dbacon

In my post I mention:

>You can minimize that pressure on the top lip by feeling as if you are
>moving your jaw out ever so slightly and/or aiming the horn down in
>relation to your face.

I appreciate your caution as the idea of "thrusting out" as you mention
could be problematic. The operative words in my post are "ever so slightly."
This most often is just bringing the horn to a point of equalibrium.

I personally don't subscribe to a rolling out of the lips because this
concept allows for a change in the line of contact between them and may open
us up too far. This "aperture", as some call it, to me is not a hole in the
middle but a line of solid even contact through which the air passes to
begin vibrating. I often find that there is one small area along that line
which is more open than the rest when people get air in the sound. This
inefficient embouchure may happen as we roll different flesh in and out of
the line of contact or just because the embouchure is not fully developed.
By keeping that line the same and moving the embouchure out slightly for the
bottom register you will be playing as Vince Penzerella calls it "fixed
aperture". Liken it to a string. To change pitch, we want to change the
length of the string, not the string itself.

Your idea of setting for the upper notes is absolutely right on and we
probably approach all of this in a more similar way than it sounds. When we
speak of the delicate adjustments that we make, each person's body and mind
process and understand them differently.

You are also right on not letting the chest collapse. Charlie Schlueter
always talks about keeping the ribcage up off of the lungs. It goes along
with yoga and Alexander technique principals of lengthening the body. If we
take a large breath and don't hold it, it will come rushing out in a mater
of 1 or 2 seconds. That amount of energy is never needed for the instrument.
Knowing that our chest muscles returning to the point of rest can create
that much power should be a great comfort to us. By keeping the ribcage up,
we can control the rate of flow without stopping it artificially with the
throat.

Best wishes to all!


Eric Berlin Majestic Brass Quintet
Principal Trumpet-Albany Symphony
Majestic Brass Quintet http://www.majesticbrass.com
please mail to majesty@majesticbrass.com

trpguyy

I know a high school senior who has been studying with Eric since the eighth grade. She is a fantastic player, and a very good example of Eric's fine teaching.