Spit buzz

[tptguy]

Author
nicolashuang
Veteran Member

Joined: Dec 06, 2002
Posts: 125
From: Singapore
Posted: 2003-05-22 22:25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When lip buzzing with other embouchures, people have told me to set the embouchure, and just blow, allowing the lips to respond to the air. In SC, do you set the embouchure too and let the lips respond to the air or do you add verticle compression while the air is comming out.. and should air hit the area above the top lip before moving down through the aperture?

Nicolas

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tptguy
Heavyweight Member

Joined: Nov 12, 2001
Posts: 556
From: Philadelphia, Pa
Posted: 2003-05-23 23:07
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spit buzzing is just an exercise. You don't have to get too crazy about it. Buy a pack of of sunflower seeds. Put one on the top of your tongue about 1/4" back from the tip. Now, spit the bloody thing out into the middle of the room. Keep doing it, one seed at a time, until you get the feel, it's no big deal. Once you have the feel then keep it up minus the actual seed. Best regards, Kyle

PS - If you don't like sunflower seeds then buy a watermelon. :>)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

nicolashuang
Veteran Member

Joined: Dec 06, 2002
Posts: 125
From: Singapore
Posted: 2003-05-23 23:23
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How about the air stream, how should it flow? should it hit the upper lip, or move down and hit the lower lip or in between?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tptguy
Heavyweight Member

Joined: Nov 12, 2001
Posts: 556
From: Philadelphia, Pa
Posted: 2003-05-24 19:21
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nicolas, Aim your airstream right at the point of contact between your upper lip and the top of your tongue. Best regards, Kyle

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

nicolashuang
Veteran Member

Joined: Dec 06, 2002
Posts: 125
From: Singapore
Posted: 2003-05-27 11:49
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How about tension? Does the middle of the lip have a lot of tension in SC like the kind of lip tension you get when spitting with pursed lips or should the lip be relaxed like when the embouchure is formed you just blow air?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

tptguy
Heavyweight Member

Joined: Nov 12, 2001
Posts: 556
From: Philadelphia, Pa
Posted: 2003-05-27 18:25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lip tension is as in a spit buzz. - Kyle

[germerv]

tptguy: I thot your 5/23/03 post had a good idea in it, i.e. get a packet of sunflower seeds and practice spit buzzing. I did and a question came up. Do you mean spitting the whole seed or part of it(eating the inside "meat")? Spitting the whole seed is much harder than pieces of it. Please clarify. Thanks.

germerv

[tptguy]

I meant the whole thing, but I don't find a notable difference btw spitting a hair or a full seed off the tongue. As the whole seed is slicker than a crunched seed, it actually seems easier to me. What differences are you finding in your experiments? - Kyle

[oj]

Just a few experiences / thoughts from me about spit-buzz....

After the great mini-lessons I got on the phone with Jerry, I have developed a more refined spit-buzz.

By working below low C and down, I have found that I can keep the forward setting all the time.
(You know the formation that the double pedals help you develop)

If I try to go up to C in the staff, I start pulling the corners. This is bad practice!
In pictures on Jerry's website, I see that he sometimes uses his fingers to help a student keep the corners forward (or inwards). So, it is very locical that you should not use spit-buzz to do the opposite

When I did my first spit-buzz to Jerry in the phone, he said it was too hard. I needed to do it more gently. He also said I should do it in a more melodic fashion.

I have done as he suggested and when I pick up my horns now, I relly feel that this off-horn-practice pay off.

Another thing I also do now, is to play simple etudes (single tongue from Arban, etc.) on tuba. Jerry said that it was easier to develop TCE on a low brass. Larger movements that is easier to feel and control.
I play things from C in staff and up to high C on tuba (= pedal C to low C on trumpet). First I spit-buzz a short phrase, then I play it on tuba. This really connects spit-buzz to playing and vice versa.


Ole


[ This Message was edited by: oj on 2004-01-17 07:29 ]