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Tongue Level Exercises



 
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 15, 2002 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seeing what great work Charley Raymond has done in the Caruso forum, I will present some of Claude's concepts to you from my perspective.
Many consider Claude's teachings to be based on the pedal tone and range exercises presented in his first and most popular book, Sytematic Approach. Although I highly recommend the pedal and range exercises from SA, they do not completely or accurately represent Claude's teachings.
Many of the Caruso students have said that there is no Caruso method, only Carmine.
The Adam students also say the same thing.
Of course this is also true of Claude. Claude followed no method. When I studied with him, I felt like I was his only student.
When I left my lessons, I felt that there was nothing I could not do. He honestly knew me and cared about me and my future in music.
With that I mind, I present to you some awesome exercises and the proper practice techniques.

Tongue Level Exercises is published by Carl Fischer. The number on my book is 05089.
I'm certain the book is still in print.
YOU have never done these exercises before, therefore following my directions(and asking questions) is mandatory.

WEEK 1. PART II (p10-11) #1-10. Omit #11. Play each exercise once tongue and then slur. Play in 4/4 not cut. Try to play even, but don't concern yourself with clean slurs. If there is a "middle note" in the slur from low C to staff C, forget about it. Play through it. Do not work for speed at this point, that comes later. The "middle notes" will disappear with practice. Without practice, they will always be part of your playing. This is an introduction to the intervals that you will be studying. All possible harmonic intervals within an octave are covered. There are no harmonics for a 1/2 step or major 7. Therefore there are ten intervals that are presented. Some intervals are presented in a upward progression utilizing fingerings that begin on 123 and continue up to 0(open). Others progress downward starting from Open to 123.
1. Octave. Goes down from staff C to low C. OPEN
2. Minor 7. Goes up from staff F# 123 to fourth space E 123. 123
3. Major 6. Down from open fourth space E to second line G. OPEN
4. Minor 6. Up from staff A# 123 to top lin F#123. 123
5. Fifth. Down from G above the staff to C. OPEN
6. Tritone. Up from staff A# 123 to fourth space E. 123
7. Fourth. Down from staff C to G. OPEN
8. Major 3. Up from first space F# 123 to A#. 123
9. Minor 3. Down from G above the staff to fourth space E. OPEN
10. Major 2(whole step). Fourth space E 123 to top line F#. 123

Notice the symmetry that the resulting intervals provide. It is within this framework that one will develop a keen sense of accuracy and control from practicing these exercises.

You do need to get the book to do these exercises, but it is available and it's not expensive.

These exercises are based on some of the great St. Jacomes stuff. Claude had me do everything in St. J with tons of models.
Are you really ready for true trumpet practicing? John Mohan ain't kiddin' folks. I start practicing at 10am until 2, get lunch, teach lessons until 8(playing all the time) and then play and practice all night. I don't stop playing music until I'm told to. I'm playing EVI and piano right now. All day, every day is what it takes to be good.
Claude always talked about Clarke. He had a basement and he started practicing at 8am. At Noon he took a break for a sandwich and then went back down till 4. Then he shaved and showered and went to the gig. That is what it takes!

Here are some things to follow when practicing these exercises.
Watch the tongue! This is perhaps the most difficult concept to explain. The tongue does not create notes and there is not a tongue position for every note. Claude never said "Place your tongue here and G will come out". It's just not that simple. And I'm not sure what "it" is. Claude did speak of "the machine". The Machine is your air, tongue and lips working in sync. Yes, I said lips. If the machine works, then you work. Claude was not anti-lip, he was just anti-lip method.
Follow the movements of your tongue when playing the intervals. Use your "mind's eye". Make observations. There is no right or wrong, there is only you and what you feel.
These are exercises and should be practiced in a patient manner. Do not get tired. Some may be harder than others. Take your time with the hard ones. You may not sound good at first, but your goal is to sound good and play easy. After all, isn't that a great goal of trumpet playing? Sound good with ease.
As far as breathing goes, there are no mysteries. Always take a full breath. The intake is just as important as the outtake. Suck air in throught the mouth and down the throat. Use the nose too. Fill up all the way. Lock down and compress and shoot that air right back out.
The tip of the tongue rests right behind the top part of the bottom teeth. It's very important that you watch the position of the tip of the tongue. For some it is natural to have it at rest behind the bottom teeth. Others have learned by tonguing behind the top teeth and this is not recommended. Remember that the tongue releases air like a valve, it doesn't strike the teeth to create the articulation. It works in reverse.
If you don't naturally tongue in the way described above, it's ok. Just practice the exercises like I said and follow the directions.
Play everything in your natural way. This entire program takes months, or years.

When I was first presented the Tongue Level Exercises, I was like 17 years old and a very fortunate cat because I was on with Claude. This was like 1977 and not many high school punks had lessons with Claude! I was taking from Carl Leach and he split to Vegas and gave me his spot. So Cool!! Claude flew his plane and that's what he loved the most. One time he made it all the way from LA to the Bay without stoping. He always told me about that stuff.

Oh yeah, duh, I almost forgot! Why do YOU want to do the Tongue Level Exercises?
Because they like totally make you better at trumpet!! No doubt about it. Let's say you want to play high but nice and soft and controlled?? Tongue Level baby!!
Everyone has trouble with accuracy. If you can play the 10 Tongue Levels, your accuracy will improve.
These are more focesed versions of some of the fine interval studies in Arban on 125, 126, etc.
These exercises are great for warmup or practice.

