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The Reinhardt Routines—a total embouchure development plan


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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Sun May 17, 2015 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

revmklyons wrote:
Sometimes I play really fast chromatics over one octave and then two octaves and exaggerate my correct pivot to remind myself and so as to not slip into bad habits. When doing my harmonics slurs I don't exaggerate it but I really concentrate on it so I don't start doing it backwards.

Actually, Doc warned us not to pivot slurred intervals less than a perfect fourth.

I'm understanding you, though, that you are getting the feeling of pushing up while you ascend and pulling down when you descend (you're a IIIA, right?).

That would come under the heading of "tracking" rather than "pivoting" in Reinhardt's lexicon, I do believe.
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razeontherock
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PostPosted: Sun May 17, 2015 9:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What a trip to read through this thread from 7 years ago! Progress has been slow and steady, to the point I had lost track of how far I've come. I'm more consistent on the bandstand though, that's where it really shows up
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gurfff
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 05, 2015 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My Kangal girl dog http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangal_dog (but not the male) gets all worked up with the Pivot (especially) and Day 1-9 exercises. When I stop for rests, she whines and moans and howls.

She does not do this for scales, tunes, other very structured practise material or other long tones.

I'm not sure what this means, but the cornet is terribly hard to play while laughing.
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MF Fan
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm resurrecting this thread to ask a few questions as I start to work through this great book. As a comeback player I'm far from being in great shape chops-wise, but have quickly regained what I believe to be a solid tone and strong range, which generally came naturally to me when I was playing regularly in my HS and college days. Endurance and accuracy are my primary development needs at this point. I haven't maintained a consistent practice routine for years, and the Reinhardt Routines seem to fit my general approach to the horn. I have a few questions to ensure I'm approaching the exercises correctly:

1. What is recommended as a warm-up prior to starting the daily exercises? The pivot stabilizer gets into the upper end of the horn much earlier in a playing session than seems productive to me. Warm up #57 appears to be an option, but playing to double forte as the first blow of the day seem counter intuitive to me. Was playing at a loud dynamic as a warm-up part of the Reinhardt approach in general? My warm up has always been mp-mf in the staff finishing , with a brief foray into the upper register.

2. Regarding the pivot stabilizer itself, what dynamics should it be played at?

3. The guideline to “Never Tolerate Strain” makes sense, but how should I interpret “strain?” Playing exercises in the staff obviously takes less air compression, less facial muscle engagement, less mouthpiece pressure to maintain a seal, etc. vs. notes above the staff. What form or symptoms of strain are to be avoided?

4. Most of the daily exercises have you playing softly, i.e. starting at pianissimo and decrescendoing from there. My chops aren't responsive enough at this point to decrescendo from pianissimo to hold a note consistently at pp. My general approach has always been playing at louder dynamics when practicing, using a full tank of air, etc. so focusing on softer dynamics is a change. Am I correct in assuming starting at mf and decrescendo down to the lowest volume that can be sustained is the spirit of the exercise? When holding the note to the “end of the playing breath, ” is the intent to hold the note for as long as you can sustain a quality note, or to maintain the note as it begins to waver, cuts in and out, etc?

Thanks in advance for all replies.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

MF Fan wrote:
1. What is recommended as a warm-up prior to starting the daily exercises? The pivot stabilizer gets into the upper end of the horn much earlier in a playing session than seems productive to me. Warm up #57 appears to be an option, but playing to double forte as the first blow of the day seem counter intuitive to me. Was playing at a loud dynamic as a warm-up part of the Reinhardt approach in general? My warm up has always been mp-mf in the staff finishing , with a brief foray into the upper register.

Reinhardt will change your paradigm. What you think you know and what he can teach you are usually two different things. Basically, he taught that if you are not using multiple embouchures, you can definitely do it all (with a certain amount of balance) and only build, not tear down, your chops.

He wanted you to play everything on one setting, not shifting gears to play loud or soft, high or low, tongued or slurred. If you play his stuff as written, what you thought was "the way" may turn out to be what has been holding you back.

MF Fan wrote:
2. Regarding the pivot stabilizer itself, what dynamics should it be played at?

A medium, comfortable volume with the lower notes being "thinner" (softer) than the higher notes on those slurs. When you slur up to the higher notes you can put a little more volume into them without hurting yourself.

MF Fan wrote:
3. The guideline to “Never Tolerate Strain” makes sense, but how should I interpret “strain?” Playing exercises in the staff obviously takes less air compression, less facial muscle engagement, less mouthpiece pressure to maintain a seal, etc. vs. notes above the staff. What form or symptoms of strain are to be avoided?

Anytime you feel that your chops are no longer "fresh" and feeling supple and ready to take on the world, that's when you ought to rest. Straining to play something means that you're probably hurting yourself trying to get notes your chops are not ready to play yet. To avoid strain, ask yourself if you're about to tear down or build up if you continue. If you can put the horn down for thirty seconds and play what's next comfortably, then that's a good strategy. If you have a hunch that continuing on past where you are at this moment will not yield favorable results, you may be about to strain if you don't rest. You'll understand after doing it for awhile.

