Embouchure Collapse
Encyclopedia
Embouchure collapse is a generic term used by woodwind and brass
players to describe a variety of conditions which result in the inability of the embouchure
to function. The embouchure
is the purposeful arrangement of the facial muscles and lips to produce a sound on a wind or brass instrument. In brass
playing, it involves vibration of the membrane
area of the lips.
Embouchure collapse in its various forms and extremities generally results in difficulty in playing for extended periods (especially if playing loudly and/or in the high register) or a complete inability to play. The former applies mainly in less severe cases; the latter in the most severe cases.
This article focuses on embouchure
collapse in brass
players.
collapse, mainly focal dystonia
or Embouchure Overuse Syndrome; also, the topic of mouthpiece pressure (whether or not excessive pressure is damaging to the embouchure) is hotly debated by brass players.
ability to fire neurons (which control muscle
movement) correctly. Focal dystonia
specifically affects one particular area of the body and is usually completely isolated, affecting only one activity. The disease basically renders the sufferer unable to control the muscles in the affected area.
The presence of this condition in a brass
player's facial muscles results in an inability to form an embouchure because of the individual's loss of control over the relevant muscles. Because the condition is neurological, there is, in terms of brass playing at least, no effective cure. Treatments using botox have been pioneered to treat focal dystonia in other parts of the body; however, they have been found to be ineffective in treating embouchure collapse. This is possibly because botox causes the facial muscles to relax; and although this collapse lessens the uncontrollable twitching of the muscles, the newly relaxed status deprives the player of the lip flexibility needed to play a brass instrument. For most brass players, diagnosis with focal dystonia signals the end of their careers.
collapse. As the name suggests, embouchure collapse may be caused by "overuse"—or in simple terms, playing "too much."
Most brass
players at some time experience lip swelling (or "stiff lips"). When a player is forced to continue playing despite this, the resulting stress can cause a chain of injuries that lead to embouchure collapse.
Generally speaking, the best way of overcoming swollen lips is to refrain from playing, or to practice for a shorter period of time and with a good warm-up in the days following any period of extensive playing. When a player is deprived of the opportunity to recuperate after a period of extensive playing, the simple matter of swollen lips is not allowed to heal, and the player is forced to work harder to compensate for diminished lip strength. Eventually, the player's facial muscles may collapse under the strain of playing.
collapse/embouchure overuse.
It has long been argued that excessive mouthpiece pressure is a cause of embouchure problems and can be a factor in causing embouchure collapse. However, the pressure of the mouthpiece is not static during playing: it increases the higher in the register a player plays and the louder volume level. Also, a little mouthpiece pressure is essential to provide a seal between the player's embouchure and the instrument; without this, all the air would escape before entering the instrument and no sound would be emitted (brass instruments are dependent on an airflow to produce sound).
Embouchure collapse is far more common among trumpet
and horn
players. Both of these instruments have mouthpieces with a small circumference
, and therefore the pressure is presumably greater, as the force of the mouthpiece on the face is more concentrated. This is in accordance with the principle of physics that pressure is the amount of force divided by the area on which the force is exerted.
Thanks to the lack of scientific evidence (no scientific study into mouthpiece pressure as a cause of embouchure collapse has ever been done) and the equally valid argument that all brass players can suffer embouchure collapse, and the subjective (not static) nature of mouthpiece pressure, our knowledge of mouthpiece pressure as a cause of embouchure collapse is limited.
can be diagnosed medically; embouchure collapse caused by embouchure overuse, however, is generally speaking not considered to be a specifically medical issue. A difficulty in diagnosis is that when a brass player describes the symptoms to a doctor
or dentist
(as is often the case), the medical practitioner does not fully understand what the patient means. This is because brass players learn their embouchure by feel, and therefore words have a limited ability to describe embouchure problems, especially if the person listening to the description is not a brass player and has a limited knowledge of the embouchure.
Also, in less severe cases, the player may only be able to feel what is wrong while playing. Many players with an embouchure problem will, once they have realized that it is more than a simple case of tired lips, wish to refrain from playing. The fact that around 24 muscles are employed in forming a brass embouchure, and that each will change slightly as a player struggles to play when experiencing embouchure problems, mean that what players describe as being wrong will have not only worsened their condition when they play, but will be different each time they do so.
In the severest cases, the pain caused by embouchure overuse can be felt even when not playing; in some cases, other symptoms will manifest, such as loss of tissue and damaged nerves. This, however, occurs only in the rarest and most extreme circumstances and usually signals the end of the player's career.
have virtually no possibility or recovery from embouchure
collapse. Sufferers of embouchure overuse, however, have been known to recover. The simplest way of doing so is to refrain from playing for an extended period of time, possibly years, before attempting to play again. The exact amount of time needed and whether or not the player will have to completely relearn the use of the embouchure is a largely subjective issue and depends on the individual.
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
players to describe a variety of conditions which result in the inability of the embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
to function. The embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
is the purposeful arrangement of the facial muscles and lips to produce a sound on a wind or brass instrument. In brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
playing, it involves vibration of the membrane
Biological membrane
A biological membrane or biomembrane is an enclosing or separatingmembrane that acts as a selective barrier, within or around a cell. It consists of a lipid bilayer with embedded proteins that may constitute close to 50% of membrane content...
area of the lips.
Embouchure collapse in its various forms and extremities generally results in difficulty in playing for extended periods (especially if playing loudly and/or in the high register) or a complete inability to play. The former applies mainly in less severe cases; the latter in the most severe cases.
