Lots of players read, study, listen, watch, and some actually work at becoming a great player. Here is a place for you soon to be great players to start getting serious about your practice. It is so simple a... Using my Air-Play embouchure set up play a very soft second line G. pp is the dynamic, ppp is better. Do this first in your practice instead of your warm-up. The first minute or so the note may not speak - that's ok, just make sure you are placing the mouthpiece against your lips in the air-Play manner (if you do not know what this is, read through the many articles in the web site until you understand it. Correct the placement and setting on the mouthpiece until the G begins to speak at pp. DO NOT TIGHTEN OR FORCE OR USE YOUR TONGUE. Ok now it's beginning to speak very softly, so continue this for 20 - yes 20 - minutes. Try not to remove the mouthpiece from your lips, use little if any pressure, feel the note in the center of the aperture and at the point the two lips are gently touching. Breathe easy and regularly. Not huge breaths - just a single exhalation for a 15 to 20 second note, then breathe and repeat over and over for the 20 minutes.
At first it will sputter, then last longer, then stay steady. This can take the first 2 -10 minutes before it is easily speaking. Do not let pressure be uneven on your chops, keep it 60% bottom lip 40% top. Keeping the top just below the teeth edges with the rim resting on the red and the white of the top lip. If your lip is thick and wide it will rest completely on the red and less for thinner lips.
Fell the lower lip hug the rim from the corners to the bottom - keep the sides of the lower lips relaxed but towards the rim. After you have done this for 20 minutes you will realize the importance of this routine. I suggest you do it at least 3 or 4 times the first week, and thereafter every day. After a month or so you will be able to do 20 on G then 20 on C in the staff, and as you progress work up to E, G above staff and Hi C. DO NOT MOVE PAST G YOUR FIRST MONTH.
You may want to rest for 15 -20 minutes before you continue with your daily practice or you may want to wait until later in the day. Trust your chops - they will tell you.
gR
Feb. 7, 2010 - Common Sense
Let's say you are working on a minor PHYSICAL change in your playing. OK so the first few times you may need to consciously build a mental image of what you are doing. But after a few hundred repetitions it is committed to a Kinetic response. You don't think about it anymore - it just happens.
This is what should happen. good!
But if you are tentative about committing to a change you end up questioning the process, and it takes much longer to reach the point of an automatic response.
Now if you are an "over-thinker" you may have learned and accomplished the task, but your mind won't let the thing just happen - instead it always runs home to pappa and reproduces what feels like the first time you made the change.
Now when that happens you are forgetting that what once felt a bit different has now become natural, and you end up overdoing the action so it feels the same as the first time, but in reality is going WAY BEYOND THE PROPER AMOUNT OF CHANGE.
This leads you to a circle of doubt and failure. When you learn to trust what you are doing and it becomes automatic - stop reinventing the wheel - leave it alone to be a fully integrated part of your playing.
You don't go back and practice the C scale in one octave half notes do you? Of course not - it is a waste of time. So don't look back and continually question what you have accomplished. Let it be! Move on...
Further help with lower lip and Power-Play
I have had many comments on the short video clip recently posted. I made some comments about the purpose of the lower lip "facing" the rim with the inner red and I want to give you this picture of Wynton to show a natural lip that would not consciously need to manipulate his lower lip to get into the Power-Play position.
Power embouchure pictures
These are the first of a series showing how to move from the basic Air-Play to the Power-Play set up. Power-Play set is for strong lead players and advanced players desiring more range and a bigger sound. The first picture is of my lips relaxed, next I have actually turned my lower lip forward and I can feel a wider grip between the edges at the corners of my mouth.
The third with my chops preparing to receive the mouthpiece. Teeth open and with the lower lip forward and lips open. The next shows how the rim sits on the top lip and closes the embouchure, as the bottom rim settles in to the lower lip, and the top rim will rest against the top lip holding it in place as shown by my finger.
These panels represent virtual air delivery. The pinkshapes are a very rough representation of how we perceive the air. The arrow is how we perceive the flow of the air moving up from lo range to hi range. Look at the angles where the air is percived changing direction around the corner of your throat. The first three drawings will work for Air-Play. The last cannot work. The first three are rated for optimum performace.
When you play look at these and identify which one you are using, then work from "good" to "Nice Power". Each of us will find which perception is optimum for yourself. Identify that and then use that100% of the time.
Here is a nice link for a free download of some great material. This is from a post on TPIN from Rich Wiley. He has this also as a free download on his site: boptismpublishing
This is what Rich wrote - followe by a link to download the scales PDF free of charge:
"Upside-Down" Scales for Improvisation, a 64-page workbook that allows you to practice all your scales in a manner that most may not have considered. This "book" makes it easy for you to build your embouchure while practicing scales.
The content of the book is based on Craig Fraedrich's Scales for Improvisation which I have been using with my students but have been wishing for.
And since Craig offers his for free, so do I. (By the way, I went to school with Craig at NTSU over 30 years ago and he gave me his official okie-dokie to do this and use his name.)
Lots of questions about upper range. First off you need to be using a smaller aperture anchored on the bottom lip or below and allow the rim of the mouthpiece to hold your top lip in place with about 3/8 inch of red hanging down below the teeth edges. Now you are ready to ue less to get more.
Fill up to the bottom of your lungs with only about 50% air capacity. Play an easy note and begin to climb a scale.As you go up allow your air to rise up like a tube of toothpaste rolling up from the bottom. When you reach the top don't breath just start back down letting the tube unroll back to the bottom.
Your focus is now on controlling an efficient air column, and not on blowing harder to go higher. Did you ever get dizzy going high? that was over-breathing and over-blowing. Practice this with scales that start a little higher each time. Listen for the sizzle to your sound as you ascend. Perhaps playing into a stand or a wall where the sound sizzles right back into your ears.
The sizzle is the intensity of the sound, and that is what reaches out to the audience. By over-blowing and over-breathing you only force your lips open, your mouth cavity to open and the air begins to collect and expand your neck which in turns tightens to balance the force. You have a viscious clcyle that wears you out.
Have fun gR
Can you hear me - heh?
Some students don't understand what the throat is supposed to feel like when you play. Say "heh" as a whisper or air sound only - do not voice it!
Let the heh be a lowered tongue heh not an hee.
Now hold the air with a very softly closed throat for a split second and let the word "heh" pop out of your throat. Now play G in the staff and use an "heh" to start the note without your tongue. It will pop out and then you sustain the note in this position. not an hAhh or a hooo or a heeh or a halh, but a clear, right down the center "heh".
Think of saying "PeD" the P is the lips touching and releasing the heh, the D is the syllable for tonguing.
Now play a whole note and 4 quarters saying: Ped-d-d-d the "D" will become deh, deh, deh, deh. Very smoothly and about mf. Keep the air advancing and float the deh's on it.
Now play 4 quarters using heh heh heh heh with a slight stop of air between each attack.
Now do these and visualize what the back of your throat is doing.
This is the position for Air-Play.
Once you have this clear in your mind play a scale using heh as separated quarters all the way up and down.
When this is easy do use some "target practice" with gradually increasing intervals. Come in cold on a G above the staff hundreds of times using heh. Then add your tongue to it and you will be much more accurate and use the air to float the notes.
Now do some slurs using heh-heh-heh G-C-G only the first G gets the little pop the others get just a pulse of air in that formation.
You are learning now to use the heh without the compression pop, and that will lead you into more control and much less wear and tear on your chops.
REMEMBER: YOU MUST TAKE A PROPER BREATH, MOVING AIR TO THE FLOOR OF YOUR LUNGS THEN TO YOUR CHEST AREA AND THEN OUT TO THE NOTE. STANDING HELPS. gR
Why do you play Trumpet? I recently asked this question on TPIN and here are a few of the answers:
GeorgeW. Rawlin Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 6:20 AM To: tpin@tpin.okcu.edu Subject: [TPIN] what is trumpet to you?
Is trumpet playing sport, recreation, business, relaxation, Communication, worship, praise, a gift, a blessing, a diversion, an art, a science, a way of life, a discipline, a prison, an escape, energy, force, movement, peace, anger, harmony, therapy, medicine, comfort, confrontation, unification, health, wealth, poverty, love, anguish, accomplishment, fear, joy, a friend, an enemy, a snake, a flower, a voyage, a release, the comfort of home, the agony of defeat or the joy of victory?
Feel free to add your reason for huffing and puffing on your bent piece of pipe (Don Fagerquist quote)
George Rawlin Gwrawlin@att.net
It was a whim, a mid-life crisis. It is a challenge, a joy, a frustration, a wonderful Barb All the above, but mostly "a way of life". (Let's be honest here... <g>)
I always compare it to golf: Most shots you aren't happy with... but that ONE good one keeps you coming back months, just to experience the feeling again... the "perfect game".
- da A challenge, a puzzle, a compulsion, a craft and a love.
Trumpet to me is (in no particular order):
1. One of my lifelines to emotional stability. A sub-dural Hematoma several years ago seems to have made me subject to profound depressions and powerful anxiety attacks. The trumpet is one means of warding off such emotional doldrums.
2. A means to express gratitude to my Creator for allowing me to continuing living (among many other blessings He has showered upon me).
3. An avenue to prepare for retirement. There's no way I want to sit in a front porch rocker and wait to die. The trumpet will become my avocation, hopefully, when traditional employment becomes unavailable. The study of this instrument should keep me busy as long as I live.
4. A way to create beauty in an ugly world. (Beauty is in, not only the eye of the beholder, but in the ear of the auditor) but I'd like to play beautiful music in a beautiful way.
I would have preferred to answer the question, "What is your goal for trumpet playing?"
If I were to boil down all of my secondary and tertiary goals to come up with one sentence it would be this: "I want to learn to play the trumpet so beautifully that people are irresistibly moved to sing along when I play hymns like, "Amazing Grace."
Stephan
At 08:27 PM 8/29/2009, Jon wrote:
Sure it's a way of life but it is also a way of life focus. It supports me and my family but mostly gives me something to do aside from buying more bullets. Jon Trimble ===========================================
To me being a trumpet player is not what I do, it's who I am.
Why not choose a relatively simple question with a one-word answer?
Trumpet playing is an opportunity to express that which is creative in us. It indeed is a sport (just as much as baseball was for me). When I am stressed, pulling out the horn sets my equilibrium back into balance. When I am sad, I can play the blues or simply blast away my troubles. My work can be suicide-inspiringly dull, but there is my Benge, twinkling on its stand, beside my lateral file cabinets offering to be my friend no matter what.
He (yes - my horn is a he - don't ask me why) reminds me of a glorious past, a hopeful future and that I ought to remain humble and grateful for the gift of talent (well, such that it is, of course) I have been given. Trumpet playing is a recreation that has at times paid all my bills, helped me to achieve notoriety, helped me to garner many friends and been my constant companion since I first heard "Lonely Bull" and immediately signed up for trumpet lessons at the beginning of the third grade - some 43 years ago.
I remember Doc Severinsen told me once that at times placing the horn on his lips hurt like a needle. I asked him why he would do something that hurt like that and he said, any pain would be worth the opportunity to do what he did. I agree. No matter how frustrating practice and performance can be, the terrible, awful thing about playing trumpet is that playing the horn is as close to heaven as we come on this planet of ours!
Mark Schwartz
Why do I play trumpet?
Because I think it's the greatest sounding of all instruments, and one day I hope to get good at it!
What is the trumpet to me?
It's my best friend (a lot of the time) and my most insidious enemy (the rest of the time) ;-) Rich Willey / Boptism Music Publishing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jan. 22, 2010 - Some info about Trumpet players at sea - Thinking about a career in music? Here are a few stories from real life taken from the posts on TPIN.
making a living
... I have friends all over the world from the ships. I have played with some amazing players on ships. Right now, I'm in Dubai on RCCL's Brilliance of the Seas on a brand new itinerary for the company, getting ready to do week long cruises from Dubai to Muscat, Oman; Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE); Abu Dhabi, UAE; Mina Sulman, Bahrain and back to Dubai, where we spend two nights each week until the middle of April, when we return to the Mediterranean, home-porting in Barcelona. On this contract, among other things, I have seen the Gaudi architecture of Barcelona, the Acropolis in Athens, Rhodes, Greece; the Great Pyramids, gone through the pirate waters off the coast of Somalia (sorry, didn't see anything!), gone through the Suez Canal and am now in the Persian Gulf.
