tobys346

I took a few lessons from Cat about two years before he passed away. He had me do the long tones in a harmon mute soft, like a whisper. He insisted on doing it on a harmon mute as soft as possible and would stop me if I got too loud at anytime. I eventually worked my way up to 20 minutes but I usually do 15. I don't have endurance problems and my chops are not mangled. I can finish a hard gig with my full range which is usually a consistent Bb above high 'c' guarenteed. Cat was big on practicing and warming up extremely soft and in the staff.

trpt2345

I really disagree with that. We are not building muscular strength when we practice, we are developing air flow and flexibility. Not strength. The only correlation I see is the amount of time and dedication it takes to accomplish great things, but we (as trumpet players I mean) are in no way like body builders.

Michael McLaughlin

Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties, passing from one step of success to another, forming new wishes and seeing them gratified.
Samuel Johnson

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Chicago MM

Joe N.

Here's my first update:

The long exercises do work very well when done right to improve the chops. They really do help you become aware of your embouchure and things like pressure. Sometimes if you don't have enough time, I would suggest just cutting all the times in half.

Mark Curry

I had the pleasure of being at U of I in '76 when Dave Hickman brought Cat out for a clinic concert. He warmed up for about an hour in a harmon mute before the clinic in Garvey's office. I Never even heard a "sound" he was playing so softly.

Later in the clinic he rehearsed a couple of charts with the band and played a few high notes- Dubba A's and C's, D's, too... pretty scary

At the concert, he came out and blew us ALL away..

The high point of the night IMHO was a duo he played with bassist Jon Burr (of Tony Bennett fame.)

"Satin Doll" at a ballad/dirge tempo traditional key of C with a pixie mute and a plunger 2 octaves up PIANISSIMO!!

Frightening, to say the least.

And during the time I stood next to him in the section, I never SAW his high note mpc!

I also have to claim that Cat "invented" the "Sitting Wave". He played Maynard"s "Give it One" and "fanned" the audience on a Dubba A and you could see the heads snap back as he fanned right to left...

Great stuff!!

Siegtrmpt

It's an interesting book with some thoughtful commentary by Cat about trumpet playing and life. I think it's worth reading. The excercises are similar to other methods for developing high range with the common thread that it takes a significant investment of time and effort to develop the extreme high range.

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Bill S.- NY Bach 6, 38 Mt. Vernon 43 Bach "C" cornet, NY Bach trombone 6vii Monette mouthpieces

lemons

Here's a link to an article by Craig Morris in which he discusses the benefits of long tones of this nature.

LivMusic Article - One Long G

Bob Odneal

After I wrote my method, I was told about some similarities between it and Cat's practice habits. I met him once and he told me to play with my teeth closed which didn't work for me. He said triple tongue a G in the staff, now up an octave and now a G above high C. That was the lesson in the middle of the Texas MEA convention in San Antonio. He was very nice and played great that night.

__________________
Bob Odneal
Casual Double High "C" method on CD
www.bobodneal.com

B6L

Tobys346 or anyone else that studied directly with Cat Anderson, did he have you do the 20 min G with one setting breathing through the nose or could you remove the mouthpiece at the end of your breath?

stchasking

"At the end of this exercise the embouchure muscles should feel exhausted, but the lip tissue should feel warm and limber. " Craig Morris. (See above link)

__________________
"I was performing professionally at age 17 and have never had a real job." Allen Vizzutti

http://cdbaby.com/cd/mcking

tobys346

Hello B6L,

Cat had me keep the mouthpiece on lips the whole time. I breathed through my nose. It is interesting to note that for me, I seemed to be able to take in more air and have better control over the note than breathing through my corners. I also didn't disturb my embouchre setting by seperating my lips for a breath even if it is the corners. I now breathe that way when playing in the upper register and have better attacks and support. No I don't play with my teeth clinched but I always do the long tones with my teethed closed, barely touching each other for the full 15 to 20 minutes. Cat for those who may not have met him in person, had a gap between his front teeth. With his teeth clinched he could still force air through that gap at tremendous velocity. I heard him bury a big band with a triple "c".