This article focuses on embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
collapse in brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
players.
Causes
There are a variety of causes for embouchureEmbouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
collapse, mainly focal dystonia
Focal dystonia
Focal dystonia is a neurological condition that affects a muscle or group of muscles in a part of the body and causes an involuntary muscular contraction or twisting...
or Embouchure Overuse Syndrome; also, the topic of mouthpiece pressure (whether or not excessive pressure is damaging to the embouchure) is hotly debated by brass players.
Focal dystonia
Dystonia is a neurological disease affecting the brain'sBrain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
ability to fire neurons (which control muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
movement) correctly. Focal dystonia
Focal dystonia
Focal dystonia is a neurological condition that affects a muscle or group of muscles in a part of the body and causes an involuntary muscular contraction or twisting...
specifically affects one particular area of the body and is usually completely isolated, affecting only one activity. The disease basically renders the sufferer unable to control the muscles in the affected area.
The presence of this condition in a brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
player's facial muscles results in an inability to form an embouchure because of the individual's loss of control over the relevant muscles. Because the condition is neurological, there is, in terms of brass playing at least, no effective cure. Treatments using botox have been pioneered to treat focal dystonia in other parts of the body; however, they have been found to be ineffective in treating embouchure collapse. This is possibly because botox causes the facial muscles to relax; and although this collapse lessens the uncontrollable twitching of the muscles, the newly relaxed status deprives the player of the lip flexibility needed to play a brass instrument. For most brass players, diagnosis with focal dystonia signals the end of their careers.
Embouchure overuse syndrome
This is a far more common cause of embouchureEmbouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
collapse. As the name suggests, embouchure collapse may be caused by "overuse"—or in simple terms, playing "too much."
Most brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
players at some time experience lip swelling (or "stiff lips"). When a player is forced to continue playing despite this, the resulting stress can cause a chain of injuries that lead to embouchure collapse.
Generally speaking, the best way of overcoming swollen lips is to refrain from playing, or to practice for a shorter period of time and with a good warm-up in the days following any period of extensive playing. When a player is deprived of the opportunity to recuperate after a period of extensive playing, the simple matter of swollen lips is not allowed to heal, and the player is forced to work harder to compensate for diminished lip strength. Eventually, the player's facial muscles may collapse under the strain of playing.
Mouthpiece pressure
The subject of mouthpiece pressure is closely related to the issue of embouchureEmbouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
collapse/embouchure overuse.
It has long been argued that excessive mouthpiece pressure is a cause of embouchure problems and can be a factor in causing embouchure collapse. However, the pressure of the mouthpiece is not static during playing: it increases the higher in the register a player plays and the louder volume level. Also, a little mouthpiece pressure is essential to provide a seal between the player's embouchure and the instrument; without this, all the air would escape before entering the instrument and no sound would be emitted (brass instruments are dependent on an airflow to produce sound).
Embouchure collapse is far more common among trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
and horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
players. Both of these instruments have mouthpieces with a small circumference
Circumference
The circumference is the distance around a closed curve. Circumference is a special perimeter.-Circumference of a circle:The circumference of a circle is the length around it....
, and therefore the pressure is presumably greater, as the force of the mouthpiece on the face is more concentrated. This is in accordance with the principle of physics that pressure is the amount of force divided by the area on which the force is exerted.
Thanks to the lack of scientific evidence (no scientific study into mouthpiece pressure as a cause of embouchure collapse has ever been done) and the equally valid argument that all brass players can suffer embouchure collapse, and the subjective (not static) nature of mouthpiece pressure, our knowledge of mouthpiece pressure as a cause of embouchure collapse is limited.
Diagnosis
Embouchure collapse caused by focal dystoniaFocal dystonia
Focal dystonia is a neurological condition that affects a muscle or group of muscles in a part of the body and causes an involuntary muscular contraction or twisting...
can be diagnosed medically; embouchure collapse caused by embouchure overuse, however, is generally speaking not considered to be a specifically medical issue. A difficulty in diagnosis is that when a brass player describes the symptoms to a doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
or dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
(as is often the case), the medical practitioner does not fully understand what the patient means. This is because brass players learn their embouchure by feel, and therefore words have a limited ability to describe embouchure problems, especially if the person listening to the description is not a brass player and has a limited knowledge of the embouchure.
Also, in less severe cases, the player may only be able to feel what is wrong while playing. Many players with an embouchure problem will, once they have realized that it is more than a simple case of tired lips, wish to refrain from playing. The fact that around 24 muscles are employed in forming a brass embouchure, and that each will change slightly as a player struggles to play when experiencing embouchure problems, mean that what players describe as being wrong will have not only worsened their condition when they play, but will be different each time they do so.
In the severest cases, the pain caused by embouchure overuse can be felt even when not playing; in some cases, other symptoms will manifest, such as loss of tissue and damaged nerves. This, however, occurs only in the rarest and most extreme circumstances and usually signals the end of the player's career.
Recovery
As stated above, sufferes of focal dystoniaFocal dystonia
Focal dystonia is a neurological condition that affects a muscle or group of muscles in a part of the body and causes an involuntary muscular contraction or twisting...
have virtually no possibility or recovery from embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
collapse. Sufferers of embouchure overuse, however, have been known to recover. The simplest way of doing so is to refrain from playing for an extended period of time, possibly years, before attempting to play again. The exact amount of time needed and whether or not the player will have to completely relearn the use of the embouchure is a largely subjective issue and depends on the individual.