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Tnsamhooker Regular Member
Joined: 01 May 2018 Posts: 20
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 8:40 am Post subject: Relaxing to play high |
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People say all the time to relax to help play high. I can play fairly high for a high schooler but I have no idea what relating means and how to do it. Please help.... _________________ 🎺🎺~~Sam~~🎺🎺 |
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TKSop Heavyweight Member
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Joined: 23 Feb 2014 Posts: 1735 Location: UK
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 8:52 am Post subject: |
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- Keep a relaxed posture (not tense) especially in the upper body
- Don't overblow |
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HERMOKIWI Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2594
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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To me the process of "relaxing" when playing the high register is the process of not thinking about it at all, completely clearing your mind, thinking about nothing as you play the note. The by-product of this process is elimination of physical tension. It's a zen thing. Here's a definition:
"One way to think of zen is this: a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Zen is a way of being. It also is a state of mind. Zen involves dropping illusion and seeing things without distortion created by your own thoughts." _________________ HERMOKIWI |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2619
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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You have to have tension in the right places but there's going to be tension and effort. Watch anyone playing high and loud - they're never going to look "relaxed". _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
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deleted_user_02066fd New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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Perhaps a better phrase would be to play as relaxed as possible. No doubt it takes a lot of effort to play in the upper register. Playing efficiently promotes relaxation. It doesn't matter if it's playing trumpet or hitting a golf ball. The more relaxed I am the better I play. It all starts with smart practicing and focusing on fundamentals. |
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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
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Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9831 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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What people mean when they say stay relaxed is to keep the uninvolved muscles relaxed while the involved muscles (the blowing muscles and the muscles of the tongue, lips and face) do their job. Basically, don't strain and grunt while trying to play high notes. If a weightlifter grunts and strains while trying to lift a heavy weight over his head, it's not the right way to do it, but he'll probably still lift that weight up (if he has the required strength available in the involved muscles). But if a trumpet player grunts and strains as he tries to play a high note, the air will get cut off and it'll all be over before it even began.
Another similar problem can arise when a player strains and tenses up not only his blowing muscles (the muscles of expiration), but also the muscles of inspiration at the same time while trying play a high note. This type of isometric tension has the muscles literally fighting each other, causing a significant drop in range capabilities and also endurance. This problem has been exacerbated in the past by well-meaning but misinformed teachers telling the students to "tense up your stomach" when playing to provide air support.
Best wishes,
John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested _________________ Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
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INTJ Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Dec 2002 Posts: 1986 Location: Northern Idaho
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | But if a trumpet player grunts and strains as he tries to play a high note, the air will get cut off and it'll all be over before it even began. |
This cannot be said to many times............ _________________ Harrels VPS Summit
Wild Thing
Flip Oakes C
Flip Oakes Flugel
Harrelson 5mm MP |
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AJCarter Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 1280 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:02 am Post subject: |
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Robert P wrote: | You have to have tension in the right places but there's going to be tension and effort. Watch anyone playing high and loud - they're never going to look "relaxed". |
Yeah, I'm pretty sure even the pros look like they're working but it won't look quite as labored as an amateur player. But "Tension" is never the proper word. Ever. It already has negative connotations attached to it and telling a student to tense their face vs. engage the muscles will only lead to bad things.
Muscles need to be engaged to play higher, but as you continue working you will eventually not even notice you're engaging them. Hermokiwi also has it right about just not letting it be scary and something to fret about. It's like lifting any amount of weight that you aren't used to: the more you do it, the more second nature and less strained it becomes. _________________ (List horns here) |
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ljazztrm Heavyweight Member
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Joined: 03 Dec 2001 Posts: 2681 Location: Queens and upstate, NY
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:48 am Post subject: |
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John Mohan wrote: | What people mean when they say stay relaxed is to keep the uninvolved muscles relaxed while the involved muscles (the blowing muscles and the muscles of the tongue, lips and face) do their job. Basically, don't strain and grunt while trying to play high notes. If a weightlifter grunts and strains while trying to lift a heavy weight over his head, it's not the right way to do it, but he'll probably still lift that weight up (if he has the required strength available in the involved muscles). But if a trumpet player grunts and strains as he tries to play a high note, the air will get cut off and it'll all be over before it even began.
