(Joe)
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Claude Gordon:
"Once again, the fallacy that the lips play the horn laid the foundation for mouthpiece buzzing. There is nothing more counterproductive to brass playing than mouthpiece buzzing.
Buzzing the lips and or the mouthpiece does not build or strengthen anything! You practice to keep the lips and facial muscles elastic and flexible, buzzing has the opposite effect and is very stiffening. Besides that, one does not breath correctly when buzzing so range and endurance never develop.
Buzzing puts all of your focus on the lip, misleading you into thinking that it does more than just vibrate. You have to remember that the lips act as a vibration medium only. A free vibration from the lips is what determines the quality of tone that comes through an instrument.
I will not allow my students to "buzz" either the lips or mouthpiece as a practice tool! Although many so called methods advocate buzzing, as do many teachers and schools, this is a shameful waste of time."
The master says it all..............1/3 upper, 2/3 lower. Time and patience.
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