Practice quietly to play louder?

Jasonlijuesheng · New Member Joined: 08 Nov 2016 Posts: 4

A lot of forums on this website mentioned that in order to play louder I should practice quietly, but I found out that it doesn't really work for me.

If I practice quietly my dynamic range will decrease over time, but if I practice loud, then my dynamic range will increase.

Is this advice for beginners because they always play louder than they should or it means I should practice strong dynamic and weak dynamic equally?

TKSop · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 8:47 am Post subject:

Generally it's searching for resonance - if you can produce a resonant sound quietly, then increasing the volume you'll have a much more present and vibrant sound than if you just "play loud"... Which may translate to louder out front even if it doesn't always feel it to you.

roccotrumpetsiffredi · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jul 2015 Posts: 169

No way imho. You can only play loud by practicing loud.

I'm talking of course about being able to do it consistently. Anyone can blast and hurt themselves temporarily.

TKSop · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:00 am Post subject:

trumpet_cop · Veteran Member Joined: 18 Jun 2013 Posts: 242

[quote="roccotrumpetsiffredi"]No way imho. You can only play loud by practicing loud.

I'm talking of course about being able to do it consistently. Anyone can blast and hurt themselves temporarily.[/quote]

By practicing quietly you are teaching your lip tissue to respond to an efficient amount of air. TKSop is correct that practicing quiet playing will be more beneficial than by practicing loudly. Any meathead jock can blow hard and play loudly. Doing so with a good sound is where the soft work comes in.

Go for a good, ringing sound and then increase the volume gradually. you'll be surprised by how loud you won't actually have to play.

JVL · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:34 am Post subject:

hello
it'd transfer better if practiced in the whisper tones way, so to maintain the same embouchure, muscular frame and coordination implicated in playing loud.
Soft playing with a "piano embouchure" will help for resonance, indeed, and for playing soft

Magnus935 · New Member Joined: 01 Sep 2017 Posts: 7

All about balance. Gotta balance the canoe to build great all around chops. It's absolutely essential to practice higher, lower, faster, slower, louder, softer, staccato, legato, flexbility, technical articulations etc.....

Hitting each of these elements consistently and in a balanced routine is money in the bank and more tools in the bag.

Too much time on only a few of them and you limit your marketability, the canoe is going to capsize.

Billy B · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2018 12:29 pm Post subject:

It all depends on the individual and the problems in their playing.
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Bill Bergren

posthorn_kelsey@yahoo.com · New Member Joined: 05 Jun 2018 Posts: 5

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596

trumpet56 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 623

Playing at any dynamic is about your ability to control the airstream. The exercise I have found the most beneficial for developing my dynamics soft and loud and inbetween, is to start softly and gradually increase the airflow to a louder dynamic and then back to soft again to ensure the lips are still touching. After you have mastered this do the opposite and begin loudly and gradually get softer and then louder again. The Caruso six note warmup is wonderful for this.

Vin DiBona · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:26 am Post subject:

Of course you must learn to play softly to learn to play loudly.
Mendez said exactly that as does many of the great players and teachers.
The Clark studies as do many other proper methods always require soft to loud playing. Chichowitz flow studies show how air flow relates to soft and loud playing.
Those who studied with Schilke also were taught his power studies which require extremely loud playing.
It ain't no wives tale.
Here is a perfect example of soft to loud playing. Not extremely loud, mind you, but still loud. If you cannot do this, you have air flow and possibly embouchure problems that need to be addressed by a good teacher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPocVpMieP4

ltkije1966 · Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 8:38 am Post subject:

For me playing as soft as possible the with such a small aperture really works those muscles, much more so than playing loudly. It strengthens that group of muscles very efficiently.

The stronger those muscles, the easier to play longer and/or louder with less fatigue.
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Scott Kuehn

fijimorgan · Regular Member Joined: 08 Jun 2018 Posts: 12

Speaking from experience, you definitely need more soft than loud playing in your practice. You get better control and endurance that way. If you feel like you can't get the volume you want, that may be an aperture control problem. Got to Bobby Shew's website to learn more about that.