flashofthunder Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 I'm wondering about the effects of facial hair on the playing abilities of a low brass player, specifically euphonium. Generally speaking, would it hurt to have a goatee that extends around the mouth? Am I correct in thinking that it may weaken the seal created between the lips and mouthpiece? Any insight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Depends on how well you keep it trimmed. I personally don't like playing with facial hair or stubble because I find the area around my lips gets irritated as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Periphery Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 (edited) Best advice would be to grow it and see. You will NOT get a good idea of how it really affects your playing while you have it the first time around. Rather, grow it until you are satisfied with "the look." Practice a lot over a few days. Shave it off midway through a long practice day and go back to the horn. How is it? Do not just judge by feel, either Record yourself before and after on the big shaving day and listen for any obvious problems or have a buddy sit and listen to you. This needs to be done in the exact same place under the same circumstances to be useful. Also, don't play something new while recording or playing for a friend. Play something that you know absolutely cold so that a few extra reps after the shave-off will not skew the results. My professor at UNT played with a full beard and mustache and had no real problems with it. I, on the other hand, cannot stand it. I had a mustache when I was about 20 and a goatee when I was about 27. I thought it was okay both times until I shaved it off and everything got better right away. So facial hair seemed to hurt my playing while others hardly notice it. There is not really an answer to your question . . . save for the one that you give to yourself. Edited December 2, 2006 by Periphery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubajoe Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Cut it. Esp the top lip. Gotta do it if you wanna play well. It'll get in the way of accuracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scerpella Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Cut it. Esp the top lip. Gotta do it if you wanna play well. It'll get in the way of accuracy. Thats been my experience. I had a mustache for the past 4 years. When it started to go white (grrrrrr) I decided that it was time for it to go. And Voila! all of a sudden a have nice big fat juicy pedal tones I never had before on my baritone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmignemi02 Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 Cut it. Esp the top lip. Gotta do it if you wanna play well. It'll get in the way of accuracy. Hey Joe - this is Chris. How come you never told ME that? Should I really shave mine off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKBari Posted December 2, 2006 Share Posted December 2, 2006 (edited) Hey Joe - this is Chris. How come you never told ME that? Should I really shave mine off? As stated before, grow the hair out and practice with it. I have a 'stache and goatee and have been playing with one for years. (well decades now) Edited December 2, 2006 by EKBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penn State Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Depends on how well you keep it trimmed. I personally don't like playing with facial hair or stubble because I find the area around my lips gets irritated as a result. same for me, doesn't matter if its the Bach 24AW or the 5G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tubajoe Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 Hey Joe - this is Chris. How come you never told ME that? Should I really shave mine off? Depends on the type of playing too... It can make you have to work harder in various registers and and at certain dynamics. It's not as if it will prohibit things, it is just that it can make you have to work harder / shift needlessly etc. It also will change the color of certain notes here and there. It also will impede mouthpiece buzzing a lot. (which is bad) Personally, I notice it in the pedal range, as well as going into the upper register -- and it was causing me to shift going up high, more than what is really needed. I usually notice myself shifting before I notice that I've been a bum and not shaved. :) (I used to have a big ol moustache, but a certain teacher I had told me to shave it off... much to my wife's chagrin) It's obviously more of a factor the LARGER the mouthpiece -- ie tuba players most etc... as they rely on a larger amount of surface area / facial tissue.... trumpet players often dont need to worry about it as long as they trim. Players might not notice it in typical drum corps playing, or are able to get by satisfactorily with facial hair... but with many low brass players, shaving can make things better & easier / clear up issues. It's all about smooth and consistent, while NOT working physically hard... and doing all that you can do to promote that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted December 5, 2006 Share Posted December 5, 2006 In my experience there is a difference. With stubble, it can get irritated. Not much of a problem when I was younger and only had peach fuzz. But nowadays it seems to thicken up the lip considerably. Good for endurance in the upper range. Bad for purity of tone and the low range with stubble. Also bad for flexibility in general. Just my perception / opinion though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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