John,
That sound you experienced during your lesson with Alex is a glimpse of what you can sound like all of the time. Keeping that sound in your mind when you play is the key. Cultivating that sound daily using Buzzing Basics (or other balance / centering approaches like Stamp or Caruso) will allow you to transform your sound, and experience that same vibrant, ringing, colorful sound that Alex has.
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I always thought that I had a pretty fair sound but this was the first time that I really filled a note so to speak. I really find it hard to explain, it was just big and full and ringing; not loud or over blown.
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That’s a great description of the sound you experienced! You might enjoy an article I wrote called
Resonant Sound. This will give you more to consider as you are trying to recreate that sound away from your lesson.
I’m also a big advocate of the James Thompson material. When I first started with this material I crashed and burned because my approach was off the mark. I have written some posts about what I have found to be very important when beginning working with Buzzing Basics (now called the Buzzing Book), to helpfully highlight “danger zones” that I uncovered myself. Alex will certainly guide you down the right path, but reading some of my posts might help to reinforce some areas worth considering. Open the folder about the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Trumpet Section and scroll down to the 3rd post. When you see the Buzzing Book picture, peruse through the links called Reference One through Four.
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I put the mute in my horn and started playing, and although the Shhhhhh Mute was very quiet it was about 10 times more audible then when Bob played in it. I was even moving music on his stand as the spill hole was shooting the air I was moving through the horn into his music.
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As you get into Buzzing Basics you will discover that flow rate is far less important than simply releasing the air. When I see what you’ve written here, please know that this approach to the air will potentially lead you away from the sound that you experienced in your lesson. “Let” the sound happen! Don’t blow harder to get to that sound!
Here’s another post that you may enjoy:
How to sound brilliant in a wind ensemble.
Congratulations on your path to finding the sound that you’re looking for. It sounds like your director is taking notice of your initiative! Good luck!