Athletes frequently train strength and endurance by cross training with lifting weights or isometric exercises. A football player, for example, can get stronger simply by playing more football, but lifting weights specifically targets the muscles he wants to build without risking injury. Likewise, there are certain exercises that brass players can practice away from the instrument that will help build embouchure strength and control without the risk of playing too much and using too much mouthpiece pressure as you get tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are a few of these sort of away-from-the-horn exercises, such as the pencil trick<\/a>, jaw retention drill<\/a>, and the P.E.T.E<\/a>. My personal favorite is free buzzing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Free buzzing is essentially buzzing your lips without using the instrument or mouthpiece. Some teachers and players discourage free buzzing as being too different from actual playing while others huge advocates of it. Like in many things, I feel that when done in a certain way with moderation free buzzing can be an extremely helpful exercise, particularly for players who have issues with their embouchure related to having too loose an embouchure formation or with things like bunching the chin or a smile embouchure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s a short YouTube video I put together to demonstrate how I recommend practicing free buzzing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n