Practicality for the active trumpet player. The benefits of such a routine should be carefully weighed against possible drawbacks such as a loss of endurance, control, accuracy, etc. LIP BENDS Development of the embouchure is crucial if steady progress is to be made. Indeed, for almost all trumpet performers, the development of the embouchure is the main factor in determining eventual success or failure in professional level playing. Almost any workable embouchure can bring success if developed gradually and properly, allowing time for circulation to build (endurance) as well as the growth of muscle fiber (Power). Most importantly, however, the coordination of all of the various embouchure muscles is what will bring about full efficiency of the strength and control of the embouchure. This coordination will need to be developed gradually through a careful exercise program. Lip bends are excellent embouchure exercises. By bending notes down a half step, whole step, and a step-and-a-half, with the same fingering, the embouchure muscles will coordinate Properly. Lip bends, correctly played, will: 1, encourage full use of air without chest or neck tension 2, coordinate embouchure muscles, jaw alignment, instrument pivot, ete. by Tesponding to adjustments needed for best tone 3. encourage proper lower lip "pucker" needed for power and upper range 4, increase endurance by utilizing better air efficiency, coordinating all embouchure muscles together, and determining correct mouthpiece pressure 5. build power and upper range through better air/embouchure efficiency and through strength gained from progressive resistance exercises 6. develop fullness of tone and better focus of pitch center by forcing the overall tongue level down ‘The benefits of lip bends have been well known for years but have only more recently been developed. Pedal tones, which have been used successfully for embouchure building, are ethaps better known due to the many published exercise systems developed for building Power and range. Lip bends and pedal tones serve essentially the same purpose to the development of the embouchure as they both exercise and coordinate all of the playing muscles. The only real difference between them is that the lip bends are executed mainly in the normal playing range rather than in the extreme low register. Correct embouchure 4