Mid range difficulties / mouthpiece position

[Mart]

Hello All

I have been practicing BE for around two months now, and I am starting to find some consistancy with both roll in and roll out, but I find it almost impossible to play notes in the stave. (particularly C below the stave to A in the stave) Any suggestions?

Also, for me the BE method is a major change as I previously played with almost all of the mouthpiece on my bottom lip, but to make BE work I have changed to a more central setup. How long do you think I should practice the new setup before beginning to use the new mouthpiece position all the time?

[trumpetjunkie]

Hey,
Keep practicing roll-out 4 and roll-in 2 & 3 and with time it will get better... I'm still a little sloppy in the mid-range while using a BE embouchure, but it is continually improving. Keep pluggin... it works!
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[Jacko]

Hi Mart

I too have been working on BE for a couple of months. I am finding my tough note is E at the top of the stave. Sometimes it drives me mad. I can easily get G and C, but not the E. Then it sometimes just comes out.

I think it's just a case of persistance. It does seem to get easier.

Like you I am trying to play on my 'new' chops, but you can resort to the old ones. From reading the book and the forum, eventually you should finish up at a mid point!!! Balance.

I'm trying!!


Good luck



Jacko

[Mart]

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I had sore lips this week from being outside in the cold wind, so I have been using a chap stick to stop them cracking. I have discovered that this really helps with roll out #4 as it makes it easier to get your lower lip back inside the cup of the mouthpiece as you ascend to a more rolled in setting. Try it if you are having problems in this area.

[HJ]

Hi ,

Please keep in mind that there is not a real look for BE. If you are talking about your 'new chops' or 'new setup' or whatever, this is besides the point. BE is nothing more than a dynamic development system. Forget things as playing on new chops, this will only confuse you and lead to frustration. Just do the exercises and play on whatever feels good after that. There is no way you can know how your 'new chops' feel or look, because this is a process that will take time.
I am doing BE for almost two years and my chops are totally different from what they used to be, but this happened gradually. I did not try to play on a new setup, I played on what felt good at that stage of my progress and did the BE things., and now I find myself capable of playing almost an octave higher, closed aperture, on a pretty small mpc with a pleasant tone and flexibility and I have no idea how it will look and feel a year from now. What I do know is that it will feel even better.

So don't bother too much about mpc position and mid range etc. When doing the exercises problems will occur and be solved. This is the exercise your lips need to make the progress towards an undefinable balanced, if you will, setup. My roll-in doesn't sound that great, I worked for two months to get the E top staff, instead of a G or a C, but in the meanwhile I could play a G3 on my 'normal' setup, which I hadn't been able to do for years. So, patience and persistance,

Bert

[mcamilleri]

Make sure you spend some good practice time on BE crescendos, and tongue-on-lips, and also play studies and etudes using tongue-on-lips, targetting around that low C register. This should develop more control in the lower register, and improve your lip position. You may need to start with very simple tonguing studies, and at low speed, to be accurate.

BE is an integrated system - you need to practice ALL the exercises, and decide for yourself what your weak points are so that you spend a bit more time working on these areas.

Michael
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