Lips are an important part of trumpet playing, but they must function as part of a larger coordinated system rather than through isolated strength or excessive pressure.
Many players focus too heavily on the lips while overlooking the roles of air, tongue position, coordination, and efficiency. Problems with endurance, flexibility, response, and range are often connected to imbalance in the overall playing mechanism.
In the Clarke–Gordon tradition, the lips work together with Wind Power, The Tongue, and the other coordinated principles of correct playing.
