TromboneChat

I've been having trouble with my trigger range since my first trigger horn.

Over the years, I've built up a lot of additional baggage around it. I'd keep trying something new, and it works at first (maybe even through random chance), the positive reinforcement would fix it in my brain, leading to a lot of counter-productive subconscious behavior.

In my normal playing, in midrange and especially high range, is that my lower lip is held tight against the teeth, and the air is blown steeply down in front of it (very high placement?). I think that's all pretty normal. But I also keep that lower lip placement down in the trigger range. I think that's why things get choked off and weak. What I've discovered recently is that I can let the lower lip "flap in the breeze", so to speak. When I let it get pushed out into the cup of the mouthpiece, whole new world opens up. My mental image is of redirecting the air stream through the lower lip instead of through the aperture. It's really pretty revolutionary. (Too bad none of the teachers I ever had talked about this sort of thing.)

Does this sound right? How do I keep from developing two distinct settings, low and high? I assume some sort of continuum is preferred.

From what I've heard, an Internet lesson or two with Doug Elliott will probably address this issue and improve your playing.
[Not an endorsement of his teaching; I only know Doug from purchasing, playing, and enjoying his mouthpieces.]

If you're lowering your jaw far enough for the lower lip to "flap in the breeze" as you say, one thing that I'd try (and it could totally not work for you) is to move your tongue forward behind that lip to somewhat support it. I don't always do this when playing down there, but you can physically support that lip with your tongue and the air, and play strongly down there. I find myself doing this occasionally in very loud dynamics.

For most players, as they play lower pitches, the air gets directed more to the throat of the mouthpiece whereas in the higher range it is (as you say) directed more toward the edge of the mouthpiece.

If you are picturing blowing “through the lip”, you are blowing more down the throat of the mouthpiece than when you play high, which is normal.

You can probably find a less extreme jaw position that will still work with the air slowed a little and directed more straight down the mouthpiece.

Having said that, in my own playing I sometimes find myself articulating on or through the lips in the low register. I’m moving away from that, but it still happens.

Dont change so much from upper register. Use the same aproach, Legato, glizz down. Dont relax and be firm all the way down.

Leif

It is completely normal and necessary for your lower lip to protrude some and become more active as you go into the low range. It would still be considered downstream because the top lip is similarly protruding more as you go into the low range. In other words, there is increased in-and-out amplitude to the vibration of both lips as compared to what happens in the mid and high range. You need to let that happen or even encourage it, not resist it.

That can be seen clearly in the Lloyd Leno videos on Dave's site, however I don't think there are examples of trigger range, unfortunately. Maybe it's there but I don't remember seeing it.

It's exactly those Lloyd Leno films that got me on this track.

You also have to be aware to keep the mouth corners engaged. As much as possible. This ”pursing” of the lips but keeping the embouchure as firm as possible (through mouth corners) was the path to success for me on the low register.
Still working on it .
I think there are two opposed movements which keeps the embouchure stable. This, together with the correct embouchure motion, seems to make the starting point of the recipe (for me).