To all aspiring cruise ship trumpeters, Cruising while being employed as a trumpeter is a rewarding experience, bringing you to exotic and never-before-seen destinations by most people. Equally rewarding are the stories to share when traveling out at sea. Each person has a different and unique recollection such as: how it all went, what they saw, the friends they met, unexpected rogue waves, crew bar incidents, etc., etc. One's experience could be classified as a kind of Grand Camping Adventure!
There's so much to write about when describing a trumpeter's lifestyle on board a seafaring vessel. A memoir for an individual player's personal account would probably consume up to at least 100-150 pages or even more! There are plenty of common experiences, yet there are equally personal ones too. The past five years with me, for instance, could undoubtedly tell an entirely different narrative from the countless other trumpeters who have sailed the seven seas.
It's important to note that since September 11, 2001 much has changed in the way of heightened and more regulated security measures all across our country. This affected not only those of us in the heartland, but also for the many who traveled in-and-out of the United States by way of air and sea travel alone.
The aftermath of 9/11 meant for a universal or bottleneck lifestyle, if you will. Everything became checked-on and off of moving vessels, including your instrument (trumpet, flugel, etc.). This still continues through today, and it should be mentioned when describing a player's personal account on a cruise ship. It is what it is, at least when traveling in and out of this country.
We would always look forward to visiting Europe in the summer and fall. There, restrictions aren't as tight, so embark/debark times could be faster, but not always! I hope that this helps those of you who might some day wish to visit other countries abroad. Also in Europe the money abruptly changes over to the Euro. This means that you must act according to the value of the US dollar, another important factor when considering to travel out at sea.
Gig/employment times vary from ship-to-ship, having one's free/down time potentially differ from the rest. The norm is approximately between four to eight hours of duty per day. Some days one could be off completely. Other days there might be only an hour or so worth of labor involved. Some comedians for instance, have only a play-on for the musicians and it becomes a real bonus: sit, wait, play a few bars, then go back to the cabin and chill.
This downtime can produce a major effect upon a musician's career on a ship. Some use the time wisely: to read, write music, listen to music, or simply watch tv. Others have fallen into decrepitude by spending too much time in the crew bar, or too much time in bed. One perk could be to spend a healthy allowance of time in the fitness/spa, a place permitted to staff members during certain off-peak times (while in port).
The ship I mentioned in an earlier post (Azamara Journey) is one I became quite familiar with over time. I also spent many, many days on its sister ship, the Quest. Both vessels offer an intense cabaret live- music program, with a limited amount of big band in the schedule. The itineraries are amazing, allowing for less periods of sea days, longer voyages (which means less boat drills per/month!), and overall better food-quality to its guests. In this age of choose-your-own-adventure, the possibilities are quite endless, as there are many routes to travel by land and sea. Enjoy the time you have on and off playing trumpet. Remember to make as much music as possible: you can't fool an audience; and remember to enjoy what you are doing. Take good care of your trumpet, and your trumpet will certainly take care of you. God Bless, Ben R. Gary,
It sounds as if you're headed to some great ports of call. When we traveled to the gateway port of the Pyramids, all of what was once mysterious became immediate and visibly known within that ancient land. I can still acutely remember the smell of the underground passageway in the large pyramid. What a stench!
All of the touring was great for me, but what I enjoyed the most was just how far I reached, musically, as a trumpeter since first setting foot on the vessel back in 2004. My first contract's theme was: to be BOLD! It took a few shows for me to realize what stepping up to the plate meant as a showband musician. Playing out strong, being musical, and creating a dominant soprano voice to the band were a few of the attributes I had to quickly acquire under my belt.
There was also a big adjustment to (as you mentioned in an earlier post) the slew of different nationalities on board. It just so happened that on most of my ships the Chinese were in charge of the laundry -a strange commonality I witnessed during the five years. Most of the bands were filled by individuals from North America (USA and Canada). The rest were (in no particular order of occurrence) from England, Australia, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, South America, South Africa, Poland, Hungary, and Mexico. There were others from countries which escape me at the moment.
Once the ground is broken, and you begin working with a stable non-changing group (no showbands are hired as units, but as individuals), then the magic begins! I always looked forward to being part of a group which intimately got to know each other's playing. This manifested itself on stage, but also in big band and the hour or two of our recurring jazz jams.
I joined as a musician Post 9/11, as I wrote earlier, and by that time the bands were much smaller than from earlier years. Although unrated (no comment), one of the Ship of Darkness episodes alludes to the budget cutting dilemma of hiring less people. Unfortunately musicians were included and we lost some dear members, such as the baritone sax. So I never got to hear a bari play while out at sea.
Most programs, I'm told, had a second trumpet and a lead guitar. Some programs still have the nine piece group. There was a time when the size was greater than nine (significant number for movies these days). These were the years others and myself missed out on. Of course the smaller the ship, then the smaller the band. We're in an age where people are marketed to bigger and smaller at the same time. If you're on one of the thriving tiny ships (most managers have to share their cabin), then of course you can only squeeze so many musicians on stage anyway! Just don't cut the trumpet, please.
Seven is a positive number though, and it shouldn't be underestimated. One can do a lot musically with seven, prov- ided the musicians are predominately strong throughout. Most of my time out on the water included work with a 7 piece. I briefly worked with a 9 piece and it was actually on the Brilliance, the ship you're out on now! Give my regards to Palci if he's still there. Cool? Or I should write: kuel? Anyways...
Have fun and keep an open mind out there. Who knows: It could be you at the other end of an Oscar Oscar!!!
-Ben on Land
What can all of these do?
Answer:
Become a trumpet playing embouchure. What I am teaching here is for everybody. Every shape lips, teeth, and mouth. The task is to get your lips exposed to the air between open teeth edges, with the outer shiny red slightly touching, and the air introduced in the Air-Play manner.
Jan. 12, 2010 - Posture and the gRawlin Tops
< This is the master Roy Stevens in proper position to play - here is an exercise that will help you attain this setting:
Standing with the horn up at about 15° above parallel, raise your right elbow up to a 90° angle to the floor and your left elbow out to about 20-25° to the floor. Now bring the mouthpiece down by touching the top lip set point (even if you have a thick or thin top lip, remember to get that edge down below the top teeth edge about 3/16ths"). Bring the lower lip , teeth, and jaw forward to meet the rim. Because your horn is angled up your lower lip will be forward quite a bit. Now adjust the balance of the rim so that is snug over the top lip and the weight of the horn is more on the lower lip, or just below the lip.
Now depress 1&3 or 1&2 and breathe in a clear note. Do not force, allow several attempts to produce a clear centered tone. Now using your air to move up and down gradually widening "same- fingering" arpeggios.
This exercise will exaggerate the setting and get you used to the ease with which the tone is produced, and how close together the slots are in your arpeggios.
gR
Right arm up
1/3 2/3 placement
Jan. 9, 2010 - How to play a gRawlin Mouthpiece top properly within the Air-Play system
This is the first of several lessons for Air-Play users and the gRawlin Tops. Of course this also applies to other mouthpieces, but the gRawlin Tops are designed with the special "it" factor for Air-Play.
1. The rim will need to be adjusted vertically for most players. The rim is softer and wider and allows players to use to full advantage the "ligature" of the rim. With teeth apart about 3/8th of an inch - the thickness of a Bic pen, your top lip must hang over the top teeth edge at the most 3/16th inch. This leaves a portion of the red meat still even with the top teeth edge. For rims made by the other mouthpiece makers this critical area is ignored and the top lip portion between the rim and the teeth is often flattened, pinched or even cut when in the proper Air-Play position.
Because the soft gradual bite of the gRawlin rim is wider it allows the top lip flexibility from the vibrating edge below the teeth up to the High point ridge on the rim, including the small area of red between the rim and the teeth.
With this in mind you can safely allow the rim to lower itself so that the dividing line between shiny outer red and the natural skin above can be behind the rim and you will not see it in a mirror above the mouthpiece as with other sets.. I am including Picture #1 to show this.
Now with the top lip in place the aperture is allowed to close gently and Air-Play is vastly improved.
Next week more about the lower lip. gR
Smooth outer edge protects lips from uneven or sharp teeth. Also allowing slight rolling of the mouthpiece to match angle of air escape.
Gentle slope from hi-point to inner edge to inner bite softly rolls into cup, allowing lip vibrate fully up to the high point.
Note placement of high point past center point more towards the outer edge
The #3 piece normal bite. note flatter plane from inner bite to outer rim. This produces a more symphonic attack. The deeper #3 cup allows more lip movement within the cup.
Here is a better look at the rim contours. #1 is the outer slope #2 shows the extended slope which allows lip vibration even with the red "in the rim" #3 is the wide comfortable highpoint. This is what allows players used to both small and wide diameters to feel comfortable on these pieces.
It is more difficult to show the soft bite on the inner edge because identifying the point where the edge ends and cup begins is very nebulous. The black center shape is covering most of this bite detail.
Jan. 4, 2010 - Horn recommendation
For at least 25 years I played a Bach 43 Lightweight Bb trumpet. Prior to that I played vintage Schilkes made in the 1950 and '60's. As you may know I quit playing in 1999 and did not come back until 2005. I gave away my instruments and started over. Since then I have made a conscious effort to try and find a great horn.
From a Bach Mt.Vernon 37 then a 6337 Yamaha then a Schilke B4 then a Schilke B6, a Monette long model to a new lightweight Monette. Trying these horns for extended times and applying the principles of Air-Play has brought me to an understanding of why players choose different horns and mouthpieces. I am preparing a long discussion of these reasons, but for now let me say that it is not how their lips are shaped, or what their size or shape is - it is because of what they believe is working, and how they are producing sounds.
So with that said I say with great conviction that one of the finest instruments to be played in an Air-Play system is a Bach 43. With a high speed air column a smaller aperture and a gRawlin Top the maximum result comes from this horn. There are horns with similar characteristics that also are excellent with Air-Play, but unfortunately they are expensive, and often custom made. When it comes right down to practicality the 43 standard or lightweight is the most accessible for most players. The older horns are more solid, but even the newer ones play very well. Horns from the 60's and 70's are still in pretty good shape and can be found from $800 - $1800.
The lead pipe and bell are the dominant factors making these great horns for Air-Play. Bob Malone has a leadpipe - the MB2, that plays as well or better than the original Bach. Again I will report more on this later.
gR
Jan. 1, 2010 - A Cushion for your rim
When you play repetitive exercises like HLC Technical Studies, you need to make sure your lips remain what I call "fully inflated" This means soft supple, responding to the air but not thinned by stretching back. Thickened by pushing forward, or flattened by excessive pressure from the mouthpiece.
Although the surfaces of your lips are vibrating, there are other functions the lips play : that is to seal from leaking, to cushion the vibrating surface and keep the vibrating surface from pinching or stretching. Also to give you the player feedback / a mental picture of what the vibrating lips are doing.
As far as sealing - consider a rubber o-ring - it needs to remain buoyant and flexible to be effective, if it is flattened it dries out and cracks, it no longer cushions.
When you practice these HLC exercises or other chromatic patterns allow the lips to float on the air without actually changing shape. This is tough to convey in words but think of the mmmm formation across your chops as being held between your hands and your hands may move up and down or wave, but the way they hold that mmm formation keeps it the same. When you play scales you know there is a slight motion going on but the formation never changes shape and the rim never squashes your lips or bends it out of shape.
This really takes years to grasp and employ but as you practice keep it in mind, and you will find you do not tire as easily, your flexibility, sound, and range will improve. gR
Jan 1, 2010 Comments collected from the web regarding the teachings of Caruso and Reinhardt This helps clarify some mis-conceptions about their particular methods - for your interest only. I find some of this material helpful for Air-Play and other portions neutral.
Reinhardt gave the following definition: The PIVOT is controlled by pulling down or pushing up the lips on the teeth with the rim of the mouthpiece. The outer embouchure and the mouthpiece move vertically (some with slight deviations to one side of the other); however, the position of the mouthpiece on the outer embouchure must not be altered in any way. To make this PIVOT effective, without any sliding of the mouthpiece on the outer embouchure, an adequate mouthpiece pressure must be employed against the lips to provide the all-essential grip.
