[@AllisonMartin]

Thank you so much! I try to be fun when I can 😄

[@jazzbonept]

I especially like the in-depth info on how having your teeth/jaw more closed can negatively affect your tone. There are many aspects of playing that we take for granted that we are doing "right," so it's good to get some more insight into these things, especially as an instructor. Thanks for spending a few hours putting this together and sharing it.

[@AllisonMartin]

Thank you so much for your comment! I’m definitely very passionate about the jaw issue since I myself did it completely wrong for two years 😅 It’s definitely tough taking a physical movement and trying to describe it for new learners!

[@twoshooz2003]

As a 50 something coming back after 30+ years away, I find your playful approach refreshing, fun and informative! I appreciate the content your are creating! Sub'd!

[@AllisonMartin]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you found some of my stuff helpful 👍🏻

[@jamieharris8075]

Thanks Allison: This was very helpful; especially the parts on jaw opening and pressure. I constantly fight agains too much pressure as I try to play higher notes. I'll look forward to some more videos from you.

[@AllisonMartin]

Hi Jamie! Thank you so much for your kind words; I am so glad they were helpful! I still have to correct myself sometimes when I use too much pressure 😅 Haha!

[@mccafferyfamily]

Some nice points, last year was conducting a musical and trumpet player donated me a trumpet, loved it so much, I've now ordered a trombone to try

[@iloveaudiostuff]

So cool you did this video with simple explanations - I can use this when I give low brass clinics !!

[@SextonRocks]

Thank you. Spot on!

[@thetonycooper]

This is awesome!!! Thank you!

[@paklee5640]

This was very helpful!

[@idontknowijustmakingmusic880]

thank you! very helping video

[@ericgoldstein2606]

Thank you Allison....this is very affirming and helpful

[@AllisonMartin]

I’m very glad to hear that, Eric, thanks!

[@robruh4100]

Oh! I see! Thank you!

[@arandomdudeontheinternet6464]

Thank you!

[@arch0_063]

thanks, Mrs. martin I've been trying to improve my tone quality, so this helped a lot.

[@AllisonMartin]

Awesome, I’m glad you got something out of it!

[@jean-pierrechavanne157]

Thank you for this video and your advice. As far as I'm concerned, I am always switching from a "natural" and flexible embouchure in legato, and a "tight " embouchure for staccato. Difficult to decide which embouchure I should stick to at all times, especially in the middle of the register.

[@Tech-xperiance1982]

You should have 10x more subscribers then you have, Beutiful video, I learn a lot!

[@AllisonMartin]

Aww thanks so much! I’m glad you found some of my content helpful!

[@bassboneful]

Super!

[@hollysmusicandmore2243]

Ah, I didn't realize until now that I was clenching my teeth. Thank you! 😊

[@YoJonesyJonesMusic]

Nice thank you

[@tjsogmc]

Excellent tutorial. I've been playing for many decades and it wasn't until fairly recently that I started to take my tone seriously. Everything you mentioned is 100% true. The main thing that I found that helped me was to relax.... relax.... relax and stop worrying about things too much. Play it loose, play it fun. When I started with the 4 valve I had to really focus on air control and not tightening the throat too much. Again, relaxing and playing loose improved my tone immensely. That, and experimenting with different mouthpieces (mouthpiece selection is a very dimly understood concept) I can hear a clear difference from recordings I made 5 years ago compared to today. The hardest lesson I had to learn was that if you aren't having fun, then you aren't doing right....:)

[@AllisonMartin]

I just got a new mouthpiece and I agree that the hardware really does make a big difference (mostly in response in my case)! I find that it’s super easy to slack with air and work too hard with chops, so “more air” is where I always start first these days when troubleshooting!

[@tjsogmc]

@@AllisonMartin not sure if "more air" is beneficial if it's not supported. I would have to say "strong air", or "solid air" is more descriptive. It comes down to blowing from the diaphragm and not the upper lungs. Lately I've been taking half my practicing time to only focus on breathing and tone. Beginner songs are great for this as they have plenty of quarter/ half noted which allows me to focus in the sound and not the technical difficulties. So far, it's working and I can see a definite improvement in my note clarity . Probably not a practice routine I expect to do for much longer- only until I develop a good habit.

[@AllisonMartin]

Oh absolutely-that air needs to start from the diaphragm! Chest breaths do nothing, haha. It’s hard to convey ideas through just one video unfortunately. Slow playing is definitely a good way to build tone. I guess that’s why all my teachers told me to do long tones lol

[@Toddobvious]

You’re funny and this was very informative ✌️❤️

[@AllisonMartin]

Thank you very much-I hope you found some of the video useful!

