How hard is it to play a wind instrument when you have braces?

Question:I was at a high school concert last night, and the band was really good, and then at the reception after I was suprised at how many had braces. Then I was really impressed. Should I have been?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I was at a high school concert last night, and the band was really good, and then at the reception after I was suprised at how many had braces. Then I was really impressed. Should I have been?

There are lots of things you can do to ease the pain of playing with braces. I had braces for 5 years when I began playing.

Most of them either use a plastic guard that sits on the braces or wax. Sometimes it doesn't bother them at all. The only time I used wax was when I got the wires changed because it eased the pressure on my teeth.

Without wax or plastic, especially for brass players, the vibrations of your lips can cause the braces to cut your gums.

Personally, I'll be impressed if the player's embouchure (if you don't know what that means, follow the link below) isn't screwed up as a result of the braces when they get them off. Some students get in bad habits when forming their embouchure because of braces, so when they get them off, it's a challenge to return to the correct way. I learned THAT the hard way!

Not unless the passage of air from the lungs to the mouth to the instrument was obstructed then I'm pretty sure braces don't make a difference.

I just had a student get braces and he is really struggling. He went from being my first chair to sounding worse than my last chair. I know in no time, he will be there again, but it is an adjustment to make.

It is true that you have to be careful not to develop bad habits when "re-learning" how to play with braces and it is equally true that it is worse when they come off.

So, be impressed with the music you heard and the fortitude of the musicians that had to re-learn to play with braces and will have to re-learn again!!!