Remember, the position of the mouthpiece on the outer embouchure must not slide or change and permit multiple embouchures to form, regardless of the range, the dynamics, or the type of articulation; however, the performer should experience sufficient muscular elasticity in his embouchure playing groove to permit a feeling of freedom and relaxation.99The outer embouchure is the point of contact between the mouthpiece and the lips. This was never intended to change or move in any way. The inner embouchure is where the lips can slide against the teeth. The lips and mouthpiece move as one unit moving vertically against the jaw and dental structure. This slide causes a change in the direction of the airstream that makes certain registers easier for some people. It must be noted that Reinhardt instructed that this movement is to be very slight.
Caruso was interested in how the mind controls physical body movements, so much so that he often consulted with physicians and athletes to better understand this process. It was his belief that the process of playing a brass instrument should be controlled by the subconscious mind. According to Ron Falcone, “Caruso emphatically tells his audience that sound production on a wind instrument involves the coordination of ‘over 200’ muscles that can’t possibly come under conscious organization.”119
His idea was to let the muscles of the body discover the right way to play without being verbally instructed. Hence, he made little mention of embouchure, mouthpiece placement, horn angle, diaphragms, and other specific areas. Caruso was known to have frequently remarked, “Don’t think; do.”120 He was a big believer in avoiding the “paralysis through analysis” syndrome. When he did speak about playing, it was often in metaphors, analogies and pictures.121Breath attacks are suggested initially because it is the quickest way to get the lips in focus, to get them touching. Caruso states, “Repetition of the breath attack eventually brings the lips into the best position. I call this balance; others may call it embouchure.”133
“Six Notes” should be played at a mezzo-forte dynamic although the exercises with no indication of dynamics were to be played at whatever was the most natural volume. The most important point is not to stop, no matter how it sounds or feels. Caruso believed that his Six Note Study could act as a basic warm-up. He viewed the warm-up as simply something the body can relate to quickly.As I advanced he had me doing exercises for breathing, tonguing (releasing, as he called it - you are releasing the air blocked behind the tongue). . . All this with the ultimate goal of making beautiful music without the discomfort of being a trumpet player. When you are playing correctly you do not get tired. My muscles are so well trained now that even when I don’t practice for afew days, NO ONE will know. The muscles kick-in [much the same] as muscles used for walking do not get tired.”136
These studies are not flattering. Many times, they may not sound musically pleasant because they are calisthenic studies. . . These studies will continue to improve your playing as long as you continue to use them. After the muscles learn to automatically respond...the conditioned reflex. . . that’s the time to start thinking about music.138 According to Bob Findley: Carmine was not all that interested in what came out of the horn. Theory being, that when the process on our end of the horn was clean and effective enough, the other end would take care of itself. This, of course allows the player to experiment and not worry about performing for him. “Leave your ego at the door” was his motto. . . I heard a lot of very well known players make some very ugly sounds on their quest to improve. His feeling was that we all need a safe place to play and not be judged. You could almost hear the relief from a new student when this point was achieved.139
Dec. 30, 2009 - Observations FWIW
The Kanstul device is so nice for comparing cups. The thing that is tough for me is really discerning the actual rim contours. There are just so many little subtle changes that in all honesty make a BIG difference in attack, endurance and color of the sound. Even the movement of the air. I have a pretty nice set up at home for measuring cups, depths, angles etc. And a drawer or two of old pieces to play with. I honestly believe that the rim contour and bite continuing to the alpha angle is very sneaky - for lack of a better word. Even a 1000th or two can make it or ruin it.
I see guys playing the same mouthpiece for 20 years and then they get the bug to try a new piece. What they sometimes forget is that their mouthpiece is NOT the same one they played years ago. For a small example: A hidden portion of the mouthpiece backbore inner diameter as it fits against or above the receiver "ledge" an ID of .330 is common. Then when the mouthpiece is buffed or re-plated that can become .340 or .327 and then the receiver usually is stretched and goes up in the .336-8 range. Now at that juncture a critical merger occurs, and can be beautiful or a real mess - and we never know it.
When I buy a mouthpiece I check at least three places for accuracy - at least every 6 months I check my trumpet for changes - I am very lucky to have Rich Ita work on my horn. He is a gentleman and doesn't give me flack when I ask him to move or replace a brace or add a sleeve because the horn "feels" wrong.
One thing I always appreciated about guitar players on the road was the guitar techs they took with them. Fine tuning the instrument before each performance. I have a lot of friends that play fiddle in major orchestras - they think nothing of a $150,000. bow or a $700,000 violin. The care they take is inspiring. And the sacrifice they pay is inspirational,
We play horns that could cost $15,000 or $299. specials. Players "make them work" - but why is it that the"deal" is always foremost in the average guys mind.
I AM IMPRESSED AT THE arsenal good symphonic players carry. I wonder why the average joe expects practice alone to give him the sound of Malcomb, or Tim, or Jon or Maurice. Surely these artists are very aware of the intricacies of the instruments they play.
Players begin to compromise their embouchure and air unconsciously to maintain the sound they want to hear, and some guys get better and some guys just get worn out. Thinking a new mouthpiece or a new system, or a new horn...is an answer.
I have always been conscious of these tiny changes - probably due to Ren Schilke showing me so many little tricks. Then watching Dave Monette build and adapt a horn for me.
One thing that stands out is the comment from Schilke that a fine trumpet has a sounding post just like a violin - the bell brace.
Last week I had Rich place the tuning slide brace for me - I had to test several times to find just the place where the horn "lived" when it locked in a two octave concert Bb arpeggio locked in every note and the top note sings. This is at 32nd note ripping speed.
It has been almost 10 years since I left the union, the gigs, and sold my horns. 4 years away cleared my mind. I have dedicated my trumpet time to very close investigation of all these little things. In the last two years I discovered I had spent more than $3K on mouthpieces,tops, rims and bottoms alone. Each one play tested and measured.
I am ashamed at the consistency of most mouthpiece makers. The lure of the CNC is fiction when it comes to consistency. Many of these makers cut the pieces, and then while spinning at high speed, hand buff them. The amount of hand work in the end processing is amazing - then a quick measurement taken at 1 or 2 critical points and it is shipped off to us.
When I check or buff a mouthpiece rim I find that a single trip around the rim with a cotton buffing cloth can change the feel. Imagine what some mouthpieces go through battered around in a bag, and never carefully and gently cleaned?
Players have always overcome these little things and I do not ever mean that we should be so picky and neurotic as I can presently afford to be - but as with all precision instruments; isn't it nice to know you know and not guess?
my take FWIW
Dec. 29, 2009 Tip
Look in the mirror while playing a middle G. Is the faint line across the aperture from the edges of the cup out to your corners straight, or does it curl up or down?
The reason this is of consequence is that a straight line is an indicator of an even distribution of compression across the aperture. This is a very positive position for your chops. When you sense the lips resisting the air make sure that the resistance is happening all the way across your chops to the corners equally. If it is, then your sound is more lively, more relaxed, and flexible.
It is a negative habit to pull your corners down with a force that curls the aperture line down into a frown when you are actually playing. Conversely it is negative to curl upwards in a smile.
Note: The frowning exercise some players use is useful as an isometric, as long as the muscles under the lower lip are pressing upwards towards the nose. This is sometimes called the Bulldog exercise. If you use this exercise , do it in front of a mirror and attempt to keep the aperture line straight across from corner to corner. This reinforces what is positive. If you bring your jaw forward and open your back teeth the exercise takes on a better burn and is more exemplary of a developed power embouchure.
Although I generally try to discourage players from "thinking about the embouchure while playing." I do however feel it is positive to be aware of the compression happening from the outside in - like a scissors closing from the handle to the blades. This will also help you level the aperture and improve your sound and control.
Practice this with the Herbert L.Clarke Technical Studies 1 and 2 in the staff.
On the 12th Day of Christmas! Luke 2The Birth of Jesus 1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to
Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the
village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7
She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in
strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging
available for them.The Shepherds and Angels 8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
On the 11th day of Trumpet Christmas Tips - Memorization
The only difference between a pro and an amateur is that a pro knows the music stone cold at performance. A pro puts in the time the effort and the sweat.
If you are asked to play a solo in church don't dare step out to play without it being memorized. You might put the music there on a stand down low, like a blanket to a baby. But you don't need it. You have successfully played this solo from memory hundreds of times. Yes that many.
Now you see why the good players are good. Why they make it look effortless. Why they are successful.
So start memorizing - this leads to playing from kinetic sense, eliminating nerves, and does wonders for your practice time. gR
On the 10th day of Trumpet Christmas Tips - Choices
We all make choices and those choices make our live. If you make the choice to be a disciplined player, you have to be a disciplined player. It's the doing that makes the choosing work. So during your life you have decided to play the trumpet and every now and then you decide to really work at it.
There is nothing wrong here. Most of us are the same way - the point is to actually make something happen when you work at it.
90% of playing is mental and many of you are much better players than you know. You think about problems, you think about how your lips are placed, how you breathe, how it should sound... Everything but what you are going to actually do. ....
When I sit down at a rehearsal for an evening performance with music I have never seen before, I don't say "I hope I can play this" - no - I say "this is going to be fun" I don't look through the whole book, I scope out the style, tempo, phrasing, and the key. I look ahead at least one line, while I read, I keep my playing within the book. If it says forte I play forte nor double forte. I blend, I listen to the other players, I follow the conductor, and I hear it before I play it.
If I play first I decide the phrasing and then stick with it. The same every time. If I am not playing first I listen to the first player and match him or her.
If I run into a lick or phrase that I can't work out in my mind before I play it, I pick out the essence of the notes (the important ones) and play them in time. That way I can keep the flow going and come back to it when I have a break.
I don't listen to my self play. That is the kiss of death - "pride cometh before a fall"
I concentrate on the usic and the conductor. Not the heat, the chair, supper, how much the gig pays, what new horn the other guy has. I don't talk to the other players during rehearsal, and I don't ask questions.
These all make me an asset to the group and the leader. I have made a choice to do it right, play it straight, and not draw attention to myself.
This is how you progress in the trumpet business, you make it your business.
All of this applies to your practice at home as well. Be confident, be happy, be in control, be prepared. gR
On the 9th Day of Christmas Tips - Follow through
Tonight I played a few lines in the back of my church about 170 feet from the stage. The mike was pointed away from me and I was able to determine how much core follow through I was using. Here is the clip. BTW I played this on my Schilke B6 with a sound sleeve over the bottom tuning slide that helps me imitate one of the big Bachs! This is a raw file, no efx or eq. Notice how big a medium bore Schilke B6 with my #1 TOP can sound. I am using a Warburton #10 BB - it is wonderful for a big flowing clear sound.
When you play you must carry the notes from one to the other with a string of air. One of my teachers told me to think of my tone as a string with a needle a-fixed. When I play make that needle go from one note head to the next with it's string of air and let it flow. In this clip you can hear where I achieve this flow. Because the mike was well over 100 feet away there is plenty of air time for the sound to fall apart, but it stays glued together and is quite a wonderful sound.
Listen to this and then practice while recording yourself until you get that connection between your notes. A note does not end until the next has begun... Have fun
On the 8th Day of Christmas Tips - Mental focal points
98% of playing is between your ears. Positive mental attitude helps, but using mental focal points will build that positive attitude. Here is an extremely important point of focus for practice: Your rear molars - back teeth - wisdom teeth. They must be open about a fingers thickness. If you picture your back teeth opening up - coming apart... you will also be allowing your jaw to drop naturally - the lower jaw is the one that moves and when your mind is seeing the back teeth you get the proper drop. As a by-product the roof of your mouth relaxes and allows a full column of air through. Now if you put your focus on the front teeth opening, you will notice the roof of your mouth tenses and your muscles in your cheeks tighten down. Your tongue wants to say eee. It is really tough to get the proper "dropped" jaw opening and your mental attitude falls. This is just one of hundreds of mental focal points that I teach, but by using it you can begin to realize the Power-Play concept.
On the 7th Day of Christmas Tips - Making the most of your practice time
Most non- students have a hard time planning a schedule for everyday practice. Here is one way to work around this problem.
Map out a weeks worth of practice by content. Decide what you are going to accomplish this week.I suggest choosing no more than 3 main items. For instance: 1. Work on double tonguing 2. a particular etude or piece, and 3. A scale to learn, or work out.
Then tell yourself in the morning that you are going to make sure and work on at least these choices, and then work on other material. This way you can be flexible with time but you still maintanin your focus for the week's accomplishments.
