Physical Fitness and Trumpet

petere · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:53 am Post subject: Physical Fitness and Trumpet

Last night when I was out climbing stairs outside, it struck me again that lung capacity, "wind" if you will, seems basic to trumpet playing. Some well known players are known to exercize regularly, I've heard for example that Marvin Stamm is a runner. But it also seems that a lot of older or overweight trumpeters play pretty well too. MF, bless his soul, comes to mind perhaps in this category. Has the forum discussed the importance of physical fitness much over the years? I don't recall a thread about this topic.
Besides basic emboucher development, what general fitness exercize routines do trumpeters advocate?

oliver king · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Aug 2008 Posts: 1742

Qi-Gong helps. There's a book by Yang Jwing-Ming that is a great guide.

bigbandjazz · Regular Member Joined: 19 Mar 2013 Posts: 52

petere · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:54 am Post subject:

I don't think I'd ever heard of Qi-gong before. It looks like a helpful practice.
Yes, we do have a zest for the good things in life! I should swim more often, it is perhaps my best and favorite exercize other than the part where you get wet and cold.

bigbandjazz · Regular Member Joined: 19 Mar 2013 Posts: 52

oxleyk · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 4180

I attended a Boston Brass masterclass a few weeks ago and they stressed the importance of a relaxed posture and balance, which is more about coordination than fitness. When standing or sitting the correct way there is very little muscle tension in the body. The trombonist, Lance LaDuke, recommended the books of Barbara Conable on the Alexander Technique.

Kent

lmaraya · Heavyweight Member Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 618

Doing abs really help my high notes, NOT KIDDING!!

petere · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:34 am Post subject:

The Alexander technique... now that's something that would help me...

coviman · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:38 am Post subject:

My professor at Ithaca, Frank Campos, was really into Qi-Gong when I was there. There was always some sort of exercise that he was doing, and I definitely think the exercises helped.

On top of Alexander Technique, I also took a Feldenkrais for Musicians class that was also nice.
_________________
James Covington
Ithaca College BM '09 - Music Education
University of Maryland MM '12 - Performance

skishhhh · Veteran Member Joined: 26 May 2004 Posts: 113

When I was a student from middle school through 1st year music school, my teacher would comment almost every August that I had made recent improvements in my sound quality. We figured out that my improved sound quality was related to extensive swimming and waterskiing that I did during the summer months. I also noticed that a bouts with flu or upper respiratory illnesses would lead to prolonged degrading of sound quality; by the time my physical strength returned, so did my sound quality.

I'm convinced that fittness is an important factor in trumpet playing.

John Mohan · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:36 am Post subject:

Good physical fitness and good trumpet playing go hand in hand, and for more reasons than many realize. First off, it's been shown that spending a given amount of time doing cardiovascular exercise will do more to increase cognitive function than spending the same amount of time doing mental acuity exercises. Smarter trumpet players sightread and interpret music better.

On the physical side, the fact is, you don't need good aerobic fitness to play a double high C - as long as you don't need to play too many of them... Air Power (the ability to blow hard and generate lots of air pressure) is the main physical requirement to play a high note. The same can be said for lung capacity. Whether your lungs hold 8 liters of air, or perhaps just 2 (like that little girl who plays G above High C at the Monette factory), high notes can be developed.

But (and it's a big but): Being able to play a Double High C and having 3 bucks in your pocket will buy you a (small) cup of coffee at Starbucks - and that's about it. The main components of trumpet playing are sound, technique, power and endurance. At least 3 of those four components benefit greatly from being in good physical condition.

I know I'm always quoting my teacher, and forgive me but I'm going to do it again, because what he wrote and taught addresses this subject very well.

From page 8 of "Systematic Approach to Daily Practice":

solo soprano · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 7:46 am Post subject:

Your trumpet playing will improve with getting your whole life together -- mentally, spiritually, emotionally. financially, socially, as well as physically.

Craig Swartz · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:30 am Post subject:

I find my own playing is best when I'm putting in the daily time on the running path, 3-5 miles per day. I also find it puts my mind in a better frame as well, which cannot hurt when playing. I don't believe the running helps with efficiency in blowing but it does help with stamina and overall capacity as I work the breathing in with the running.

Comeback · Heavyweight Member Joined: 22 Jun 2011 Posts: 1143

deleted_user_02066fd · New Member Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0

Someone mentioned Maynard, Bobby Shew and Randy Brecker and their weight gain in later years. Maynard was a shell of his former self as a player as his weight increased. I recall seeing Maynard in 2000-2001 at a local high school. I had not seen him since the late 80's. I didn't even recognize him when he walked onstage he had gained so much weight. He looked more like the character Mimi from Drew Carey. He had to climb a short flight of stairs to get to the stage as Blue Birdland was playing, as he finished his short solo he was visibly out of breath. When he took the mic to speak he huffing and puffing the whole time he spoke.
I haven't heard enough of Bobby Shew and Randy Brecker in recent years to comment on them.
Doc Severinsen is a perfect example of staying fit and still sounding great at 85.
Staying fit most definitely helped my playing. It stands to reason that the better you feel the better you play.

bigbandjazz · Regular Member Joined: 19 Mar 2013 Posts: 52

Pops · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:14 pm Post subject:

Maynard also had heart failure which is sometimes called heart asthma because the fluid build up around the heart and lungs causes a 24 hour a day shortness of breath.

I have heart failure also and talked to him about how he managed his travel. He said he disregarded his Drs orders 6 out of 7 days on tour just so he could continue to tour.

He made some real sacrifices to play music for people and deserves better than he is getting here.
_________________
Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin
You can always Google me.
50 years Teaching. Teaching and writing trumpet books is ALL I do.
7,000 pages of free music. Trumpet Books, Skype Lessons: www.BbTrumpet.com

halfgreek12 · Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:33 pm Post subject:

According to a friend of mine who studied with Lou Soloff, Lou said "get in shape or get fat."

ProAm · Heavyweight Member Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 949

5BX Plan mentioned here including a link to a pdf copy:

http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=101881

Brad361 · Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:36 am Post subject:

Oddly enough, and contrary to what most people (including me) believe, my experience was that being in very good physical condition (runner, 50+ miles per week, marathons and also triathlons, so toss biking and swimming in there as well) made no perceptible difference in my playing. Which is not to say that everyone should not try to be fit, including my now-lots-fatter self. (JUST got off a stationary bike though, working on it).

I was surprised that conditioning did not make a lot of difference, but I think that my experience, for whatever reason, is not typical.

Brad361
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval