Trumpet Player Online! BBS

Post Reply

Who Can Post?

All users can post new topics and all users can reply.

Username

Need to register?

Password:

Forgot password?

Subject:

(optional)

Message:
HTML is Off
Smilies are On
BB Code is On
[img] Code is On

[quote][i]Originally posted by kalijah[/i]
I can't believe how all this bad advice keeps circulating about an "Open Throat".

If you try to do the same action as yawning while you play you will be putting a lot of unproductive energy into your playing and just adding a different kind of tension. The best thing to do is to only "relax" the throat. Relaxing is passive, that is, a complete absence of muscular action. Any muscular effort to try to force open the throat such as yawning action, dropping the jaw etc. will do nothing to improve the sound. All it will do is hinder it. The quality of sound is defined almost solely by the ability of the embouchure to vibrate at various frequencies. All that is required is to apply air flow, and that in only modest quantities for an efficient vibrational point. Of course the volume of the sound is a function of  the air velocity. An efficient vibration point will also yield greater volume for a given velocity of air.

So the best thing to do is simply relax the throat and be sure that tension of ANY kind is not causing you to waste effort. Again there is no muscular ACTION that will open the throat, including yawning action.

It kills me how all these students and teachers talk about is air, how to use more, how to create more abdominal pressure and all that, as if that is what defines and creates the sound. It does not.

Fact: [b]Air flow and the pressure behind it only provide the power for the sound. It does not provide any tone color or any effect to the frequency content of that sound.[/b]

It would also be correct to say that the more efficient a players point of vibration resonates, the less energy, from air and pressure, that is required.

What matters most in playing is the sound, AND getting that sound with the least required effort. (Which gives endurance) I can't believe how all these students and teachers talk about is air, how to use more, how to create more abdominla pressure and all that. While they never are even concerned with the quality of the vibration point. That is because they have no specific idea or understanding of how to practice to improve that point. They will say things like "play long tones" or "play lip slurs", well it is obvious that you can do both of those thing very wrong only to reinforce bad habits.

Here is the current state of affairs that players seem to be shooting for as I read their advice: [b]Limited range and volume with large amounts of air and air pressure[/b].

However the ideal that players should be striving for is[b]: Unlimited tonal range and Dynamic range with very little or zero effort.[/b]
That can be acheived with a highly or hyper resonating vibrational point. It can be developed but very few know how or are willing to do what it takes.

Alexander can only be learned from a qualified Alexander teacher. Practically imposible to learn from a book. But there is some good insight to be learned by understanding the principles.

Alexander, Yoga and all types of body work are all about eficiency of effort. These things take lots of practice and a correct mental state. They are worth looking into and the efficiency can be translated over to brass. If you become a master of efficiency you can play a double C at fff while in a state of total relaxation.
;) [/quote]

Disable Smilies?
Use signature?
Turn BBCode off?
Receive email on reply?