If you have a block of time regularly scheduled you need to do at theast these 7 things during that time: 1. Air work 2. Tonguing 3. Scales 4. Tone quality 5. Finger busters 6. Flexibility (slurring) 7. Musicianship
On the 6th Day of Christmas Tips - What to practice!
Here is my all time favorite practice books and pieces:
Herbert L. Clarke (HLC) Setting up Drills HLC Elementary Studies HLC Technical Studies HLC Characteristic Studies Rhythm Studies for All Treble Clef Instruments - Colin Salvation Army Tune Book Allen Vizzuttii - all of them Top Tones for Trumpet - W.M.Smith Arbans Complete Conservatory Method Sigmund Herring 32 Etudes for Trumpet Longinotti – Etudes Carnival of Venice - Staigers & Arban Wondrous Day solo - Salvation Army The Challenge Solo - Salvation Army - Eric Ball Songs in the Heart Solo - Salvation Army Harry James Concerto for Trumpet Onward Christian Soldiers Solo - Terry Winch (available from gRawlin) Have fun
On the 5th Day of Christmas Tips - 5 Golden Breaths
1. First note of the day breath - raise your breast bone, breathe in smoothly allowing the sides and back to be filled with a medium amount of air. Do not hold the air, turn it right around the way it came in and release the first tone. 2. Breath for a two octave passage or scale. See the top note of the phrase and bring the air in to the position on your breast bone that is equal to that note - belly button for low, 2 inches above for mid staff, 1 inch more up for top of staff, 1 inch more up for up to Hi C, 1 inch more for above top C. 3. Full slow deep breath for a Piano note. Plenty of support for soft sounds without out stuffing yourself with air. 4. Heh, heh, heh for pulsing on slurs. executed: HeHeHe no stops. 5. 90% full breath for all those last notes of the overture - always keep a reserve. If that is not enough then increase your capacity away from the horn so then your 90% will equal the old 100%. Never blow full out or breathe full in,,,,
On the 4th Day of Christmas Tips - Center Point
I have middle B in the staff as my so called center point. It is usually the first note of the day. The 2nd valve feels right and responds the easiest when I first pick up the horn. If I use an F# below, I still get an easy sound but it can allow my chops to open a bit.
Now here is why finding your center point will save you time and improve your playing:
1. This note is an indicator of how developed your chops are. If you have to begin below the staff this means that you are more comfortable with a lip that opens outwards into the cup. Then you either play on the middle of the embouchure tunnel, or the backside of the embouchure tunnel.
(tunnel is the space between the back of closed lip and the front of closed lip. Some lips are thicker or thinner, however it is possible for a thick lipped person to have a shorter tunnel than a thinner lip person, because of the way they thin the lip out prior to producing a sound - and vice versa)
2.When the center point is in the middle of the staff you have a much better chance at developing an outstanding sound. This is because your chops have learned / or are naturally inclined / to play off the front of the tunnel, and the sounds produced are clearer and easier to sound.
Here is where I need to clarify that the entire aperture tunnel is in play - the point is to keep the front side of the tunnel down and in contact with the lower lip AS WELL AS THE MIDDLE AND BACK - so many comeback players let this flap too far open in order to get a big sound / and in so doing waste a good 50% of the tunnel, and the sound gets blattyer. Like saying Pooo
Here is how you move your center point:
Use the PETE by putting the rod with the disk end between your lips. Hold this rod and pull on the PETE while resisting - do not let your lips pouch out / Pooo. Instead they must have some of the shiny on top and bottom facing the rod...mmm.
Do this at least 3 minutes a day. Do not overdo this! It will train your lips come come together towards the rod, mmm, which is actually a representative of your aperture tunnel.
Now play any note in the middle of the staff PPP. Use no tongue - just an air release of the sound. Hold this note for ten seconds and then breathe in through your nose without moving your lips at all. Begin the note again and repeat 5 more times. Rest and move up 1/2 step and repeat. Do this every day using the same 3 step up routine.
After a week your center point should have moved up at least one step. From the center point you can evenly spread your range out two octaves. If center point is B in the staff: Bab, Bc#b, BgB, BdB etc.
Have fun.
On the 3rd day of Christmas Tips - ENDURANCE
I want to show you that large muscle groups are more important than small ones for trumpet embouchure development. Picture this: A young man is standing on one leg balancing on a small platform 20 feet in the air. Then he reaches out to a platform for a 9 pound hammer, with which he is going to chip away at a large rock.
Now a friend sees him and decides to help out, so he runs to the rental store and gets a Genie lift 32 feet tall. He returns and sets up the Genie lift and raises it to 20 feet and grabs a hold of his friend around the waist. He stabilizes the friends position and immediately his friends muscles relax quite a bit. Now he is no longer alone holding the hammer and balancing on his leg. The support is coming from the friend which now allows the fellow to not only chip away at a piece of rock , but make a beautiful sculpture.
Now in the embouchure we have friend muscles that help us as we strive to control our lips. These friends have resources that provide structure, position, power, and flexibility. Beginning with the core muscles in our chest cavity and between the ribs, even our backs, then on up to the neck, jaw and chin. These are the helper muscles. They keep us inline and breathing effectively; no matter what physical activities we are performing. Imagine swimming, rock climbing, running, etc.
Now the small muscles that surround the lips must take advantage of these helpers. Some of the helpers pull the top lip down so the small top lip area right below your nose does not have to wiggle itself into a downward pressure against the lower lip. Other helpers raise the chest to let us breath in a relaxed open fashion. The combination of all of these helper friends and then the small control muscles allow us to build an efficient machine that does NOT rely on the front of the face and tongue to play the trumpet by itself.
So to develop your endurance you must do physical work away from the horn. walking, lifting, Yoga breathing. Body conditioning, and devices such as the pencil, the PETE, and others.
Our new DVD Power play shows you how to pull tohgether all the pieces and let playing be a joy. But until it is ready get out there and run...:)
On the 2nd day of Christmas Tips . Tonguing
Listen to the MP3s on the home page. On #3 I am working on clear precise attacks within the confines of arpeggios. This help keep your air in charge of the tongue. The illusion of staccato is produced by a more explosive release of the notes. It's as simple as releasing the tongue with more force and power. I am using a da style tongue but the degree of explosion I use makes it sound precise and powerful like most people expect from a Tu type tongue. The hi C's are the same size and shape as the lower by keeping the air core from closing , lifting my chest, and not allowing the air to puff in my mouth. It must keep moving.
On the first day of tips for Christmas Tips - VIBRATO
Producing a singing quality is imperative for melodic playing. I suggest you listen to your favorite player and count the beats in the vibrato. Practice with a metronome using either the right thumb under the leadpipe as the control , or using your jaw to produce the vibrato. It's better if you have a natural vibrato to NOT focus on where it comes from - just match it to the speed and width of the sound you want to emulate. If there is no one you really want to match - make your own statement when playing lyrically. One popular technique is holding the longer tones - end of phrases as a straight tone and then adding a touch of "fanning" vibrato to the tail of the note. This was popular with many soloists years ago. Currently the technique is done much more subtlety and understated. It takes a few sessions of playing recording and listening to develop your vibrato, but the return is worth the small amount of time. This is perhaps one of the easiest aspects of trumpet playing to develop, and add the personal touch to your sound.
Dec. 7, 1942--oops 2009
My mom's Birthday. (A cornet player)
OK here is a radical technique for getting you up the stairs.
Next time you blow out the water from your horn, place the top rim between your teeth and your top lip then let the bottom of the rim just fall where it will on the bottom lip and maybe even a little below. Don't worry about the position too much just blow the heck out of your horn with a gust of air.
Now do it again and this time let the top lip actually pull down like a drap over the rim and even down as far as the outside bowl of the cup and repeat. You will see that you are having to do some work to keep that top lip down out front on the mouthpiece. Now do it again and try different positions for your bottom lip to be in - maybe rooled out a bit and into the cup - maybe pulled up to the top teeth edges - just find the place that really lets the air zing through the horm. Maybe with a little shrill whistle. Now do it with the best spot for keeping the top lip down and against the outside of the cup, but bring your lower jaw forward so the whole mouthpiece is almost aiming straight up.
Feel the air gushing out across the lower portion of your throat and mouth? Notice the corners just seem to tighten by themselves? Now do it and imaging your are playing that high G. This is the feel you need to play up there all day.
Now all the while the bottom end of the rim has been working it's way to a strong, and yet comfortable seating against the lower lip, the air has been free to move, now bring that top lip back behind the rim all the while keeping everything else pretty much the same position - now blow that air just as free and let whatever comes out come out.
This will get your foot so far in the door of real power playing in the upper register that you will be hooked to continue the process and teach yourself how to manage this into a playable upper register ... Have fun
I hope I painted a good enough picture for you. gR
Nov. 18,2009
Bach Bb touch ups. The author takes no responsibility for yahoos going to far and denting their fine Bach instruments.
Here are the most obvious. A place everyone should start when optimizing your instrument: 1. Make dead sure you are tuning and playing in the meat of the pitch. Bachs have 2 points on the tuning slide that generally give the same pitch. The more popular is with the slide pulled .9 inch. The other is at .5 inch. In my experience the Bach is so solid you can use the tuning slide as much for timbre as tuning. The .9 position is for the eee type players (downstream), and the .5 for the aaahh type.\ straight or upstream) 2. The tension on the spit valve nut will move the resistance in or out of your mouth. 3. The third valve nut can be removed and the sound will spread and often the slots between notes will widen 4. The third valve nut as screwed in towards the casing will begin to consolidate or focus the sound. It also will close the slots and if placed just right for you will bring the High C into a solid slot. The Ab above the staff is locked in by a combination of tip 2 & 4. 5. Often the Bach factory reverses the second valve slide along the way. You can flip it and if the sound warms and opens you have the correct position. Some players with large bores and too large a backbore will reverse the slide to tighten the resistance. However it also steals the bach overtones and moves it towards the timbre of a Yamaha or Schilke (but without the good qualities of either) 5. Bach valve caps can be weighed and then you should always place the heaviest on 3rd lightest on first. If you have trouble hearing yourself in a section unscrew the 2nd cap a few turns and you will have more presence from your point of hearing , but the projection suffers. If you play on mike it doesn't matter . 6. The high Eb and E dilemma is often solved by placing the receiver of your mouthpiece over the finger hook and slightly bending the hook towards the leadpipe. Not enough to see - just enough to put a little tension in. If your horn backs up on you when you play C in the staff the opposite direction will allow a freer blow. 7. This is last of the simple fixes - Play low Ab loudly and if you have a lot of turbulence you must unscrew the third valve cap to the point it clears up but then you have to add a small piece if paper into the threading to hold it firmly in that position, or if you are a nut like me put some tension on the cap (bend it slightly) to keep it there.
OK that's enough to get the flame trowing, knuckle draggers out. Don't knock it til you try it.
Nov. 18,2009 tip The Kanstul device is so nice for comparing cups. The thing that is tough for me is really discerning the actual rim contours. There are just so many little subtle changes that in all honesty make a BIG difference in attack, endurance and color of the sound. Even the movement of the air. I have a pretty nice set up at home for measuring cups, depths, angles etc. And a drawer or two of old pieces to play with. I honestly believe that the rim contour and bite continuing to the alpha angle is very sneaky - for lack of a better word. Even a 1000th or two can make it or ruin it.
I see guys playing the same mouthpiece for 20 years and then they get the bug to try a new piece. What they sometimes forget is that their mouthpiece is NOT the same one they played years ago. For a small example: A hidden portion of the mouthpiece backbore inner diameter as it fits against or above the receiver "ledge" an ID of .330 is common. Then when the mouthpiece is buffed or re-plated that can become .340 or .327 and then the receiver usually is stretched and goes up in the .336-8 range. Now at that juncture a critical merger occurs, and can be beautiful or a real mess - and we never know it.
When I buy a mouthpiece I check at least three places for accuracy - at least every 6 months I check my trumpet for changes - I am very lucky to have Rich Ita work on my horn. He is a gentleman and doesn't give me flack when I ask him to move or replace a brace or add a sleeve because the horn "feels" wrong.
One thing I always appreciated about guitar players on the road was the guitar techs they took with them. Fine tuning the instrument before each performance. I have a lot of friends that play fiddle in major orchestras - they think nothing of a $150,000. bow or a $700,000 violin. The care they take is inspiring. And the sacrifice they pay is inspirational,
We play horns that could cost $15,000 or $299. specials. Players "make them work" - but why is it that the"deal" is always foremost in the average guys mind.
