When playing the horn you will have to deal with (at least) three layers of resistance1. These are three points at which the air coming out of the lungs meet obstacles:
- instrument’s resistance
- embouchure resistance
- resistance of mouth cavity and throat
The throat and the mouth cavity should not (in general) constrict the air stream. Indeed, the point here is to create as little resistance as possible so that as much air as possible can go through and reach the lips. Keep the throat and the mouth cavity open.
Embouchure resistance is where the sound is generated. We want to create the lip vibration that is as healthy and rich as possible.
Developing sensitivity to the instrument’s resistance (the combination of mouthpiece and horn) is the main focus of the next chapter.
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We can find more layers of resistance, but we will keep it simple. Room acoustics could be considered as resistance. Good acoustics have litte resistance, you can play freely and effortlessly. Dry acoustics have great resistance. Some authors have identified also other points of resistance. ↩︎