Anyone use the B.E.R.P(ER)

MrV · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 8:15 am Post subject:

I was wondering how many trumpet players in orchestras actually use the Berper.

Does anybody know if these people use the Berper?

Phil Smith?
Bud?
Wynton Marsalis?
Thomas Stevens?

Since all of these people have a GREAT sound, specially Smith and Bud, I'm just curious to know. Maybe that's their secret to get such a great sound?

What about you guys? Do you use the Berper?
I do.
Anyone want to share tips/struggles on how to get the most out of it? How much has your sound improved since using it?

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[ This Message was edited by: MrV on 2004-01-30 11:16 ]

[ This Message was edited by: MrV on 2004-01-30 11:20 ]

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

I don't use a BERP, but I do work with a Buzz Aid (Chase Sanborn). It is great for working on detecting breaks in the air. If I have trouble with a passage, it generally improves considerably if I can play it well with the Buzz Aid. Only problem with the buzz aid is that you have to remember to not bang the mouthpiece into your chops - I only did that once, but ouch!
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MrV · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 9:11 am Post subject:

Where can I see a pic of it and posibbly order it?

trumpet8va · Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 10:33 am Post subject:

I think it's a great tool for establishing or maintaining a good embouchure. James Thompson has a good book called buzzing basics. It contains a series of isometrics, lips slurs and glissandos on the mouthpiece and the burp is very helpful with this.

john32 · Regular Member Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 35

I try to play everything on berp. You notice how bad your pitch is and this would logically mean that you are only approximately hitting the notes in the middle. So the trumpet is deciding a lot instead of you.
If you can hear it you can play it.
Try playing leonore and carmen signals on berp. When i did this i had to go back to a ridiculously slow tempo to find every note corrrectly, but now with it much more set in tonal centre, i feel much more secure.
Runs along the lines of chicowitz and jacobs teaching

thelurker · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 257

it is a nice toy, but not needed...

you can buzz just fine with out the BERP and I am almost certain that when Bud, Phil or who ever practiced buzzing that the BERP was not on their horn.

1B · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 8:21 am Post subject:

2 big advantages with the BERP. 1. It creates resistance, making the buzz feel more like the horn, and 2. by moving the valves while you buzz, you connect your ears to you fingers, greatly improving relative pitch. I especially like the BERP for younger students. It really helps connect MP buzzing to trumpet playing.
1B

Strawdoggy · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 8:38 am Post subject:

Nicely put, 1B.

#3 - It allows the student to hold their intrument at their normal playing angle, whereas they may not if just buzzing the mouthpiece.

Steve

Rich_Nichols · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 9:13 am Post subject:

I studied with Mario Guarneri (inventor of the BERP) when I was at UCLA, 89-91. That was the 'old' berp, not the new one. But the idea is the same and the new one is an improvement because of its adjustable resistance and because it gets the mouthpiece closer to its real position. It's a great tool for developing your chops. You can order it and see pictures at http://www.berp.com. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it gives you a great sound. I think it makes it easier to acheive your mental sound image when your physicality is working efficiently. If your mental sound image is great, then things like the berp are indeed a great help. la di la di da. ta ka ta ka ta. Oop bop sh bam. Klook mop.

Welk · Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 7:45 pm Post subject:

I find ridiculous the fact of paying for that kind of thing when you can get the same effect with a simple trombone ( talking about the office stuff) just clip a trombone in the end of you mpc and put the mpc where it goes... you'l get the buzz, with resistance! That is all you need... a trombone. Sometime, i find that people pays too much for thing that are replaceemnt of the good old trick ( people buying special trumpet plunger insted of the toilet type, people buying chop stick insted of a pencil and some blue gum to add weight... and this BERP instead of a 0,01$ trombone!
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Strawdoggy · Posted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 5:06 am Post subject:

Welk,

I don't think your paper-clip idea (just clarification for anyone from the U.S.) is going to give quite the same effect as a B.E.R.P. . The resistance would not be the same.

Steve