I AM IMPRESSED AT THE arsenal good symphonic players carry. I wonder why the average joe expects practice alone to give him the sound of Malcomb, or Tim, or Jon or Maurice. Surely these artists are very aware of the intricacies of the instruments they play.
Players begin to compromise their embouchure and air unconsciously to maintain the sound they want to hear, and some guys get better and some guys just get worn out. Thinking a new mouthpiece or a new system, or a new horn...is an answer.
I have always been conscious of these tiny changes - probably due to Ren Schilke showing me so many little tricks. Then watching Dave Monette build and adapt a horn for me.
One thing that stands out is the comment from Schilke that a fine trumpet has a sounding post just like a violin - the bell brace.
Last week I had Rich place the tuning slide brace for me - I had to test several times to find just the place where the horn "lived" when it locked in a two octave concert Bb arpeggio locked in every note and the top note sings. This is at 32nd note ripping speed.
It has been almost 10 years since I left the union, the gigs, and sold my horns. 4 years away cleared my mind. I have dedicated my trumpet time to very close investigation of all these little things. In the last two years I discovered I had spent more than $3K on mouthpieces,tops, rims and bottoms alone. Each one play tested and measured.
I am ashamed at the consistency of most mouthpiece makers. The lure of the CNC is fiction when it comes to consistency. Many of these makers cut the pieces, and then while spinning at high speed, hand buff them. The amount of hand work in the end processing is amazing - then a quick measurement taken at 1 or 2 critical points and it is shipped off to us.
When I check or buff a mouthpiece rim I find that a single trip around the rim with a cotton buffing cloth can change the feel. Imagine what some mouthpieces go through battered around in a bag, and never carefully and gently cleaned?
Players have always overcome these little things and I do not ever mean that we should be so picky and neurotic as I can presently afford to be - but as with all precision instruments; isn't it nice to know you know and not guess?
Nov. 9, 2009 We are receiving some neat letters of success with our gRawlin tops. More to follow in a few weeks.
Here are some important helps taken from The Warburton web site. This will increase your knowledge of backbores and how you can use them to enhance your playing with the gRawlin tops.
What does the backbore do? 1. Regulates resistance. 2. Helps you achieve your desired sound quality.
Fine tuning resistance with a backbore relates to your own physiology (air capacity, coordination of chest, back, and abdominal muscles, elasticity of the lips) and your personal musical goals (maximum required volume, tone color, broadness of sound, intensity, and technical efficiency). Each and every backbore that you play-test will score slightly differently in each of these categories. Your own trumpet and choice of cup style will set the parameters for this balancing act.
I think we would all agree that there are as many sounds as there are musicians. In my conversations over the years with seasoned trumpet players, I hear an often recurring theme: "No matter what the mouthpiece, the player will find a way back to his own sound if given enough time."
Where the Warburton System becomes so effective and valuable is in this area of concern. Rather than having to make physical adaptations to achieve your musical goals, your equipment is "customized" to enhance your most natural approach to trumpet playing. The result is the elimination of tensions which serve to work against efficiency and progress.
What is a "B" backbore?
A "B" designation means that the outside dimensions of the tapered shank are larger. This will increase the "gap". Increasing the gap adds resistance in its own unique way, much differently than by simply choosing another backbore. Make no mistake - RESISTANCE is a healthy and vital part of maintaining a successful upper register!
Try a "B" backbore if: • High notes are easy at first, but soon tend to "wash out" or "air-ball" • There is little definition to the notes above high C • Low register is unusually free blowing • There is nothing to "lean on" when coming back down from a high passage
What is the advantage of a SERIES 80 backbore? SERIES 80 backbores have been well received by trumpet players wishing to increase their maximum controllable volume, and by those seeking a denser, more authoritative core to their sound.
SERIES 80 backbores are so named because the large "barrel" section measures .80" in diameter. In developing a high-mass backbore for use with Warburton tops, Terry Warburton designed a series of blanks ranging from slightly more mass to a full 7/8 inch (.875") diameter (Series 65, 70, 75, 80, 87).
These were sent to well respected trumpet players around the country for comment, and were tested in the factory by Orlando's top call players. In universal accord, the "80" series was singled out as the most effective and vibrant. Because there is not an excess of mass up around the rim and cup, we did not find it necessary to install a larger bore (throat) as was done by other manufacturers of a heavy one-piece model.
Series 80 Playing Characteristics
• Increases maximum volume potential. Test this with a crescendo on a long tone. Chances are you will go beyond the point at which sound would normally break up or reach its limit. • Locks in unstable partials in the extreme upper register. • Requires more use of the large skeletal muscles of the body without added burden to the lips. Functioning at increased volume levels will draw more energy from your body, but the rewards are often impressive. • Generally not preferred for softer playing as they require a certain minimum amount of energy to be effective.
What is a Star Backbore? Each standard backbore has a cylindrical section at the top where only the #27 reamer has passed. This cylinder is of varying lengths depending on the overall size of the backbore. (#1 has the longest cylinder, #9-12 the shortest).
On Star backbores, this section is altered to be conical (tapered). Players report the following general characteristics:
Standard -- Slots on each pitch are more defined with tighter center. Notes will "pop" (sound like du tongue) when slurring rapidly up a chromatic scale. Broadness of sound is limited in order to favor projection. Star -- Slots are roomier - easier to lip pitch up or down without changing timbre or chipping attacks. Notes tend to smoothly glide together on chromatic scale. Produces broader, more blending sound, less projection.
What are the characteristics of the Q Backbore?

Highly efficient - The player's buzz is amplified to a vibrant sound, even in the mid and low registers. This makes it possible for lead players to remain authoritative in these registers without having to overly-loosen their chops. This pays off big in the endurance department.
Resistance - similar to our #4 backbore, but the increased quantity of sound requires less physical drive to sustain dominance. An entirely new reamer was created to make the Q backbore so more specific comparisons aren't possible. Slightly lower pitch center - The Q is .050" longer in length overall than our standard backbores. This added a unique type of resistance resulting in firmer "walls" around the slots.
If you are playing at extreme volumes, this type of security can make the difference between a guarded performance and a boldly dynamic one. Most players who use the Q have found that their tuning slides can come in as much as a quarter inch, resulting in a more consistent timbre and better intonation.
Commercial sound - Make no mistake here - the Q was designed for verve and projection.
Can a mouthpiece cause/cure pitch problems? Yes. Some that we often hear about include: Problem --Upper register goes sharp when chops are tired Cause --Backbore too big.
If your trumpet plays a bad scale, you could "fix" the problem by choosing a mouthpiece with such a lack of focus that you could place the pitch just about anywhere, but this is not an acceptable solution. When a few selected notes are flagrantly out of tune, it is likely due to valve misalignment, assembly error, or flawed instrument design.
In this case, the mouthpiece can help only by allowing your chops more leeway to "flirt" with the pitch. Remember, whenever you have to place the pitch in defiance of your instrument, more involvement of the lip musculature will be required and endurance will suffer.
Trumpet Backbores:
1, 2, 3 - Our tightest commercial sounding
backbores. These models have a concentrated and intense sound. The #3
is the most popular of this series. If offers a bright, projecting
sound that is great for lead players and outdoor work.
4, 5, 6
- Tight to medium. With progressively less resistance, these models
produce a bright and very projecting tone. The #5 is by far our most
popular with strong lead players.
Q Backbore -
New in 2004, the Q is our most aggressive backbore, preferred by lead
players who also need to maintain dominance in the middle register
without spreading or over-loosening their chops.
Qm Backbore - New in 2008, the Qm is a
slight modification to the Q backbore. A modified taper in the venturi
section slightly compresses the air column to increase velocity before
releasing the air into the main body of the backbore. The result - An
exciting commercial sound with an intense center.
New Product Alert - NY Backbore:
NY Backbore - This backbore was inspired
by the sound of the old Giardinelli #3 (default) backbore made popular
by Maynard and others in the '70's. The New York sound was broad,
bright, and acoustically loud which are also the qualities of this
backbore. Resistance is just a bit tighter than our #5.
KT Backbore - Added to the line in mid
1987, this backbore appeals to commercial/lead players and is
characterized by its projection and secure slotting of notes above high
C. The comparative resistance falls in the 4, 5, 6 series.
7, 8, 9
- Medium large sizes. The #7 has been our best selling model for the
past seven years. This series produces a quality of sound acceptable in
the orchestra as well as the concert band. Models #8 and #9 are very
well received by the orchestra player who appreciates the increased
volume of sound with less resistance.
10, 11, 12
- Very large "Symphonic" sizes. These models have very little
resistance and offer the strong player the potential for the ultimate
in full, rich sound.
There are three styles of trumpet backbores:
The STANDARD Series - These 13 models have long established themselves as the most popular for all around playing situations.
The STAR Series
- These were designed to allow each of the STANDARD models to be more
free blowing without the necessity of reaming to a larger bore size.
This is important because the quality of sound remains the same without
the risk of losing focus sometimes caused by playing of too large bore
size. Since these models were made available, the medium large sizes
(7* to 10*) have been very well received in the orchestral trumpet
community.
The "B" Series - They are exactly
like the STANDARD and STAR series internally. The only difference is in
the external dimension which is slightly larger and causes a subsequent
increase in the GAP. This added diameter can re-establish a functional
gap distance in trumpets with worn receivers and where the receiver has
been soldered improperly.
While we recommend the use of our
STANDARD series for most situations, if there is a noticeable problem
with "LOCKING-IN" of the upper partials, the "B" backbore will very
often rectify the problem.
Nov, 8 2009 For Veterans Day Bountiful, Utah (CNN) -- It was two weeks after D-Day, a few
miles from the bloody shores of Omaha Beach. An airstrip had been
carved out of the Normandy countryside, costing the lives of 28 Army
engineers at the hands of German snipers. A lone sniper still remained in the nighttime distance. Despite the risk, Capt. Jack Tueller felt compelled to play his trumpet.
That
afternoon, his P-47 fighter group had caught up with a retreating
German Panzer division. As the U.S. Thunderbolts descended on their
targets, they saw French women and children on top of the tanks. After
an initial fly-by, the order was given to attack anyway. "We were told those human shields were expendable," Tueller said. Back
at the airstrip, Tueller took out his trumpet. He'd used it on many a
starlit night to entertain the men of the 508th Squadron 404th Fighter
Group. "I was told, 'Captain, don't play tonight; your trumpet
makes the most glorious sound,' but I was stressed," he said. He was so
troubled that he was willing to take a chance the sniper wouldn't fire.
"I
thought to myself, that German sniper is as lonely and scared as I am.
How can I stop him from firing? So I played that German's love song,
'Lilly Marlene,' made famous in the late '30s by Marlene Dietrich, the
famous German actress. And I wailed that trumpet over those apple
orchards of Normandy, and he didn't fire." The next morning, the
military police came up to Tueller and told him they had a German
prisoner on the beach who kept asking, "Who played that trumpet last
night?"
"I grabbed my trumpet and went down to the beach. There
was a 19-year-old German, scared and lonesome. He was dressed like a
French peasant to cloak his role as a sniper. And, crying, hesaid, 'I couldn't fire because I thought of my fiancé. I thought of my mother and father,' and he says, 'My role is finished.' "He
stuck out his hand, and I shook the hand of the enemy,"
Tueller
had learned to play the trumpet as a child growing up in Wyoming. His
mother, a nurse, died at 29, and his father, a bartender and alcoholic,
left the next day -- leaving Jack and his brother, Bob, orphans. They
left their home in Superior to live with an aunt in nearby Evanston.
She gave Jack his first trumpet, and he quickly discovered he had a
musical ear.
He was no enemy, because music had soothed the savage beast.
"In 1939, I was playing in Yellowstone
Park in a dance band of 22 musicians at Lake Hotel. The famous trumpet
player Louis Armstrong came up to the band during intermission and
said, 'You sound pretty good for white cats,' " Tueller recalled. He
asked Armstrong what advice he would give a young trumpet player. "He
said, 'Always play the melody, man. Look at them, see their age group,
play their love songs, and you'll carry all the money to the bank.' " Tueller enrolled at Brigham Young University, where he met his future wife and fellow trumpeter, Marjorie.
