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A Way to Think About Stay Up and Stay Down



 
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craigpallett
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Joined: 30 Jan 2009
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Location: vermont

PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:09 am    Post subject: A Way to Think About Stay Up and Stay Down Reply with quote

Thought a technical explanation of a primary rule that is not discussed much is what Jimmy calls, "Stay down going up, and Stay up going down".

Physically the trumpet is basically a bugle with extra pipe controlled by the valves. If one plays the basic fundamental frequencies generated by a bugle or all open valves on the trumpet, the pitch is controlled by varying the embouchure. So "C" "G" "C" "E" "G" etc. etc..

Realistically the first "C" for example, has a specific embouchure "slot" or position that allows one to play that frequency on the horn. When one plays the next note up, "G" for example, the embouchure adjusts to play the higher position note.

Going Down
When playing an "F#" or any notes below that "G", you are simply adding more tubing, to the same embouchure position. The Stamp rule of "Stay up going down" applies here.

Incorrect thinking: When playing from "G" to "F#" you push the embouchure down to the lower "C" position, to play the "F#", you "loosen" the embouchure to play the "lower" note. If you do this, you end up having no "lower" position to go to when you try to actually play the lower "C".

Correct thinking: When playing from "G" to "F#”, you simply keep the embouchure the same (keep the note up) and add the extra tubing, by selecting a valve.

Going Up
When playing from an "F#" to a "G", you are simply removing tubing, and using the same embouchure position. The Stamp rule of "Stay down going up" applies here.

Incorrect thinking: For the initial "F#" you are using the "G" embouchure position to actually play the "F#". When you release the valve to play the "G" you change your embouchure to use the next slot (the "C" above)
What happens here is: sure you can play the "G" perhaps using the upper "C" slot, but if you need to start playing notes above "G", you keep pushing the embouchure into higher slots. This ends up causing a lot of "physical" embouchure problems, you get tired fast, the notes are out of tune, and you keep adjusting the embouchure, and can't control what's going on, as you go up.

Correct thinking: For the initial "F#" you are using the "G" embouchure position to actually play the "F#". You simply release the valve to play the "G", and don't change the embouchure. You don't push the next note "up" and attempt to use the next embouchure slot.

The Stamp exercises are designed to assist you in "feeling" this.
Course if you are doing this on your own, without the guidance of a teacher, your "feelings" might over-look this, and you might not understand the concept.

Hopefully this vague technical explanation might assist you in learning this key "Stamp" idea.
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ScottA
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Joined: 19 Feb 2002
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your insight on this Stamp concept! I'm wondering how you phrase the "correct" thinking to students when they are moving from a lower "slot" to a higher by using valves. For example G--A or some problem slurs like C--D or (4th space) E--F#?
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Scott Apelgren
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craigpallett
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Joined: 30 Jan 2009
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Location: vermont

PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Would suggest just getting the students to play the Stamp Exercises daily.

That's what these symbols in the book are about. Holding the upper portion of the exercise patterns gives the student adjustment time to find the slot, pitch and position. The repetitive nature of doing this for every "first" upper note, for every scale and/or pattern, while doing the daily warm up, reinforces this. Attempting to teach a fifth grader, using terms like "correct thinking" etc, shouldn't be applied. The teacher can "think", but I think at younger ages its about teaching them to "feel".

Even for me, when playing, I don't want to "think" about all this, I simply want to play. Jimmy "always" played these exercises on the piano, while I played them at my lessons. During the mouthpiece exercises he played on his mouthpiece or piano. The piano really sets the pitch and is a good way to work with a student. It gets the student to listen to something other than another trumpet, and gives the teacher something else to do(like get your piano chops together .. smile)

Basically the Stamp Warm Up exercises teach the correct way of "feeling" these problem slurs, by practicing them daily. If you find a student is having problems with this, simply bring it to their attention, and get them to keep the notes approaching the top of the exercise down.

I hope this helps
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