We ain't even touched the surface here, so if you have the book and want to continue, let me know.
Eb


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[ This Message was edited by: EBjazz on 2002-09-16 04:04 ]
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 16, 2002 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks to this psycho dude, this new post got moved to the end. I'm hoping this puts it back to the top. What's with this guy anyway?
Eb
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 18, 2002 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

On 2002-09-17 00:10, EBjazz wrote:
Thanks to this psycho dude, this new post got moved to the end. I'm hoping this puts it back to the top. What's with this guy anyway?
Eb


He'll be gone in a minute.

And then after I get done deleting him, I'll make sure your WONDERFULLY EXCELLENT post gets put back to the top of the forum.

Thanks for your help and dedication to the "struggling players" out there that want to get good Eric.

Sincerely,

John Mohan
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Riggs
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just bought Tongue Level Exercises and I must say my tone, accuracy and tonguing speed improved the first day! What a cool book. After that, I decided to make TLE the core of my practice routine so I can get my sound together. Then I found this wonderful post. First off, I enjoyed it so much that I had to bring it back to the top. I had one question about it though. The part about the tongue not having a position for every note, when I read that I said to myself ‘Yes it does, that’s what was said in the book’ and I immediately grabbed the book and looked it up. Page 2, 4th paragraph; “The tongue must be in a certain position to produce any given note, whether slurred or tongued.” Can someone shed some light on what Eric was going for with his statement? I want to make sure I understand what Claude was getting at. Poor me, stuck without a teacher for a while till time (and the wife and kid) will allow. Left to train myself. What would I do without TH?

Thanks in advance!


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[ This Message was edited by: Riggs on 2003-12-05 10:46 ]
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

<The part about the tongue not having a position for every note, when I read that I said to myself ‘Yes it does, that’s what was said in the book’ and I immediately grabbed the book and looked it up. Page 2, 4th paragraph; “The tongue must be in a certain position to produce any given note, whether slurred or tongued.” Can someone shed some light on what Eric was going for with his statement?>

Thanks Riggs! I think Eric can shed a little light. What I mean is that the tongue position is not "set", it's relative.
Claude said "Certain position for any given note" which is correct. He doesn't say that everytime you play a C on the staff, that your tongue is in the same position. Tongue level is a feel, not a science. Tongue levels can change for a variety of reasons such as volumne or speed of air (dynamics), intended sound quality, different horns, etc.
The fact is though, that the underlying principle of tongue level remains constant throughout all of these changes.

HTH, and post again if you want to continue with Part III, which is the best and most helpful section.

Eb
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Riggs
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 12:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for explaining what Eric was talking about... Eric. <begin meaningless attempt at comedy>That Eric guy didn't make a lot of sense to me but now that you've explained it, it makes perfect sense.<end meaningless attempt at comedy>. No really, I understand it now. Thanks! When I get there, I will surely be posting about part III.
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Riggs
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PostPosted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After 3 days, I can single tongue like a madman! But now that I'm using my tongue differently, I've had a bit of an embouchure change to compensate and boy I sound terrible. The notes are easy though. Well back to work, just thought I would check in.
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Chaser
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really like TLE, am lukewarm about Daily Trumpet Routines, but feel that Brass Playing is No Harder than Deep Breathing should be in every brass players library no matter what style, approach, or philosophy the individual uses.

I wrote to Claude in 1986 asking if it would be advantageous to practice on either a larger diameter rim or deeper cup than I used to play jazz on (to 'overwork' my chops, in my way of thinking.) Claude replied emphatically not to. He explained that practicing and playing on the same mouthpiece day in and day out was essential for the tongue to 'learn' where it needed to be for individual notes. He said that accuracy was dependant on how educated the tongue was and by switching anything to do with the mouthpiece helter skelter you just confuse the tongue. He believed (as he relayed to me) that once the tongue was highly trained, missing a note (on an interval or attack) was more to do with 'hearing' the wrong pitch while the tongue tried to play the correct one.

As an experiment (I am pretty hardheaded) I played a Warburton 8D for a week for all my rehearsals and practice and on the 6th day went back to the 8S. My accuracy SUCKED. and it took an hour or so of playing to feel secure in my accuracy.
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shofar
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EB

As John Mohan said..."great post"...I had the good fortune to study with Claude for only 9 months, but I was extremely impressed with the way he designed a practice routine. As much as TLE had helped, the design of a good practice routine has been a great help to me in continuing to become a better musician. Keep the posts coming about TLE as I never got into much of it with Claude. It is unfortunate I didn't get to study any longer as Claude was quite ill when I studied with him.

Have a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas, Rog
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

People have been asking about this, so bumped up
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mograph
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 5:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had trouble understanding and using tongue level concepts, but now I realize it was because I was changing the tongue level while holding everything else steady: I was making the tongue do all the work, and nothing was happening (except in the high register).

Now I realize that everything (air, chops, etc.) still has to work together, but the tongue has more of a ... leadership role. The tongue leads, and everything else is allowed to respond. Well, sort of: maybe the air leads, the tongue directs, and the chops respond. That's what seems to work for me at this point, anyway.

Thanks to EBjazz, for posting so long ago!
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JohnO
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eric, I’m just looking at your post. I have TLE and have appreciated it in the past and will now rediscover it. Did you have comments on Part lll? You indicated you thought this was the best section, so would like to read your comments. Thank you.
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