The Balanced Embouchure by Jeff Smiley is a dynamic range-of-motion method designed to strengthen and increase the flexibility of brass players' embouchures through specific lip-positioning exercises. The approach, detailed in his 2001 book, challenges traditional methods by emphasizing a balanced,, adaptable, and "extreme" range-of-motion training rather than a static lip position. For more information on the method and the book, visit trumpetteacher.net balanced-embouchure.eu The Balanced Embouchure - Europe
Smiley’s book is famous for a series of daily and "Pencil" exercises. Here is what they aim to achieve: the balanced embouchure jeff smileypdf work
Smiley emphasizes "zipping" the lips together to create compression, allowing players to reach the upper register with less physical strain. The Balanced Embouchure by Jeff Smiley is a
Jeff Smiley's The Balanced Embouchure" (BE) is a unique self-help method designed to develop a brass player's embouchure through dynamic range-of-motion exercises. Published in 2001, the 149-page book challenges traditional teaching by focusing on the active movement of the lips rather than static "ideal" positions. The Balanced Embouchure Key Concepts of the Method The "Zip" Concept: Smiley emphasizes "zipping" the lips
As one online reviewer put it: “After 15 years of playing, I finally learned that my ‘bad embouchure’ wasn’t bad — it was just unbalanced. BE didn’t teach me a new face. It taught me to listen to the one I already have.”
