wiseone2

I hold the horn the same way today as I did many, many years ago as a youngster. I don't use a pistol grip, I cram all my fingers into the ring area. I use very little pressure. Krauss description of gripping the horn as tightly as you would if you were holding a fresh egg aptly describes my left hand's grip on the horn.
The right hand is what I want to talk about. I place my thumb between the first and second valves. The thumb is facing upward. I think of the okay sign.
The fingertips are resting lightly on the valve tips/caps........whatever.
Vibrato speed is control by the slightest movement, sort of like waving good-bye. Never a violent movement, a gentle gesture will make the most subtle changes in vibrato speed.
This has been my technique for the changes I have to make when playing Elgar at 10 AM and Ellington at 3 PM.

How do you guys do it?
Wilmer

__________________
Be sure Brain is engaged before putting Mouthpiece in gear.
S.Suark 1951

tpter1

I use a either hand or embouchre depending on how much I feel is appropriate or where on the staff it is.

When I teach it, I teach the hand method, as it's easier for students to grasp at first.

__________________
-Glenn
"Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting

Tootsall

Left hand in very light "Vulcan" grip; two fingers below the 3rd slide, middle finger in the ring, first finger on 3rd casing. Sometimes I'll put my little finger "under" the 3rd bottom cap (more often on the Eclipse which is heavier than the Schilke).

Right hand pinky finger either resting lightly "on" or "waving about" (usually the latter!) the top of the hook. Right thumb up under the leadpipe and resting lightly on the "back-outside quadrant" of the 1st casing. I have fairly large hands and can't get the thumb comfortably "between" the 1 - 2 casings or even "against" the 1st casing.

Both of my trumpets are very well balanced "fore-and-aft" around the valves so the grip is very "light" with both hands. I do tighten up the left hand noticeably with a bubble mute (even aluminum) in place.

Vibrato comes from the right hand only.

Schwab

I don't know how I do it! I think it is a little of both. I know I grab the trumpet tightly, when I'm thinking about it I try not too, I use the right hand pinky hook too, I can't seem not too! I guess i don't use the no pressure method.

__________________
Dylan Schwab
Stage 1 New York

Alex Yates

My hand position is identical to Wilmer, except the pinky on my left hand is under the third valve slide. I have quite a callous there after all of these years.

I have never used hand vibrato, but find myself experimenting with it lately. I have always used a vocal or jaw vibrato. It was something inherently natural in my playing since the beginning.

Tootsall

Lucky you. The one and only time I used "vocal" vibrato (actually it was a bit more "muscular" than that) was my very first solo in front of an audience. When I got off the stage I said to a buddy... "Now I know where vibrato comes from.......FEAR!"

Thank goodness I'm now at the point where I can start experimenting with "other" versions of vibe!

Alex Yates

Toots!

camelbrass

My left hand grip is the same as Alex's. The thumb on my right hand is placed further back towards the mouthpiece and rests on the 1st valve casing and supports the lead pipe. Little finger in the pinky ring.

Wish i could say that I use minimal pressure all the time but although I start out well as I tire it becomes 'needs must'. Wilmer, the egg'd be safe for a while but there'd be scrambled eggs at some stage during the show!!

I also use a 'vocal' vibrato rather than a hand one. I've always wondered whether that isn't related to the concept you use...I'm an inveterate vocalisor and can sing most of the parts I play. I've got the world's worst voice but everything I play, I sing at least in my head...it's also how I articulate. The syllable I use in the attack is influenced to a large degree by how I'd start the note if I was singing it. I see the vibrato as an extension of that.

Regards,



Trevor


PS Toots...been there done that!! Just as well you don't play trumpet with your knees...that would be 'wobbley'.

Cornet1

this is a really interesting topic....

Unlike all of you I'm only an amateur and self taught at that, however, after my 45 years of cornet playing from a amall boy my vibrato is entirel the function of my mind while playing. I have never been able to find out the exact mechanics other than the fact that observers say my chin can be seen moving during the vibrato.

Vibrato for me is just another 'voice' in a whole repertoire needed to be an interesting cornet soloist.

As to holding methods; I now hold as lightly as possible with the mental image of trying to hold the cornet off of the lips as much as possible when in the physically demanding parts of the passages. When I graduated to a modern soloists cornet equipped with trigers in the mid 70's I was forced to change from the 'death grip' to a very light finger hold in order to accsess good triggereing technique. In order to get this right I found it effective to retain a mental image of the whole 'hold'.

davidjohnson

wiseone2:

i mostly do as you do. i find that i need to squeeze the valves a bit rather than hold the horn too lightly w/the left hand.

is there a wiseone1, or maybe a wise1?

your mention of elgar at day & ellington at night for work sounds like great work.

dj