A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how the brass player’s jaw coordinates with other playing factors. I also described some of the variations some of the different embouchure types have with their jaw position. It got me thinking a bit about a problem that’s not too uncommon. Some players who play best with their teeth aligned and a straight out horn angle find that their jaw gets tired thrust forward for long periods of time. For players like this, Donald Reinhardt had an away-from-the-horn exercise you can try. He called it the Jaw Retention Drill.
While the outer lower lip membrane is slightly inward and over the lower teeth, protrude the jaw as far as possible; however, do not tolerate strain while so doing. Sustain this extended jaw position for at least ten seconds. When completed drop the jaw, open the mouth, exhale rather explosively, then relax. After a week or so of this routine, the amount of time for the jaw protrusion should be extended.
Encyclopedia of the Pivot System Appendix, p. 3
Reinhardt cautioned his readers to not overdo this exercise. He often prescribed it to go along with some free buzzing exercises and also the pencil trick as part of a daily routine. This was to be done at a point in your day when you’re not going to be playing your horn for a bit. Exercises like these are meant to be simple ways you can build some of the muscular strength we need to play a brass instrument in a way that we don’t risk injury from excessive mouthpiece pressure.
