Breathing and throat/mouth position

[gregtrum84]

Hey all,

I've been having some trouble lately with throat tension. I'm trying to blow but I feel restriction in my throat and it seems like the air isn't coming out as efficiently as it could be. I just had a lesson from a vocalist, and she did a lot of work trying to get the resonance of my singing voice up into my nasal passages and head. What I felt, at least initially was my throat open up and the muscles there "let go" of the air. It's a very subtle thing, the difference between talking with your voice placed in the front of your mouth versus letting it slip back into your throat. I found that when I played after my vocal lesson, I found really beautiful resonance and effortless airflow. I've tried to recall that sound and duplicate it, but it's slipped away for now. I'm probably going to have another vocal lesson, but does anyone have any thoughts on how to place your mouth or the relationship between the singing position and the trumpet playing? Any ideas on how I can get my throat to let go of things?

Thanks,

Greg

[YayPR812]

Greg-
Interesting that you would post this question here, in the Chicago School folder! Perhaps this "choked" feeling you have is directly connected to your trumpet playing- as if you have accidentally fused a choked feeling with picking up your trumpet. Something that Barbara Butler does that I think works great is to warm up with double and triple tonguing, right away, in all extreme registers- and then move to lip slurs and flow studies- this really gets the air to move very quickly. Maybe it is more an air movement thing than any physical problem. Take care!

PS How are things at BU?
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Carrie Schafer

[Mzony]

Hey Greg,
Maybe you choked on the asbestos from the lining of the BU walls in the practice room...Joking. I went to BU and loved making fun of the building amongst other things.
Greg, I have two pieces of advice for you in this area...I have had troubles with this too:

1) Listen to your inhale. Are you making any sort of vocalization when you breath...You shouldn't be. Aim for a very deep resonant wind sound (like "HO") as you inhale.
Remember, the trumpet naturally provides a lot of resistance to your air as soon as it hits your mouthpiece and resistance increases with every bump, turn, and edge in your trumpet.
So having as relaxed of a breath as possible is crucial.

2) For the next few days, don't play anything strenuous, loud, or high. Just play quietly. Play Schlossberg, play Clarke, and play Concone, Caffereli, Bordogni etc.
Get used to connecting with your instrument again without force and when you have made that connection again, slowly start to bring that relaxation into louder playing, faster playing, louder playing, and higher playing.


This is what worked for me and I hope it works for you.

Mike

And remember...the TSAI center is just a lecture hall...NOBODY sounds good in there.
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Zony

[gregtrum84]

thanks for the input, mzony, always good to hear from a fellow BUer. Carrie, good to hear from you too! It was nice seeing you at NTC, and I hope everything's going well at NWU!

Anybody else have any thoughts?

[jcopella]

[Don Herman rev2]

Well, a few thoughts, fwiwfm:

A simple thing to try is to get a toilet paper roll, empty, and place it inyour mouth. Lean your head back (sit down first!) and feel how open your throat is. It may be a bit overwhelming at first. Try to play with that same feeling. As has been said, start quiet and low -- think gentle, soft sound. Relax your body and gently exhale the tones -- don't force the air out, just let it sigh out like you're fogging a mirror with your breath.

HTH - Don
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley