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Lionel
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 Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2020 8:02 am Post subject: What I've learned from a major embouchure change |
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1. Patience is foremost. Under that heading comes,
A. Practice heavy one day, light the next. Avoid overtraining. As this condition is not only a less efficient way to develop embouchure but a serious drain on positive energy.
2. I must not judge myself based upon the trumpet player who I once was before the injury (requiring me to make major chop setting change). Instead i need only compare my performance with yesterday or especially last week.
3. Trying hard not to become a tyrant against myself. I once played a solid lead trumpet. High Gs and whatnot. Solidly executed.. Not world class but still musical. So I ought not set unrealistic expectations. I'm in this for the long haul.
4. Mechanics:
A. Avoided lots of articulation on my newly formed embouchure. Just like when I was once ten years old my tonguing tends to make my embouchure fall apart. So I worked more on breath attacks. Only after these air attacks started consistently producing the pitch I wanted did I add my tongue into the equation.
B. Developing good volume between the tuning note and a High C similarly led to more secure attacks over all.
5. When given the choice of practicing at home or joining a three hour rehearsal? I'll almost always choose the rehearsal. As practical experience helps confidence more than anything else.
A. The practice room is very much like a "mechanic's garage". While the stage and rehearsal room are the "racetrack".
B..in the practice room is where I adjust what small embouchure or respiration oriented movements and positions are necessary. While when I'm playing in the band I'm concentrating mostly on enjoying the music.
That's all for now. Thanks.
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:13 am Post subject: |
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"It is surprising how skilled you can become on a very limited (trumpet) embouchure and how many years you can play on that and then how difficult it is to correct that once you find that it is tremendously limited". Bill Moriarty, 2005
That about sums it up for me! I was playing a lot in the early 70's, during college. It seems that as much as I practiced, high C, maybe D was my limit. I began traveling to NYC to study with Roy Stevens. Major changes ensued. I was a receded jaw player tonguing to my top teeth. Roy had me learning to play with a forward bottom jaw, tonguing to the bottom teeth. It became more difficult to play gigs, often getting confused as to which embouchure I should be playing with. I had some teeth issues and had to have braces put on my teeth, top and bottom. Playing became a nightmare. Roy got me some strips of bees wax and I could insert this around the braces and tape it in place. It enabled me to play somewhat, certainly not well however. To say I became discouraged would be an understatement. One day I put my horn away in the closet, dropped out of music school, enrolled it the state university and changed my major to science education. After graduation I worked in the business world for a few years and then spent thirty years teaching high school biology and environmental science. I have always felt that I had unfinished business with the trumpet, so 45 years after putting that French Besson Meha in the closet, I took it out, grabbed my Stevens book and began again. That was three months ago and have been practicing 2 to 3 hours a day. Retirement is great!! I am fairy strong up to double G and really reaching for double C. I'm 67 years old now. Playing high is no longer a priority, but finishing what I started with Roy Stevens is. My playing is more consistent, the notes I reach for are there, and I do not get as fatigued as I once did. My debut performance was a taped recording for our church! I have no idea where or with whom I am going to play the trumpet with but play I will!!
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3bflat
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:24 am Post subject: |
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| Great story. Thanks for sharing. |
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Lionel
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | "It is surprising how skilled you can become on a very limited (trumpet) embouchure and how many years you can play on that and then how difficult it is to correct that once you find that it is tremendously limited". Bill Moriarty, 2005
That about sums it up for me! I was playing a lot in the early 70's, during college. It seems that as much as I practiced, high C, maybe D was my limit. I began traveling to NYC to study with Roy Stevens. Major changes ensued. I was a receded jaw player tonguing to my top teeth. Roy had me learning to play with a forward bottom jaw, tonguing to the bottom teeth. It became more difficult to play gigs, often getting confused as to which embouchure I should be playing with. I had some teeth issues and had to have braces put on my teeth, top and bottom. Playing became a nightmare. Roy got me some strips of bees wax and I could insert this around the braces and tape it in place. It enabled me to play somewhat, certainly not well however. To say I became discouraged would be an understatement. One day I put my horn away in the closet, dropped out of music school, enrolled it the state university and changed my major to science education. After graduation I worked in the business world for a few years and then spent thirty years teaching high school biology and environmental science. I have always felt that I had unfinished business with the trumpet, so 45 years after putting that French Besson Meha in the closet, I took it out, grabbed my Stevens book and began again. That was three months ago and have been practicing 2 to 3 hours a day. Retirement is great!! I am fairy strong up to double G and really reaching for double C. I'm 67 years old now. Playing high is no longer a priority, but finishing what I started with Roy Stevens is. My playing is more consistent, the notes I reach for are there, and I do not get as fatigued as I once did. My debut performance was a taped recording for our church! I have no idea where or with whom I am going to play the trumpet with but play I will!! |
Sounds great amboguzzi! Many congratulations. You and I ought compare notes. As we've travelled much of the same path.