MF Fan wrote:
4. Most of the daily exercises have you playing softly, i.e. starting at pianissimo and decrescendoing from there. My chops aren't responsive enough at this point to decrescendo from pianissimo to hold a note consistently at pp. My general approach has always been playing at louder dynamics when practicing, using a full tank of air, etc. so focusing on softer dynamics is a change. Am I correct in assuming starting at mf and decrescendo down to the lowest volume that can be sustained is the spirit of the exercise? When holding the note to the “end of the playing breath, ” is the intent to hold the note for as long as you can sustain a quality note, or to maintain the note as it begins to waver, cuts in and out, etc?

I always got the best results by only taking in as much air as I need to play the phrase at hand. Using a metronome and interpreting the fermata as a double-length note with the appropriate decrescendo was a good starting place for me. If you can avoid the temptation to try to be Superman on these (in other words, less is more), you will benefit greatly. Always resting before the chops feel tired is another good thing to remember when doing these Reinhardt Routines.

MF Fan wrote:
Thanks in advance for all replies.

I hope some others chime in. Mine is surely not the last word on these. Others have probably had their own personal "revelations" whilst practicing this material, and I sure hope they post some of them.

Thanks for asking such thoughtful questions!
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MF Fan
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich, thanks for the reply. A follow-up question: What approach should I take to the different parts of warm up #57? Was the intent to work through parts 1-5 on a single day, or do a single part on a given day, alternating from day to day, etc?
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 21, 2016 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

MF Fan wrote:
Rich, thanks for the reply. A follow-up question: What approach should I take to the different parts of warm up #57? Was the intent to work through parts 1-5 on a single day, or do a single part on a given day, alternating from day to day, etc?

If I have a gig on a given day, I was told to only do enough of Warm-Up #57 until my chops feel good. That might only be a minute or two, it might take two or three sections of the warm-up. I have to learn to use good judgment there.

The only time doing the whole thing was recommended was if I have no gig that day and my chops keep feeling good . . . in other words, if I get to a certain point and I'm struggling a little to play the next phrase, I probably should've already stopped.

It's a great warm-up if I stop when my chops feel good. It's an excellent chop-builder for use day after day when I have no gigs on the calendar.

Be smart and don't let your ambition get the best of you. Doc used to say, "Be polite, get up from the table while you're still hungry."
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Dbfinn
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 2:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not understand the instructions on Day 9. First, what is length of the tongue stroke? what is "graduated length of stroke? And what means "pointed note"?

Thank you
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dbfinn wrote:
I do not understand the instructions on Day 9. First, what is length of the tongue stroke? what is "graduated length of stroke? And what means "pointed note"?

Thank you


When we tongue a note, it is not the forward action of the tongue (making contact with the rugae or the back of the teeth or the gums) that creates the "attack."

It is when the tongue is released from the touching of whatever surface it touches that creates the "attack."

Try this: say "D" but first put the tongue where it touches for you to say "D" and leave it there for a moment. Now, when you release your tongue, that is when you are able to say "D" out loud. Your tongue moves backwards at the moment you pronounce "D."

The same holds true for tonguing.

At softer volumes, the backstroke of the tongue is not as long as it is at louder volumes, and the exercises that say "graduated length of tongue stroke" involve either a crescendo or decrescendo. That is why the length of the tongue's backstroke changes . . . gradually . . . according to volume.

Pointed note means that we try to go for a "pointed" feel and make the note's attack clear and precise, almost a stinging attack. It is the opposite of a legato tongue "attack" which almost sounds like the note appears out of nowhere without even being tongued. All of the notes he refers to that would get a pointed attack are those with staccato marks or marcato accents above them.

I hope this answers your questions. Thank you for asking them!

Rich
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Dbfinn
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I see. Thanks for clarifying. I will try on my next Day 9.
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TKSop
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Rich,

I bought this from you the other day and it seems like what I was after.

I don't have any real history with Doc Reinhardt's pedagogy, though I took a couple of evenings of reading through this board (paying particular attention to your own posts, along with Chris's and Dave's) and what I've seen looks like an approach that will compliment my particular mindset - and it certainly seems both from your own description and from the book itself that someone such as myself not blessed with the experience of his teaching (yet) may still benefit from the exercises.
I know lessons are very strongly (and consistently) recommended, but I'm not in a position to spend on them right now - I wouldn't want to presume an embouchure type (far from educated or experienced enough), but my pivot is consistently (no exceptions) to pull down to ascend and pull up to descend, attempting to impose the opposite does not seem to work at all.


Anyway, what I'm wondering is...
On the very first page (/front cover) it clearly says "trumpet in Bb" - is there anything fundamentally that means that it won't work with other keyed horns as written?
Would any modification of some/all/any exercises be required?

