Diagrams of Trumpet Embouchures and how they actually work. Trumpet embouchure is the main topic of some of my trumpet books. My trumpet lessons and trumpet books have been mentioned and quoted in dissertations, magazines, other books, web sites and even youtube videos. I am going to use Diagrams of Trumpet Embouchures to explain some more in-depth ideas about embouchures.

First let’s see how some people think of embouchure.

1 Dimension

1-D Low Note. Long lip aperture.

1-D High Note. Short lip aperture.

Some people think of a trumpet embouchure in 1 dimension. That is, they think only about how long the aperture or buzz is. Yes, this does affect what note is being played but it is only a small part of the aperture picture and not really correct.

Lip Buzz Low C.

Lip Buzz High C.

How long is the aperture? ie are you playing a low note or a high note. People who think this way tend to only rely on mouth-corner tension to play higher notes. Lip to lip compression has no place here.

Every octave higher that we play; the size of the aperture is cut in half.

These numbers are just to show the variance of aperture size by octaves.

Let’s look at the size difference in notes if only aperture length changed the pitch.

If a Triple Pedal C = 256 inches of lip aperture

Double Pedal C = 128 inches,
Pedal C = 64 inches,
Low C = 32 inches,
Middle C = 16 inches,
High C = 8 inches,
Double High C = 4 inches,
Triple High C = 2 inches

The highest I have played or heard.

A Quadruple High C = 1 inch.

I know players that can play a triple pedal C like Arturo and players that can play a quad high C (I could until I got old). So, 256 inches – 1 inch is that difference.

So, this shows that aperture length alone does NOT change the pitch. There is much more to an embouchure than 1 dimension.

This talks about the part of the trumpet embouchure we can see but it does NOT mean it is really 1-D in the real world.

Next 2-D

2-D Low Note. Has both Length and height.

2-D High Note. Has both Length and height.

Others think of the embouchure in 2 dimensions.

Is it a long, tall aperture (low note) or a short, narrow one (high note).

We are still not thinking of how thick the lips are. How much meat the air has to resist.

In a way compression is not really included here so the biggest benefit of compression is left out.

What does this matter some may ask.

Well, if you are doing a physical action but don’t understand what it is supposed to do or how it can help; then it is doubtful that you can get all of the results that another person who understands what to do can obtain.

What is missing here is HOW MUCH LIP MASS is involved, how thick is the amount of lip that the air has to fight to get to the mouthpiece. or how long back to front.

The 3 Dimension world.

Think in 3-D. The back of the lip to front of the lip mass that the air vibrates to play. This is a Low Note a small thickness of lip tissue. No actual lip to lip compression.

3-D. The back of the lip to front of the lip mass that the air vibrates to play. This is a High Note with a large thickness of lip tissue involved. It shows a lot of lip to lip compression and a good “Aperture Tunnel”(TM).

The 3rd dimension is rarely thought of and never mentioned. Until I wrote “How the Chops Work”. It can in some embouchures play a bigger role in playing the note that the other 2. It also determines how much corner tension is needed.

A very small amount of lip touching means that the corners need a LOT of tension as the lips are not offering much resistance to the air. See the air only has to travel or fight through a small space where the lips touch.

When the lips push together; then they resist the air and there is much less need for corner tension. The air now must travel through 2,3,4… as much as 6 times as much lip contact area before it reaches the mouthpiece.

This distance inside the mouth where the air has to fight the lip surface is called the “aperture tunnel” (TM).

When the lip contact area increases the need for facial or corner tension also decreases. But the need for faster air increases.

In this 3-D example the low note drawing has only 1/5 the aperture tunnel that the high note drawing has.

Because of this to obtain the same amount of resistance it would need 10 times as much mouth-corner tension.

I can only tense my corners so much and then no more.

That means that low note drawing setting would have a more limited range for me than high note drawing. And because it requires so much MORE tension; then I lose both endurance and range.

The thicker high note setting drawing offers more resistance, so I use much less facial tension. Both my endurance and range are improved.

It also makes a cushion which aides in endurance and comfort.

Now it is simply NOT possible to determine how long the aperture is for a given note. Because how much you curl, how much tension you use, and how much compression (how long the aperture tunnel is) all affect how long the vibrating surface needs to be for any given note. And every embouchure uses differing amounts of those things.

This gives the first basic idea of 3D Embouchures.

In my book “How the chops work” I have 69 diagrams and pictures of the main embouchures like Farkas, Maggio, Stevens….. and show how they differ in how they make and use compression using the 3D concept. This really shows you how to fine tune compression for the embouchure type you are using and shows WHY it works.

Pops

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Trumpet Embouchures control the pitch and the quality of your sound.

Regardless of which one of the Trumpet Embouchures you use these things MUST always happen.

The lips must be moist. The surface tension of the water aids in setting up the vibrations.

The lips must be touching. (If the air has nothing to fight there is NO buzz.)

Use as Little pressure as possible. Pressure only separates the lips and stops the sound. Backing off the pressure will allow you to soar.

