1. Embouchure Formation: When playing a brass instrument, you form your lips into a specific shape called the embouchure. The embouchure involves placing your lips against the mouthpiece of the instrument, leaving a small, tight aperture between them.
2. Airflow and Pressure: As you blow air into the mouthpiece, you create airflow that passes through the aperture formed by your lips. The air pressure builds up behind your lips, creating tension and resistance.
3. Lip Vibration: The combination of airflow and pressure causes your lips to vibrate rapidly against each other. This vibration generates a buzzing sound, which is the initial raw sound produced by brass instruments.
4. Resonance and Amplification: The mouthpiece and the instrument's body act as resonators and amplifiers. They amplify the vibrations produced by your lips and shape them into the characteristic tone and pitch associated with brass instruments.
5. Control and Pitch Variation: By varying the tension of your lips, the shape of your embouchure, and the airflow, you can control the pitch and quality of the sound produced.
Buzzing your lips is a fundamental technique in playing brass instruments because it initiates the process of sound production. Without the proper buzzing of the lips, the instrument will not produce a clear and controlled sound.