cup width and lip shape...

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Shumanbean
Posts: 87
Joined: May 22, 2020

by Shumanbean »

Acknowledging that individual embouchures might all be unique (?), is there a correlation in general between cup width and lip shape.

Daniel
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Cotboneman
Posts: 210
Joined: Jul 27, 2018

by Cotboneman »

I don't know what a proper response is, not being a mouthpiece designer, but I do know what feels comfortable on my chops. I have thick set, full lips, so for me cup width is not a big deal (I play all trombones, except alto, and double on trumpet), but rim shape does affect me. I feel most comfortable with thin, rounded rims. Flat rims, or rims with sharp shoulders are uncomfortable.
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

No correlation between cup width and lip shape.

There are preferences by embouchure type - which is unrelated to lip shape.. And preferences of rim shape related to horn angle, whether mouthpiece pressure is flat on the teeth or more angled.
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Anonymous
Posts: 184
Joined: Mar 22, 2026

by Anonymous »

[quote="Cotboneman"]I don't know what a proper response is, not being a mouthpiece designer, but I do know what feels comfortable on my chops. I have thick set, full lips, so for me cup width is not a big deal (I play all trombones, except alto, and double on trumpet), but rim shape does affect me. I feel most comfortable with thin, rounded rims. Flat rims, or rims with sharp shoulders are uncomfortable.[/quote]

Same exact feeling! Thick full lips, slightly less thick than average rounded rims over here too! Doug, is this preference common for people who have thick lips?
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Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

[quote="ericcheng2005"]<QUOTE author="Cotboneman" post_id="129631" time="1604442121" user_id="3573">
I don't know what a proper response is, not being a mouthpiece designer, but I do know what feels comfortable on my chops. I have thick set, full lips, so for me cup width is not a big deal (I play all trombones, except alto, and double on trumpet), but rim shape does affect me. I feel most comfortable with thin, rounded rims. Flat rims, or rims with sharp shoulders are uncomfortable.[/quote]

Same exact feeling! Thick full lips, slightly less thick than average rounded rims over here too! Doug, is this preference common for people who have thick lips?
</QUOTE>

If they are the particular embouchure type that Reinhardt called IIIB, which I describe as Medium-high placement, and play with a noticeably downward horn angle. That puts mouthpiece pressure onto the inner and outer edges of the rim instead of the face of the rim. Therefore, rounder feels better.

But lips like that do not necessarily mean you are that embouchure type. Type is defined by function, not appearance (of the lips). I use appearance (placement and angle) as a description because that's something you can easily observe.
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Anonymous
Posts: 184
Joined: Mar 22, 2026

by Anonymous »

[quote="Doug Elliott"]<QUOTE author="ericcheng2005" post_id="129650" time="1604457347" user_id="8940">

Same exact feeling! Thick full lips, slightly less thick than average rounded rims over here too! Doug, is this preference common for people who have thick lips?[/quote]

If they are the particular embouchure type that Reinhardt called IIIB, which I describe as Medium-high placement, and play with a noticeably downward horn angle. That puts mouthpiece pressure onto the inner and outer edges of the rim instead of the face of the rim. Therefore, rounder feels better.

But lips like that do not necessarily mean you are that embouchure type. Type is defined by function, not appearance (of the lips). I use appearance (placement and angle) as a description because that's something you can easily observe.
</QUOTE>

Thank you!