By the way, I spoke to the man who both wrote the words in my signature and edited the Stevens book. Dr Bill Moriarty. He returned my phone call the same day as I left a message on his answering service. In his eighties today and like us retired but still fit and sharp as a tack. Bill spoke more trumpet related knowledge during our 15 minute conversation than is usually found in a week long convention of trumpet players. I consider Bill the best human resource on trumpet playing that there is today.
He also spoke of all the sheer abuse that Roy took from other trumpet educators. I had noticed the same thing during his career. Why for the life of me so many so-called experts put this man down is a question I'll never answer.
While it is true that a certain % of trumpet players do not adjust well to the forward jaw setting I have found a way to fix this. It is my thought that in those whom Stevens does not seem a good fit that they ought to consider using mouthpieces with large inner rim dimensions. And sure enough! Bill told me that this is exactly what Roy Roman does.
During my initial period of discovering the Stevens system I was not ready or able to convert over to the whole system. So I just picked and chose those concepts that I could use. The most important being the "two aperture theory". Indeed any trumpet player can adapt to this idea.
That was an embouchure adjustment that I actually made while playing in a 5 day/week working band! After adopting the two aperture theory my usable range became able to play louder immediately. My endurance rose 300%!! The guys in the band kept looking over my way while we were on stage and I was playing.
They thought that a new trumpet player had been hired! And in a way one had. Me! I had instantly jumped to a higher level of performance. I continued playing this modified way on a receded jaw embouchure for another 38 years.
However age and arm pressure do not mix. My advancing years exposed my upper, right incisor tooth to too much wear and tear. It broke off at the gum line in Aug of '18. After screwing around with at least one failed idea? I decided to make the total conversion over to Stevens-Costello just this past November.
To the younger players,
For your own sake, please do not wait so long to discover the principles found in Stevens-Costello. You can still keep playing your regular way and do the Stevens on the side. While Roy Stevens warned that this is not an overnight breakthrough? I personally have been improving very fast.
Starting only last Thanksgiving? I can now blow easily up to double C. And am able to cover much of the Clarke Technical Studies. My articulation is getting better as is the volume. In the Stevens it takes a while to fill out the high Gs and whatnot. But please believe me, it works! It really does..
Thanks!
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 6:46 pm Post subject: Roy Stevens Method |
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Great story Lionel! When I was studying with Roy, we would just show up at his studio. No prearranged appointment. Just show up. I would take the train from CT to NY and walk to the studio from Grand Central Station. There might be four other guys sitting there waiting. I would just sit down and watch and listen to what Roy was saying to the other players until it was my turn. One day I strolled into the studio and Roy told me I should have gotten there earlier to meet Don Ellis!
As to mouthpieces, I have two that I obtained from Roy and am comfortable playing this mouthpiece. I actually just bought a third off of eBay as they are still produced under the signature series, but agree with you and can see where a slightly larger inner diameter could be a benefit to some players.
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Lionel
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| Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:22 pm Post subject: Re: Roy Stevens Method |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | Great story Lionel! When I was studying with Roy, we would just show up at his studio. No prearranged appointment. Just show up. I would take the train from CT to NY and walk to the studio from Grand Central Station. There might be four other guys sitting there waiting. I would just sit down and watch and listen to what Roy was saying to the other players until it was my turn. One day I strolled into the studio and Roy told me I should have gotten there earlier to meet Don Ellis!
