How to cool your lips

 After playing in mostly the brass section, sometimes your lips, mouth, tongue, and jaw becomes sore or busted. This article will tell you what to do on how to prevent and help that from happening and what to do when it happens.

First of all, if you're a trumpet player, you know that when you play some high notes, sometimes you feel like there are weights that are smashing on you heads. Believe me, that is totally normal. What's happening is, is that you are also using lots or very small amounts of air, and you are using pressure from your head, to your air and lips. Then when you're done, you feel just fine, until 2 seconds later when you feel like weights are being smashed into your head. OUCH!! If you get dizzy, that's GOOD. I means that you are using the right amounts of air through your passage ways and you are definitely moving the blood around. But don't over-do-it. You could pass-out, or fall to the ground. And don't try to become dizzy on purpose. And also, DON'T LOCK YOUR KNEES WHEN YOU PLAY!!! What happens is that, the blood that your brain sends your legs are being cut off, and there is no circulation, so there's no control, so you fall over or worse, you pass-out.

Anyways here's how to keep you lips cool. By the way, this is for TRUMPETS ONLY. i might include some tips for others but mainly-for trumpets.

Part 1: Warm-up

First of all, always warm-up. If you have a warm-up sheet that's fine too. But here's an easy way. Start at the low C (the space below the staff) and work your way down in WHOLE NOTES OR MORE, to the lowest note, F# (buttons 1, 2, 3). Then come all the way back up to the same C you were at. Then go to the G (2 line on the staff) and go all the way down to the C# (buttons 1, 2, 3). Then come all the way back up to the G you were at. Then go to the middle C (3rd space) and work your way down to the F# sharp (1st space). Then go up back to the middle C. I'll attach a practice sheet for you to print too.

Part 2: Playing

Make sure that when you play, you are not thrusting your mouthpiece onto your lips. I've tried it. What it does is, it cuts of your air and buzzing. Keep a good distance from your lips to you mouthpiece, but make sure you're not off your mouthpiece. Also, always play higher notes with more air. Higher notes need more air so you can push through. Believe me. Once in Marching Band, we had to play Hot Hot Hot. I had an Optional Shake (see my other article 'How to do a shake on the trumpet') on the very high C (4 lines above staff). It was hard.

Once you have played for a long time, and your lips are getting tired and you can no longer play those high notes. Stop for a while. If you still can't play, then try again in about 2-5 days. What happens between then, is when your lips get busted from playing too much or too hard, your lips start to puff up and it cuts of the air and the buzzing. It's not your fault, it's just a natural thing. Sometimes you need to push through for a little bit. But when you rest 2-5 days after busting your lips, they will recover and your lip muscles WILL get stronger. Then you might be able to get the high notes a little easier.

Part 3:Cool down

It is imperative that you always cool down after playing. Especially for a for when you have been playing for over an hour. I will also attach a Cool Down sheet for you to play when you are done pracitcing. Cooling down your lips with Cool-downs (instead of warm-ups) will increase your chances of playing better the next time, each time. So always cool down. Also you also want to play low notes as SOFT  as you can so that you can relax you lip muscles after they have been working out. Also icing down you lips will also help a lot. It will contract the puffiness of you lips. Also drink some water, and also have some chapstick so that your lips don't dry out either. Thanks.

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