Embouchure for Brass Players - How Important is It, Really?

The embouchure is one of the main focus points in brass playing. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot throughout my career as a trombonist. Amazingly, my embouchure improved drastically when I just stopped thinking about it! In this video, I address the question: How important is it really to think about how to form an embouchure when playing trombone, trumpet, French horn, euphonium or tuba?
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[@amathesaxylady]

I just subscribed to your channel. I am generally a self taught intermediate player with probably lots of bad habits! I have just started practising again after a two year gap (due to Covid and that I am first and foremost a sax player but I LOVE TROMBONE!) so I stumbled across your channel while practising at work in my lunch break. I always stuggled with my embouchure so this video and the rest of your videos are a Godsend for people like me with no money for lessons and no time to go to a teacher! THANK YOU!

[@TheChopsShop]

Welcome to the family, I’m glad you found the channel and subscribed! It’s great to hear the videos are reaching people like yourself. I think everyone should have access to useful information. I’m glad I’m able to share, I’ve got plenty more content coming your way!

[@samp1441]

I realized this importance late. I had bee playing with the wrong embouchure for my first four years of playing (so far I've been playing trombone for about 5 years). My first embouchure made me work so much harder to get a good sound and I tired my lips really quickly. My new embouchure allowed me to play with better tone quality and range, along with creating less tension overall.

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m glad to hear that you’ve been able to continue to explore to find the best lip formation (embouchure) for you. Many players get stuck and have a hard time changing. I think the more we learn, the more we should evolve and we should never stop learning. Keep after it and happy practicing!

[@michaelcallander7127]

This video resonated with me SO much! I spent so much time thinking about the logistics of the embouchure and not understanding it and not enjoying the music. Then recently I switched my perspective to learning how to feel empowered on the trombone. When I feel empowered I do not focus on the embouchure I feel the music in my body and the air stream takes over the embouchure like you said. This was great confirmation for me, thank you so much!

[@TheChopsShop]

That’s great that you are able to shift your focus to the music to help you not overthink things. The music is our teacher and we have to keep reminding ourselves to only do what the music requires, nothing else. If you have musical phrase that has one note, then that’s what your energy goes towards, that one note! There’s no need to think about what’s coming up or what we may have missed prior to that. With that way of thinking it takes a lot of stress off our brains and we can relax more while playing.

[@nategilbreath469]

Thanks man! I’ve been struggling a lot with the relationship between my chops and my air and this video helped a ton.

[@TheChopsShop]

Nate Gilbreath that’s great. I’m glad I’m the video is helping you make the connection. Happy practicing!

[@erasermouthvids]

Man. I’m so glad I stumbled across your channel. Everything you’re saying is making so much sense to me. I’ve honestly been struggling with my embouchure since I started playing, so this is really nice to get in these new habits. Thanks!

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m glad these concepts make sense to you. It’s really easy to overthink things when it comes to our embouchure. Our bodies know what to do if we can stay out of the way.

[@pebblebeach8517]

Man great lesson ...I am going to experiment with the slightly puckered formation. I’ve been too locked in with the “m” placement I am positive I’ve been struggling with my aperture closing off both in my trumpet and trombone play. I am going to follow your channel. I am new to the bone I don’t want carryover bad habits to the bone 🍖 . Also will get back to Caruso exercises.👍

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m glad you found the channel, I put out content weekly so hopefully it will continue to be helpful to you. Closing off our aperture can leads to many issues. The horn needs air in order to resonate so is cutting off the airflow with our lips, only makes things more difficult. The same principles apply to all brass instruments. Also if your going to do Caruso exercises, remember the most important part is tapping your foot and subdividing the time in your head. Often times people use the Caruso method as an isometric exercise. Connecting the mental timing with physical playing is the most important piece of the exercise!

[@jkara7843]

Vey well explained and very interesting subject... Underrated chanel for sure !

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks for checking out the video! I’m really glad you found the channel, there is plenty more content to come!

[@paulrodberg]

very professional, friendly and helpful. thank you.

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks, I appreciate you checking out the content!

[@marykrehn424]

Awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[@TheChopsShop]

It's a pleasure to share the information with you.

[@jaimeeduardocarrascovarett6072]

Wow this is really interesting!! And I would like to change for to be a little bit more efficient but my questions are How can I change? Or What kind of tips do you have for get used to the new Lip formation ? How did you work on this for do in a natural way and don't come back to the olds habits? Thanks for everything and I really love your videos :)

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks, for checking out the video! How to go about developing this way of playing is a great question. The tool I use the most to train my lip formation is a plastic straw. There are several very useful straw exercises that can help you train the embouchure. If you’re interested in learning some of the techniques, I would recommend you go to my website and book a lesson with me. I can show you how to use the straw for the exercises and how the exercises transfer to the trombone. A link to my website is in the description of the video.

[@153ixthys]

Great! Thanks a lot!

