MPM

Dave Bacon,

Ok ... Dave. Scooter and Donny have posted lots of things over the last few years. This "Air Speed Experiment" is one of the best yet!

Walt Johnson also posted on TPIN ... "Smelling A Rose Backwards" ,, also a great post! Have you seen that one?

dbacon

I don't have that post of Walt's. If you have it, post it. One of the truly great commercial players of our time!

MPM

I think this will get it:

http://abel.hive.no/oj/musikk/trompe...throatpos.html

Short, simple, and "not" over analyzed!!!

dbacon

Smelling a Rose - "Backwards"

I know it sounds crazy, but I believe that is how your throat position should be for playing trumpet. Notice that when you really try to smell something how open your throat is? Well, remember that throat position, and play your trumpet. Yawning is also something to think, however when you think about yawning you usually do it. (Yawn!) There's a device called "Air Enhancer" by Alan Colin that's a great idea. If you don't have one, you can accomplish pretty much the same effect by trying to put all your fingers in your mouth and breath in. Then remember how your throat position was. "Your throat has a memory"

I disagree with teachers who teach the use of syllables. That brings the vocal chords into play which restricts air velocity. Also there are differences in player's throat sizes. I know I can swallow a whole handful of vitamins without water. I don't recommend that, it's much easier with water.

Walt Johnson

dbacon

That's excellent! Thought I'd go ahead and paste it so it's easy to check out.

Thanks for finding this.

MPM

Dave,

No problem. This post by Walt, on TPIN, was pretty good. It's very simple, doen't over analyze ... and the thing where he mentioned putting your fingers in your mouth ... a short tube, about the size of a toilet paper tube works well too. The "incentive spirometer" (that's what they're called many different designs) breathing devise (?) anyway ... they only work if used correctly. You really have to have one in your hands to explain it.

Regards

dbacon

Mr. Jacobs had us use a piece of plastic pipe fitting, various sizes. Allows for inhalation with the tongue down and relaxed. Transfer that feeling to your inhale with the trumpet up. Simple stimulus/response. Listen for the sound the air makes as well through the tube. "OOH" rushing sound without effort. Gets the throat open and relaxed, the air drops to the bottom of the lungs (how it seems. I know the air fills equally to the vacum created by the expanding lungs. But stimulus/response, feel the air drop to the bottom of the lungs and everything will be open and relaxed.) Breathing is simple when you use the right message control panel.

Tootsall

I just think of what I do if I were trying to sing the lowest note that I can manage. Then use that position for the throat, etc. for breathing.

Or..."Adam's apple DOWN".