Lip Swelling at High Volumes

[bassbonebuster]

My lips swell at the top end of my loud large ensemble playing making most mouthpieces feel too small and constrained to play until I back off. The G&W Don Harwood and its rim is the only piece I've found to limit this issue and allows me to continue playing. Unfortunately, its not a great all around mouthpiece for everything else. From the smaller Schilke 58 and DE110 to the larger Parker Dunkel, Laskey 93D, or Doug Yeo, they all feel too small at the loudest volumes. Could this be a mouthpiece pressure issue, or something else?

[Burgerbob]

Sounds like your aperture may be getting too large when you play loud.

I'll shine the Doug Elliot signal, though.

[bassbonebuster]

If it is my aperture, what would you recommend?

[mrdeacon]

Is your face literally swelling or are you using that as a figure of speech?

If it's the former I'd say you might have a nickel allergy which is why the steel mouthpiece works the best. If it's the later make sure to listen to what Burgerbob said.

[bassbonebuster]

My lips get or feel puffy is more accurate. It’s not an allergy because it only happens at top end of my volume. Besides that, everything I own at present is steel or gold plated. I’m going to explore the aperture Avenue.

[baileyman]

I am trying to imagine how this could happen.

It seems you must be pushing really hard. Is it that you cannot hear yourself in the ensemble? Does the horn not make a vibrant tone at lower volume? There's a fatigue that seems to show up at about two hours no matter what, could that be it?

For hearing ones-self, I have recently begun wearing 9dB earplugs in loud situations. I have learned that I can do the louds with less effort than I thought. Flexibility is much improved. There is such a thing as too much air!

[2bobone]

If you are unable to support the top end of your dynamic aspirations with the requisite amount of air required to achieve a balance between your air output and the resistance demands of your instrument, then you are in for a "Whole Lot O' Hurt" ! Playing at extreme dynamics is a matter of relaxation --- not tension --- and the stress on your embouchure is minimal at top volume. Remember ---- Air is the FUEL of sound ---and YOU --- are "Runnin' Outta Gas"---- Just sayin' -------- Cheers !! Bob

[Doug Elliott]

I don't know the rim shape of the Harwood, but maybe you need the support of a thicker rim - plus the relaxation Bob mentioned. I think most of the mouthpieces you mentioned have thin rims, which ordinarily wouldn't be a problem, but high volume equals pushing more air which requires more mouthpiece pressure just to seal against the greater airflow. A thin rim (and/or a sharp inner edge) that's normally an advantage can cut into lip tissue under those circumstances and cause swelling.

There's ALWAYS such a thing as "too loud" either musically or physically. Know your limits.

[Basbasun]

What kind of music do you play? Years ago I played with a exremely loud band, and it was loud the whole evening + two hours loud rehersal before. My lips got swollen.... then I hade to open my aperture more to be able to play.
Remedy? Quite the band. Or suffer.

[VJOFan]

Quite the band. Or suffer.

Quit or Quiet? Both would work...