[@cheezepye]

Long time jazz trombonist, found this quite helpful :) looking forward to trying to implement some of these principles ^^

[@AllisonMartin]

Thanks so much Maddie!! That means a lot...I really hope it does something for you! (Also, I think I imagined replying in my head and never did it! Whoopsie haha)

[@emmafierro7329]

thank you so much i am not the best with playing my trombone so thank you so much for helping me

[@AllisonMartin]

I’m so glad you found some information to helpful!! Good luck on your trombone journey 👍🏻👍🏻

[@musicofnote1]

I think you'd find the MRI photos of specific brass players head while playing to be very interesting. You'll see a very subtile correlation between range, dynamics, jaw position, oral cavity size. For all of these prolific brass players, these 4 playing aspects were in a continual proportional flux. As to buzzing. I used to be a trumpet player. I experienced an embouchure collapse predicated by a dental accident. My teachers afterwards were "buzzers". The result of this buzzing, both free buzzing and with the mouthpiece was a chronically tight throat, an inability to breathe out because of that, an inability to EVER transfer the pitch from free buzzing to buzzing on mouthpiece to instrument (I was continually at least a fourth off) and this resulted in uneven performance quality which then led to confidence problems with an end inability to perform in public at all. Which led to a 9 year break from playing, concentrating instead on conducting. Then I took up the trombone, determined to make a totally fresh start and NOT to make any of the mistakes I did on the trumpet. That was in 1991. No more buzzing of any kind. Instead using the Chichowitz air flow exercises, starting on mid-low f and expanding range in both directions alternative. Only increasing range when I could get and hold good tone quality. In 1996 I got a performance/teaching degree in tenor t-bone nd immediately switching to bass trombone. Was then founded a local professional trombone 4-tett and got into a local orchestra on bass bone. Retired last year. In my current playing, mouth/jaw aperture combines with lateral jaw position to expand working range (high range=jaw back slightly closed, air moving downwards as if across my chin. Pedals=jaw thrust forward and slightly more open, air going directly into the mouthpiece throat - ie the bass trombone "shift") And listen to what Christian Lindberg has to say about buzzing - you have to admit, his perspective works for him. At the end of the day, there is no one "correct" embouchure. Everyone has to see what position on the face, airflow direction, mouth cavity positions "work" best. And what works for one can be absolute poison for another.

[@AllisonMartin]

Wow, that’s quite the journey! I’m definitely not a big buzzer myself, but I will every now and then. And I 1000% agree with you! Every face is different, so it’s all about finding your own “right” shape! I really hope I said that in the video….at this point I don’t remember 😅

[@nextepyoutube5463]

カメラめっちゃ綺麗やん！

[@AllisonMartin]

でもライティングが。。。w

[@johndowson7929]

Hi , for me its less pressure the better , i have no teeth so my corners have to be extra tight , it starts to get difficult the higher i play and totally agree its like a constant battle but my attitude is it will not beat me , teeth they just got in the way

[@layzzzee9484]

You actually helped me locate my problem. I barely started playing the trombone at the end of 2020 and I didn't even know how to read music(I still have so much trouble) and I would almost always get in trouble by my band teacher for having a strained and weak sound. My band teacher keeps saying to relax my throat and shape my mouth into an O but I find it so hard and I keep getting strained sounds. It seems more likely that I was pushing the mouth piece to hard against my teeth and tightening my lips So hard that my braces dig into my flesh and cause it to feel tender. He also said I needed to up my air stream but I don't even understand how!!! He doesn't explain it in a way I understand cuz he's like 60 or something!!!!

[@AllisonMartin]

Yep, that would do it, haha. I think the most succinct way to put it would be “relax the chops and blow hard!” It sounds silly, but I’ve found it to be true! That “O” shape your teacher mentioned is mostly opening the jaw up, and “opening the throat” is basically being Darth Vader/fogging up a window (hot air). Hope that gets you started and I’m glad this video has already helped a little!

[@layzzzee9484]

@@AllisonMartin That's the thing. In my case, I can't really grasp at relaxing my throat when I'm playing on my mouth piece because it always tightens up and my mouth shape reverts to a thin oval. The gap of my teeth is fine but it's hard to adjust my mouth and throat in an O shape on the mouth piece. I don't even know how to hold my note(s) for longer periods of time because I keep running out of air! It always comes out nasally and pinched.

[@AllisonMartin]

@@layzzzee9484 It can definitely be tough at first! I'd try some breathing exercises, and really after that it's all about practice and experimentation!

