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Upstream Beginner Dilemma

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2026 2:00 am
by andrei
In the last weeks I met a case where a very high placement blower was really slow to catch the mechanics. He is a beginner. Was really slow with the buzzing, not to mention the blowing itself.
Here is my dilemma:
There's a person who wants to learn how to play the horn. That person is an upstream, but nobody knows it. And that person is really slow in getting the mechanics. What's the best path to diagnose this kind of person? If for a downstream person you have the buzz which helps a lot in getting started, what is the best way (from your experience) to help with the inverted buzz for a beginner "upstreamer" when blowing in the mouthpiece?

Re: Upstream Beginner Dilemma

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2026 2:53 pm
by AndrewMeronek
Upstream/very low placement players are known to have problems free-buzzing, and it's no impediment to their actual playing. The best thing to practice playing is playing.

Honestly, I think that buzzing is way over-hyped, especially for beginners, no matter their embouchure.

Re: Upstream Beginner Dilemma

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2026 3:33 pm
by Doug Elliott
Freebuzzing downstream can actually be very beneficial to upstream players. Done correctly, it uses the same muscles in the same way as a downstream player. The only difference is the placement which changes the aiirstream direction when on the horn. Most upstream players don't even know they're upstream.

If you need help with that student you know where to find me.