Embouchure

[CraigMc]

I am still struggling being consistant with my embouchure. I am working on trying to tighten my embouchure but find I am having problems. I was wondering if it's becouse of the shape of my lips.

I have a fairly full upperlip and it has a strong Cupids bow shape so when I open my mouth and form my Embouchure I'm having a difficult time flattening it out. That little peak thing hangs down in the middle no matter how tight I make it, so I end blowing on one side or the other. Does anyone else have this problem? If so what can be done?

I have looked at other pictures to try to get a look at the embouchure and lips of better players and they all seem to have thinner lips and when they make an embouchure it's nice and flat.

[RudallRose]

best advice I can give on the matter of practicing embouchure (and it's worked for going on 30 years now): Practice blowing into a soda bottle. 2-liter for wood flute, 1-liter for Boehm and 20-oz for the fife. The angle you need to produce tone in these bottles will help get good tone on your flutes/fifes.
There you have it. Secret to success. Drink Diet Pepsi!

[Dana]

As a player/teacher of the Boehm flute for 35 years, I'd say that you don't need to have your embouchure "hole" right in the middle of your lip. Many great players play off center. You work with your God-given anatomy, and develop a technique that works for you. I would add that you should avoid the "smiling" embouchure, which will probably lead to future problems. The "sad sack" embouchure is the best approach. You can approximate this embouchure by looking at your face in the mirror (without the flute) and saying the word "pure." There should be a small downward pull to the outsize corners of the lips. (Never up, and never back). The center of the lips should be free enough that the air stream can go where it needs to go. As your sound develops, your ear will do a great job at focusing and developing your embouchure, as long as you are careful to keep it relaxed.