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Caruso dilemma



 
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didge
Regular Member


Joined: 15 Mar 2002
Posts: 63
Location: Denton, TX

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2002 7:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an interesting problem that I always get when I practice Caruso exercises. I'm kind of an on/off again Caruso practicer, although I always do the 6-notes in the morning. My problem is that everytime I do the interval stuff my embouchure changes. I regularly roll in my lower lip and I have good range, but when I do Caruso I don't roll and I get this new set that lets me screech but it isn't usable for middle register stuff. I feel practicing this way is useless since I don't use that embouchure set. Any thoughts?
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PH
Bill Adam/Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 26 Nov 2001
Posts: 5859
Location: New Albany, Indiana

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2002 8:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is very important to understand how the Caruso approach works to improve your playing.

It isn't a problem that the exercises lead you into a different setup than you normally use. This is a crucial part of the process. Just do the calisthenics correctly and consistently. Disregard the results-physically or aurally. Just follow the directions. Do not try to change the way you play in the remainder of your playing. You will observe improvements in your regular playing. These changes may manifest themselves in unforeseen ways. Caruso exercises aren't designed to make you "stronger", unless that is the particular thing you need. Obviously these changes in your playing will take place more slowly (or not at all) if you don't follow the proper procedure or are inconsistent in your calisthenic practice.

If your lips (or your jaw, or your mpc. placement, or anything else) wants to move around that is OK. If the horn shifts angles or you use more pressure than you think is good, or anything else like that happens that is also OK. This is your unconscious mind experimenting with different strategies in its quest for your personal balance. As long as you attach no emotional significance to this or see it as a problem it won't be a problem.

This is in large part how the studies work their magic. The unconscious mind causes your body to experiment with different strategies in an attempt to more efficiently meet the demands your conscious mind is placing. If the new strategy works it will become a new habit through repetition and gradually displace the old method. If it doesn't work the unconscious mind files it under strategies to be avoided. In this way the Caruso studies cause evolutionary embouchure changes (and every other kind of physical change that might be required) without going through the self-conscious trauma of physical analysis.

Keep your conscious mind out of this part of the process. The conscious mind demands the calisthenics be played with a perfect sense of timing and keeps the blow going. This should be 95%+ of what your are consciously thinking. The conscious mind might use the remaining small percentage to observe what results in a detached and calmly unemotional manner, but it will be counter-productive for the conscious mind to get involved with issues of motor control or evaluation.

Read the Inner Game of Tennis!
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rudas1
Veteran Member


Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 132
Location: Florida

PostPosted: Mon Mar 18, 2002 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Didge,

This is a very interested problem, and I'm not sure I'm qualified to take a stab at giving you advice, but here are some thoughts:

My understanding of Caruso is that it helps develop a "middle set" that can be utilizied in all registers. In other words, the concept is not to move or adjust once you begin the "blow" of a particular interval study. I"m not sure Caruso would have described it this way, but I see this as atleast a major benefit of doing these studies on a regular basis.

Another thought is that this more "rolled-out" embouchre obviously works if you are vibrating really high notes with it. So it seems like you would want to incorporate the range benefits of this embouchre, and also since it seems to want to fall this way naturally when you are doing the Caruso studies.

This goes somewhat against what I would normally advise students to do, being a former student of Armando Ghitalla, who was REALLY in to the concept of keeping the embouchre in a "rolled-in" position. But, if you have seen Allen Vizzutti play, you could say he sort of blows that theory out of the water. So.... whatever works!

Good luck-Todd

Other posts please!
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