Have you ever had this experience?
Your first note begins on a low “G” and ascends to a “D” above high “C”?
Or
Your first note is a high “C” and ends on a low “G” below the staff?
If you find it easy to play first note, but have difficulty on the final note; consider the following solution to this problem.
Beginning on a high note will usually require more firm corners and a smaller aperture.
Starting on a low note requires a more relaxed embouchure and a larger aperture.
The benefits of setting your lips for the high note is easily understood as well as the added difficulty of the same embouchure setting having to be readjusted as you descend.
The benefits of a more relaxed lower setting for a low note are also obvious as is the need to gradually firm and restrict the aperture size when ascending.
Before all you excited and argumentative, chip on the shoulder, young Turks begin to viscously respond to my suggestion consider this……
Before starting any high or low note, set your embouchure to play a third space “C” and then begin the passage in whatever register the note is written.
Let me list a few advantages for using this practice.
• Setting the embouchure in the middle of your playing range will lessen the amount of change in both direction
• Minimizing changes in embouchure increases accuracy in starting notes
• Lessening the amount of drastic adjustments in the embouchure will increase endurance
• Wide skips in different registers with a middle register setting will increase accuracy
• Wide slurs will become easier for the embouchure will require less adjustments
If you need more proof that this will work for you, consider the following scenario;
On your music is written a slur from low “G” up to the “G” two octaves higher.
The distance is obviously two octaves when you set your embouchure first for the low “G” but if you set to play a “G” on the second line, the slur will only be one octave.
For the past year I have been implementing this concept and have had wonderful improvement in connecting my slurs and have also seen an improvement in my flexibility and tone.
The accompanying exercises will help determine if the middle C setting makes any difference in your playing.
Consider what I have proposed, try it and let me know if it works for you.
Middle C setting exercise
Bruce, this might be the swing thought I’ve been searching for. I am tinkering with it in today’s practice session. I played an ‘ in the staff’ C prior to every chromatic scale of your warm-up exercise, to set my embouchure.
Very comfortable, versatile and repeatable embouchure. I am hoping that this will help improve especially my endurance and note attacking confidence.
Thanks for putting these thought out there.
I hope it does also.
It has helped several other areas in my playing such as more accurate and smoother wide slurs.
Keep in touch my friend.
Ok, a month in. I’m focused on this concept as I rehearse for Spring Orchestra. Wow, I’m playing at a level that I’d never previously experienced and I am really enjoying it.
Right before every entrance, I set the embouchure sweet spot by silently blowing a “C” pickup note. Sets me up for a most optimal and smooth lip vibration throughout my range. From there, it’s just controlling air velocity. Smooth, and nearly effortless!
Again, many thanks and all the best to you, Teacher!
I am very pleased that it works for you also. I have increased my accuracy and smoothed out some rough slurs by using this concept.
Good to hear from you and let me know what you’re doing these days.
Write me at brucechidester@hotmail.com
Stay well and the best to you and yours.
BC