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jhatpro
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Joined: 17 Mar 2002
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Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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 Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:55 am Post subject: Thinking Small |
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Funny how a single sentence can pop back into your head and make big difference in your playing. It was at trumpet master class at an Aebersold Jazz Workshop a few years ago when Scott Wendholt said he starts his playing day by "thinking small."
I realize now that he meant thinking about keeping his aperture small and, boy, what a difference that makes vis a vis sound, range, flexibility, and endurance.
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Jim Hatfield
"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus
2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle |
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Derek Reaban
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Joined: 08 Jul 2003
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Location: Tempe, Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:57 am Post subject: |
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Jim,
Im right with you on this topic. I had to dig quite a bit in the archives but I found several examples that allowed me to understand this topic and wrote about them in the following posts: Focused Awareness and Princes and the Princess.
The stories about Rob Gappinger and Dave Bacon in the Princes topic and the stories about Russ Devuyst and Rich Willey in the Focused Awareness topic helped me get my foot in the door related to this idea.
Thanks for bringing it up. This is an important reminder that can certainly help many players!
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Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Winds / Symphony of the Southwest |
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Martin Committee
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Joined: 29 May 2012
Posts: 73
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 1:26 pm Post subject: Re: Thinking Small |
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You have to have somewhere to go.
It is similar to the use of dynamics.
It is very important to practice softly often and a wide variety of dynamics this gives a player focus and apeture control.
Some players use the word small, others focused, others centered or core of sound that is what carries and projects.
One word comes to mind foundation.
| jhatpro wrote: | Funny how a single sentence can pop back into your head and make big difference in your playing. It was at trumpet master class at an Aebersold Jazz Workshop a few years ago when Scott Wendholt said he starts his playing day by "thinking small."
I realize now that he meant thinking about keeping his aperture small and, boy, what a difference that makes vis a vis sound, range, flexibility, and endurance. |
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razeontherock
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Joined: 05 Jun 2004
Posts: 10609
Location: The land of GR and Getzen
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: Thinking Small |
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| jhatpro wrote: | Funny how a single sentence can pop back into your head and make big difference in your playing. It was at trumpet master class at an Aebersold Jazz Workshop a few years ago when Scott Wendholt said he starts his playing day by "thinking small."
I realize now that he meant thinking about keeping his aperture small and, boy, what a difference that makes vis a vis sound, range, flexibility, and endurance. |
I have a crazy, in the sense of extreme, thing that I've often done as the very first part of my playing day in the past 6 + months, that both accomplishes this for me, and sets my chops up in a way that is not only ideal but natural. The result is I'm much more relaxed as I play, and my endurance has skyrocketed. (Go figure) Plus, good embouchure have become super-stable.
Turns out when I set "properly," and just blow, what comes out is super high squeaks. (Plenty of compression, eh?) So I get those to stabilize at whatever pitch my face likes, and then concentrate on proper use of tongue to ascend. Then kick in air support as needed, as well as co-ordinating all other factors involved. After that, coming down to do the Reinhardt compression drill from high G to high C is a walk in the park, and strain or excess pressure are nowhere to be found.
Then descending to normal register is a matter of breath control and relaxation. NOT recommended, but I am pointing out that once in a while just seeing what your chops feel like doing may uncover something helpful ... |
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jhatpro
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Joined: 17 Mar 2002
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Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
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| Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Derek, thanks for your links to the archives. Your posts are excellent, as aways. I particuarly like the reference to "making your breakthroughs a habit."
_________________
Jim Hatfield
"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus
2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle |
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roynj
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Joined: 19 Oct 2002
Posts: 2065
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| Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:47 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with you Jim. I've also found that starting off with very soft playing (long tones, scales, runs), does indeed result in a better feel for all aspects of tone production. I also use ppp air attacks (no tongue) to 'tune up' my chops each day. |
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Avan
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Joined: 03 Jan 2012
Posts: 396
Location: Ventura County, CA
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| Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 6:59 am Post subject: |
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"Funny how a single sentence can pop back into your head and make big difference in your playing"
For me the sentence was "It's just another note" for some reason that clicked with me, before that I would tense up as I approched the higher register............
That sentence fixed that issue............... Don't know why? it just did..........
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oliver king
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| Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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| He said, "man ... its not gonna happen if your belly isn't soft." |
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