"This
beautiful brown-haired gal with luscious lips said, 'Did you play the
trumpet solo at the freshman assembly?' And I said, 'Yes, ma'am, I
did.' She said, 'Boy, you have strong lips.' Being a sophomore, I said,
'Would you like to try me?' She nodded, and I went over and kissed her." In
1941, as war clouds gathered, Jack enlisted in the Army and was sent to
fighter school because he was an "individualist," he said. "I wanted to fly it, fire it, navigate it, shoot the guns." He once flew his plane through a dirigible hangar at Moffitt Field in Sunnyvale, California.
The commandant was fuming mad. "He stood me in a brace, then he kind of smiled and says, 'We don't want to quell spirit like that ... but don't do it again!'" When D-Day arrived on June 6, 1944, Tueller was in the air, flying five missions.
I was an unruly child. ... Music tamed me.
"I witnessed the invasion from a ringside
seat. We saw 2 million men, 10,000 ships. And we just shot at
everything," he said. "We tried to help those men trying to get off the
landing craft at high tide, where a lot of them were drowned. "I remember feeling pride and sadness as I saw the bodies of 4,000 killed in two hours." Tueller
credits common sense and his first flight instructor, a crop duster,
with his survival that day -- and the rest of the war. "I
learned to love low-level flying.
I never came off enemy targets high.
I'd lay it down a row of trees 400 knots, a foot off the ground, so all
the flak would go over my head. They'd wonder where I'd gone." Trumpet in the cockpit Tueller
managed to fly 140 missions without taking a single bullet hole to his
airplane -- the name of his infant daughter, Rosanne, painted on the
side. "Everyone wanted to fly it; they thought it let a charmed life." And on each mission, Tueller carried his trumpet in the cockpit. "I
took it in a little canvas bag attached to my parachute.
I figured if I
ever got shot down, it would go with me, and if I survived and got put
into a prisoner of war camp, I could get an extra bar of soap from the
guard." His tour of duty ended just before his fighter group
left for Belgium and the Battle of the Bulge. Three months later, his
plane was shot down and destroyed. The pilot was killed.
Tueller
went on to fight in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and served in the
Pentagon during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. He retired
in 1966 as a colonel, having earned the Distinguished Flying Cross,
almost two dozen air medals and two Legions of Merit, the nation's
highest peacetime award. Now 89, Tueller takes care of Marjorie, his wife of 68 years, who has Alzheimer's disease.
As
Veterans Day approaches, he has a word of advice to veterans: "When you
become a veteran, it's my opinion that you should do everything to make
people realize the wonderful life that you really have." He
still has his trumpet of 70 years and still performs at schools, family
get-togethers and church functions. He has a stereo system installed in
the back of his family van, where he inserts a CD of big band music and
begins playing the melodies of a bygone era. "I
was an unruly child," he said. "Music tamed me. ... My ambition as the
last action on my part as a veteran is to hit high C and fall right
into the grave. What a way to go!"
Nov. 1, 2009 Double tonguing
I like to teach the Ku, kuh,or keu first. Pulse the air colum with the K sound until it sounds as good as a normal tongue. Play a whole note then play the same whole note while letting the tongue reach the top of the mouth with a gentle "Keu" four times. Play quarter notes until perfect then 8ths then go back to quarter note tetra chords (4 notes)then eighths.
Then work up to triplets at 120bpm followed by 16ths.
After you fel comfortable playing simple tunes and exercises with the K then go back to half note tk. Then quarters then eighths. Then quarter note scales, eighth note and triplet scales (tkt ktk tkt)
Then when you feel it flowing at 96bpm triplets move to 16ths starting from bpm 60 and work your way faster. Always keep it legato and even with the metronome.
To create the illusion of staccato just strike the articulations a little harder and the ear perceives it as detached.
Once you have it under your belt try d and g for syllables. It all depends on the size and length of your tongue and shape of your mouth. Remember legato first.
Oct. 27,2009 Comment: "Hi George, please advise progress of the next Air Play DVD and let me know when the mouthpiece tops will be available, your method has given me new enthusiasm and great results, Cheers Jim"
I'll answer Jim's email here today:
Yes the new mouthpiece tops are ordered (The #1 & #2.- The #3 is still in progress.)
The new DVD POWER-PLAY is under construction and should ship in March 2010.
This is the next tier in Air-Play and will move you to a position of great strength, endurance, range and power. Prepare to work hard, and for the first time have actual written exercises in sequence.
Oct. 25, 2009
Now that I have my gRawlin line of mouthpiece tops added to the website, I want to give you some practical help in deciding which mouthpiece to play:
1. Find the width that feels comfortable and allows you a nice full sound with your aperture line a little above the center of the mouthpiece. The size is not as important as where the high spot on the rim is. i.e. A small diameter can feel larger if the high spot is further out on the rim. A common mistake is players choosing a smaller diameter to play high and then they have to move the aperture line into the bottom half of the mouthpiece. This produese a bigger brighter sound but allows the lips to "pooch" out into the cup more and they have trouble with fatigue in the upper register.
2. Try different depths of the same size mouthpiece. A Bach A,B,C,D,E, depth is intended for trumpets in A,Bb,C,D,Eb keys.The deeper the darker if you play a A cup on a Bb horn it is darker. If you play a A cup on a trumpet in A it is normal for the instrument. If you play a D cup on a D horn it sounds normal, but sounds bright on a Bb. These are general rules and in modern times players use different depths to change the sound of their horn.
3. Rims can be narrow, medium, rounded or flatter, and wide or wider. Some have sharp inner bites, some medium and some softer. These are subjective but make articulation better or worse depending upon the players lips.
4. In recent years companies have made separate bottoms or back bores available. These allow you to find the right resistance and timbre for your mouthpiece and horn combination. Like the cup affects tone so does the back bore. Intonation can be hurt or helped by back bores. I recommend you visit the Warburton site to learn more about back bores. They have a wide variety.
The more penetrating lead types are found in the lower numbers, with my favorite being the 5. Then the 6-9 are more all around, and then the higher numbers are for symphonic players or players who use a large volume of air. Piccolo players often choose a number 10* as it is similar to the Bach pic. standard 117 backbore.
5. Don't play a mouthpiece because it feels good if it sounds bad. And vice-versa. Choose it because it suits you and sounds the way you want it too.
All this being said: If you are an Air-Play student or player try the gRawlin #1. It is an excellent first mouthpiece to "train" your chops with. It helps you maintain and Air-Play embouchure better than any other and produces a clear, bold, resonant sound within the Air-Play system. If you are a "buzzer" or other type player it will help you learn to relax your chops and become a much more efficient player.
Oct. 21, 2009 There are three general ways that work to create an active, energized, and focused air column IN THE Body:
1. Let the back of your throat, front of neck, and back of your tongue expand with exhalation and direct the air to the front of the face with a big bold breath. This works best with smaller cups and throats in order to allow the air column to "sit" on the compression and deliver a big fat sound. The negatives are reduced control, fatigue in the lungs, and difficulty articulating. Some prefer this as it allows the sound to float out with power.
2. Letting the air column make a bubble in the center of the oral cavity and manipulate the tone changes with more tongue leverage. This gives a fat sound with much more control and flexibility and can easily be performed on most size cups and throats. The disadvantages are a thinning of the sound in the upper registers, and tendency to create pressure against the carotids and get faint, and the need for much more muscular control at the corners.
3. Leave the tongue at the mid position in the mouth as in saying aaa as in Pad. This allows the compression to be from the lungs to the throat to the mouth across the face and then striking the front of the face in a single stream without the "bubbles" This is best for all-round playing. Clearer tone, more control, less work and of course it is preferred with Air-Play
If you identify yourself as one of these types, the best way to affect a change towards #3 is practice mid range long SOFT tones using air attacks and breathe in and out through the same air space. You will require less width to your aperture and because the blow is wide and flat the proper muscles respond to your playing wishes. You may also find you can obtain the same sound with a narrower cup diameter. Years ago the cup depth meant a lot to players. Today the diameter seems to be more important. I believe the depth to be a more efficient way to darken the tone and maintain the power as well as the finesse.
gR
October 20,2009 What should my chops feel like when I am not playing? I thought this a strange ? 'til I thought about it. There is a feeling of strength and buoyancy that I like. After you curl a few times your arms are alive and the muscles pumped up, this is what I like my lips and embouchure to feel like.
I sometimes feel the little ridge between the red and the white and if it's a little raised and strong I know it's a good day. Those days when my chops are flat and wrinkled are the ones I really work on the PETE a little extra and I also drink a bunch of water.
So yes I do know what I like my chops to feel like and it does point me in a direction for playing that day.
Thanks for the ? POOR Louis:(
gR
October 9,2009
Interesting thread I have been reading on Tpin
- Recently have been a bit confused about the relationship between pitch and the placement of the crook brace. I have an adjustable crook brace on my Schilke and if it is off even a tiny bit the pitch goes awry. I have always used about 90% first slide and not much third slide.
But after getting that brace in just the right spot I need hardly use either one of the slides. I spent a long time last night playing chromatic from low to hi C into my recorder and watching the pitch and the waveform both.
While I was playing very close to "in tune" the waveform shrunk and 4th line D, 5th line F and low Ab. After I realized what was happening I let those notes sit where they wanted to sit and used the slides. The result was much better pitch and an even response.
I was also surprised to learn that I really could not hear the live sound diminish on those tones but you can't argue with the visual facts. When I played it all back I could hear it and see it on the recording, and then I realized the resonance - presence whatever you like, was not the same on different fingerings.
So I went back and played with valve alignment, different positions for the 1,2,3 caps and then the buttons and was very pleased to achieve a much better sound quality across the entire tessitura of the horn.
This took about three hours, and I suspect I will do the same on all the horns, and then check them every month or so.
I'll let you all know my progress, as I believe a lot of tension in playing is caused from our ears being better than our equipment and subconsciously making more work to get the pitch locked in and the sound even. I certainly felt a lot less work going on after the tweaking.
gR
Oct. 5th, 2009
I have been using the PETE now for about two weeks. I've really learned where the weak spots are in my chops. As I've mentioned before, I experienced nerve damage on the left side of my face, now I am actually stimulating that side of my chops with the Disc end of the PETE. By moving it to the places of weakness then gradually increasing the pull on the disc.
I am happy to report a significant increase in strength there.
This allows me to spend much less focus on my weakness' and then just playing the horn. I find the blood supply and flow across the entire embouchure is vitalized and I have much more finesse and control, especially when skipping wide intervals.
So with that being said I am ready to say that the PETE is now a member of my Air-Play "toolbox" and I suggest you all add it to yours as well.
I receive no comensation for endorsements here, and that will continue. My compensation comes when I receive emails from all over the world telling me about the steady gradual progress Air-Play users are experiencing.
Today I got a note asking whether it would work for Trombone/ Euphonium and the answer is a big yes!
In fact I learned much from Dale DeVoe a tremendous lead bone from Philly. This was in my early days with the Stevens system and much of that has carried over into Air-Play.
I remind you that this is not the Stevens system. It contains many of the fine and valuable assets such as forward open jaw and open teeth, but I do not use the training system of statics and climbs at all like Roy taught them. I have found that while his directions are accurate they exclude as many players as they attract, by forcing them into a new embouchure.
What I teach is a natural, gradual, tender sound that crosses over the stylistic barriers and focuses the floating of the tone on a well-educated air column that activates the entire core - balance.
Here in these pages I present 100's of catch phrases that turn the light on for you.
HERE'S THE SCOOP: I really am liking the Pete more and more. I have actually replaced the use of my pencil with it. The best exercise is where you pull on the disc and let your chops hold the MMMM position in resistance.
After a week of using I can now play the horn within 30 minutes of using the Pete and my time on the Pete has increased to 3/ 15 minute sessions.
I don't get sore or musclebound or puffy where I use it and have not experienced any detrimental efx from it. I hear Marv Stamm has one. I'll be interested to see what he says.
The biggest gain has been in the clarity of notes above Hi C locking in easily - the E-F#-A-Bb HAVE MORE GUTS. The Air-Play system allows for the individuality of the player and the more strength you have the better.
Sept. 27,2009 What Is Core Balance?
Several emails have asked this, so here is the answer.
