embouchure

Embouchure is the use of the lips, facial muscles, and other parts of the mouth to shape the airstream and form a seal around a mouthpiece or reed for wind instruments. It is a central element of tone production, range, and articulation. Brass players buzz their lips against the mouthpiece; woodwind players shape the lips around the mouthpiece or reed and direct the air.

In brass playing, the embouchure involves a narrow lip opening, supported by the surrounding muscles and guided by the teeth and jaw. The aperture size, mouthpiece angle, and jaw height determine pitch and timbre. The lips vibrate against the mouthpiece while the breath provides a steady column of air; small adjustments move the instrument through registers.

In woodwinds, embouchure serves differently by instrument. For clarinet and saxophone, the lips seal the mouthpiece and hold the reed, while the air is split and the reed vibrates to produce sound. For flute, the lips direct and shape a focused airstream across the instrument’s edge; firmness and flexibility of the lip corners are used to control tone and pitch.

Embouchure is instrument-specific and can change with registers, dynamics, and repertoire. Effective embouchure develops with posture, breathing support, and gradual conditioning; tension, leakage, or misalignment can cause weak tone, poor intonation, or fatigue. Regular practice and guided instruction help align embouchure with the instrument’s demands.

The term derives from the French embouchure, meaning mouth-to-instrument. In pedagogy it refers to the practiced shaping of the lips, mouth, and facial muscles as part of wind technique and performance.