WindWorks Trumpet Academy › Forums › WindWorks › Lumpy lip slurs
Tagged: aperture corners, lip slurs
What do I mean by lumpy lip slurs? The movement/contraction of the aperture corners to ascend is quicker than the movement is to relax to descend. I find that it effects the rhythm, making it harder to land on the beat. I tend to compensate by trying to go faster but then the wheels fall off more. I find this lumpiness starts around 120+bpm for semiquavers.
What is the cure for lumpy lip slurs?
Cheers
Ryan
I know what you mean – the same challenge for me – going up = quick, going down ???
In follow up to my own question. I think the lumpy lip slur is a result of not consistently finding the sweet spot in the positioning of the aperture corners within the teeth space opening and ensuring the bottom lip is rolled out enough (milk spout). This sweet spot when found allows a quick shape change snap between harmonics. If I can stay in the sweet spot the speed of the change of shape appears to be the same ascending and descending.
After revisiting all the Largo fundamental videos and looking at the shape of Greg’s embouchure “Mouthpiece revisited” @ 4:53min, I realised wasn’t doing the milk spout idea enough. So in experimenting I took the Oooo part to the extreme and really rolled out my bottom lip. This resulted in a surprising discovery. With the bottom lip out in front in the milk spout way, my top and bottom teeth aligned without effort/force and my top lip came down into the middle of the space between the teeth fully relaxed, exposed to the airstream, dangling freely, oscillating sympathetically. It felt super weird when introducing the mouthpiece due to rolled out bottom lip, but the sound was resonate, responsive and importantly I could feel and manipulate the aperture corners in a way I haven’t encountered before. This has resulted in the lip slur snap being crisp especially when I can find and maintain the sweet spot.
Can’t wait for the next discovery!
Thanks for sharing this Ryan! Lip slurs have always been so difficult for me and I too am working on that consistent sweet spot for every note. Amazing how the sound really pops when all of the components line up. Joining in Your Safari!