| Bp,
I noticed that Manny closed his post with "that's the best that I can do without hearing you", and I'll lead with that also. It's possible to express general principles over the web, but it's up to you, in your own unique way, to assimilate them. This is what makes trumpet-teaching fun -- we teach students, not methodology.
That said, I'll take a wack at this, although it's vital to remember that every technique related topic is also connected to the joy of making music, the infinite power of your imagination, and the joy of discovery. . .
(Deep breath) I find that many trumpet students have learned to blow at one speed and thus are most efficient around G in the staff. They then decrease airspeed (washing out their sound) as they descend, and add tension (choking their sound) in a vain attempt at increasing air speed as they ascend. They have to learn to master air management: the delicate balance between broadening the air/glissando between the notes in order to find true legato in descent and the delicate balance between increasing air speed/glissando to find released legato in ascent. It takes a tremendous amount of relaxed, efficient, energy to play above the staff.
I love Jim Thompson's Buzzing Basics as a first step in attacking air management and balance. I then ask my students to apply the same principle to a number of exercises: Caruso, Plog, Cichowicz, Stamp, etc. Please remember, however, that it's the application of the air management principle, not the exercise, that matters.
Remember to follow your ears. . . it's the music that matters.
Pulpit relinquished and I look forward to hearing you some time.
EC |