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Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece



 
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Nick Mondello
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Joined: 25 Oct 2005
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Location: Locust Valley, NY

PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject: Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece Reply with quote

Janet, et al:

First off, thank SO much for your terrific posts on the Stamp Forum. They are all so very informative and to-the-point.

Here's my question for you:

In the short segment on "Mouthpiece Pressure," in his book on Stamp Roy Poper states that "pressure should only be applied after the tongue releases (like a valve) the air." (See the book for EXACT quote).

Does this mean that there is NO contact whatsoever between the lips and mouthpiece prior to the release? Or, does it mean that there IS some minimal mouthpiece contact as one inhales prior to the blow and any further "pressure" occurs after the release?

Any help you could provide to detail this sequence (including where tongue tip "goes" as one inhales. Mine retracts from teeth on inhale and sets seal on top of teeth prior to release) would be appreciateed
IMMENSELY. I think if I could get this sequence correct my playing would improve significantly.

Again, thank you for ALL your help in making us ALL better players!

Nick
nickmondello@optonline.net
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janet842
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Location: Denver metro area

PostPosted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:11 pm    Post subject: Re: Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece Reply with quote

Nick Mondello wrote:
In the short segment on "Mouthpiece Pressure," in his book on Stamp Roy Poper states that "pressure should only be applied after the tongue releases (like a valve) the air."


I think the confusing thing about that paragraph is that the second sentence starts with "No pressure of the mouthpiece on the lips until..." Listing the mouthpiece first probably has made it hard for a lot of people to sort out the actual order of what Jimmy was teaching. I took the pieces of this sentence apart and reassembled them -- I think it's a little easier to understand in this order:

(Without the mouthpiece touching the embouchure.)
1. Inhale and, as you inhale, set your embouchure as if you are going to practice the lips-alone buzz. (The lips-alone embouchure should be identical to the one you use for the mouthpiece warmup.)
2. Set your tongue in your mouth as you would before tonguing a note -- with your air ready and held back by your tongue. This is no different than what you should be doing to play any tongued note -- you're just setting it all up without the mouthpiece in place. Do not pressurize air in just your mouth cavity -- your body should be ready to move air from your lungs and through your lips just as soon as your tongue moves out of the way.
3. Immediately upon completion of #2, touch the mouthpiece to your embouchure and play the note ("At first do not use the tongue: say "POO"...")

Roy wrote that Jimmy "insisted that the player breathe in tempo." Please take this to heart and take it very seriously! Playing in tempo is what will help you learn to get this sequence down so that it becomes automatic, relaxed and quick -- and habitual. Every passage you play on the trumpet needs to start this way.

Do not ignore what Roy wrote about using the "POO" to initiate sound rather than the tongued "TOO" attack when starting to learn this. The "POO" is a breath attack. Learning breath attacks frees you from being dependent upon your tongue to initiate notes. The tongue does not produce sound, though it can affect sound in many different ways.

Nick Mondello wrote:
Does this mean that there is NO contact whatsoever between the lips and mouthpiece prior to the release?


No contact whatsoever. The mouthpiece is not to touch the embouchure until the rest of your body is actually ready to play the note. Most of you, I'm sure, have seen players who play a passage and then leave the mouthpiece touching their chops for as many measures as it takes to get to the next passage. Ouch! That really cuts down endurance because even a slight bit of pressure reduces circulation, thereby reducing endurance. So, one excellent reason to learn this is to increase your endurance.

Another important reason to learn this is that it helps you transfer Jimmy's method to the rest of your playing. You learn to use the same embouchure for both your warmup and for everything else you play. One embouchure for everything. Putting the mouthpiece on your embouchure first can lock your lips down in a position completely different than what you have been using for Stamp's warmup drills. Not a good thing at all!

A third really great reason to learn this is that your embouchure, and your ear, will learn where all the notes are and, if you stay with Jimmy's entire method, you should find yourself able to nail any note, any time, on demand. To get to this point, it is essential for your ear and embouchure training that you play the lips-alone and mouthpiece warmups with a piano. If you aren't, you are not getting everything out of Stamp's method that you should be. Purchase some sort of keyboard and start doing your warmups with it -- it is money well spent.

The benefits of this learning this method of mouthpiece placement far outweigh any learning curve! Once you learn it, you won't have to worry ever again about returning to your embouchure position after taking a breath. No more pulling air in at one or both sides of your lips -- or having to leave your top lip on the mouthpiece as you suck in air. You will have one solid embouchure position that you return to quickly and easily every time you prepare to play any passage.

Janet
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Nick Mondello
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Joined: 25 Oct 2005
Posts: 166
Location: Locust Valley, NY

PostPosted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:27 am    Post subject: Stamp/Poper/Mputhpiece Reply with quote

Janet:

Wow! Thank you so much for taking time to share your wisdom.

You are a DREAM!

Regards,
Nick
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janet842
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Joined: 04 Aug 2005
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Location: Denver metro area

PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No thanks needed, just send money. ROFL!

I'm starting to think I should write a book, but the reality is that it is only because of questions asked on this forum that I know what needs to be written. So, thanks for the questions -- answering them actually makes me toe the line more on applying Jimmy's method to my own playing.

Janet
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Roy
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would buy the book in a heartbeat! I think you have a real gift for explaining things.
Thanks for your posts!
Roy Griffin
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Nick Mondello
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Location: Locust Valley, NY

PostPosted: Tue May 01, 2007 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote]No contact whatsoever. The mouthpiece is not to touch the embouchure until the rest of your body is actually ready to play the note. Most of you, I'm sure, have seen players who play a passage and then leave the mouthpiece touching their chops for as many measures as it takes to get to the next passage. Ouch! That really cuts down endurance because even a slight bit of pressure reduces circulation, thereby reducing endurance. So, one excellent reason to learn this is to increase your endurance.

Janet:

So the mouthpiece is taken off chops/no contact every breath?

I'm having difficult resetting same place/feel.

Thoughts?

Thanks!
Nick
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janet842
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nick Mondello wrote:
I'm having difficult resetting same place/feel.

Thoughts?


Can you describe what's happening a little more? -- and what is happening to your sound?

Thanks, Janet
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Nick Mondello
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Location: Locust Valley, NY

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 8:39 am    Post subject: Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece Reply with quote

Janet:

Thanks!!!!

OK. Let me describe ...

Embouchure is set as if I'm going to mouthpiece buzz per above - no contact with piece. Set is not overly firm or loose (G)

When mp placed/contact made, the mp placement "feels" different each time placed on chops. Not in same place each time, even for same pitch (second line G). Can't seem to "find" same spot each set. Sound is not best. Feels like I'm using MORE pressure to "adjust chops" after this sequence. Using "poo."

Again, need also to know if you do this re-setting EVERY time you breathe.

Thanks!
Nick
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janet842
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Location: Denver metro area

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 1:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece Reply with quote

Nick Mondello wrote:
When mp placed/contact made, the mp placement "feels" different each time placed on chops. Not in same place each time, even for same pitch (second line G). Can't seem to "find" same spot each set. Sound is not best. Feels like I'm using MORE pressure to "adjust chops" after this sequence. " . . .

need also to know if you do this re-setting EVERY time you breathe.


Based on what you wrote, it sounds to me like you might be using two different mouthpiece/embouchure set-ups. You likely have one for the Stamp lips-alone warmup/mouthpiece warmup drills and the other for playing the trumpet. Without seeing and hearing what you are doing, I can't really say for sure what is going on. If you are using two different embouchures, Jimmy's method can still be a good warmup for you to use, but I'd personally recommend committing to using only one embouchure-- the one that comes out of the warmup drills.

When playing with a group, I'd say that if you've got a full measure or two it would be beneficial to reset. This is where learning to reset in tempo really helps -- you learn to accomplish the reset quickly and confidently. But, sometimes there's barely a break between notes -- in that case, I'd say to leave the mouthpiece on your embouchure.


Janet
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Nick Mondello
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Location: Locust Valley, NY

PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 3:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Stamp/Poper/Mouthpiece Reply with quote

Based on what you wrote, it sounds to me like you might be using two different mouthpiece/embouchure set-ups. You likely have one for the Stamp lips-alone warmup/mouthpiece warmup drills and the other for playing the trumpet.

Janet:

Thanks!

No, I don't use Jimmy's warm-up. I do more of the Adam leadpipe long tones/Clarke#1 thing. The Stamp pedals blow me out/open me too much, FYI.

The main issue here is being set/closed (a la Stamp's description) vs. placing the mp on unset, open or spread chops (or using the mp to open or spread chops).

I wouldn't think that the set that Stamp espouses (which BTW, I think can help me) is contrary to ANY warm-up/playing. Start set and closed and play that way.

Today it seems a little better trying to be set before MP placement.

When playing with a group, I'd say that if you've got a full measure or two it would be beneficial to reset. This is where learning to reset in tempo really helps -- you learn to accomplish the reset quickly and confidently. But, sometimes there's barely a break between notes -- in that case, I'd say to leave the mouthpiece on your embouchure.

That makes sense to me.

Thanks so much!
Nick[/quote]
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