As to mouthpieces, I have two that I obtained from Roy and am comfortable playing this mouthpiece. I actually just bought a third off of eBay as they are still produced under the signature series, but agree with you and can see where a slightly larger inner diameter could be a benefit to some players. |
Amboguzzi,
Thank you ever so much for joining this conversation! I consider your words to be among the most valuable to me on this forum. Now as usual I wrote way too long of a post. Even still I wonder if you could take some times and indicate where you agree or disagree with my thoughts. Okay? Feel free to criticize. Heck everyone else does! Lol. Even back in the upstairs of my college music practice room circa 1974 someone had painted some highly unflattering ugly graffiti about Roy Stevens.
You are very fortunate to have met Roy Stevens but you must already know that. All that I have is the memory of Roy sctuslly answering my handwritten letter of inquiry circa 1974.
At that time I was a freshman music major at a New England university (boy, haven't we crossed the same paths?) I had a lot of demands on my playing to keep with my existing receded jaw embouchure. The college music dept didn't have any "ringers" in terms of high range. In fact even as a freshman I held down the leas chair in the big band. I was the closest the school had to a "ringer" regarding chops. I had a big sound on high G. But nothing above.
Then one day a former trumpet music major strolls into my practice room and tells me about Roy Stevens. He then takes his ax out and slides up to G/double C with the horn ONLY RESTING ON HIS PALM!!! I admired the utter ease of his playing. He admired the big sound I had.
Back in those days the only way I could blow high notes was at a loud volume. I could blow the utter Hell out of high G but it required 3 to 4 x more physical effort from me to get the high A! And an A flat or G# was utterly impossible. High notes in general took a huge physical toll on me. In fact I may have lost a few gigs because my face would turn so bright red. I really looked crazy with my face scarlet red. And I had a huge neck puff which eventually went south on me and had to get fixed on the late 1990s..
All of this occured because I was playing inefficiently. Had I been able to convert to the Stevens method on regular mouthpieces way back when? I would have had a more interesting career. Instead I went out on the road and after I quit that? I kept my music on the side.
I hear people tell me,
"You don't need triple C""
"You don't even need double C" etc.
But that's not the point. As even Herb Alpert, who never ventured above high C during his fantastic recording career?? Even he once lost his chops during the height of his career. I'm not sure but I think that he used Caruso to recover. Me? I prefer a physical approach I want to know what the heck I'm doing wrong is.
That said? I've started to "borrow" the breath attacks from Caruso as I bring my fledgling embouchure online. See man I've developed high notes at least two ways in my life. First was Maggio. Now I'm almost 5 months into a total Stevens conversion. While the two systems are "Night & Day" different? I do see a similarity in terms of my personal development. From both these experiences I have found that practicing tonguing tends to distort and stand in the way of range development. As does trying to get a big sound in the lower register. If anyone wants to know, I think that for those who're struggling and decide to follow a new system they should include these principles,
1. Range development is primary. In order to guarantee the development of good register the less naturally blessed of us had better darn well prioritize range. Those with natural talent for high notes can disregard this because as a "physical accident" (words of Reinhardt) they're on a much easier path than the rest of us. So if anyone here is serious about the trumpet? Start developing high notes immediately. Even if you never play them. If Herb Alpert had first studied with Roy Stevens he never would have had his chops breakdown.
2. Once the beginner to high note development gets a piece of an A/over high C? Keep that chop setting for ALL of your register. Just gradually work it down to high C, Then?
Work down to G/top of staff. Next? Go down to
Third space C ("tuning note C") then to
Second line C. ALL ON THE SAME EMBOUCHURE AS THE HIGH A?! Then?
Don't play lotsa of low tones. Not until you can connect all these tones to the altissimo register.
3. Now? Start building a big sound and gradually develop your articulation. And flexibility. Again, don't drop or recede your jaw. Don't take the horn off your lips and reset for low tones. You must concentrate on keeping the same setting that can hold the high A with relative ease.
Frankly I'm still at stage 3 right now. Although I've sorta gone through a phase very similar to this back some 45 years ago with the Maggio system. The problem with other systems besides Stevens is that your results will always be hit or miss. This is what often happens on those puckered-out pedal tone type systems. Also you're probably going to get a distinct separation in tonal quality just above high G. Some cats, like I was once simply won't be able to play a certain tone around A flat/high C. It won't slot no matter how hard you try. This a reason why a number of very fine lead players (and I mean cats who play beautifully and much better than I could) you'll see them playing A flats and A above high C with all three valves depressed. Or some other strange combination.
