FLHG

[BeboppinFool]

I found my old Pivot System Manual (my *really* old one . . . apparently I have two of the trumpet books) and saw this abbreviation all over the place in there (in my own handwriting).

It reminded me that Doc was on my case one lesson about my left hand grip. He told me that half of my problems (at that time) were due to a weak left hand grip. He kept telling me to use a "Firm Left-Hand Grip" and I decided to remind myself of that often — in writing.

And now I'm relearning the FLHG lesson. It amazes me how one "little" thing like my grip can have so much impact on so many areas of my playing.

I used to wonder what he meant by left hand grip "in identical position" until I asked him, and he said that just meant to use the same grip every time. Duh!

This broken arm/sprained wrist episode messed with my grip quite a bit, and now I can grip the horn "normally" but I'm still having problems working my 1st & 3rd valve slides. That'll come, though.

But I figured I'd share this with the rest of you, just in case somebody else needed to relearn the grip lesson.

Rich
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Puttin’ On The Ritz