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Originally Posted by peabodytrumpeter Hi Manny,
My question is this: when you're playing a Monette trumpet, are there some things that you keep reminding yourself to really play it well? I keep saying "low vowel" and "support from diaphram" but are there any other things?
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I think one thing that's important with any horn but crucial with Monette's is a good contact with the mouthpiece. This has nothing to do wth pressure but everything to do with maintaining a good vibrating surface and connection to the mouthpiece. Keeping the lips forward and the corners down go a long way to acheiving the type of physical set-up that lets you use your musicianship.
Listening for a consistent sound from bottom to top is also huge, I've found. That's why I like playing chromatic scales. I listen for evenness of the sound. These horns are less forgiving and tell you when you're playing with a set-up that changes.
Be careful about your nomenclature. Describing the use of the diaphragm as you did is a classic mistake. When you blow out, the diaphragm is disengaged and not being used. Rather, some abdominal muscles are being used to support the air that's being blown out once you reach the midpoint in your exhalation. At that midpoint, there's a complete balance between the high air pressure in the room and the low air pressure in your body. When you reach that point, your abdominal muscles take over, ideally, and help continue to push the air out. The larger point is that the diaphragm is merely returning to its pre-inhale position whil you're blowing out.
Good luck with the horn,
ML