On a brass instrument it is your lips that make the sound – the instrument only amplifies it. That is why many brass players practise buzzing, the vibrating of the lips, without the instrument. An embouchure trainer brings this exercise much closer to the real playing situation.
What an embouchure trainer does
- You practise embouchure and breathing with the resistance of an instrument, but quietly.
- You can warm up on the go, in a hotel room or before a performance.
- You hear, unvarnished, whether your buzz is clean and centred.
Buzz-R
The Buzz-R is played with your own mouthpiece and creates a resistance similar to the instrument. It is available in different shank sizes for trumpet and flugelhorn, cornet, French horn, tenor horn, baritone, trombone and tuba.
B.E.R.P.
The B.E.R.P. fits between mouthpiece and instrument. That way you hold the instrument as usual and practise with your normal posture and fingerings. It is available for trumpet, cornet, French horn, trombone, euphonium and tuba.
Which shank fits?
What matters is that your mouthpiece sits firmly. For trombone, tenor horn and baritone there are small, medium and large shanks – if in doubt, check your mouthpiece or ask me.
How to practise sensibly
- Start with short sessions of a few minutes.
- Buzz long notes and aim for an even, centred sound.
- Then small slurs and simple melodies.
- Don’t overdo it: the embouchure trainer complements practice on the instrument, it doesn’t replace it.
You can find all models under Embouchure trainers. Unsure about the size? Call me: +49 4931 97 57 780.
