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thadjones1213 Veteran Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2011 Posts: 353 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:06 am Post subject: upstream player playing in red of upper lip |
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Hey all,
I have a really talented student that is an upstream player. The issue is that he plays right on the edge of the red in his upper lip and has a tendency to pull down as he ascends causing the mouthpiece to slip where he naturally will reset after a passage.
We are doing the routine and he understands the sound concept and is well on his way, but this is a hurtle that I must figure out (student and I are not dialoguing about this so he stays in the sound) to provide him exercises or concepts to find that engagement point that won't want to pull down when going into his upper register.
We are doing pitch bends.
When I was studying with Mr. Adam he once told me "you know it might seem like you are blowing down as you play this figure (ascending)." This helped me find the center going forward.
Any thoughts
Thanks
Mike |
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Billy B Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 6126 Location: Des Moines
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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How long has the student been playing?
What is his age?
How long has he ben studying with you?
What are his practice habits?
Define up stream player. _________________ Bill Bergren |
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thadjones1213 Veteran Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2011 Posts: 353 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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A year studying with me. He has been playing 5 years (eighth grader).
We meet and do the routine 3 times a week at 7am before school for a half hour. He practices daily.
Up stream: more bottom lip than upper (that is why he is in the red of upper lip). His air stream angle rises as he ascends. |
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Billy B Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 6126 Location: Des Moines
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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What does the horn angle do as he ascends?
Are you his only teacher? _________________ Bill Bergren |
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thadjones1213 Veteran Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2011 Posts: 353 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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He seems to want to raise the bell up as he ascends, usually in conjunction with extending his lower jaw forward. I feel as though this is due to old habits to get some compression in the past, but that motion of the horn angle puts all the weight onto his upper lip and the mouthpiece slides down where he loses the lip line pivot point and slips into the soft tissue.
Yes I am his only trumpet teacher (he plays piano as well).
we have some good sessions where this movement is minimal when ascending, but there are some strong old habits that kick in when he is fatigued or playing in a performance situation. |
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Billy B Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Feb 2004 Posts: 6126 Location: Des Moines
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2015 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Ok
I would make sure his lips are together when forming the embouchure. Say emm. Blow the embouchure into place. Breathing through the nose during long tones is a good thing even for those who don't have this problem.
Make sure he is singing everything with a TU sound. You can explain right brain/left brain and how singing activates the right brain. The idea is to go back and forth between singing and playing until the mind/body doesn't know which is which. 8th grade is old enough to understand the Inner Game of Tennis so have him read that.
Trumpet playing is 90% mental, 9% air, and 1% all the physical stuff. But it can't be 0% physical so you need to find a way to make him AWARE but not FOCUSED on the embouchure. I find this is best done by talking about it while giving a physical cue such as the touching your lip, or making a spitting sound. (Adam did that one all the time) Then you stop talking about it and just give the cue when it becomes a problem. Subliminal direction.
Lastly, if this only happens in his high range, don't play high range until things settle in. It's 7:30 am! _________________ Bill Bergren |
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thadjones1213 Veteran Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2011 Posts: 353 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2015 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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Billy B,
Great stuff,
thank you for your thoughts!
Mike |
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