Quote:
Originally Posted by hornguy  ...........
Second, one way of generating additional compression is by using your lats (latissimus) which will arch your back. I learned this from Bob McCoy (another great teacher in Boston). I often think that there is a bit of showmanship involved, but there is also some technical reason for arching your back.
I feel like I have some of those pieces figured out (although Claude Gordon's "Chest High" stuff still fights with my attempt to keep my throat open.)
My gut feeling is that it would be better to not change jaw position. Some of the real technical monsters I worship don't move anything (Mendez, Vissutti, Doc, Andre') |
Why on earth would you need additional compression? There may be some players that "arch their backs", but think about it, increasing the tension of your body NEVER makes your playing better. Arching your back reduces your air capacity (as does hunching over forward) as well as the resonant cavity and is therefore not good! This is some pretty destructive advice!
Certain lead players use a technique called the wedge to increase leverage on the breathing apparatus. That is a more "forceful" method of playing though.
There is no such thing as a closed throat. There is tension of the shoulder and neck muscles that is counter productive though. If your chest is up, the shoulders and neck relaxed, chin tucked in slightly, knees not locked, the body can reach a state where minimum energy is required to maintain balance. That is also the state where we can in the most relaxed fashion play trumpet.
You should not need to change jaw position to play trumpet.