pencil exercise

DizzyRhys · Regular Member Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 24

wut is the pencil exercise?

trumpetplayer87 · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2003 3:27 pm Post subject:

I can't count the number of times I've seen stuff about this posted, but I can't remember where! If you do a search on 'pencil exercise' on the site, you'll get tons of hits. Hope that helps you

Bonnie

trumpeternick · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2003 5:04 pm Post subject:

I think I know what it may be. It may be that you form your lips as if you were playing a horn, except you hold a pencil in your aperture for some given amount of time. My trumpet teacher has advocated a toothpick excericse using the same method. I try to hold it between 20 or 30 minutes, just sitting in front of the computer or something. If done enough it can help with endurance.

oj · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2003 12:28 am Post subject:

"Pops" (Clint McLaughlin) has a book called "Chop Builder"
- it is a progressive system that uses pencils (one short, one long) to strengthen the chops.

After the 10 weeks you do the pencil exercise twice a week, one day (Monday) you hold the pencil 4 min., the other day (Thursday) you do 60 reps. of lowering and lifting the pencil.

More info here:

http://www.bbtrumpet.com/chop.html

Ole

teongsfd · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 12:42 am Post subject:

how do you hold the pencil?
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Danny Teong

Mark Geelen GR Mod+
David Staff 'Ehe' in F
Nathaniel Wood Flatt trumpet
Lignatone low Eb rotary
Yamaha 6335S
Mark Geelen UWH C trumpet
Selmer Bb/A piccolo, Mark Geelen leadpipes

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 1:17 am Post subject:

You form your embochure like you are going to actually play the trumpet... but you put the pencil in your aperture and hold it straight out, parallel to the ground. You do NOT use your teeth to hold the pencil, ONLY your lips. After a couple minutes you will start feeling the corners burn. If you try this, then do NOT over do it. Only a few minutes a day, every other day is sufficient.
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"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

DizzyRhys · Regular Member Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 24

wut part of the pencil do u hold?.. the tip, the very edge of the tip, the end of the pencil with the tip, the end of the pencil with the eraser?

derekph · Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2003 1:46 pm Post subject:

ttt for any more info on this topic. Man, I could use some help in the endurance and range areas of my playing.

teongsfd · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 7:03 pm Post subject:

same here.
man my lip corners are sore already.

_________________
Danny Teong

Mark Geelen GR Mod+
David Staff 'Ehe' in F
Nathaniel Wood Flatt trumpet
Lignatone low Eb rotary
Yamaha 6335S
Mark Geelen UWH C trumpet
Selmer Bb/A piccolo, Mark Geelen leadpipes

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2003 7:10 pm Post subject:

You should use the unsharpened end of the pencil.. at least I do... and you should only use as much of the pencil as you need in order to have a firm grip on it with your lips. Do not let the pencil touch your teeth.
_________________
J. Fowler
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

vivace · Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2003 9:18 am Post subject:

just make sure you don't get your lips too stiff. WIth you mouth... go oooo eeeeeeeeeeeeeee ooooooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeee oooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeeooooooooooeeeeeeeeeee.... like really big to keep your lips flexible.
_________________
"All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing no song." - Louis Armstrong

Asian Man · Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2003 4:46 pm Post subject:

how long does it take for this exercise to give me more endurence? does it help wit my upper register?

TrptMan · Regular Member Joined: 21 Jun 2003 Posts: 62

FORGET THE PENCIL EVERCISE!!!

It's a waste of time! A very simple self diagnostic, that if you don't "get it" in the first 1/2 second ... you ain't gonna!

Just play! Keep firm corners, a "set" emboucher, and firm, "but relaxed" air support. Use as little mpc pressure a possible.

Try to get the best sound you can get .... THAT'S WHAT COUNTS ... go from there!

John Mohan · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2003 6:05 am Post subject:

LeeC · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Posts: 5730

It is the tongue arch that is a waste of time, NOT the pencil exercise.

The main use of a tongue arch (other than as a psychological crutch) is to keep students from progressing so that they'll continue to pay for lessons and buy useless instructional literature, eh John?

Bill · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 3:49 am Post subject:

While I agree that there is no substitute for the quality daily practice I do find myself at times (lately more than not) unable to put horn on face for several days at a time while facing Wednesday orchestra rehearsals and Sunday church playing.

The pencil thing and free buzzing helps keep muscle tone in my chops. I play better after several days off if I can do these several minute exercises a few times a day.

There is a noticeable difference in tone and endurance between those times I do the substitute exercises and the times I do not while having to take several days off between playing demands.

Once again, there is NO good substitute for orderly practice but the pencil exercise is better than nothing at all when done sparingly.
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

LeeC · Heavyweight Member Joined: 25 Feb 2003 Posts: 5730

The pencil exercise is a GREAT trick if combined with regular practice and performance.

The problem with just practicing to build chops is that we tend not to push ourselves as hard compared to playing in a band or orchestra. I know my chops get out of shape if I'm not playing in bands at least three times per week. However three nights a week is gonna really stress my work schedule. So I do the pencil exercise in the car while driving. This keeps me in shape.

I can't figure for the life of me why someone would say negative things about the pencil exercise. There is so much dogma attached to certain trumpet approaches. You start thinking "out of the box" and you'll always invite hostility.

A certain dedicated forum on TH is not much more than a semi-organized cult. Start with a charismatic dead trumpet teacher, keep alive his teachings, and limit discussion to those areas that boost the cult's message. It's mostly all B.S. By the way I'm definately NOT referring to my buddys over at the Reinhardt table. Them boys is alright.

oj · Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 10:30 am Post subject:

As I have already suggested in this tread - try Pops "Chop Builder"!
It is progressive, you have several close up photos of how to hold the pencil.

If we look at sports, atlethes do things a'la pencil exercise to keep in shape. I kow of other instrumentalists that also do "strange things". I studied classical guitar and we did several finger strengthening exercises.

So, why not try Pops 10 weeks program - if you feel no improvement, drop it, if it helps - keep it up (2 times per week after the 10 first weeks).

Ole

Jeff Lambardino · Regular Member Joined: 05 Dec 2001 Posts: 81