jdshankles

Hey Manny,

I was wondering if/how you recommend using a tuner in daily practice? I find that I when I play long tones, my intonation is inconsistent. I will play a C in tune, then play a G (middle of staff), and when I come back to the C it might be 10-20 cents flat (and yet it sounds to me like both C's had good sound). Hope this makes sense. Thoughts?

--JD

Martin Williams

I think that once you've warmed up the horn and the chops, and then tune you shouldnt have to worry about it. Maybe you need to make sure the embrochre is staying the same while playing

Manny Laureano

JD,

Sounds like you have a few "breaks" in your embouchure and different notes like to to have different jaw positions.

Whatever you can do, like slurred chromatic scales, to keep your face steadier when you play would be a good idea to keep things stable.

I need more info, I believe, than an internet post could give.

ML

cornetguy

[quote="Manny Laureano"]JD,

Sounds like you have a few "breaks" in your embouchure and different notes like to to have different jaw positions.

Whatever you can do, like slurred chromatic scales, to keep your face steadier when you play would be a good idea to keep things stable.

The second paragraph is good. I have also been looking at the Thompson Buzzing book, even if you skip the buzzing and just do them on the trumpet, it helps with getting past the breaks. (that was his purpose in writing the book if you read the text) I have been doing this with the CD and it helps with intonation a lot too.

Another thing, buzz with the piano, or use the tuner noise maker as a drone. while practicing scales. (have it on the tonic of the scale in question)

I find that playing endlessly into the tuner ties me and students in knots and wind up in the "tuning game."

Hope this helps


Franklin

tpter1

Sounds like Manny hit it on the head (should that be a surprise?) again. I have a few break issues, too. Buzzing glissandi seems to work very well, in addition the Clarke 2 octave scale studies (both diatonic and chromatic) really help if you concentrate on keeping the sound consistent from low to high.

I also do expanding intervals on the BERP, using a portamento type of approach, beginning with concert F (I use my Bb and a drone so I can develop better relative pitch with the valves) and descend 1/2 step, major second, minor third, major third, etc. It works me across my break (around low E). Then reverse and do ascending from C up, in the same manner.

Hmmm...that got me thinking...how about Arban interval studies with the BERP?

Jimi Michiel

I remember a friend from Eastman explaining to me that Jim Thompson had his first year undergrads work on cornet solos their first year for precisely this reason. Maybe Alex could explain a little more about that as she actually studied with him.

-Jimi

Alex Yates

I studied with Jim (when he was in Atlanta) when he was developing this method and know quite a bit about it. He used to hand me crude print-outs from his computer when first developing the book, so I have a good handle on what he is trying to accomplish with these studies. 'Tis true.....the goal is making your "middle G embouchure" remain intact basically through the entire range of the horn - stretching it further and further out both above and below until practically eliminating the breaks. When it is working, playing a middle G and the next one above the staff feel almost the SAME. Your "upper register" becomes an extension of the middle register and everything feels much closer together this way. The main thing to remember when doing his routine is not to open up too much going down and not to clamp down when going up. The lips should respond to the air like the eye of a camera. In otherwords, keeping the balance of air speed and chops consistent throughout. The other element very important to all of this, and Jim will tell you, REMAIN IN PRESENT TIME. Don't think ahead and don't think of what you just played - good or bad. Celebrating in your head when you do something well will cause mistakes just like beating yourself up mentally over a hiccup will. I mentioned this in another thread not too long ago and Derek Reaban expanded upon it quite well. I think it was in the "Genereal Discussion" forum. It would be good to search that out and find it. It explains a bit about the breaks and ironing through them.

Someone mentioned that they find most helpful doing these on the horn. I am the opposite. I find the mouthpiece work to be very helpful when applied to the horn. The idea is to do the mouthpiece first and then replicate the same feeling on the horn. This stuff is really difficult to explain when not person to person. If there are any other direct questions about "The Buzzing Book" I would be happy to do my best to answer.

Alex Yates

I wanted to add something to the above post about keeping the air and chops balanced. Once you get used to playing that upper G with almost the same feeling as a middle G, you will realize just how OPEN your embouchure feels. With all of this new room, the embouchure opening has more room to decrease in size as the air increases in speed and the upper register increases. The same goes for the lower register. If you can play a low G with basically the same "opening" as your middle G, you have much more room to "open up" down there when needed. The key is having control of your air, like a gas pedal on a car. It always needs to be steady and consistent in speed so the chops have a wall of air to resist against. If you ever let the air collapse, the chops will collapse when going up and you will "pinch out" your high notes. In the lower register, if you let the air collapse or the chops too relaxed, you end up being too open and your chops are just flapping around with no center.

I hope this is helpful. Just writing it, I am scratching my head because it is much easier to explain in person.

cornetguy

I do do the Thompson book on the mouthpiece and the trumpet only with the CD. If I dont have the CD avalible, I just do it on the trumpet, or sometimes for time reasons, i will do it just on the trumpet.

There are times I find I buzz differently then I play. Anything to do to fix that.

Alex Yates