Core balance as I use it means "The totality of body, mind, unconscious will, air, and instrument; working together to produce the purest sound with the least amount of conscious effort. Resulting in effortless production of tone, flexibility, range, power, subtleties, and endurance." WHEW!!! To a golfer it is the swing, impact and shot all in one.
It takes years to refine the core balance to the highest level of efficiency. The great players have done it, and are still working on it. Many players refer to it as "the zone"
Do you remember learning to ride a two wheel bike - you achieved a core balance and floated down the street without thought. But it may have taken you a week to get it to work.
A wire walker has it, balancing a broom on the end of your finger does it. A central focal point employing a million different and yet connected nerves, impulses, thoughts to accomplish the desire of the conscious will .
The goal is to see and hear the phrase, let the unconscious will play it and you enjoy the process just happening. If you are willing to step out of your present circumstance and boldly look at the possibilities you CAN develop this core balance known as trumpet playing.
I often ask a young player how much effort it takes to play a low C? They have no way of describing it, so I ask them to hold out their hand, then I set a pencil in it. That's like a low C - you never know how much to allow until you feel it's weight - in an instant you accept the pencil without dropping it. Then I say hold out both hands and I set my trumpet on them. That's core balance - your intent is to not drop the teachers horn but you do not respond until you feel the weight, and when you do you don't use more than you need or less than you need - your unconscious will does it for you.
That's core balance.
The next time you are spending time on those soft tiny sounds in Air-Play remember you are training your unconscious to make that process a part of its endless memory.
gR
Sept. 22,2009
Let's answer some email questions
1. What should my lips feel like when I am playing? Good question - "They are vibrating so you must sense that happening in and around the aperture. Also flexible and limber. Like your lips are closed gently. As if they are being surrounded by sensitive smooth rolls of flesh that keep them together in a horizontal plane without bunching them together."
2. How far do my lips need to go inside the rim or the cup?
"It depends on the size of your mouthpiece. Deeper will naturally allow a little more flesh inside - the point you need to keep in mind is- "Am I letting the lips roll open or not?" Rolling in or out is allowed in tiny proportions depending on your lips and your mouthpiece. The sound must drip off them and not be coerced. Once in that position the only movement you would allow is the opening a bit for louder notes - vibrations wider, and for softer notes - vibrations narrower."
3. What mouthpiece do you recommend?
"The one that feels great and sounds the way you expect your sound to sound like. The more efficient you become in an Air-Play set-up the smaller diameter you may need - the wider and flatter the rim may be - the shallower the cup may be.
When I made the switch to Air-Play from a traditional Schilke Buzz I was playing a Schilke #24. I learned the basic floating concept and was able to play with a Bach 1.5c. After several months I went to a Roy Stevens #2 - Most people do not know that the Stevens width is almost the same as a Bach 1.5c. The rim is wide and the high spot on the rim is further out thus letting more lip work. I now am more effected by rim width and contour than any other facet of the mouthpiece. Because in Air-Play your red part of the lip is not bunched it likes a nice soft wide place to rest while all that sound is being created:)"
Sept. 18, 2009
Why we get tired as we play:
Here some things you don't think about, but have quite a bit to do with the tiring process. 1. Taking quick breaths often miss-align or open the corners 2. Quick inhalation tends to tighten the stomach 3. Playing high and descending keeps chops and air tight so you have to open up lips to go lower 4. Forgetting to set the lower rim first gently in the heat of the moment causes you to get lip-locked 5. Believing louder is needed to balance the noise is a viscious circle 6. Not knowing what volume you are playing and what it feels like means you have not been focusing in your practice time. 7. Being or listening to out of tune players forces you to want to match them by bending. Know your pitch and leave it.
Just thinking through the list will bring the answers to you.
Relax Relax Be confident Don't over-blow Know your sound and your horn so well you need not hear yourself to play right in the center and let it carry.
HOW'S YOUR AIR-PLAY EMBOUCHURE BEHAVING? Like still water or a storm?
Study the pictures and find your calm water
Picture #1 Shows the straight line across the vibrating edges. Where the straight line ends is where the lips come together to the point that the red is not visible. This straight line is imperative for your still calm water surface.
#2 Shows that my lip is supported naturally ONLY by the two front teeth. After that my occlusion curves back and would allow my lip corners to flap.
#3 Shows what happens if I depend only on the rim to hold my lips together - they meet in the middle over the two teeth but have no substance to prevent them from flapping and spitting at the sides - the result here is that I would have to squeeze my lips towards the center to keep them closed.This also means I have to take care not to let them spread open when I have taken a quick breath.
This transition from #3 to #4 takes much concentrated
practice. It is fundamental and many players do not require this as
their natural embouchure accomplishes these requirements. Nice for
those:)
#4 Shows me using my fingers to mold the top lip into the flat plan required to play purely like the water drop appearing on the still flat surface of water. I achieve this in my own way, as you will in your way - dictated by the shape curve and size of teeth - lips, and width of your top teeth array.
I close my mouth gently in front of a mirror and see when I have achieved the straight line and gentle touching across. This takes time and patience to achieve - a quick trip through this process yields very little - you must do it over and over, followed by the soft static sound on the horn using the straight line aperture and gentle compression respond to your will. I have taught myself to use the muscles pulling down at my corners to pull the top lip down evenly when setting and playing.
Once you have the feeling of the process, the notes will vibrate smoothly, easily, and with full vibrancy. This is the only way to approach the long tone exercises that develop your tone.
Once you have attained set, this never let your chops roll in or out or up or down FROM this optimum position. Scales, intervals and arpeggios must be played slowly and evenly to gain the relaxed unconscious control needed for Air-Play.
Have fun gR
Sept. 11, 2009
I am going to answer several questions from Air-Play users this week.
1. Are your lips rolled in? 2. Is it just the center of the lip aperture that vibrates and is rolled in? 3. Why does this sound so scratchy and airy - isn't the goal to sound good?
Answers:
1. There are thin, medium and thick lips. Long, medium and short lips. Wide lips, narrow lips. What may be rolled in for a long lipped person may be only slightly even or a bit rolled in for someone with thin, short lips. What matters is that you place your lips in the proper position for you! Centered between open teeth - with the first edge of the outer shiny top lip gently touching the slightly moist first area of the bottom lip. This can be felt, or seen in a mirror, or using a "freeze" after playing a soft note and checking with your tongue.
You must make sure that the entire width of your lips are touching in this matter - not just the center. Especially the area that contacts the sides of the mouthpiece rim. This is why nose breathing can be useful when you are practicing long tones or warming up. You must have the feel of the chops touching properly in the rim - at the sides of the rim, and continuing outside the rim regardless of your chop size category.
2. There is no center to an aperture in relation to vibration - the entire area is vibrating. Because the bottom lip only vibrates in a sympathetic response to the top you have to be very careful not to let the bottom lip become elastic. Some let it stretch up and in, others allow it to roll out and into the cup as you play. Of course there is always the matter of resistance to the air causing an isometric result, but using the bottom lip as a "facing" for the reed of your top lip is the way it needs to be.
You never think of rolling your chops in or out while you play - once you have the rim defining the tone producing area of your lips between the rims you strive for a clear , natural, relaxed tone. Rich in natural over tones. This comes by play testing and 1000,'s of reps. If you are set properly there is a feeling of playing "with your mouth closed" and the lips responding easily to the least bit of desire to in-tonate them. Then as you play up, or louder the air moving through your core excites them more and while they "feel" relaxed they produce powerful sounds, that are controlled by "micro-motions"
Most players NEVER GET THIS they equate ascending as work and descending as release. When you have it just right and balanced beautifully you will feel a bit of a buzz on the outer red - very little pressure and no "cut-off" points as you move up, down, or from soft to loud.
3. The reason the preliminary sounds are scratchy and airy is that you are not "focusing" them in to a "gripped" action. You are allowing the chops and air to relax and under the control of your unconscious mind you let the VERY soft tiny sounds come out. Because some of these sounds are static - no vibration, just a whistle, and some are intoned or vibrating easily you may have several little puddles of noise across the aperture responding to differing degrees of air and muscle reaction. The goal is to learn to place your chops and air in a natural sympathy that produces more than the sum of the parts. The sound floats out without effort. As you commit that sensation to motor muscle reflex it becomes automatic. BUT because we use our lips for a 1000 things during the day other than playing, they also respond to the unconscious will dictating a syllable or a sound effect, or slurping, sipping, belching...
I find that 100% of my prep to play is used to relax and refocus the "trumpet" mindset of my chops. This is why I ALWAYS start the day on my trusty Roy Stevens rim. It is the one that will not let me play other than correctly. Once I have refreshed all the positive memories an my minds ear and eye, it carries over to whatever I play on.
Now I must say here that when you are Air-Playing properly you will achieve the same and better sound, and other abilities with a smaller diameter, shallower mouthpiece. For instance if you play a 3C bach, once you adapt your chops to the Air-Play ease, you will think the 3C feels like a 1C. So you could perhaps move to narrower diameter and a D cup - yet still achieve the same sounds.
I played a Schilke 24 while on the road and gutting it all out. When I learned to play correctly I achieve the same results with a very small mouthpiece.
I hope this opens your understand and challenges you to not accept average when you can be GREAT.
gR
September 7, 2009 I want you to take a look at the two new video lessons on the utube page. The first deals with the process of beginning the day with an Air-Play set up and in so doing you will see and hear the "less is more" technique. Watch my face - no contortions. Watch the breathing - always with a complete relaxed breath.
The sound is NOT THE FOCUS. setting the chops by relaxation IS. You need to relax the muscles before you begin to stretch them out. You need to get blood flowing by flapping and "zoning" your mind in to repeat the mental picture of the process.
Once this is firmly re-established you move on.
Playing the trumpet is only natural for a raw young beginner - no preconceptions of how to squeeze the notes or push or contort.
Make sure while you are on the utube channel you look at the young 7 year old !! He is my poster boy for Air-Play!
Have fun, be patient, trust your chops. gR
August 29, 2009 Today is a good day - My head is clear, my heart is free - a great day to practice! So here is a little simple secret a lot of players find helpful: Start your warm up with a larger mouthpiece - now don't buzz it or play on it - Blow air through it. Let your top lip rest ON TOP OF THE RIM - not in the cup - let your bottom lip be the one in the cup and then whoosh an entire breath of air through the horn. Let it all flow out fast and empty your lungs. Repeat this 5 or 6 times. You can even pour some valve oil down the leadpipe and do this exercise so strong it gets the oil to drip out the bell IN ONE BLOW!
OK - now you are ready to start the days' warm-up and practice session - energized and ready to use that air with your normal set-up. have fun gR
August 22,2009
There is some buzz around the www. regarding the Caruso studies. I approve of these, not that they need my approval, but within the context of Air-Play they can be supportive here are some thoughs: 1. The six note exercise should be played at the beginning of a practice session. Not the end 2. When beginning the first note use the air only and make sure the note is sooo soft it can hardly be heard. 3. The volume should not be dictated by pinching the lips together, or tightened corners. 4. Between notes leave the rim sealed to the lips 360 degrees and breathe through the nose. 5. Wait a few seconds to let the sir settle and your core relax before asking the second note to appear on your chops. If it does not speak you are still tighter than you should be in either or both your air column or lips, or corners. 6. Maintain the mental image of a donut around your lips receiving the breath and the muscle below and behind the corners doing any necessary "work" in response to that air. NOTE: some players have a problem visualizing the air, the donut etc. In that case merely focus on breathing the air into the cup on a flat wide plane.
Play the 6 notes twice then rest. After that it is a good idea to put in a Harmon mute and breathe a F# or G in the staff for about 8 minutes. Keep the mental image - breathe from corners and do your best to keep the relaxed seal between the aperture and the rim. Drop your shoulders, relax your gut, perform with as little effort as possible to allow that little note to stay balanced on your lip. USE AS LITTLE PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE. And 60 % should rest on the area below the bottom lip - the exception being if your bottom lip is large and rides up above your bottom naturally - in that case you need to tuck in the bottom lip in the middle towards the bottom teeth edges / or use the rim to gently pull the bottom lip down abit and then touch it to the top lip. remember the goal is to get both lips gently touching in the CENTER of the teeth aperture and just even with or above the center line of the cup. The bottom lip can roll outwards, but the top lip needs to have a little outer shiny red against the point of vibration. It takes a bit of relaxed, and patience to learn this - the AIR-PLAY DVD shows you this in detail.
