How to Cool Down Your Lips After Playing the Trumpet

Anyone who has every played the trumpet knows the importance of warming up before playing; however, you also must cool down afterwards. Playing the trumpet requires applying extreme pressure on the mouthpiece with the lips, often resulting in teeth indentations on the inner lips, swelling and even cracking, bleeding lips. Avoid painful lips by learning to cool down.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Take a few seconds between sets or during pauses in the music for warming down your lips. Simply pucker your lips like your preparing for a kiss and relax, repeat and relax. This motion will keep the blood moving in your lips, help calm the trumpet's mouthpiece indentation in your lips and prevent painful muscles in the mouth and jaw.

2. Play a few long and slow scales to cool down after playing the trumpet, emphasizing lower note scales. Playing high, fast notes on the trumpet requires much more lip pressure. However, the soft vibration of low notes and slow scales will gently massage the lips helping you to cool down.

3. Give yourself a cheek and jaw massage to help cool down after a long session. Jaw and cheek muscles are often neglected when warming down; however, the constant puckering and blowing really engages the muscles of the the cheeks and jaws. You may find yourself with a stiff jaw the next morning if you don't allow for a few minutes of gentle massage.

4. Enjoy an ice cold beverage after a long set. While playing the trumpet, your lips may feel very hot. Once you take a short break, lips can quickly swell making it uncomfortable to return playing. A cold drink will reduce swelling and soothe your tired lips.