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rudas1
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Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 132
Location: Florida

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2002 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just wanted to let everyone on this forum know how much I appreciated the knowledgeable and thoughtful posts and replies I have seen. I finally got around to registering!

There was some interesting discussion on whether or not to keep the tension in the embouchure during the rests when doing the Caruso exercises. I have personally found that keeping some firmness in the corners but basicallly a relaxed set (especially in the center) still yields beneficial results. For whats its worth to anybody out there!

I'm just getting back into doing Caruso (very gradually) and am excited about some immediate results, and hope it continues! I have struggled at times doing these exercises with a tremendous build up of tension to the point that it wrecks my performance for a few days. Right now I'm doing just the six notes and seconds, at the very beginning of the day, with a period of rest afterwards before I continue practicing, and doing other warm-ups, routines etc... So far this seems to be working well. Any other suggestions??

Thanks-Todd
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_bugleboy
Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 2865

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2002 10:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Todd,

"There was some interesting discussion on whether or not to keep the tension in the embouchure during the rests when doing the Caruso exercises."

In the two e-mails that I posted from Laurie Frink, she makes her position clear regarding tension and mouthpiece pressure during the nose breathing rests in the calisthenic exercises. I found her conclusions to be somewhat in contrast to the ones I had always held from my own experience with Mr. Caruso. My advice would be to give full credibility and weight to Ms Frink's position, and in that regard I am quite happy to adjust my own position. I look at it as an update. So, it may very well be in the interest of a student to relax the corners and relieve the mouthpiece pressure during the rests, all the while ensuring that no movement in the jaw, angle of the horn, etc., take place. This will be true in some cases and in other cases it may still be better to maintain the tension and pressure as if you are still playing the last note.

The calisthenic exercises are intended to gradually train the muscles of the face and respiratory system to function as a team and to do it at maximum efficiency and without the necessity of volitional control from the brain. The practice of these exercises should not normally be the cause for terrible frustration or tension. They're not music and they do not require predetermined results such as, if you played up to a high C on the Seconds on Tuesday, then you should play at least that high on Wednesday. Not true!! Going through the exercises by following the Four Rules is all that is required to correctly and successfully do the drills. After that forget about them until the next time. The benefits will find their way into your normal playing on their own. If you try to make it happen faster intentionally in some way, you could slow the actual process down. Just let it happen.

Regards,

CR


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Charles Raymond

[ This Message was edited by: bugleboy on 2002-03-03 13:45 ]
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rudas1
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Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 132
Location: Florida

PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2002 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Charles.

Thanks for your prompt reply. If possible, I would like your advice on another issue that has been plagueing me for a while, and I think was addressed not too long ago on this forum... That is having difficulty with initial attacks, esp. when playing alone.

It has been diagnosed as the "Valsalva Maneuver" by some players/teachers, the locking down of the tongue and closing of the throat in initiating an attack. I find, like the person (or person's student) who brought this up previously, that if I'm playing in an ensemble or in the flow of the music, I dont have really any problems with attacks.. so timing is definitely part of it. There is also an obvious psychological component, in other words, it happens much less often when I practicing by myself.

I find I can start with breath attacks without much more ease, esp. when I'm under alot of pressure in performance.

So...ANY Advice would be greatly appreciated, and hopefully this is worthwhile to someone else out there struggling with this to some degree.

Thanks-todd
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_bugleboy
Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 2865

PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 9:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Todd,

There was some discussion of this subject over in Pedagogy in the 'tonguing stutter' thread. IMO your problem is 100% timing. You admit that once the band is playing. Initial attacks are not much of a problem. The timing is there. You know exactly where to play. The same should be obvious to you as you play an Arban exercise, for example. You crack the first note, but once your rolling along, the attacks aren't a problem. Your timing got established AFTER the first note. The trick is to get the timing established BEFORE you start playing!!

To solve this problem when no one else is playing is for YOU to set up some timing devices for yourself. One way is to slightly raise your hands (with the horn on) as if you were giving yourself an "and" count such as a conductor would give before the start of a piece: "and - one." Another way is to take a short breath just before the attack, again as an "and" type of upbeat count to clearly identify where the down beat is to be. I use both of these, sometimes together. Many players are very definite about not holding air when breathing. That is, to always inhale and exhale (start playing) as one continuous flow. This is just another way of making the air act as your timing device. And it is a good one! It works very well. But it is a timing device nonetheless. The air that is being inhaled functions as an upbeat, and with no break in the in/out of the air, the exhale becomes the downbeat. It works good! The air, however, could be just as easily held, momentarily, and another timing device employed (such as raising the hands up slightly or tapping your foot) to establish an up beat that will then let you know where the down beat is.

If you are uncertain where the note should start, the result is often the stutter attack or cuffed note. It's a timing issue.

CR

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Charles Raymond

[ This Message was edited by: bugleboy on 2002-03-04 12:07 ]
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