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Tips against overblowing due to nerves?


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stuartissimo
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:52 pm    Post subject: Tips against overblowing due to nerves? Reply with quote

Last night during our orchestra’s final rehersal for our concert this weekend we had a different seating setup than we normally do. Though I was aware I was overblowing, and tried not to, I overexerted myself nonetheless (during normal rehersals its fine).

Anyone got any last minute tips to help mitigate it?
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Last edited by stuartissimo on Fri Mar 10, 2023 2:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're aware you're overblowing and you still do it what is anyone supposed to tell you besides learn to exercise better self control?
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stuartissimo
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 11:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I suppose that’s a fair point. Maybe it’s a confidence issue…or just overexcitement. For example, there a solo bit that starts p at an Ab above the staff. I’ve been nailing it everytime in the practice room last week, as well as during the regular rehersals. But I still flubbed it twice last night.

So a better question may be: how do I avoid panicking?
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

preparation, preparation, preparation..

Practice how you will perform to mitigate the idea that the performance is different. We often practice the music but fail to practice the performance. (include everything in your prep.. i.e clothing/wearing a tie, water or tea to drink, sitting quietly during rests, etc)
Nerves are good, that means you care, expect them and use that energy to focus. Don't do different things, stick to your routine.
Focus on the music, playing like you practiced, no different.
It's not about you, it's about the music, commit to the music.

It's a performance, stuff happens.. get yourself in that zone where it's fun - you've done the rehearsing, take a breath and enjoy the music.
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jscahoy
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

stuartissimo wrote:
Maybe it’s a confidence issue…or just overexcitement. For example, there a solo bit that starts p at an Ab above the staff. I’ve been nailing it everytime in the practice room last week, as well as during the regular rehersals. But I still flubbed it twice last night.

So a better question may be: how do I avoid panicking?

Along with preparation, Perspective. Maybe you care too much. If clamming a note during a performance makes the list of top 100 worst things that ever happened to you, you've led a very charmed life.
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jhatpro
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To paraphrase Yogi Berra, “Ninety percent of trumpet playing is mental, the other fifty percent is something else.”
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Nonsense Eliminator
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

zaferis wrote:
Practice how you will perform to mitigate the idea that the performance is different. We often practice the music but fail to practice the performance. (include everything in your prep.. i.e clothing/wearing a tie, water or tea to drink, sitting quietly during rests, etc)

I think maybe the most critical part of this is avoiding thoughtless practice. It's easy to be casual in the practice room — slouching, doomscrolling Twitter, not really paying attention to what we're doing. In rehearsal maybe it's the same thing. Then we get to the dress rehearsal and we're sitting up and paying attention because that's the "right" way to do it — which it is! — but it's not how we've formed our habits so suddenly everything feels weird.

The other suggestion I'd make is that "don't overblow" is the wrong message to send yourself. Take a good breath and play it how you practiced it.
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Andy Cooper
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Overblowing would suggest that you are not getting enough feedback from your mouthpiece/horn selection in the new seating setup. It's a real external environmental problem not something caused by some failing in your practice.

If you are using bottom valve cap or mouthpiece weights, try going back to a stock setup. You would lose some projection but gain feedback.

Maybe change your stand position - distance, height, angle.


I would think your Getzen would give better feedback than the Olds (but my oh my what a lovely sound).

It's too late to do this now if you have a concert, but in the future you might experiment with playing with one earplug (just a cheap foam type) in orchestra.


Last edited by Andy Cooper on Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:51 am; edited 1 time in total
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Play like you're singing. Odds are good that you wouldn't sing in any way that resembles overblown.
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AndyDavids
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robert P wrote:
If you're aware you're overblowing and you still do it what is anyone supposed to tell you besides learn to exercise better self control?
This..."hey Doctor- it hurts when I do this" Doctor says, "Then don't do that. That will be $500 please!"

Seriously though, you perform how you practice- period. Change that first and the rest will follow!
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stuartissimo
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the replies. It’s been helpful. I guess I just needed to vent a bit…been putting a bit too much pressure on myself insisting everything must go perfectly this time. Which I realize now is silly. Funny how after 30 years of playing I still need that reminder every now and then.

I’m just gonna make sure I’m warmed up properly, and then like zaferis wrote, just play.

Thanks guys, I needed that.
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JoseLindE4
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Depending on the sound environment, one or two ear plugs, even partially inserted might help with some internal feedback. Try it at home first to figure it out since playing with ear plugs can be a strange experience.
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brassmoose
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JoseLindE4 wrote:
Depending on the sound environment, one or two ear plugs, even partially inserted might help with some internal feedback. Try it at home first to figure it out since playing with ear plugs can be a strange experience.


This. If you can use good earplugs that allow for some airflow, they are better for your ears & for balancing external sounds. Definitely use at home first, but these are great. I play in loud electric bands on small stages & whenever I use them I survive the show. Without them, I always seem to flub the last song. Notice the pressure you use with earplugs, take them out for a song & try to emulate that lighter pressure.

Also, if you're overblowing (as I always do), you're probably not opening your throat enough & not using your core (back/diaphragm/etc) enough--that is, you can't "turn up the gas" without overblowing.

I've also been interested in anti-pressure tools, too....
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Mike Sailors
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You have to make that way of playing (not overblowing) YOUR way of playing. People overblow because, well, that's how they play most of the time. Sometimes they remind themselves not to do it, and things get way better of course. However, a lot of people's fundamental way of playing involves a lot of exertion and a lot of blowing, so they're caught in a cycle of playing way too hard, backing off and getting some flexibility in their playing then overblowing again, etc.
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Just_Another_Hack
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 1:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have you tried...playing softer?
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Billy B
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let go of your ego and just make music.
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abontrumpet
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 7:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stuartissimo wrote:
…been putting a bit too much pressure on myself insisting everything must go perfectly this time.


I suspect this might actually be the culprit. Most people are correct in suggesting it is the preparation and habituation process that needs to be corrected, however, for me, something always changed on the performance day vs rehearsals.

For me, I could blow the same, but have the sensation of "overblowing" because I had introduced a new level of lip tension, due to nerves, that had not been present in rehearsal. It would happen on the inhale: I would have very tight and tense lips on the inhale, which for some reason really effects the breath, and that resulted in the feeling that I was blowing much harder to achieve the same volume.

Personally, my habituation process involved in developing a repeatable set of steps for the inhale to rely on when my nerves were going to muck up my progress. "Overnight," my performance days were as good as the rehearsals.
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 10, 2023 11:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps you were also a little disorientated by your different placement in the band. Aside from the other advice here, maybe you also need to have your listening ears on 360 and also share your discomfort with the conductor and communicate with each other regarding how much you are blending and projecting.
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stuartissimo
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 12, 2023 10:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Concert was today and fortunately things went a lot better than during the rehersal. I made sure to warmup as I did at home and tried to remain calm and focused. I think that made a noticeable difference. Thanks for the support everyone!
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Heinz
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very reletable post. Nerves can take a good amount of skill and fun out of the playing. And frustratingly some people are just more nervous than others, and I am one of them.

Last weekend I had a gig I rehearsed well, the general rehearsal went well, but still some nerves in the first song of the gig. And when you start to think 'don't mess up this section', the mess up will be there. Then it's gone and the rest did go well. But after the concert I'm still obsessing over those damn missed notes.

It's wasted energy, but you gotta roll with it I guess. It's just hard to get routine in performing if you only play a couple of gigs a year.
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