Hickman on tongue position

Namuhs55 · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:42 am Post subject: Hickman on tongue position

Recently I came across an old ITG article on a report from one of Mr. Hickman's clinics/demonstrations:

tpter1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194

When in college, I had some problems with tongue p[lacement. Luckily, my professor had just finished studying with Hickman not too long before I arrived. He had me do this: for the flutter excercise, use the Arban excercises beginning on p. 23 (the Syncopepation Studies). Flutter the long note. (ie in #19, the 1/8 at the beginning of each bar; in #22 the 1/8 following the paired 1/16 notes).

I didn't do the popped excercises, so I don't know what they are.

Derek Reaban · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:00 am Post subject:

Namuhs55,

Go to Tromba Publications and scroll about halfway down the page. You are looking for:

Derek Reaban · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:14 am Post subject:

I knew I would find what I was looking for about Pop Tones! Here are some references:

David Hickman Lecture / Performance with ASU Trumpet Ensemble

ITG 2003 - TRUMPET CLINIC & DEMONSTRATION presented by David R. Hickman

Hope this helps!
_________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Winds / Symphony of the Southwest

Namuhs55 · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:59 am Post subject:

tpter1 & Derek,

Thanks again for the quick response.

Obviously, the best way to learn a new technique is to hear it from the teacher or someone who has studied w/ the teacher as it is hard sometimes to put sound into words. However, in viewing the links provided I feel I have a better understanding of pop tones. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds as though you play at a very quiet volume level, to the point where a regular-non-accented attack's volume is greater than the following sounding of the note and that's where the "popping" sound is created. It seems like pop tones are almost an extension of whisper tones. Regardless of whether or not I'm grasping the concept, this is a good reminder for me to do more quiet playing.

_________________
http://www.thewayofthetrumpet.com/

[James Lipton]: What is your favorite sound?
[Clint Eastwood]: A trumpet.

Derek Reaban · Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject:

Namuhs55,

It sounds like you understand Pop tones conceptually. Hearing these done properly is very important, and until I heard Mr. Hickman in his "preview" masterclass for the 2003 ITG, I didn't quite understand them. Hope you can find a way to have someone demonstrate them to you. They are very effective when done properly!

Good luck.
_________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona
Tempe Winds / Symphony of the Southwest

trpt.hick · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:43 am Post subject:

Pop tones are fun, and easy.

If you pop the mouthpiece with your hand, you will get an idea. When played, pop tones sound like very soft palm pops but the actual pitches are there. No real tone.....just a pitch/pop. This indicates that the air column is instantly activated at the correct note setting. If you get a pop but no pitch, then your embouchure set was off a tiny bit. If the pitch is there but all you get is a "woosh" of air, then the tongue movement is too slow or inefficient in some way.

Playing loudly, but incorrectly, can hide a faulty attack because the sheer volume masks it. Ever wonder why the Arban, Clarke, et. al. exercises are mostly written at "p" or "mp"? Pop tones just take the concept of 100% clarity (perfectly instant and well placed) to the max. Then, when playing louder, the clarity is even easier.

I ALWAYS strive to have a pop present in my attacks. This is especially important for rhythmic clarity in soft, delicate passages such as lighter cornet solos, Haydn concerto, Hummel concerto, baroque works on piccolo, etc. If you listen to Maurice Andre playing very delicately, you will hear the little pops in the bell as he lightly articulates so cleanly.

Dave Hickman

JackD · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:04 am Post subject:

Bugler90 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:28 am Post subject:

This is very interesting but when you flutter tong is the flutter on the tip of your tong or your going to feel like on the "midle" or back, not on the troat, of the tong??
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Stomvi Master:French Besson:Benge
Adolf Herseth:Every time you sound good your breathing is good
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tpter1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194

Bugler-Whe I do the flutter, it's on the tip. That's where I have my students do it, too. Sort of like "rr" in Spanish. The back of the tongue produces more of a growl, as does the middle.

Bugler90 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:18 am Post subject:

Thanks for the reply. I will work harder to obtain the tip of the tong.

_________________
Stomvi Master:French Besson:Benge
Adolf Herseth:Every time you sound good your breathing is good
Maurice Andre:Often I hear people say,ï¿½ He is gifted, he doesn't need to work". This is wrong. I am convinced that I work much more than all the others

Namuhs55 · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 10:48 am Post subject:

Mr. Hickman, thank you for the clarification. During my practice last night I believe I was able to achieve the desired result as there was a definite "ping" in front of the notes, well, some of them anyways.

After playing thru some Rochut etudes in this manner (ignoring slurs), it really cleared up some articulation probs I've been having, especially w/ those soft, mid-to-high entrances.

_________________
http://www.thewayofthetrumpet.com/

[James Lipton]: What is your favorite sound?
[Clint Eastwood]: A trumpet.

trpt.hick · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 11:05 am Post subject:

The point of flutter will vary for each person. However, wherever YOUR flutter is stemming from (as long as it is not way in the back, or to the side of the oral cavity) that would be YOUR best placement.

Dave Hickman