Another similar problem can arise when a player strains and tenses up not only his blowing muscles (the muscles of expiration), but also the muscles of inspiration at the same time while trying play a high note. This type of isometric tension has the muscles literally fighting each other, causing a significant drop in range capabilities and also endurance. This problem has been exacerbated in the past by well-meaning but misinformed teachers telling the students to "tense up your stomach" when playing to provide air support.
Best wishes,
John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested |
You want your facial muscles/embouchure to be relaxed when your playing. As you play higher, your core muscles should engage more and more. If your embouchure is relaxed and your only using the embouchure muscles needed to play, instead of more muscles than necessary that create tension, then your core muscles should engage automatically in the right way. It should just be an automatic process. The first thing that you want to tire is your much bigger core muscles - never the embouchure muscles. Then your endurance is based on just being in good shape/condition in your body with a relaxed energy about you. Lynn Nicholson talks about this and Clint 'Pops' McGlaughlin goes into technical detail in his books, imaging studies, and videos on tensionless playing. Best, Lex _________________ Mpcs: Jim New-Manley Jazz1/Jazz2/Jazz4/Lead3. Legends MF1. Reeves 39EX/HV. Frost 39MVD. Flugel: Jim NewMF3. Jim New-Manley F1+F2. Pickett MF. Reeves HF.
Trumpets: THE LYNNZHORN!!/Stomvi Forte pocket
Flugel: Manchester Brass Pro Model
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2619
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:54 am Post subject: |
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AJCarter wrote: | Robert P wrote: | You have to have tension in the right places but there's going to be tension and effort. Watch anyone playing high and loud - they're never going to look "relaxed". |
...But "Tension" is never the proper word. Ever. |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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TKSop Heavyweight Member
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Joined: 23 Feb 2014 Posts: 1735 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 10:16 am Post subject: |
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Robert P wrote: | AJCarter wrote: | Robert P wrote: | You have to have tension in the right places but there's going to be tension and effort. Watch anyone playing high and loud - they're never going to look "relaxed". |
...But "Tension" is never the proper word. Ever. |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
In trumpet playing terms, when you say "tension" what's heard is almost always "excess tension" - there's a difference to be sure, but it can be easily lost...
The devil's in the connotations... Support implies reinforcement, tension gets lines crossed into being tense (ie: OTT). |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1414
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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If you're talking about the biomechanics (or physics), the term "tension" is the technically correct term to use for a force exerted by a muscle on another object, such as a bone or another muscle. Yes, some tension is bad. Especially too much of it. But some tension is good, and essential to playing the trumpet. _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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AJCarter Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 1280 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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RobertP wrote: |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
Muscle contraction. Or I instruct students to keep their corners engaged. I do my best to completely avoid using the term or instruction to "tense" anything when it comes to playing, especially for younger students who are attempting to build good habits.
mm55 wrote: | If you're talking about the biomechanics (or physics), the term "tension" is the technically correct term to use for a force exerted by a muscle on another object, such as a bone or another muscle. Yes, some tension is bad. Especially too much of it. But some tension is good, and essential to playing the trumpet. |
Pretty sure I never said muscles DIDN'T need to be engaged... just to avoid the usage of the terms, "tense" and "tension" and those particular mindsets due to their negative connotations. e.g. "The audition warm-up room is a tense place"; "you seem to carry a lot of tension in your shoulders". I advocated for using muscles and developing them to the point where it no longer feels like hard work. _________________ (List horns here) |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1414
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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AJCarter wrote: | RobertP wrote: |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
Muscle contraction. :roll: |
Contraction and tension are two distinct things. With isometric contraction, the muscle length remains the same, and tension increases. With isotonic contraction, the length changes but the tension doesn't.