[@TheChopsShop]

Thank you for watching!

[@arthurcosta5359]

The best advices I got! Thanks

[@TheChopsShop]

That's great, I'm glad you found the information useful!

[@liorcaspi9]

While experimenting with both forms on my trumpet, it seems to me that the O form sounds better and a lot more relaxed BUT it needs much more mouthpiece pressure on the lips, whereas the mmm form, that lets you "buzz" into the mouthpiece, needs less pressure but a lot more muscle power around the mouth. Any thoughts on that? Love your channel by the way.

[@TheChopsShop]

You want to use the least amount of pressure possible. With the O formation try moving your lips towards the mouthpiece instead of bringing the mouthpiece towards your lips. Observe the feeling of your lips vibrating instead of dictating the position they should be in.

[@marcogonzalez596]

Excellent, really enjoyed the video. Food for thought

[@TheChopsShop]

Marco gonzalez our brains gotta eat too!

[@paulrodberg]

could you make a lesson on your experience with the Ellington orchestra and others?

[@TheChopsShop]

That’s an interesting idea. Maybe I’ll make a series of videos about my experience playing in many different big bands. 🤔

[@jameswebster2605]

Yes please!

[@sunnibad]

thanks a lot!

[@TheChopsShop]

You're welcome, thanks for checking out the content.

[@ericheidenheim373]

I love this channel, thank you Dion! I was wondering, when you were retraining your embouchure, especially before you could create a sound with it, did you also continue to practice with your old embouchure to stay in shape or did you give yourself fully to working on the new embouchure formation? Hope that makes sense!

[@TheChopsShop]

I only focused on my new way of playing. Since my old embouchure was not longer functional, there was no need in wasting valuable brain power on something that ultimately wasn’t going to help. At first, it felt impossible! The results told me otherwise.

[@ericheidenheim373]

@@TheChopsShop Thanks Dion!

[@HuzzahDaddy]

Wow, you played with the Ellington orchestra! What a rush! About 40 some years ago I got to play ONE gig with the Temps and 4 Tops. Gig of a lifetime. I'm an old guy returning to trombone after several years layoff. Really struggling with my embouchure. When you talk about firm corners do the corners pull down? In toward lips or pull away from lips sideways? Anyway, really enjoy your videos. Some of my favorite players were JJ (of course) Fred Wesley, Wayne Henderson (Crusaders) Fontana, Rosolino, Watrous, Teagarden, Jimmy Pankow etc...

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks for checking out the videos. Regarding the “corners” ideally several muscle are working in unison. You should not emphasize your corners being firm. Your lips need to be able to pucker when you play. If the corner are too tight, it’s difficult to do so.

[@emielbroeders8199]

Hello, I am just starting on trombone and find your approach it very interesting of not buzzing. I have a stupid beginners question but I'm curious.... how do you change your natural tone (note in 1st position) if you do not move?

[@TheChopsShop]

There are no dumb questions especially when you’re just starting out. In order to change notes in the same position you need to make your aperture smaller. Your aperture is the opening between your lips. When your lips get smaller, the notes will be higher. This is true in any slide position.

[@daisyduke7473]

This guy is great!!

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m glad you found the information useful!

[@daisyduke7473]

@@TheChopsShop very useful!! In fact I’ll be stalking oops I mean FOLLOWING your channel!! I’m 76 and foolishly gave up playing the trombone when I thought my ex was more important at the time lol. Was asked to play professionally and still wonder what my life would’ve been like if I had accepted the offer. It’s really sad recalling the days when I actually enjoyed listening to myself play...st Louis blues comes to mind. I remember the laughter from my parents when I first started to play then suddenly it was “play it again, Sand!!” That’s when I realized I was doin okay!!

[@jazzbonept]

Yeah Dion! Are you hip to the late Prof Fielder’s teachings? Same kind of stuff you’ve been sharing

[@jazzbonept]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIvMfoqrn9SLl8U

[@TheChopsShop]

Peter Tijerina I’m absolutely hip to Prof! He was amazing, I’m sorry I never got to study with him but I’m close to a lot of people that did.

[@jazzbonept]

The Chops Shop Woah, same here! His teachings are still powerful, even though they’re not in-person

[@TheChopsShop]

Peter Tijerina he has definitely left his mark on this earth!

[@eatmypoop6929]

My embouchure sucks and i keep trying to do what you tell me too but my lips keep making this wierd sound. If i make the air stream bigger i do wierd noises, but if i make my air stream small i cant do high notes. Please help me.

[@TheChopsShop]

Find the happy medium, the feedback you get from the instrument will tell you where your lips should be. If you start getting a double buzz because your lips are too far apart bring them closer together until your tone sounds good.

[@jorgelaurentinosilva6890]

Legal

[@taf8903]

I'm subbing just for your name

[@TheChopsShop]

Yes please do, welcome to the family!!!