One point where I would take issue is when Alistair writes that BE “advocates for playing with a very small aperture.” BE does not recommend any particular set up of the lips – rather it is a set of exercises where the goal is to duplicate the sound on the cd and then the lips work out for themselves what to do.

Yes that’s true. The whole point of the book is give the lips the ability to move and change shape and let them figure out the finer details themselves. When I wrote that the book advocates for a smaller aperture I was thinking of this quote from the book.

To play with ease, strength, and range, the lips must vibrate more closely together than is generally considered feasible.

– Page 14 Balanced Embouchure.

That would tend to suggest that the end result would be moving towards having the lips closer together.

The book also talks about how the lips are weak in the middle, the very place they need to be strong, this appears to contradict Greg’s assertion that the lips are already too strong.

I find it interesting that the two methods have so much common ground, and yet, appear to be complete opposites on some points.
Would love to hear Greg chime in on this when he gets a chance.
– Alistair