This is an excerpt taken from Jim Donaldson's "Schilke Loyalist" pages. The following words are those of Renold Schilke.:
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Now that does not mean I feel it is essential for the air to go through the instrument. It is not! If , after our lips were vibrated, the air could be disposed of in another way other than going through the instrument, the tone would be at its best. People who have used and understand physics know that this is true. However, there are people who do not understand this point. I put this as a question one time when I was giving a clinic to some bandmasters after listening to various remarks made by them about air having to go through the horn. I asked, "Is it necessary in the production of sound for the air to carry the sound through the horn?" I had hands by people in the affirmative that it was. To prove my point, I had a tuba player come up on the stage and had him blow some smoke into his tuba and begin to play. He played over a minute before some smoke finally began to tickle out the bell of the instrument. So, it is necessary to have air in the instrument so the player can establish the nodal pattern. It is not necessary for that air to move through the instrument any more than an energy impulse created by dropping a stone in water causes the water to actually move. What happens is, the energy impulse travels along lifting and depressing the water in its particular area ad infinitum. This is true of musical sound in relation to moving air. The sound leaves the instrument and keeps on traveling in the same manner.
I know we have talked of many ideas that are somewhat controversial. However I always hate to make a statement unless I have studied it and proven it, not only to myself but to many outstanding performers. I hope these facts prove to be of great interest to you.
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I find the above to be in total conflict with the scenario presented earlier in this thread:
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Project the notes where they belong.
Low G rolls out of the bell,
Low C goes out 5 feet,
Second line G goes out 8 feet,
3rd space C goes out 12 feet,
G on top of the staff goes out 20 feet,
High C goes out 40 feet,
G above high C goes out 80 feet.
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Also, previously stated:
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Relax and open your throat and open the teeth a little too.
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Hhmmmmm.... when I do that, it allows my lips the ability to "move in the right direction" to reach the "balance point" necessary to play the upper register notes. That would also be "embouchure" related. The way I see it, good information is good information... no matter where it comes from, whether it is from:
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A teacher who has kids as 95% of his students can get away with that.
OR, from the teacher that says:
I don't have that luxury.
95% of my students make money playing.
My students play gigs and need to improve and keep playing gigs.
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My perception about the above is that "the teacher who has kids as 95% of his students" has students that just might be able to "make money playing", because they had a good solid fundamentals based upon universally applicable principles of playing a musical instrument.
An efficient embouchure is dependent upon many different things. One of the things that Jeff Smiley consistently says is this:
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Like any high-level physical activity, and efficient embouchure requires extraordinary coordination. There are many pieces to the puzzle that must fall into place it to work properly. These pieces are organized by your unconscious mind. By focusing on moving your lips more or less in the right direction, you are giving your unconscious mind the tools needed to form the balance point. |
That is just a very brief excerpt from the "Balanced Embouchure" book. Rest assured, other elements of playing, such as breathing, etc., are all a part of what is presented.
Also True, this statement... there is a lot of discussion about BE on the TH. That forum exists because there was a demand for it.
Why should the "kids" have all of the fun?
We are all
"perpetual students of the trumpet", and we should always strive to improve. There's nothing wrong with offering great advice, like what is contained in all of the previous posts. Bill Adams uses a statement that goes something like this: "Blowing out someone else's candle to make yours shine more brightly does you no good." .... Words to live by!
Best always,
Bruce