Swollen and weakened embouchure

[WineCDR]

I have played tenor trombone on and off for 50 years. Now that I am retired, I am putting more time into practicing - using the warm-up routine from Alessi Music Studio and the "Arban's in an Hour" article by Eric Iles. Maddeningly, my embouchure seems weaker now that I am playing an average of 2 hours a day than when I only played a couple of hours a week. My upper lip at times seems slightly reddened and swollen, and when playing I struggle with slotting anything higher than an F above the staff. I play principal trombone with a community orchestra, and our next concert includes Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries (yikes!). How should I strengthen my embouchure without slashing my practice time?

[Doug Elliott]

You can't "strengthen your embouchure" when you're doing things incorrectly for your face - the things that are causing the swelling. And it's pretty typical for it to happen when you play more instead of less.

This is the exact stuff that I teach in Skype lessons. How to play correctly for your particular embouchure and physical setup. It's not a matter of strength.

[WineCDR]

Doug, I am interested in a Skype lesson. How can I contact you to discuss this?

[Doug Elliott]

Sent you an email.