embouchure
/ˌɒmbʊˈʃʊə
/noun
1 [mass noun] Music The way in which a player applies their mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument, especially as it affects the production of the sound.Proper embouchure, breath control and good technique are essential components for learning a wind instrument, but unlikely to yield positive results in themselves, unless guided by the ear....
- Personally, I only take note of clarinet players, what with their tighter embouchure and greater tongue control.
- She took the clarinet in both of her hands and… almost instinctively wrapped her hands correctly around it and fixed her embouchure… all without having to be told.
1.1 [count noun] The mouthpiece of a flute or a similar instrument.So I raised it higher, and this removed it from the embouchure.
2 archaic The mouth of a river or valley.
Origin
Mid 18th century: French, from s'emboucher 'discharge itself by the mouth', from emboucher 'put in or to the mouth', from em- 'into' + bouche 'mouth'.