Posted by joe exley on October 17, 2003 at 13:45:56:
In Reply to: moustache embouchure posted by mat on October 17, 2003 at 00:32:03:
I used to have a moustache but Arnold Jacobs told me to shave it off as he said it was preventing my embouchure from making a good seal and causing me to work too hard in the mid-hi register.
He used to have one too, and told a story of how he was on tour with the CSO and they were playing Pictures and he was playing Bydlo. He started to miss partway through the tour and then realized that he had not trimmed his moustache. He shaved it off and did not miss again.
He said that Gizella was not happy when he got home clean shaven, as she loved his moustache. You can see it in earlier pictures of him, but he did not have it in later pictures.
That was reason enough for me to shave it, but my wife was not happy either.
At one point, I did try to grow an Abe Lincoln beard like John Stevens, but it did not work too well, so I am now clean-shaven. Losing the 'stache did make a positive difference, and when I am lazy and dont shave, I notice it.
Peace
joe
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joe exley, TUBA
NYC
www.tubajoe.com