I admit that I'm a beginner once again. Due to absolutely losing my chops completely in 2018. I feel no shame. However even in my fledgling state and with all my deficiencies due to being a beginner once again? I assure you that my A flat & A natural above high C are absolutely seamless. Not the easiest notes on the horn fer sho. But no problem holding them on pitch.
I think that this is due to the very rolled-in lip formation required by Stevens-Costello*. By rolling in my chops the airstream is forced to start occilating more inside my lips. As such the aperture remains undisturbed when blowing high notes. Conversely those who "pooch out" or pucker their chops tend to find their register has a nasty sticking point upstairs. Usually this is around a High A flat. Yet I've seen a man who couldn't blow the B flat under double C. Although he could play proficiently much higher. He told me that his sticky tone would vary from one day to the next. Some days he couldn't get the A natural.
That's all folks!
*PS: My computer is so jaded by my writing abt the Stevens system so often that it's already put "stevens-costello" on auto-correct lol!
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Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980). |
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 6:56 am Post subject: ! |
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Lionel,
It does appear that we have much in common regarding the Stevens/Costello method. The harmonics!!...yes indeed, that is how I began again, holding the horn on my open palm, forming the aperture, teeth open 1/4 inch, bottom teeth edges slightly forward of top teeth, top lip draped lightly over top teeth occupying 1/8 of available space, bottom lip "rolled in" and also occupying 1/8 of the aperture space. I spent weeks doing nothing except the harmonics, trying to reestablish the proper grip on the mouthpiece, working the lower masseter muscles of the face and avoiding the dreaded sneer, which thins out the lips. From the 1/4 inch opening the jaw closes no more than 1/8 inch for higher tones and opens 1/8 inch for lower tones. Only after I could slide up to double C in this way did I hold the trumpet, and then it was upper register work only. When I was a kid, my teacher had me develop a robust lower register and then gradually work up to the higher notes. As I said earlier, high C, D was about my limit. Roy had me working the upper register, concentrating on jaw and lip formation and once that was established, work down the scale to lower notes. Roy was a heavy coffee drinker. He would sit in his studio, coffee cup in hand and say, "no man, don't worry about the low notes, they'll come later." I can play double G right now but am still having trouble with low G. The fixed jaw rule must apply, the lips curled in. The only jaw motion is up or down 1/8" from the established 1/4" opening. What is nice is that I don't have to blow my brains out to reach double G and A. They're there with a reasonable volume. One area I have had to concentrate a good deal on is keeping the bottom lip rolled in and not pushing the mouthpiece into it causing the grip to be lost. The exercises, done daily, all times of day, in the car, watching a movie. It's gotten to the point where my wife walks up to me now with her lips curled in because she figures I'm doing the embouchure exercises...recede the bottom jaw which is open 1/4", curl the lips in, push up with the bottom lip and down with the top lip and blow, air stream down....jaw parallel or slightly forward, open 1/4", lips curled in, blow, air-stream up... in the same position but don't blow, just press your lips together. The pencil exercise... pencil in between teeth to form proper opening, bottom jaw moves forward so that the pencil is in a slight upward position, embouchure formed, blow, resisting the air flow. I stopped this exercise because I keep the proper jaw position and teeth opening and don't feel I need to continue with this one.
I have struggled somewhat with keeping the bottom lip curled. When it uncurls, more pressure is needed to sustain the high notes, fuzzy sound, tired chops. But then suddenly a milestone is reached, the lips stay in position and the notes soar. That's where I am at the moment. I could feel it happen. The bottom lip stays curled in and is allowed to vibrate freely against the top lip, mouthpiece pressure is reduced, notes are crisp. I can practice longer. I am practicing the exercises in Roy's book!
I am at a distinct advantage being retired. Playing is a hobby now. There is not stress, no rush! My career doesn't depend on my ability to play high notes on the trumpet. I am truly enjoying practicing and playing music I set aside 45 years ago. My first performance was for our church. It was a small but important first step. I am playing again! By the way, my name is Anthony
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JayKosta
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 9:09 am Post subject: Re: ! |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | ...
