Now that we have covered the advantages and disadvantages of a mouthpiece placed vertically and horizontally on the embouchure, the next element to deal with is the firmness or looseness of the embouchure itself. Many players place the mouthpiece on their lips and begin blowing, never thinking of the firmness or softness of their lip muscles. And one might ask, “What difference does it make”? The difference can easily be understood by comparing the two different sine curves illustrated below. The top line represents a relaxed embouchure and the lower line is an example of a firm embouchure. Both notes…