Hello, I'd like to know if you guys and girls have any special exercises or methods that you use to build lip strength.

Right now my lips are extremely weak, and soon I'll need to play for a lot longer.

I usually play for 30mins-1hour, but during the summer I'll be playing 5 hours a day.

I also want to sound better with stronger reeds and stronger embroucher so my tone is clearer.

My teacher says I have weak lips too. So I would really like it if you can give me some tips.

Thank you for your posts.

I guess you could try to gradually increase your practice time and practice every day. Otherwise, I don't know of any exercises that you could do. I hope this helps!

Hmm, I'm already doing that slowly.

I'm doing lots of long tones too, any other suggestions?

There was a post about this on the Oboe Bulletin Board:

http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=10&i=9315&t=9273

Blow on the reed without putting it in the oboe. Then see how fast you can make the vibrations. Hold the reed firmly to your bottom lip--try making sounds at different angles. I know it sounds crazy, but it really does work.

-Kt

O-o. Right...

i used to face the same prob..my teacher always said, 'relax more, relax more'..so i always practice with a relax embouchure..and now, i build my tone beautifully n my lips become stronger..dont know how to say, just relax while practice n bear in mind 'be more relax then what u can think'..i know it works!

Okay, so relax more.

I guess not worrying about it might help too.

yup..dont have to worry..in time, u'll find that your lips is gettin stronger..just play, but always stop when your lips is gettin tired..

Practice on a really hard reed.

hard like the strength. Sometimes if you play on soft reeds, your lips get weak.

I am increasingly using hard reeds, but I can't go too fast because I might hurt my lips.

Slowly it's coming along.

My teacher has had me do this reed-alone exercise.

I put the reed in my mouth like I'm about to play without holding it with my hand.
I make the reed chirp and see if it will move or stay put. If my embouchure is strong, then it will stay put. If it's not, it will wiggle around and not make much sound.

if you're practicing and gradually taking longer practice times, that's the right thing to do.

Hi Canadian,

Two things:
1) Eat something before you practice. Not a whole lot so that you are so full that it's hard to breathe, but a light meal or snack. It really helps stave exhaustion if practicing at the end of the day.

2) Double layer (un-gummed!) cigarette paper or perm papers and layer over top and bottom teeth. The paper will take a little getting used to, but this will allow you to practice for very long periods of time as your teeth will not make direct contact with your skin. There is no other way you can practice for 2+ hours. You should have an easier time playing without the paper at rehearsals since you'll have built up the endurance for it.
(It's also EXTREMELY useful if your group likes to rehearse for a few hours before an actual performance.)

This thread has some other teeth guard ideas too:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=215779&t=215488

<Added>


This is an even better thread:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=255251&t=255214

Uhm, I'm not so sure about that second method. What will covering my teeth do? How will that help?

My teeth don't even touch the reed, nor do they hurt, so what's the point of the paper?