Everyone says Tighten up to play high. That is wrong. What they mean is this: Hold something between your finger and thumb. That squeeze is what they are talking about. Playing high involves slightly pushing your lips together as you ascend.

Farkas Trumpet Embouchure

75-80% of all players use this embouchure.
This embouchure is described FULLY in “The Art of Brass Playing” by Phillip Farkas.
He told people to blow as if they were trying to cool soup. That is how he set the embouchure.

Raphael Mendez said to say the letter “M”.

In this embouchure most players Point the CHIN down. It is the pointing of the chin that prevents you from stretching the lips too thinly or going into a smile.
The skin under your lower lip will be flat with no air pocket.
Your lips should not overlap, nor do they roll in or out.
The corners of the mouth are held firmly in place.

Now what they DIDN’T say.
To play with an extended range you must.

• Use a Pivot
• Use a Tongue Arch
• Remember use compression for range. It is like one finger pushing against the thumb.
• You also use a flexing of the muscles around the embouchure for support.

Maggio Trumpet Embouchure

The Maggio system was established because Louis Maggio had sustained an injury which prevented him from playing any other system.

This embouchure is elusive for some players. The pucker is so different from what they used before that they lose control and sound quality. Others do it very easily and play well.

In this system you cushion the lips by extending them or puckering slightly.  There is a picture on the cover of the book that shows a monkey making a puckered kissy face. This is used as humor and is a very big exaggeration of what you do. 

This slight puckering creates a cushion between the teeth and the mouthpiece.
It also lets the player play for an extended time in the upper register.

Players of this system use a tongue arch and many use Anchor Tonguing as their tongue arch (like me).

I DO advise people who cannot play other embouchures because of injury or serious dental malformations to TRY Maggio.

I like that it is easier for ME to be more resonant using a slight pucker.

Stevens Trumpet Embouchure

This requires a special mouth formation to be 100% successful. 

To set this embouchure you:

• Make sure that your teeth are 1/4 – 1/2 of an inch apart.
• Make sure that your jaw is forward making a flat playing surface.
• Make sure that your lips are touching and slightly push your lips together to make a cushion. You also set the faintest hint of an inward lip curl.
• Then PLACE the mouthpiece ON your lips.
• To ascend you will push the lips together.
• The lips will have a natural tendency to slightly curl in. That’s OK.
• Remember to use as little pressure as possible.
• The more that you can back off the pressure the more you have in reserve for later
• Use a PIVOT.
• Anchor Tongue.  Several places in his book Stevens said to not use tongue arch. He as well as many teachers saw tongue arch and anchor tonguing as different things.  Anchor Tonguing works by making a focused air stream while tongue arch doesn’t do this.

Superchops Trumpet Embouchure

This was taught by Jerry Callet.

It seems (at least to me) to mix parts of both the Maggio and Stevens. It shares the same problems also. Plus, it is very difficult to learn to slide the lips up to the high register position and back to normal.

In this system the pivot is much more aggressive than on other embouchures.

• The pivot is used to push the lips over the top teeth and force the air stream to follow it.
• The lower lip curls in over the top of the bottom teeth (like a reed player).
• The top lip slightly overlaps the lower lip.
• The lip compression comes from the muscles under the chin bunching up to make a knot of muscle on the chin. 
• This system does NOT use a tongue arch. He says that it constricts the throat.
• All tonguing is to be done thru your teeth. This part really disturbed me.

As you ascend you pivot draw your facial muscles in and slide the mouthpiece over the top of the upper teeth.
To me it seemed like an extreme embouchure shift.

There ARE some good professional players using this to their advantage.

Lip Buzzing Trumpet Embouchure

This is the embouchure Clarke and Mendez played. When they taught, they made students lip buzz a month before they gave them a mouthpiece. They then had to mouthpiece buzz a month before being given the trumpet. By then they could change pitches and had decent tone. I use this embouchure on many of my students because it is so easy to learn.

The fastest way to successfully go to a closed embouchure is:

• Lip Buzz: (Like spitting seeds.)
• Do this 10 minutes a day. Buzz scales, songs, arpeggios, etudes….
• Set your new embouchure
• Buzz a note and while holding the buzz sneak the horn & mouthpiece into playing position.
• At first take ALL breaths through your nose (so you don’t disturb the embouchure). (Most open aperture players try to start closed and open up the chops as they breathe. They pin the lips in place while separated and can only make the lips touch by using mouthpiece pressure.)
• And play songs and etudes.

(After the new setting is secure go back to normal breathing.)

Stay in the staff until you have strengthened the NEW embouchure.

Do a lip setting drill:
Buzz and sneak the horn into place to play 1 note. Remove the horn and start over. It takes thousands of good reps to break a bad habit.

Do those things for 1 month.

Then AFTER the new embouchure is set and the chops are stronger you can work on the Stevens palming exercise. I only do open arpeggios with this. Do it 10 minutes a day and after a month you should be able to play over High C with almost no pressure.

Then you must learn to relax the face and let the tone become full. Work on pulling the corners in to adjust tone color and assist range. Relearn your pivot and Anchor Tonguing. Work on more efficient breathing….

