lip relaxation and lip training for wind musicians

Lip Relaxation and Lip Training for Wind Musicians

Dr. W. Kreitmair

INEXPIM S.L. Madrid

The Art of Playing a Wind Instrument

Playing a Wind Instrument is a complex activity:

– Mental/Neural Activity

• Anticipation of tones

• Creativity of artistic expression

• Automatic mechanisms

– Physical Activity

• Movement of Muscles (rapid, slow, strong, soft, …)

• Fixation/Hold of Muscles in certain positions, i.e. Maintenance of Muscle Tension for a certain time period

Be aware of this complex character of playing an instrument!

This complex character requires from any musician:

• To prepare your brain for the mental effort;

• To prepare your body like a sportsman for the physiological effort;

• To maintain your body and your brain in good condition.

Many musicians ignore this complex character of playing an instrument.

Therefore:

76% of the musicians have medical problems caused by playing an instrument at least one time in their musicians life.

Physical training for prevention and improvement

Prevention of medical problems is essential for every musician:

• Optimal and regular training of muscles and brain

• Regular Warming up and Relaxation when playing the instrument

This means especially:

• Preparation and Maintaining the body for holding an instrument – depending on the instrument - sometimes in a very unnatural position

• Preparation and Conditioning of the Muscles to contract easily and with different velocities, and to rest for different time periods in certain positions

Physical training prevents medical problems and improves the performance of musicians!

Basic physiological knowledge for wind musicians is very important

The most important muscles for wind musicians are the facial muscles, and especially the lip muscles.

For maintenance and training of the relevant muscles musicians should:

– Know the anatomical details of the lip muscles

– Know how to strengthen these muscles

– Know how to warm-up these muscles before playing

– Know how to efficiently relax these muscles after playing

Anatomical details of the lip muscles

The lip muscles form a type of muscular network.

All facial muscles are extremely slim and delicate!

Schematic of the muscular network of the lips

Highly dynamic lip muscles (Type A)

The 4 muscles of the Orbicularis Oris have no fixation on bones!

Stabilizing, almost static muscles (Type B)

These muscles are fixed on bones and support on the other ends the Orbicularis Oris; therefore these muscles are in permanent tension during playing the instrument!

Respiratory muscles

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching with moderate intensity helps in the long term for: - increasing strength and quickness of the muscles, - reducing the risk for muscle injuries It presupposes warm muscles and it needs to be followed by a active or passive muscle activation

Grimace – activation of blood flow in mimic muscles

Tensing of the indicated muscles/muscle groups and holding the tension for 3-5 seconds activates the blood flow

Other, more intense types of muscle training

There are 3 important types of muscular performances important for wind musicians:

– Basic muscular strength (depends on muscle volume)

– Muscular quickness (depends on muscular elasticity)

– Muscular endurance

– Recovery of the muscles

These muscular performances require specific

forms of „work-out“!

How to train the muscular performances?

Training of the Basic Force

This form of training is important for all muscles of type A and B

The best training for then is an „intelligent“ combination of isometric and isotonic training!

Training of the muscular quickness

This form of training is important for all muscles of type A

The best training is a combination of dynamic training , dynamic stretching, and relaxation, always starting with dynamic training and finishing with relaxation

Training of the Muscular endurance

This form of training is important for all muscles of type A and B

The best training is an isotonic (static) training only, isometric training doesn‘t help here!

If terminated with relaxation the efficiency of the endurance training can be improved significantly

Warming-Up and Relaxation

To GRIMASE

The muscles need to be accustomed some few sessions to the vibrations!

The muscles need to be accustomed some few sessions to stretching! W

arm

ing-

Up

Relaxatio

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(2)

(3)

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Training help from INEXPIM S.L. (1)

myVIBS Relaxation Device ENDI dynamic Lip Trainer

Check the devices at www.musicaccesorios.es

Training help from INEXPIM S.L. (2)

ENIS isometric Lip Trainer PUEDO Respiration Trainer

Check the devices at www.musicaccesorios.es

Training help from INEXPIM S.L. (3)

SEPA Teeth Separator PROTEC Lip Protector for Clarinet and Saxophon players

Check the devices at www.musicaccesorios.es

Training help if you need teeth spacing

Protects the lips of clarinet and sax players

myVIBS training help

before warming-up after the use of myVIBS

after playing

Warming-Up

Relaxing

The 3 Training Levels

• Level 1 • Level 2 • Level 3

More difficult

More difficult

Some further innovative products of INEXPIM S.L.

Woodwind from TREEPUR with Silent Pads

We offer Clarinets and Saxophones from TREEPUR in Spain exclusively! TREEPUR instruments are top class woodwind instruments from Austria

Some further innovative products of INEXPIM S.L.

Brass from BRASSEGO with „Singing Bell“ – Trumpets, Trombones, Horns

Bassfrequenzen werden deutlich verstärkt, ebenso der mittlere Frequenzbereich, störende Frequenzspitzen werden dagegen eliminiert. Das Ergebnis ist ein satter, dunklerer Ton ohne giftig-grelle Klanganteile, dafür mit einem ausgeglichenen Spektrum über alle Register – ganz wie eine schöne Stimme.

Some further innovative products of INEXPIM S.L. (2)

• Synthetic Reeds from FIBERREED

Some innovative further products of INEXPIM S.L. (3)

• Mouthpieces: Trumpet mouthpieces from SPIRI

• Saxophon mouthpieces from Theo Wanne/Harry Hartmann