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A question for trumpet players?

I'm a high school trumpet player, and my playing is horrible right now (I DO PRACTICE, NO NEED TO SAY)

Recently my lips got cut (from being too chapped, I'm an idiot...too lazy to buy chapstick) in 2 places: Basically directly above and below (on the inside) the aperture of my embouchure.

Spontaneously (I really can't tell if it's due to the cuts or if I just spontaneously got bad) I can't buzz anymore. Half the time when I play a sound doesn't come out anymore, the other half it's really bad. Then when I go to a rest I can't play. It's completely messed up my timing etc. and I've made countless mistakes in the last couple of days to make me look like the worst player in my band.

I have to ask, is it a problem with my embouchure (which is bad, though not horrible) or is it because of the cuts?

I really want to know the answer, I have been getting a tad pissed off at myself (and a bit depressed...no, not clinically depressed, don't worry) because I can't play for **** anymore.

Occasionally I'll have spurts where I was as good as before but that comes after like 45 minutes of playing and then goes away.

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FOR ALL THE LAZY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T READ THAT, MY QUESTION IS:

Can cut lips kill your ability to buzz (not just play but buzz)?

Update:

I've been playing for 3 years, I started about 3 years late (but I'm about average when it comes to playing, definitely nowhere near the worse player in my band)

1 Answer

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    No they cant keep you from buzzing. They may make it hurt when you buzz but just moisten you lips. I used to lick my lips all the time when I was playing. That always helped me buzz.

    Make sure you top lip is slightly in front of your bottom lip and the mouthpiece is pressed firmly against your lips. Most of the buzzing comes from the top lip. Don't try and buzz with both lips, just do the top lip with it slightly in front of the lower lip.

    Hope this helps. Let me know how it goes!

    Source(s): Former Professional Jazz Player
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