kdawg

Pops - not quite, but close.

the pivot isn't just moving the bell, instead, it's changing the angle of the horn, sometimes a vertical movement of the player's head may also be visible. But these are just used in the early stages of learning to pivot.

Most people do not have the same pivot. so to say that a particular pivot is what most people use, is wrong. You've probably seen more chops than i have, but from what i've seen, it's 1/2 and 1/2.

quoted from the "Encyclopedia of the Pivot System" p. 193:
Each and every brass instrumentalist who possesses the required range, power, flexibility, and endurance, utilizes the pivot as a means of co-ordinating his playing... whenther the manipulation is unconscious, subconscious, or conscious. In other words, every brass intrument performer pivots whether he realizes it or not. This fact I have proven by more than forty years of research and experimentation as an analyst and consultant for many thousands of brass instrument performers.
(doc reinhardt)
so everybody pivots. but, once you get good, the pivot is barely visible.
(btw your "simple" explanation of pivot is a fery good one, it paraphrases most of a paragraph on that same page, 193)

Heavens2kadonka

Just reading some of the older posts, and I caught something here...

DBacon wrote,

There is supposed to be a different way to hold your tongue when playing past High C?

__________________
Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

B&S 7C
LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

dbacon

You don't hold the tongue. For a brighter sound and more air speed the tongue position changes. More "EEE", but with an open relaxed throat. This happens naturally as you hear the sound in your head, let the tongue relax and ride the air stream. If you think of high notes as not being high notes but faster air notes, and really have a strong sound model in your computer nature takes it's course. If you need to think "EEE" for a while to help it along, move towards the sound model approach as soon as you can. Hear Jon Faddis play so well in the high register and imitate that. Or Phil Smith for that sound.

Tongue position is very important for efficient playing.

__________________
Dave Bacon

Heavens2kadonka

Hmm, the "EEE" is when the middle of the tongue curls upwards, correct? Then I guess I'm doing that right? I DO close off my throat, though. To tell you the truth, I tighten everything up, from throat to lips, so that must have a heck of a lot to do with the sound cutting off! I'll also be sure to find recordings of those two players, as well.

Speaking of high players, anyone listen to the Concord Blue Devils at a DCI competition lately? They have a trumpet player who reached some notes beyond 3rd octave, which is INSANE (It almost sounds like a 4th C)! Not putting down the other groups, who had awesome high-playing trumpet players, but the Blue Devils had the better sounding high-register players (Not to mention an extra octave!).

__________________
Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

B&S 7C
LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

dbacon

Who do you study trumpet with?

An open relaxed throat is essential to good trumpet playing. Trying to force air through the aperture will cause back pressure and close the throat. Over time you will want to develop the bellows effect from the breathing mechanism and learn how air flow works. Constant flowing, enegized air will relax and open the throat. Forced air will create backpressure and tighten everything up.

Take this up with your private teacher.

Best of luck to you!

__________________
Dave Bacon

Heavens2kadonka

My instructor (In about two weeks) will be Alan Suska, but I have been in kind of an instructor-limbo for about a half of a year. I will make it a point to speak with him about my forcing air, the bellows effect and the breathing mechanism. Until then, I'll try doing some old breathing exercises that I have been neglecting for a while... Thanks a lot for your help!

You all DO know that when I finally start hitting a consistent F, I'm making it a point to let EVERYONE here know it?

Its so aggravating, hitting a GREAT C and C#, good D, decent Eb, then it all CUTS OFF!! Every now and then I can "tap" the F, and I can sometimes hold the sound a few seconds, but its so FORCED, I know it shouldn't be that way!

So, with this new bit of information, it is back to "Ye Olde Drawing Boarde"....

__________________
Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

B&S 7C
LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93