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tryingtolivethelife
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Joined: 19 Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Location: St. Albert AB
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 Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 12:03 am Post subject: |
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I have beenplaying trumpet for about six and a half years now and I really want to start developoing my own thing. I just want to know two things... I wish in the end to be a second trumpet player type
I have no desire to play lead, I only want to improvise. I would however like to have some range... as we all know thats what most people pick up on right? But yeah, I know I use to much presure, and I think a change is needed, I am considering Super Chops. I know very little but before I start working, I would like to know if this aproach will be just benifishial to range? I want to mintain alot of lip flexability. I love to muff, bend and other wise push tone. For sound, I like Chet Baker, Lester Young, Lee morgan and Miles. What Mpc, area should I go into to help me with this. (yes I know lester young is a sax player, but with a tone like that..) Will super chops push me away from this kind of sound
Do I have to sacrifice sound, tamber and tone control for range? Any help would be apreciated,
Thanks in advance,
Charles |
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histrumpet
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2001
Posts: 771
Location: Mobile, Al
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 2:45 am Post subject: |
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Charles,
There is a lot of information on Super Chops in the Super Chops area of this forum. In that area there is a thread where players who transitioned to the system tell how it helped them. Find that one and read it along with all the other topics. That should give you the insight you are looking for. |
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tom turner
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 6648
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 7:10 pm Post subject: |
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On 2002-01-28 03:03, tryingtolivethelife wrote:
... I wish in the end to be a second trumpet player type
I have no desire to play lead, I only want to improvise. I would however like to have some range... as we all know thats what most people pick up on right? But yeah, I know I use to much presure, and I think a change is needed, I am considering Super Chops. I know very little but before I start working, I would like to know if this approach will be just benificial to range? I want to mintain alot of lip flexability. I love to muff, bend and other wise push tone. For sound, I like Chet Baker, Lester Young, Lee morgan and Miles. What Mpc, area should I go into to help me with this. (yes I know lester young is a sax player, but with a tone like that..) Will super chops push me away from this kind of sound
Do I have to sacrifice sound, tamber and tone control for range? Any help would be apreciated,
Thanks in advance,
Charles
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Hi Charles,
Great questions . . . and all valid. I played the "other way" for 40 years and am also mainly a "tone player" vs. "high note player." The ride book was always my favorite book, though I could play lead if asked.
I transitioned to SC around Easter last year after a meeting with Lee Adams and a couple of fantastic lessons. I bought the SC materials to study also--very important no matter which method you choose.
My tone is even better than before, my lip flexibility noticably better. Endurance? Oh my gosh . . . done correctly you can literally play all night. I did a gig in Florida recently with short little 10 minute breaks and was, unlike the other guys, still strong and fresh at the end . . . and I was playing lead.
No matter what method you take, I'd recommend finding a strong area teacher to guide you. Since you are drawn to jazz it would be preferable to locate one who understands jazz too. You need a teacher who will challenge you and kick your butt to lose that darn arm pressure! Excessive pressure absolutely kills flexibility.
I suspect the pounds per square inch of pressure on your chops is in the hundreds of pounds if you are mashing the mouthpiece against the chops. Sure, the "Arm-Strong" method will temporarily cause tension in the lips and allow an undeveloped player to pinch out a higher note but that same pressure causes the lip to swell and shut everything down fast!
SC though, is great at relieving the arm pressure, for instead it relies on LIP pressure . . . of the center of the top lip pushing directly down as the center of the lower lip pushes directly up against it. You simply use as little pressure as needed to maintain an adaquate mouthpiece/lip seal via the horn!
Sometimes I practice and perform with the bell simply sitting atop the left hand's little finger and thumb and no grip at all on the valve casing (the middle three fingers are just pointing up above the side of the bell. At the same time the right pinky is NO in the hook . . . thus little or no pressure possible! Lip against lip is much softer than arm pressure yet you get adequate "lip compression" against each other to ascend into the stratosphere with ease, endurance and wonderful, un-forced tone!
Gosh . . . too much to cover here. Go to the SC forum for lots of archived and active posts. Also, contact Bruce Lee of NorthernBrass.com about getting the materials you will need.
The neatest by-product of SC and low pressure? . . . that mellow, laid-back sound of a Chet Baker when you want it from a non-stressed, highly accurate chop set up--super mellow!
Good luck on your quest!
Warmest regards,
Tom Turner |
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tryingtolivethelife
Veteran Member
Joined: 19 Nov 2001
Posts: 300
Location: St. Albert AB
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 11:20 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you Tom... I am although going to have trouble a. finding a decent teacher, and of course b. getting the csh to pay for it so I ask you in the mean time (I have just made arangments to purchase the super chops books.) Should I lay off practice with my "Arm-strong" method? I man will I do more damage than good, or am I right to assume that what ability I have now is next to nothing compared to what SC will bring me.
Thank you,
And yes I have checked out the SC section of the forum along with alot of the rest of it. Although I just wished to ask this question that I didn't see an answer to else where,
Chuck |
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