Lessons from one of the 3 or 4 greatest trombonists on the planet. Makes the internet seem worth all the aggravation. Where was this stuff when I started trombone in 1965?
Amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss the different parts of creating the embouchure. I was taught to either think of putting the lips together as natural and think "mmmmm" or think or the word "prune" and try to buzz that way.
I wish I had known this back in 1972 when I started playing trombone in high school, just a few lessons and then I was left to learn on my own. My trombone playing really suffered as my lips would swell after playing about 10 mins then I could not even buzz, making my freshman year in a university a travesty and I dropped out. I have kept my trombone and will get it out next week to try this. Living in WV we are so short changed in proper instruction from music to photography, no one comes here to teach us anything cause there is no money in it here. Thank you for making this and I stumbled on it, a little too late at age 64 but I can pass it on.
First of all I would like to thank you very much for such an amazing video. And after 14 years of playing the the trombone, this has been the best explanation I have ever seen for the shaping of the e m b o u c h u r e.
Excellent video! In my experience, I found that it is truly rare to encounter an accomplished player (such as James) who can "deconstruct" the fundamentals of playing accurately so that one can learn / adapt / and progress using the proper methods and approaches. This video is absolutely helpful - regardless if the viewer is a beginner, or has experience.
THANK YOU! No other tutorial I’ve watched has mentioned the anchor and pivot. Just tried it and finally managed to buzz the mouthpiece for a good long while.
Hi Maestro, really thank you for take some of your time and help people around the world making these videos. I want to ask you something about pressure of the air, how do you think it?, I have read some explanations from Mr Arnold Jacobs and Denson Paul, but I would like to know how do you think it, again thank you for your videos it results very helpful for me and many people! Regards from Colombia
Bruh I’ve been playing the trombone for a few years and have been having trouble with double buzzing, I’ll be trying these things tomorrow to see if the double buzzing has stopped or if it has improved. Thanks bro
Thank you so much! I have been having problems with predicability. How about the placement of the lips during hight notes? And for breathing, do you remove the top or the bottle lip? 🧐😅
Great video James! Appreciate your work. I have a question with regard keeping the corners of my embochure firm. Do I have to make kind of smile or just to pronounce a long M and then keep firm my corners? Thanks!
That’s a good question; the bottom line is that it can look a bit different with each person depending on how the facial muscles work. The premise is to keep the skin around the lips directly up against the gums/teeth so no air gets in between (it’s that air that can cause difficulties/inconsistency). The goal is to use as much energy as you need, and as little as you can, to make that happen. For me, that winds up being much less of a “smile” and much more of a tucking back/puckering of the corners. It’s a bit hard to describe with text, but I hope that it’s helpful
Returning player here. Are you suggesting a "smile" embouchure? When you demonstrate "firm corners" it looks like you are pulling the corners away from each other stretching the lips out.
Not exactly a “smile” - it’s more both bringing the corners firm against the teeth, and also keeping the chin firm against the jaw. When they’re both engaged, it avoids the true “smile” embouchure, which can happen without chin engagement and really brings the corners up, typically towards the ears. Everyone will look a little different, and there are many people who may look less like the bit of “smile” than it appears I have.
Good question - the answer is that it changes as we play. Often, when we’re playing in the upper register we are air pointed down, and in the lower register air pointed up. Some people like to talk about pointing the air up or down, others (as I do) discussing lip position changes, but it amounts to the same basic thing. The important thing is fluidity within the interior of one’s embouchure.
@@markeybone I wonder if you have ever looked into the existence of players that are bottom lip dominant and anchor their top lip instead. They direction of the air is opposite (aim the air up for the high register). I know that you have spoken about anchoring your top lip in the past and it gave you issues (probably because you are a top lip dominant player and that would restrict the lip you need). I bring this up because I am a bottom lip dominant player and I use a 60/40 set with more bottom lip present in the mouthpiece.
@@jeremyo2744 that’s a good question; I realize there are players out there such as yourself who are indeed bottom lip dominant. The truth is that I wouldn’t necessarily suggest a change in such a case-but it also wouldn’t be out of the question, especially if there are underlying issues. This video is intended for beginners, or teachers of beginners. At that age, I believe that these principles still apply, particular with forming an embouchure from the beginning. I know there are those who might say that setting up this way in every case is a bit like putting a square peg into a round hole. However, I think that when we allow ourselves to understand that there IS flexibility with embouchures, we also allow ourselves to say that certain principles can indeed apply in nearly all cases, in that a person doesn’t need to have exceptions that apply only to them. It’s hard to put into words with limited space!
For the first couple of days play longer duration tongued notes, medium volume, middle range to start. Practice until your lips start to feel tired, then stop. Add more practice time each day and gradually move on to tongued quarter notes and lip slurring across partials, eventually playing a bit higher and lower each day. Also, buzzing the mouthpiece each day will help get you back "up to speed," in a couple of weeks.
I have literally been playing almost six years with my embouchure incorrect. You just showing me now has made me play extremely better.
dude same ive been playing for four years and ive been playing it wrong
I think you sound great , bud
Lessons from one of the 3 or 4 greatest trombonists on the planet. Makes the internet seem worth all the aggravation. Where was this stuff when I started trombone in 1965?
In books 🤪
Your local symphony trombone section could have been a good resource for private lessons, or any other professional level trombonist.
Amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to discuss the different parts of creating the embouchure. I was taught to either think of putting the lips together as natural and think "mmmmm" or think or the word "prune" and try to buzz that way.
