Quantity of Air

[Trumpetlover]

I was wondering about this when I was in a practice session. Does a greater quantity of air mean more volume (louder sound)? If so, then playing softer must mean that one must use a lesser quantity of air? What about the screech trumpet players - are they using more air or just faster air? So is playing loud really high just really fast air, or a lot of really fast air? I remember reading that Doc Reinhardt stated do not overbreathe far the upper range. I know that all of these questions relate to physics, a class which I happen to be attending this semester, so this may partly be a reason for these questions.
Sorry for rambling

[fuzzyjon79]

As far as MY playing.... and other people will be different.... when I use "faster" air, that means higher notes for me. But just because I take in a great deal of air doesn't mean I'll necessarily play any louder. If I have to sustain a passage, especially if it's soft, then I will take in as much air as I can because if I don't my pitch will suffer.
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

[scream]

When we talk about breathing (or any other aspect of trumpet playing) we need to talk about efficiency. Doc heard Tommy Dorsey say it first, that he only took in as much air as he needed for any given phrase. In other words, if you have any air left over for a phrase you took too much. If you had to take a sniff breath before the end of the phrase you didn't take enough.

How often do we run out of breath when we speak. Not very often. Watch and listen to a toddler talk and notice how they sometimes get out of breath. They haven't learned the art of what Doc called "Timed Breathing". He had several drills that you would work on to train your body to take the right amount of air given the register, length and dynamic of the phrase. And it might take you several months to years to learn something we take for granted when we speak.

I can't tell you how many inefficient trumpet players I run into in my teaching and professionally. I've seen professionals take a complete breath for one lousy note. Ludicrous!!! How inefficient! That player was taught that it's "all about the air". It's only part of the complete picture (I won't get into the physical mechanics of inhaling and exhaling here).

And as far as how much air we use in a given register, try this very simple "experiment" I learned from Scott Holbert. Put your hand in front of your mouthpiece and buzz a low C, then buzz a middle C, a high C and then a high G or double C if you got it. You will notice, very plainly, the amount of air in each register. It's simple, immutable physics....low notes means slow air, more air. High notes means faster air and less air.

I hope this helps.........
_________________
Paul Garrett
Sandy Springs, GA

The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
Hubert H. Humphrey
US politician (1911 - 1978)