The fixed jaw rule must apply, the lips curled in. The only jaw motion is up or down 1/8" from the established 1/4" opening.
...
is keeping the bottom lip rolled in and not pushing the mouthpiece into it causing the grip to be lost. ... |
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Anthony,
Could you elaborate on the amount of lower lip mouthpiece pressure that is used, and how/if it is varied depending on the pitch range.
Is the amount of lower lip pressure controlled by outward jaw force against the rim, or by how hard the rim is pressed inward against the lip.
MY method is to control the lower lip pressure by how firmly the jaw is pressed outward, not much actual outward jaw movement, but the pressure is varied depending on range to achieve the desired 'balance' of rim pressure on both the upper and lower lips.
Jay
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'. |
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 11:11 am Post subject: |
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Jay,
I have been away from the horn for years and am by no means an authority on the Steven's method, but I do remember a good deal from being in his studio. I find the lower lip curl necessitates a good deal of practice and trying to achieve the right "feel!" Some days I think I have it and other days I think I have to work harder to get it. Once my jaw is set, I don't find myself pushing my jaw out against the mouthpiece. My jaw moves up slightly and down slightly in it's natural arc, not out and not side to side. I may bring a bit more pressure into my chops from the trumpet, but you have to be careful you don't cause a separation in the lips. The embouchure muscles need to resist the outward air pressure. You can try this. Set up your embouchure, bottom lip curled in so that the outer red portion of the lip is against the teeth edges and not the soft fleshy part, the top lip curls gently over the top teeth and the teeth opening is about 1/4 inch, being met in the middle by both lips. Bottom teeth edges should be even with or slightly if front of the top teeth edges.Without the horn begin blowing and resisting and you should feel your lower lip resisting the air pressure and curling in slightly. Place your open hand about where your nose is. You should feel a stream of air. You are now in the upstream position. This is a good daily exercise! Now put your mouthpiece on your lips, 60-55% bottom 40-45% top and hold that formation while you blow into your horn. Try and resist pressing the horn into you chops. Try to develop the masseter muscles radiating downward from the corners of your mouth. Do a sneer and you will see that as you sneer, your lips thin out and the corners pull upward out of alignment between your teeth. You don't want this. Now do a smirk pulling downward with the masseter muscles. You can feel how strong these lower muscles are at the corners of your mouth and if you notice, you are not pulling your lips out of alignment and they are not thinning.
I've seen lots of receded jaw players and others blow really high notes and they are not using the Steven's method, so I'm not insinuating that one size fits all. You have to find what works for you. Hope this helps!
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deleted_user_02066fd
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | Jay,
I have been away from the horn for years and am by no means an authority on the Steven's method, but I do remember a good deal from being in his studio. I find the lower lip curl necessitates a good deal of practice and trying to achieve the right "feel!" Some days I think I have it and other days I think I have to work harder to get it. Once my jaw is set, I don't find myself pushing my jaw out against the mouthpiece. My jaw moves up slightly and down slightly in it's natural arc, not out and not side to side. I may bring a bit more pressure into my chops from the trumpet, but you have to be careful you don't cause a separation in the lips. The embouchure muscles need to resist the outward air pressure. You can try this. Set up your embouchure, bottom lip curled in so that the outer red portion of the lip is against the teeth edges and not the soft fleshy part, the top lip curls gently over the top teeth and the teeth opening is about 1/4 inch, being met in the middle by both lips. Bottom teeth edges should be even with or slightly if front of the top teeth edges.Without the horn begin blowing and resisting and you should feel your lower lip resisting the air pressure and curling in slightly. Place your open hand about where your nose is. You should feel a stream of air. You are now in the upstream position. This is a good daily exercise! Now put your mouthpiece on your lips, 60-55% bottom 40-45% top and hold that formation while you blow into your horn. Try and resist pressing the horn into you chops. Try to develop the masseter muscles radiating downward from the corners of your mouth. Do a sneer and you will see that as you sneer, your lips thin out and the corners pull upward out of alignment between your teeth. You don't want this. Now do a smirk pulling downward with the masseter muscles. You can feel how strong these lower muscles are at the corners of your mouth and if you notice, you are not pulling your lips out of alignment and they are not thinning.