When you finish do the elephant flap style of relaxing your chops and more importantly dealing with the lactic acid build up. Then wait 10 minutes or so to continue with your regular practice.
I also like to sometimes follow the 6 notes with the whole step intervals, and first scales. gR
August 17, 2009
OK so yesterday I took names and kicked some rears, what are you gonna do about it?
If you want to become a great player, it takes great pain, time, and a little God given ability. I'll be the first to acknowledge that it is not a level playing field when we start. Some folks are just made for trumpet. Did you know that most of these naturals quit because it does not challenge them? It's true, and it's a shame.
So here we are - a little talent and lots of drive. So let's go - Heh Today you need to record yourself playing scales. Slurred and tongued. What do you hear? Now put on the headphones and play along with yourself on those scales. Does it hurt. Are you out of tune with yourself? So now you know that solitary practice may be hurting your sense of pitch and time. It's high time you bought a metronome and a tuner. Now go to the web or a store and order them! That's an order.
If you have them ten set the tuner to give you a constant pitch to listen to while you play scales, and the metronome to keep you even. Tap your feet - Left Right Left to feel the beat way down deep. Move from note to note exactly on time and in pitch. This puts you in a position to build habits. 1oo repetitions done correctly is so much more efficient than 1000 reps done sloppy. In fact the sloppy ones make you a worse player.
You don't want to practice to get bad do you? Alright that's it for now gR
August 16, 2009
Wake up! Are you AWARE? How much mindless practice are you doing. Just noodling, trying out licks, playing HFL - Higher Faster Louder?
You will not become a player unless you employ self-discipline in your practice. I have found that any player will progress by simply incorporating a regular, reasonable practice routine. Here is how to start: 1 Make a fare assessment of your playing 2. Inventory your skills and grade them 3. Make a list of areas for immediate improvement 4. Draw out a REALISTIC basic practice routine - for example:
a. 60 minutes a day - 6 days a week b. 20 minutes in the Am and 40 minutes in the PM c. Warm up, Long tones, Scales, Arpeggios, for the first session d. Flexibility, tongue, etudes, and literature, for the second session.
5. Work this plan for three weeks and then evaluate and adjust.
Wake up and do it. Start the routine - see the improvement, and progress into more complex routines, and schedules.
Here was my practice routine when I was 14 years old:
Weekdays: 45 minutes before school 1 hour before supper 2 hours after dinner
Saturday: 1 hour before my lesson 1 hour in the lesson 4 to 6 hours after the lesson
I rested and played. Here are the books I returned to over and over at 14: 1. Arbans 2. H.L.Clarke - elementary, technical, characteristics 3. Vassily Brandt 4. Schlossberg
This is what most professional players did at this age and younger - not maybe the same books, but the same commitment Today in 2009 I practice every day a minimum of 3 hours. Divided into a routine. And I do not play for a living anymore. I only play 1 gig a month at a little coffee shop. I practice to teach you... Now go WAKE UP!.
August 14, 2009
How to survive the long loud gigs - taken from a conversation with several players. I was so pleased that Rick Baptist sent me a comment about this discussion. (Included at end of Tip)
Sitting in the section, many players appear to be playing VERY LOUD, however it is because the sound is spread.. and the projection is not the same. I personally have done little tests with my sound, when I appear, from behind the horns to be not as LOUD as the player sitting next to me, but across the hall, my sound is absolutely projecting better.
It is a very real fact of life that some gigs just aren't "fair". Never-the-less it is not survival you strive for, but overcoming the obstacle of endurance. Point 1. Playing RBBB for 23 years taught me to understand that when my sound was clear, focused, and economic - it carried well, but I was never over-blowing. Most endurance troubles begin with over-blowing. The viscous cycle is then set up with moderate swelling followed by added pressure...
Tonight I played lead all the way through a concert. If you were sitting in the section you would have sworn I was playing much lighter than the section - but in reality my sound was relaxed, focused, and sang out to the back row with little effort. If I had given in to the massive volume around me, I would be forced to over-blow, causing chops and sound to spread, swell and hurt.
So many guys fail to produce a pure unhindered tone. One that "drips" off the lips. I can honestly say that by developing a free vibration you can overcome any endurance obstacle.
I learned from Bill Pruyn - a superior technician and veteran of the old days of the RBBB band - when between the three shows a day they played band concerts outside the tent to draw a crowd. I've played with Bill and heard him double tongue around double D. and then produce a "Harry James" sweetness on a ballad. The sound was never a blast - always a controlled free vibration - a pure - silky - glassy - sound that reached that farthest points of the tent without a mike.
This is what - IMHO - makes Rick Baptist a great lead player - his sound is pure and sings without force. It's not how hard you blow - it's how clear your sound is. The edge on the sound does not come from overblowing - it should come from the natural sound of your core balance and the instrument.
From Rick Baptist:
August 14, 2009
Thank you for the very nice complement. I truly appreciate what you said, and from what I read, You are right on.
Thank you again, Rick Baptist
August 9, 2009
Do you stand up when you sit down?
You better if you want to play the horn.
Stand up and play a passage using proper posture. Now allow only your legs and hips to move into your chair - keep the belt and up stuff in your playing position. Now take a relaxed breath to get rid of the tension, whilst keeping the posture notice where you are in the chair. If the chair does not accommodate the position for you - change chairs. Your practice will be better, so will your support, tone, and control.
gR
August 7, 2009
The volume - room - space in your mouth directly effects the pitch. When you allow the cavity to balloon up on low notes the pitch drops, when you shrink the cavity to ascend the pitch goes sharp until you get into the range just above the staff where it again begins to balloon up with all the air you're using incorrectly for the top notes and you go flat.
This is one example. There are others but let it suffice to say that the capacity, space, in your mouth does change - IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF IT.
If you use a syllable to focus your sound with like ah, oo, oh, aah, eeh, ee. Then you have changed the size of the mouth cavern. If you bring your tongue forward to go higher it causes less of a change to the size of the mouth resonating cavern than if you raise it in the back - ah, ee etc. Whistling usually gives a back to front lift across the tongue and singing ah ee causes the back of the mouth to move.
When you contain the movement to the space from the eye teeth forward you are able to create added compression with much less effect on the pitch. Your sound stays more even. Tonguing is more controlled, and shaky tone and vibrato come under control.
A good visual is Al Visutti - he keeps the sound control forward. The opposite are the guys who expand cheeks, neck. They have to compensate by equipment with wide slots to manipulate the pitch - some prefer that, and others who just let the pitch go anywhere.
So when you practice use the same airway from low to high. Practice not with a tuner but with a drone tone, or track. Listen for changes in your timbre as you move from one range to the other and learn to keep an even volume and tone from low to high. This means most of us will overblow the low range and squeeze the top unless are focus has been on correct mouth formation as I have just shown you. gR
July,25,2009 Weekly Tip
This promises to be one of the finest tips I have ever shared (free of charge) Not for every player, only for those with the following issues: 1. It takes you several seconds to find your "set" when you start 2. You sometimes notice your lips are unresponsive when playing intervals 3. Your tone thickens when you play down low and tends to thin up in the staff. 4. You have an aggressive desire to do things correctly.
Alright if you have a few of these read on.
I want you to close your eyes (CYE) - now place only the mouthpiece to your lips and breath a little soft sound out. It should not sputter or blat. The tone should be recognizable and a certain pitch. (CYE) Now, continuing with only the mouthpiece apply a little more pressure than you normally use,and at the same time buzz that soft sound. Does it pinch anywhere? Does the sound stop? (CYE) Next touch your front teeth together at the edges and blow out. Where does the air naturally escape? In the middle or to one side? (CYE) Next run your finger over the top teeth. Is there a place where there is a "more forward or protruding" part? If there is; is that the spot that also lets the air out more? (CYE) Next center your mouthpiece over that spot in a 1/3 top - 2/3 bottom position. Make sure the top rim is just above the red. (CYE) Now slowly rock the mouthpiece from side to side. Does it feel centered over the protruding or new place? (CYE) Now blow a very soft tone through the mouthpiece. Was it louder and easier? Could you feel the rim touching your lips smoothly all the way around? Now take a few minutes and adjust the rim position to the best place on your chops based on what you have just tried (CYE)
Ok now take the horn in your right hand and the mouthpiece in your left. (CYE) Bring the mouthpiece only up to your lips and start the soft tone. Now open your eyes and with the mouthpiece in the perfect alignment bring the receiver up to the mouthpiece. Maneuver the receiver easily and gently on to the mouthpiece while still playing that soft tone. When it gets into the horn it will self-amplify - make sure you do not move the mouthpiece or blow harder.
Repeat this step several times - you may want to make small adjustments to the angles until it feels perfectly easy.
Next put the mouthpiece in the receiver and (CYE) Bring the horn up to the EXACT place with just the same gentle pressure as you did with the mouthpiece alone. OK? Now play that small soft tone directly into the mouthpiece and avoid thinking about the horn - only imagine just the mouthpiece is there. Repeat this many times with (CYE) then when you have the place and sound nailed, AND are happy with the tone, the feel, and the ease of production -do the exercise with the horn WITH your eyes open.
The first few times you try it you will miss. It will look strange or you may find yourself placing the pressure on different spots of your lips - this is because you have a long lever - the horn. You need to really focus on making it land the same as (CYE) with the mouthpiece only.
After you have this well locked in - begin to practice long tones, scales, and simple arpeggios in the new spot.
At first your lips will tingle, or feel more alive - this is because the blood is now getting to spots you had clamped off the "old" way. Continue this for a few days and make your own decision to either stay, try more places, or revert.
Whatever you decide will leave you with a deeper understanding of how and why your chops respond. And what you really can and cannot control.
Please email me and let me know how you like this exercise. Thanks gR
July 23,2009
Today's Tip will give you an immediate responsiveness to your sound!
When you rest your mouthpiece to your lips to play follow this hint:
1. Before placing - let your entire face drop - all the muscles relaxed and falling to the floor. 2. Mouth should be "just " closed - like you are dead:) 3. Relax the back of your tongue and let it feel like it is getting warmer. 4. Let your neck relax - don't hold your head up at an angle. 5. Place the top rim over the top lip WITHOUT ANY STRETCHING!!!!!!! 6. Leave your lips totally relaxed! 7. Now let the mouthpiece assume it's pre-play position, but with that whole amount of lip that went inside the rim STILL there. 8. Breathe easily in and outside the rim - no sipping through the mouthpiece here. 9. Now blow the note that feels best to you and notice how much more vibrancy there is to your tone. 10. Repeat 100's of times until the placement is done efficiently, quickly, and habitually.
Once you get the knack of this your playing will be easier and fuller without forcing!
The reason this works is because 99.9% of players do some stretching to their top lip before playing - it is vital to "retain the naturally relaxed thickness of your top lip" prior to letting the air activate the sound. gR
July 21,2009
You are responsible for your sound, range, technique, and equipment.
Don't expect anybody to give you all the minute changes and exercises, positions, angles and equipment help you need. You must come to the trumpet as a self motivated player.
If you WANT to achieve you have to DO SOMETHING.
Today I'm going to tell you that in my opinion, you Must Find The Horn That Allows You to progress.
1. Resistance 2. Ring 3. Projection 4. All dynamic levels available 5. Weight 6. Valves 7. Equal, even resistance from all valve combinations and open horn. 8. Valve compression tight 9. No Red rot 10. No dents, leaks, patches etc.
Now that I am retired from playing, I have the advantage of "fooling" with my horn. You would not believe how much the simple things directly effect how you play and sound.
Now is the time to take your horn to a competent repair shop and let them "true" it up.
Your horn is like your car - always needing TLC and maintenance. gR
Further help with lower lip and Power-Play
Jan. 12, 2010 - Posture and the gRawlin Tops
Jan. 9, 2010 - How to play a gRawlin Mouthpiece top properly within the Air-Play system
Smooth outer edge protects lips from uneven or sharp teeth. Also allowing slight rolling of the mouthpiece to match angle of air escape.
Gentle slope from hi-point to inner edge to inner bite softly rolls into cup, allowing lip vibrate fully up to the high point.
Note placement of high point past center point more towards the outer edge
The #3 piece normal bite. note flatter plane from inner bite to outer rim. This produces a more symphonic attack. The deeper #3 cup allows more lip movement within the cup.
Here is a better look at the rim contours. 
October 20,2009
October 9,2009
Sept. 11, 2009
