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[quote][i]Originally posted by kalijah[/i]
Timbo wrote:

"So what is this "hyper resonating vibrational point" and how can we achieve it? Have you any good pointers?

There's a lot of interesting points in your post that seem to make sense, but you don't actually say how to play the trumpet better."

Well Timbo, that is where your cash comes in.....

Just kidding of course, but I am available for lessons.

Let me say this about those things. I have been playing for many years, many times great and other times terrible, at least chop wise. I never had real consistency until I learned what works for me. Now if I do the things I know to do I have great chops all the time and every time.

I have been adversely efected by bad advice early in my development that caused tremendous harm. But thru perseverance I have waded through the sea of bad advice to come up with a method that works for me. Part of that was learning to apply pure science and logic to the factors of playing. This will expose many myths. Unfortunately few people understand logic, science and reasonimg to the point to be able to dismiss or interpret advice from others.
Good playing is a quest, life is a quest.

I hope to put together my thoughts in a book or course so that others may benefit.

Here is some things to think about.

Vibration point:

Basicallly the point at the mouth, lips, chops etc. where vibration occurs. This point should be able to vibrate at a wide range of frequencies and dynamic levels with a smooth and even transition over those ranges. This is what determines range and tone quality more than anything else.

This point is completely passive, that is it can not create any sound on its own. It must have a power source. That power source is the air. More specifically the (mathematical) product of the air flow velocity and the pressure of that air.

velocity X pressure = power

(It should also be noted that the reciprocal is also true, air alone as a power source can not produce sound)

Here is an analogy of a sound system.

Sound system is made up of 3 main components. They are:
 
[b]amplifier[/b] (power source)

[b]Voice coil [/b](the electro acoustic transducer from electric power to sonic energy)

[b]speaker cone and cabinet [/b] (focuses sound energy produced by voice coil).

The amplifier provides the power in the form of electric power which is the product of electric current and voltage:

voltage x current = power

or to compare:

voltage(pressure) x current(flow) = power

The sound system also has relative components to the trumpet.

Amplifier - Air Power source (your body)
Voice coil - Apeture (vibrational point at lips)
Speaker Cone-The trumpet itself

A difference here being that the Speaker cone and cabinet system is designed to transmit sound over a flat spectrum of frequencies while the trumpet is designed to resonate at a spesific series of frequencies.

Stay with me now...

There is very little that a player can do to vastly improve his air power source, it can be done by increasing muscular strenght for more pressure and faster flows, but practically nothing can be done to increase lung capacity. You have what God gave you.

As for the horn; you should play the best you can have available but even then any reasonable horn will not be vastly better than the other. But once you have your chosen horn there is little you can do to improve it's function. in other words, it is a "given" (mouthpiece considered to be part of the horn here)

The only place where a player can make large increases in performance of this system is at the apeture or "point of vibration". (But isn't it interesting that all players talk about is [b]air[/b] and [b]horns[/b], the two most unchangeable variables in the playing system.)

It should be noted that this is sometimes refered to as the embouchure. The embouchure could be defined as the vibrational point [b]and[/b] its support system. The muscles in and surrounding the lips, the teeth the jaw etc.

You must develop a supple and responsive apeture that only requires minimal muscular action from the supporting embouchure. (almost completely relaxed on low and/or soft tones)

Timbo,if you are still interested I will give you or anyone else a specific excercise if you will request it in a message. I would like for you to give it a try so that you may let me know how it works for you.

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