I've read many sources that say to tighten your top lip.
I've also read that you should have soft lips, with a gap between top lip and teeth, primarily here http://www.jennifercluff.com/blog/2009/ ... -work.html
um, can someone help clear this up a bit?
I started by pulling the corners of my mouth down, could easily sustain nicely toned notes. However, no way could I get the middle octave.
So I tried the softer approach, keeping a gap between top lip and teeth. One morning I managed to clearly run up and down from low to middle octave. Yay!
But yesterday my tone was gone and I couldn't even consistently play the low register![/url]
Conflicting information about lips
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Relaxed embouchure is something relative. There is no complete relaxed embouchure. Although you must not use a smiling embouchure, because it puts your down lips away from the lip plate (wich is no good for focusing the airstream), relaxing is an individual matter and should be tried in the presence of a teacher. There is no way to point and say exactly what you must do to have a better sound or any. It's something that must be practiced. Only time and experience (and personal orientation) can make this happen.
Don't try so hard to have a perfect sound just now. Give it some time to grow, and you'll see it will eventually come, one way or another.
I think information is good, but excess information may really confuses you. Practice and research are the most important things now. This can take years, believe me. Patience is the key.
Now for my opinion, I think you should just blow into the embouchure trying to "focus" the airstream into the hole. This is sure done working with the center muscles of your upper lip. But there isn't a formula to tell you how much you would tighten it. Just go slowly on long tones, try to change the direction of the air working on your upper lip and try to perceive the difference in your sound. Remember, this may take time, so do not be in a hurry to have a "perfect" sound now.
Don't try so hard to have a perfect sound just now. Give it some time to grow, and you'll see it will eventually come, one way or another.
I think information is good, but excess information may really confuses you. Practice and research are the most important things now. This can take years, believe me. Patience is the key.
Now for my opinion, I think you should just blow into the embouchure trying to "focus" the airstream into the hole. This is sure done working with the center muscles of your upper lip. But there isn't a formula to tell you how much you would tighten it. Just go slowly on long tones, try to change the direction of the air working on your upper lip and try to perceive the difference in your sound. Remember, this may take time, so do not be in a hurry to have a "perfect" sound now.