If you're trying to accurately describe the biomechanics, it makes no sense to be afraid of the common technical terms because of someone's boogey-man connotations. _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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AJCarter Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 1280 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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mm55 wrote: | AJCarter wrote: | RobertP wrote: |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
Muscle contraction. ![](images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif) |
Contraction and tension are two distinct things. With isometric contraction, the muscle length remains the same, and tension increases. With isotonic contraction, the length changes but the tension doesn't.
If you're trying to accurately describe the biomechanics, it makes no sense to be afraid of the common technical terms because of someone's boogey-man connotations. |
Oh well that case I'll go tell all my middle school students to tense their faces for high notes from here on out and I'll let you know how it goes! _________________ (List horns here) |
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Robert P Heavyweight Member
Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2619
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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TKSop wrote: | Robert P wrote: | When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
In trumpet playing terms, when you say "tension" what's heard is almost always "excess tension" - there's a difference to be sure, but it can be easily lost... |
AJCarter wrote: | RobertP wrote: |
When a muscle contracts what would you say is created between the muscle attachment points? |
Muscle contraction. Or I instruct students to keep their corners engaged. I do my best to completely avoid using the term or instruction to "tense" anything when it comes to playing, especially for younger students who are attempting to build good habits. |
As far as the embouchure part of the equation, muscle contraction of varying degrees serves to increase or decrease tension across the vibrating membrane - you can't accurately and fully advise a student how it works if you avoid explaining this - tension *has* to exist to play the instrument. There has to be the right amount and focus of tension - too much or too little and you don't get the desired result. And of course you don't want excess tension in the throat that chokes off airflow - this too needs to be explained.
I've never been an advocate of focusing on "corners" though I know it's a common staple of brass pedagogy. I had a teacher once who preached corners - "keep those corners tight" - all it did was act as a stumbling block. Besides that because of the complexity of the facial muscles there are many ways to tighten the so-called corners - I can make "tight corners" in lots of configurations that are useless for playing - that area is just one element of the whole - there are lots of things happening besides the corners. Focusing on corners caused counter-productive restrictions in other areas of my embouchure. It also masked other issues with setting the mouthpiece that should have been addressed. Today I don't think about corners at all as a specific entity unto itself - my focus is on the overall structure. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Flugel |
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TKSop Heavyweight Member
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Joined: 23 Feb 2014 Posts: 1735 Location: UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2018 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Robert-
You can explain how it works (if necessary, which it may not be) without using terms that might encourage undesirable results.
And you're not teaching the student to write an embouchure dissertation - you're teaching them to build and use one.... You wouldn't expect a driving instructor to explain the finer points of internal combustion to a learner driver. |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1414
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:18 am Post subject: |
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AJCarter wrote: |
Oh well that case I'll go tell all my middle school students to tense their faces for high notes from here on out and I'll let you know how it goes! | \
Why the heck would you do that? _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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AJCarter Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 1280 Location: Indiana
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 6:36 am Post subject: |
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mm55 wrote: | AJCarter wrote: |
Oh well that case I'll go tell all my middle school students to tense their faces for high notes from here on out and I'll let you know how it goes! | \
Why the heck would you do that? |
To borrow your logic.....
Because I don't want "to be afraid of the common technical terms because of someone's boogey-man connotations."
TKSop already made the point I'm trying to make as well: You can explain things to young students without using terms that, while correct, will be harmful as they will take things too literally. Also, a common beginner/middle school/Jr. high student is not going to know all of the biomechanical jargon you and Robert P are spewing out here. You are adults who went through all of the courses and have probably studied things at length. They have not. _________________ (List horns here) |
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INTJ Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Dec 2002 Posts: 1986 Location: Northern Idaho
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2018 7:13 am Post subject: |
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Tell the middle school students to blow really hard and to flex all their muscles as hard as they can. That should completely resolve the issue..........
![](images/smiles/icon_smile.gif) _________________ Harrels VPS Summit
Wild Thing
Flip Oakes C
Flip Oakes Flugel
Harrelson 5mm MP |
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