lckeese

Hi Manny,

Let me begin of course by saying how great a fan I am of your playing. It is an honor to be able to ask you anything about trumpet playing and, especially, musicianship. I am a 25 year old professional trumpet player, primarily jazz improv, but I have been told I have a decent classical/orchestral tone and approach.

My problem as of late has been that of endurance, as I feel I've been unable of yet to build up the bulk needed to play several hours a day as I would wish. Have you any suggestions as to ways I might be able to build up muscle so as to play for longer stretches? If it matters, I utilize a fixed jaw embochure.

Thanks for reading this. Best of luck to you and yours in the New Year!

Logan Keese

Manny Laureano

Dear Logan,

Since I haven't a clue as to what a "fixed jaw" embouchure is (it does sound painful, though) I won't address that.

The key to endurance is being able to play with your best sound for the longest period of time posible in any register. That's what endurance is, simply stated.

Logically, then, you have to practice in such a way so that your focus is sound not just time on your face. When you play in the upper register is your sound crystal clear as in the middle register? If not, you're not going to last very long up there.

When you have a middle register etude that lasts a whole page but ends on a high C is the high C as clear as what came before it?

Other than those questions, can you play page 44 of the Arbans from top to bottom with a few beats rest in between each line take a short 5 minute break and then practice page 125 the same way? Those are some things to practice.

ML

lckeese

Thanks Manny, I'll take that into account -- perhaps my problem has been that I've been too focused on building muscle and not on playing musically while doing everything.

Much appreciated!

Vulgano Brother

You might want to consider that jaw thing. If I'm correct, Herseth once said he moved stuff around a little when he got tired. (Maybe you're leaving some muscles out.)

Endurance comes with low-impact playing over a longer and longer period of time. Grab a Hymnbook, start with Number 1, play all the verses (mp or so), and keep going.

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lckeese

Huh, I probably never would have thought of that, but that is certainly an interesting idea. I will definately have to try that. Thanks :)

thetrumpetmaster

Just to clear that up a little, "fixed jaw" is a term David Hickman likes to use to describe one who doesn't move the jaw while playing, while a "floating jaw" player utilizes jaw movement, in the forward motion to account for an overbite, opening in up to go for lower notes, or whatever they need to do. I don't think pain is supposed to be part of either, though I guess it can be! :o)

Manny Laureano

Hey, speaking of which...

Dave Hickman has put out a dandy book called "Trumpet Pedagogy" which deals with all sorts of stuff like that, thanks for reminding me. He sent me a copy of it and it's immense!

He covers virtually everything you could imagine regarding trumoet playing and teaching. TTM is quite right about the definition of fixed jaw which David explains at some length in the book. It's literally encyclopaedic in what it covers and will likely become an indispensable part of most teachers' collections. It has pictures, exercise examples, recording suggestions, literature suggestions... you name it... Bravo, Dave.

ML

lckeese

It's from that book that I got the term. It's incredible -- over 500 pages. I recommend it to anyone, not just teachers.

Yeah, fixed jaw just means that I don't push my lower jaw out too much, or "float" the lower jaw around while going up and down in range. It does sound kinda brutal, though, now that I think about it -- visions of steel wires and such.... yikes.