I wish I had known this back in 1972 when I started playing trombone in high school, just a few lessons and then I was left to learn on my own. My trombone playing really suffered as my lips would swell after playing about 10 mins then I could not even buzz, making my freshman year in a university a travesty and I dropped out. I have kept my trombone and will get it out next week to try this. Living in WV we are so short changed in proper instruction from music to photography, no one comes here to teach us anything cause there is no money in it here. Thank you for making this and I stumbled on it, a little too late at age 64 but I can pass it on.
Thank you so much! I've been struggling with muscle pain due to a wrong embouchure, and this has helped me learn to play correctly!
Same here
I Like The 60/40!!!!It's Helping Since I Haven't Played In 30 Years!!!!
First of all I would like to thank you very much for such an amazing video. And after 14 years of playing the the trombone, this has been the best explanation I have ever seen for the shaping of the
e m b o u c h u r e.
Excellent video! In my experience, I found that it is truly rare to encounter an accomplished player (such as James) who can "deconstruct" the fundamentals of playing accurately so that one can learn / adapt / and progress using the proper methods and approaches. This video is absolutely helpful - regardless if the viewer is a beginner, or has experience.
This is so underrated
THANK YOU! No other tutorial I’ve watched has mentioned the anchor and pivot. Just tried it and finally managed to buzz the mouthpiece for a good long while.
Terrific! Glad you have found it helpful!
Thank you thanks for the amazing tip Maestro !!
Thank you ! Brilliant video !
I find that free buzzing helps students immensely with getting the shape of the embouchure right, particularly the lower lip.
Excellent Jim!!
Great thank you!
Great video Jim. Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Hi Maestro, really thank you for take some of your time and help people around the world making these videos. I want to ask you something about pressure of the air, how do you think it?, I have read some explanations from Mr Arnold Jacobs and Denson Paul, but I would like to know how do you think it, again thank you for your videos it results very helpful for me and many people! Regards from Colombia
Bruh I’ve been playing the trombone for a few years and have been having trouble with double buzzing, I’ll be trying these things tomorrow to see if the double buzzing has stopped or if it has improved. Thanks bro
Such a useful video series. How would you suggest working with students who bunch their chins while ascending to keep a structured embouchure?
Thank you so much! I have been having problems with predicability. How about the placement of the lips during hight notes? And for breathing, do you remove the top or the bottle lip? 🧐😅
@@markeybone Thank you for replying and for your work! I can hear the improvement already!
Great video James! Appreciate your work. I have a question with regard keeping the corners of my embochure firm. Do I have to make kind of smile or just to pronounce a long M and then keep firm my corners? Thanks!
That’s a good question; the bottom line is that it can look a bit different with each person depending on how the facial muscles work. The premise is to keep the skin around the lips directly up against the gums/teeth so no air gets in between (it’s that air that can cause difficulties/inconsistency). The goal is to use as much energy as you need, and as little as you can, to make that happen. For me, that winds up being much less of a “smile” and much more of a tucking back/puckering of the corners. It’s a bit hard to describe with text, but I hope that it’s helpful
@@markeybone Thanks James. I can get an idea from your answer. Happy new year!
Returning player here.
Are you suggesting a "smile" embouchure?
When you demonstrate "firm corners" it looks like you are pulling the corners away from each other stretching the lips out.
Not exactly a “smile” - it’s more both bringing the corners firm against the teeth, and also keeping the chin firm against the jaw. When they’re both engaged, it avoids the true “smile” embouchure, which can happen without chin engagement and really brings the corners up, typically towards the ears. Everyone will look a little different, and there are many people who may look less like the bit of “smile” than it appears I have.
my teacher made us explain embouchure so thanks lol
Hello! Air jet down or up need to be directed when moving up? while playing the trombone.
Good question - the answer is that it changes as we play. Often, when we’re playing in the upper register we are air pointed down, and in the lower register air pointed up. Some people like to talk about pointing the air up or down, others (as I do) discussing lip position changes, but it amounts to the same basic thing. The important thing is fluidity within the interior of one’s embouchure.
@@markeybone I wonder if you have ever looked into the existence of players that are bottom lip dominant and anchor their top lip instead. They direction of the air is opposite (aim the air up for the high register). I know that you have spoken about anchoring your top lip in the past and it gave you issues (probably because you are a top lip dominant player and that would restrict the lip you need). I bring this up because I am a bottom lip dominant player and I use a 60/40 set with more bottom lip present in the mouthpiece.
@@markeybone th-cam.com/video/CoxnhjLMVBo/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/UHq7vCihaXg/w-d-xo.html
@@jeremyo2744 that’s a good question; I realize there are players out there such as yourself who are indeed bottom lip dominant. The truth is that I wouldn’t necessarily suggest a change in such a case-but it also wouldn’t be out of the question, especially if there are underlying issues.
This video is intended for beginners, or teachers of beginners. At that age, I believe that these principles still apply, particular with forming an embouchure from the beginning.
I know there are those who might say that setting up this way in every case is a bit like putting a square peg into a round hole. However, I think that when we allow ourselves to understand that there IS flexibility with embouchures, we also allow ourselves to say that certain principles can indeed apply in nearly all cases, in that a person doesn’t need to have exceptions that apply only to them. It’s hard to put into words with limited space!
subtitles in Portuguese, please. Thanks
how do I approach my practice if I haven’t played in about 4 or so months? thank you:)
For the first couple of days play longer duration tongued notes, medium volume, middle range to start. Practice until your lips start to feel tired, then stop. Add more practice time each day and gradually move on to tongued quarter notes and lip slurring across partials, eventually playing a bit higher and lower each day. Also, buzzing the mouthpiece each day will help get you back "up to speed," in a couple of weeks.
thank you all:)