P4 - B3

Embouchure

  • Maintain an appropriate and functional embouchure, suitable for the particular instrument:
    • developing stamina and flexibility over an increasing range and duration
  • Recognise and correct faults with more independence

Continue to encourage learners to use long notes in warm-ups.

To help develop stamina, ask learners to play:

  • maintaining a steady sound on each note
  • several consecutive phrases incorporating large intervals
  • a greater range of notes

Teach learners octave/harmonic exercises to develop lip flexibility/security.

Continue to use a mirror to check the effects of embouchure on intonation and tone quality, particularly at the low/high extremes of the range.

Ask learners to sing/say and then play using different vowel sounds at the beginning of individual notes. Evaluate the effects.

Scales and arpeggios can be used to establish consistency and flexibility of embouchure. Try starting on a tonic other than the lowest.

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