• FAQ  • Search  • Memberlist  • Usergroups   • Register   • Profile  • Log in to check your private messages  • Log in 

BE & the Glass Ceiling



 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> The Balanced Embouchure
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
barryj1
Veteran Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2001
Posts: 408
Location: Attleboro, MA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 10, 2003 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A couple years ago before switching over to the BE, I had no consistency above the
staff and my endurance was pathetic. If I understood anything about brass playing it was this: all the dedication in the world wasn’t going to make a difference. I was hopelessly
stuck with an habitually unmanageable embouchure that nobody could tell me how to fix.

After working on the Balanced Embouchure for a few weeks, I would reach for a high note and, even though the only sound coming out the end of the horn was hissing air, I could actually hear the upper harmonics resonating in the lead pipe. My chops felt stronger and there was a subtle difference in how my lips functioned to produce the individual tones in the middle register. More importantly, my mental attitude had undergone a radical change for the better.

This sort of intuitive revelation is crucial for anyone who has suffered for years
under the mistaken notion that only a select few ever get to play with confidence in the
upper register. An insidious, negative mindset develops as a consequence of smashing into
the brass player’s glass ceiling. You hear other trumpeters soaring with beautiful tone and relative ease over the entire range of the instrument, but, after half an hour practicing, you can’t even hit an ‘A’ above the staff with any degree of consistency.

I am sure that there are many BE advocates who have seen dramatic results after only a few days or weeks of practice. For those of us dealing with debilitating, long term embouchure problems an intuitive revelation may precede a quantum breakthrough like the solid high F, which I mentioned in a previous post. Since then I have hit higher notes, but upper register is not the point of this lengthy, somewhat disjointed message.

So what is the point? There’s still the possibility of musical salvation - even for the AARP, geriatric set (I’m playing better now in my late fifties than when I was in college some thirty years ago). Now that’s really funny! Again I digress. In short, don’t get sidetracked. Practice the BE exercises as described in Jeff’s book and the benefits will
come in time.

Barry
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
trumpetteacher1
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 3398
Location: Garland, Texas

PostPosted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Barry,

You said, "An insidious, negative mindset develops as a consequence of smashing into the brass player’s glass ceiling."

I obviously agree. What you are describing is everyday reality for thousands of players.

I occasionally hear from those with music doctorates (the "doctor") who think that the tone of the BE book is too critical towards those with academic degrees. I think that they are overly sensitive to a small amount of criticism. The everyday reality is that our public educational process regarding trumpet education - from middle school on up - is a haphazard mess. Since MDA's are at the top of that heap, shouldn't they get a fair portion of the credit for the status quo? They are certainly quick to take credit for the development of good players. How about the development of bad players? Isn't that also part of their responsibility?

Kind of like the medical doctor. If the patient lives, the doctor "cured" him. If the patient dies, it's God's will!

I think that 70% of the players are led down an inefficient path. Ghitalla thought that it was 75%.

There is so much fear out there regarding anything to do with upper register. Getting players out of that fearful glass ceiling mindset is priority one.

Thanks for the insightful post!

Jeff Smiley
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Lex Grantham
Veteran Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2001
Posts: 345
Location: East Texas

PostPosted: Sat Dec 20, 2003 6:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) people can be a little uncertain at times, I would suppose.

I was working in a computer establishment as a consultant in the mid-1990s in a distant Texas city from the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The local college had a member on the musical faculty that had received his DMA in trumpet performance from a well-known college of music (yes, in Texas). I once approached him about the possibility of taking some lessons, and he was actually intimidated because he told me he did not feel that he had what it took to help me. I had explained to him something of my involvement as a trumpet player throughout my life, and he felt that my experiences were such that he could NOT come up to my current standards for providing me worthwhile tutelage. It seemed that all he had been teaching for years were public school students and maybe did not know how to approach adults with musical desires and needs to continue improvement in their playing levels.

He was the one with the doctorate in performance...I had a masters in music...maybe I could at least get a couple of ideas from him???

I was not able to convince him otherwise. He did thank me for my confidence in seeking him out for possible instruction.

I offer this little experience, as it contrasts with Jeff's post just above.

Sincerely,

Lex Grantham

Then on February 9, 2002, I walked into Jeff's home in Garland, Texas for my first face-to-face encounter with BE. Nice experience!


[ This Message was edited by: Lex Grantham on 2003-12-20 10:10 ]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Charlie Cheeseburger
Regular Member


Joined: 03 Apr 2002
Posts: 53
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 1:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The whole idea of giving out doctorates in 'performance' seems ridiculous to me. For teaching, pedagogy, mechanics, fair enough, but for performance, no. Playing the trumpet is a lot of things, but it's most certainly NOT an intellectual pursuit.

All it succeeds in doing is giving so-called 'doctors' in performance an inflated opinion of themselves, and devalues the status of real 'doctors', who have gained their degrees by original academic research, and have contributed to the sum of human knowledge.

- Andrew
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Lex Grantham
Veteran Member


Joined: 12 Nov 2001
Posts: 345
Location: East Texas

PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2003 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It reminds me of another story...

There was once a well-known trumpet player (do not remember his name now) who was interested in teaching on the faculty at Yale, Harvard...or other big-name institute of higher learning. When he talked to the search committee, he was told that he would need to pursue a doctorate in keeping with the requirements of the university. His response was:

"I do not need a doctorate to prove that I can play trumpet well enough to satisfy your need of a trumpet teacher."

I do not think he was hired.

Sincerely,

Lex Grantham
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> The Balanced Embouchure All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group