[@slowpopeisdead694]

Thanks I've been having problem with airy trombone embrochure that's been affecting my tone.

[@AllisonMartin]

Hi there! I hope some of this worked for you!

[@joseayala-zg5fm]

I play tenor an baritone saxophone for 19 months every day I just pick up a bach mouth piece 6.5 al just useing the piece until my trombone arrives in 3 weeks I will try your methods.the you explain it looks pertty ez only Im getting a valve trombone .your thoughts

[@barong6424]

thank you so much. I enjoyed your talking&playing. perhaps I can understand you. (sometime I cannot.)

[@AllisonMartin]

Some phrases I use are very specific to music, so understanding can be difficult! Actually, I can’t talk about trombone playing in Japanese f(^_^;)

[@barong6424]

@@AllisonMartin no problem.thanks👍

[@barong6424]

@@AllisonMartin when I was young,I practiced playing trumpet. so I can understand playing trombone little bit. and now I play flute,&more. with myfriend. I love playing music. (not professional) thank you.

[@AllisonMartin]

That’s really great!! Actually, flute is so hard for me 😂 I’m glad that you can enjoy music with friends!

[@barong6424]

this is ours. improvisation music. please. cosmic water kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmO7q6Bup9Rgh9U ark of soul kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoC6XpWlpZh7gaM

[@kz123z4]

This is my very first time ever commenting on a video.. And i only clicked on the "Like"..because there was no "Love it "button .

[@AllisonMartin]

Wow, that means a lot, thanks!!

[@leogolive]

I like you I wish you were my instructor! I might be able to actually play by now!🤣

[@AllisonMartin]

Aw, thank you very much! I hope that some of the video helped 👍🏻

[@leogolive]

@@AllisonMartin It definitely helped! I’m just going to take it slow. 👍🏾

[@joseayala-zg5fm]

😊

[@henrysanguinetti341]

Nice job. Just found you

[@JAM-rp6fi]

I've been pressing the mouthpiece hard on my lips since I started playing, so when I took it off to practice putting down less pressure, the quality of my sound went downhill drastically. Rather than producing a clean tone, it sounded flubby, and I couldn't keep a stable note very well. I also couldn't figure out how to actually tighten my embouchure to hit higher notes without pressing the mouthpiece harder into my lips. Any tips?

[@AllisonMartin]

I’d say it could be a few things-typically when we back off from the mouthpiece, the air needs to get a lot stronger than we’re used to, so you may want to start off with blowing a bit more forcefully to see what happens. As for higher notes, pulling the corners of your mouth back towards your ears can help, and playing with air direction can also do some good. It could also be that the pressure you have is totally appropriate, and that’s what works for you! Since we’re all built a little differently, it can be tough to advertise a “one size fits all” kind of technique when it comes to embouchure. I’d mess around with the air and corners-sometimes drastically just to hear the end result-to see if you can feel your way in the right direction. I hope that helps!

[@ldxstormeaglex2194]

Don't back off pressure then. Do you actually have a problem with your sound/range?

[@JAM-rp6fi]

​@@ldxstormeaglex2194 It was a problem with my mouthpiece. I was using some King 6.5AL that my high school instructor gave me and the inside rim was really sharp. Pressing my lips really hard into that sharp edge destroyed my chops super quickly, which is why I wanted to not do that. I switched to a Bach 6.5AL with a softer inside rim, and it made my range way higher and fixed endurance problems.

[@beeflat4287]

Hi, muscle support from your back will help. Look also explainations from Ian Bousfield.

[@thomasmehle5737]

That's okay I'll clean my screen later

[@AllisonMartin]

Haha I need to hand out complimentary alcohol wipes!

[@t-bonesmedium-rarejeffcarr8025]

Alison did you study with dr. Steve WMU ?

[@AllisonMartin]

Hi there! I studied with Phil Jameson and Mike Becker at UGA, though that was many years ago now 😅

[@nightmarekitsune1473]

420th like, gegegegegeg i have a lot of trouble with how hard i pressed my mouth to my mouthpiece, have to relax my embouchure to compensate, i guess i know what i need to fix now

[@AllisonMartin]

Glad to know you’re figuring things out! Good luck to you :)

[@nightmarekitsune1473]

@@AllisonMartin thanks man

[@trumpettech456]

Every player engages the embouchure lip muscles to firm the embouchure to play higher tones. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Relaxed lips play low tones. What's with all the mouthpiece playing? That is one of the worst things to recommend. If you play as if buzzing you WILL have inferior tone.