I hope that my little overview of Trumpet Embouchures helps.

Pops

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What Makes an Embouchure has to do with Lip tension. Not facial tension but just arounds the lips.  Anchor Tonguing which is Tongue arch, Air stream focus and air speed is great for changing pitch in a particular register. But lip compression and breath support are needed in order to change registers.

A combination of 6 things are NEEDED to play trumpet well. These 6 things are What Makes an Embouchure.
Close lip setting (aperture) + mouthpiece pressure (just enough to make a seal) + lip compression + lip tension + tongue arch (forward) & Air (speed and support).

These 6 points control the range of the instrument. There are many variations available in how these can be added together to play any one note.

It is possible to play a double high c with a close setting and compression only. Stevens’ static exercises are played that way. Adding some mpc pressure to that can flesh out the notes yet these can be done with almost no tension.

On the other hand lots of people play high c with an open lip setting lots of lip tension and mouthpiece pressure. With the lips pinned open there is no compression. This is tiring because of muscle fatigue from the tension and impared bloodflow through the lips caused by mouthpiece pressure.

Inorder to move from the open setting to a closed setting the player has to learn to relax the tension and back off on the mouthpiece pressure. Compression works far better than tension so both range and endurance improve.

Now to obtain a big full sound you need a balance of lip setting, compression, tension, mpc pressure, tongue arch and air usage. This balance changes by register.
For example the low register needs more air mass to fill the bigger aperture but less air speed or pressure. The lips require little tension or compression. I have found that people can put the close setting to real use quicker by learning to relax the chops.

Trust me we all put some tension back in as we ascend. I have to constantly remind people (in the upper register) to relax some and take the workload off of the lips.

There is natural muscle tone (tension), there is loose and flabby, and there are stages of tightness (tension). You have certain levels or amounts of tension that you rely on for each register. (Some change tension every note, others by the difference in the harmonic series and still others by octaves.)

The dependence on tension, where and how much you change is based on how you use the other playing factors. Lip compression (lip against lip not facial or corner tension), lip setting (how close they are before the airstream starts), mouthpiece pressure (this can easily seal off the aperture an open setting needs 5 X as much as a close setting). Added to this is the way you use your air. In my case because of a close lip setting I use the normal resting facial tension on the entire 1st set of notes in the harmonic series (Low F# to low C). The next set (low C# to second line G) uses a little tension but far less than open aperture players do on low F#. In fact the 3rd set (second line G# to middle C) uses less tension than lots of people start with on Low F#.

Tension is tiring. It also adds stiffness to the lips and prevents a free vibration. Added stiffness is how tension helps to play higher notes but it restricts and limits the ease of tone production of the mid and low register.

One way to judge your tension level is to see how much of the face is involved. Under high C it should be completely limited to the lips and corners (1/2 ” away from the lips). I see a great many players who are tense in the cheeks (this robs you of endurance) and neck (this hurts your tone). Over high C I have tension in the area around the lips going out in all directions about 2 inches or so. My cheeks and neck never get tense.

Lip compression is the act of 1 lip pressing against the other. Like pinching the thumb and forefinger together. Inorder to do this with your hand the thumb must be touching the finger (there can be no air space between them), It works the same way with the lips.

There are 5 main ways that this lip compression is obtained.

1. The entire chop setting is drawn toward the center. Corners pulled in and top and bottom lip pulled together. Like the drawstring example in the Farkas book or the making a fist in Jacoby’s book or the diagram in Callet’s book. Three different embouchures that all use the same method of lip compression.

2. Using the muscles of the chin to push the lower lip into the top lip. This creates a knot of muscle at the chin and it moves the center portion of the lower lip.

3. Using the muscles of a frown to compress the lips together. The Roy Roman bulldog face. A frown will pull the top lip down slightly as it pushes the center part of the bottom lip upward.

4. Using the jaw to assist register changes. This is the way Roy Stevens taught. He started with a very open jaw (tooth) position. That way he could bring the lips in toward each other in more compression by moving the jaw upward. (This is fine if you make sure to keep the teeth apart at all times.)

The interesting part is these techniques work with more than 1 embouchure setting. (The lips do have to touch.) I gave examples of 3 different embouchure settings for #1 but that applies for all 4 types of compression above.

5. Is done by use of a pucker. The compression is partially created by the lips in their pucker and partly by the mouthpiece holding them in place. This can only be used in 2 of the 4 main embouchure systems.

Using Lip Compression is described in several books

Stevens (out of print),
The Art of Brass Playing,
Jakes’ Method,
Brass Playing Mechanism and Technic,
The Encyclopedia of the Pivot System,
Super Chops (only 2 pages of the book),
New Approach to Trumpet Playing,
Trumpet Isometrics (about 2 pages),
Sail the 7 C’s (a page or 2 of text but has good exercises),
The Psychology of Cornet and TrumpetPlaying,

The No Nonsense Trumpet From A-Z &
Trumpet FAQ’s (my books) (They are different from other books in that they are 90% text explaination and 10% exercises.

Pops

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