For context: 95%+ of my playing is brass band Eb soprano cornet playing, I have Bb horns but I typically do almost all of my practice on the Eb horn as that's what I perform on most. Rangewise I'm not too concerned, I'm fairly safe up to high F (above high C) at Eb pitch so playing everything as written (but on Eb instead of Bb, so at higher sounded pitch) isn't something that would particularly worry me - I'm just wondering whether there's something inherently wrong with doing so, besides it making already strenuous exercises more strenuous?
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TKSop wrote:

Anyway, what I'm wondering is...
On the very first page (/front cover) it clearly says "trumpet in Bb" - is there anything fundamentally that means that it won't work with other keyed horns as written?
Would any modification of some/all/any exercises be required?


So interesting that you would post this just now. My wife and I are currently revamping all of the books we offer and have realized that the only time it is necessary to list a book as being specifically for Bb trumpet is when there are play-alongs designed for Bb instruments.

We have been taking off the Bb from all of our books where it doesn't matter, so you would pick up any of your trumpets in any key and do the Reinhardt Routines as you see it, as if it were written for the whatever-pitched trumpet you happen to have in your hand at the moment.

So just play it as you see it.

Thank you for bringing up that point!
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TKSop
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2017 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BeboppinFool wrote:

So interesting that you would post this just now. My wife and I are currently revamping all of the books we offer and have realized that the only time it is necessary to list a book as being specifically for Bb trumpet is when there are play-alongs designed for Bb instruments.

We have been taking off the Bb from all of our books where it doesn't matter, so you would pick up any of your trumpets in any key and do the Reinhardt Routines as you see it, as if it were written for the whatever-pitched trumpet you happen to have in your hand at the moment.

So just play it as you see it.

Thank you for bringing up that point!


Interesting timing indeed!

Thanks, I realise I'm only getting a small part of the experience as it is (until I can save up for a lesson or two), thought I might as well confirm I'm getting that small part as right as I meaningfully can at this point
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Ximo_molina
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi.

I like to reopen this post after so many years.

I am an exclusive player of recording sessions and broadway shows. for this next season, I want to take a course of a demanding study to improve my game (especially range and endurance). I think the reinhardt method can be a great help. (This method has helped my great idols and I am a believer).

My main question is:

- how to start working on this method and its routines and not have problems to perform my show at night. (I do between 7/8 shows a week, Two Fridays and two Saturdays, Monday is the day off) I would like to know how to approach this method. warm up 57 and full day, just warm up, pivot work, etc ... I'm a little disoriented and I'm afraid that I can overload and that fatigue wins instead of the method can help me.

Thank you
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 16, 2019 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ximo_molina wrote:
Hi.

I like to reopen this post after so many years.

I am an exclusive player of recording sessions and broadway shows. for this next season, I want to take a course of a demanding study to improve my game (especially range and endurance). I think the reinhardt method can be a great help. (This method has helped my great idols and I am a believer).

My main question is:

- how to start working on this method and its routines and not have problems to perform my show at night. (I do between 7/8 shows a week, Two Fridays and two Saturdays, Monday is the day off) I would like to know how to approach this method. warm up 57 and full day, just warm up, pivot work, etc ... I'm a little disoriented and I'm afraid that I can overload and that fatigue wins instead of the method can help me.

Thank you


Doc had two approaches he recommended for situations such as yours:

1) The Stagger System . . . on the first day dive in with both feet, the second day "cool it" and take it easy, the third day dive back in with both feet, the fourth day "cool it" and take it easy, and continue alternating days in this fashion. At first your "hard days" might need to be somewhat mild and over time you can make your "hard days" more demanding.

2) The Touch Upon Procedure . . . this approach has you doing just a little of everything during each practice day to keep all the areas of brass playing alive. You would organize some drills so that every practice day you play something high, something low, something loud, something soft, something tongued, something slurred, some sustained (cantabile) work, and some compression.

When I first started with Doc in 1978 I was working 5 hours a night 6 days a week (house band gig). I would practice my Reinhardt drills early enough in the day so that I had a minimum of a three-hour rest period between them and my gig that night. That formula really worked well for me, and I began getting stronger right away and continued getting stronger . . . there was no slump in my progress.

Keep us posted!
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Ximo_molina
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 1:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi.
Thanks for the info.

In answer 1, "cool it" means doing nothing of reinhardt routine that day? I also do not know to what extent it would benefit me to perform the pencil exercise with my workload. Maybe the days of double show, just warm up 57? Sorry for my questions, but it seems like a fascinating method that has helped many great players and I hope it works for me.

Thank you
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BeboppinFool
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ximo_molina wrote:
Hi.
Thanks for the info.

In answer 1, "cool it" means doing nothing of reinhardt routine that day? I also do not know to what extent it would benefit me to perform the pencil exercise with my workload. Maybe the days of double show, just warm up 57? Sorry for my questions, but it seems like a fascinating method that has helped many great players and I hope it works for me.

Thank you

"Cool it" would mean a gentle day, not diving in with both feet. I recall that a couple times I just did Clarke's Technical Studies but in a few days I stayed with the Reinhardt stuff and just did far less of it so that I didn't wear myself out.
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