I've seen lots of receded jaw players and others blow really high notes and they are not using the Steven's method, so I'm not insinuating that one size fits all. You have to find what works for you. Hope this helps! |
Did you spend some time at HCC in Bridgeport around 74 or75 when Sonny Costanzo was music dept. head? I remember a guy named Tony who used to warm up with the palm exercise. I had never seen this done before. |
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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Did you spend some time at HCC in Bridgeport around 74 or75 when Sonny Costanzo was music dept. head? I remember a guy named Tony who used to warm up with the palm exercise. I had never seen this done before.
Haha!! That was a long time ago! Yes, that was me! Those were fun times. I remember one day we were practicing with the jazz band, Sonny conducting and in walks Clark Terry. He pulls out his horn, pulls up a chair next to me and asks if he could share my chart!!
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deleted_user_02066fd
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| Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2020 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | Did you spend some time at HCC in Bridgeport around 74 or75 when Sonny Costanzo was music dept. head? I remember a guy named Tony who used to warm up with the palm exercise. I had never seen this done before.
Haha!! That was a long time ago! Yes, that was me! Those were fun times. I remember one day we were practicing with the jazz band, Sonny conducting and in walks Clark Terry. He pulls out his horn, pulls up a chair next to me and asks if he could share my chart!! |
Certainly was a long time ago. I left there in 77 and got to play with CT my last semester. He was a great guy.
Sonny passed away in the early/mid 90's. I heard it was his heart, he was 61-62, younger than I am now. Sonny was a beast on trombone. I've always thought he was the best bone player I've ever heard. Even better than Watrous.
I'm still in touch with a couple of the guys in the trumpet section from those days and get together with them from time to time.
I haven't played much since 2011. I took up finger style ukulele a few years back and that gives me plenty to work on. Married a gal from Hawaii so it was a natural for me to take up. Nice thing is I can practice any time of day and never disturb anyone.
Stay well,
Brian |
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Lionel
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:32 am Post subject: |
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Amboguzzi,
I've often thought that if more trumpet players learned the two aperture theory we would see a lot more of them breaking through the barrier above high C /D. This is a major cut-off point f o r so many trumpet players. but so easily fixed if the musician simply just learns to keep his jaw open and the upper hanging lip a little down from his upper teeth. Otherwise he doesn't necessarily need to change his embouchure at all. In fact when I first started employing the two aperture theory in my own playing I was out on the road. Playing concerts every night. The change to the two aperture theory caused me no problems at all. My endurance, usable range and power all increased immediately.
And you explained the correct function of the lips and jaw very well. I could almost envision Roy Stevens himself saying your very words.
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"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:16 am Post subject: |
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Brian,
Sonny had an older brother Sam who was our high school band director. Sam would often tell us about Sonny, where he was playing and who he was playing with. It was a great opportunity to meet Sonny and study with him at HCC! He brought many talented musicians and educators to the school!
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Anthony Memoli |
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amboguzzi
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 5:23 am Post subject: |
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Lionel,
I agree with you! If a few basic principles are applied, teeth opening, lip configuration and alignment and use of the proper facial muscles, range and endurance can improve dramatically.
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deleted_user_02066fd
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| Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:56 am Post subject: |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | Brian,
Sonny had an older brother Sam who was our high school band director. Sam would often tell us about Sonny, where he was playing and who he was playing with. It was a great opportunity to meet Sonny and study with him at HCC! He brought many talented musicians and educators to the school! |
Sam passed away sometime last summer from what I heard. I had him for theory 1 and 2. Great teacher and a character.
I loved the classes with Joe Iadone. I'm Italian on my mother's side and he reminded me of some of my uncles. He knew my great uncle Louie Bovino. Louie was a professional trumpeter in the Bridgeport area. He was on staff at some of the theaters and was a founding member of the Bridgeport Symphony. He died around 65 or 66, I never got to hear him play. He was in his 80's when I was born and had pretty much stopped playing. He was also a loan shark and probably owned more property than Trump. |
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Lionel
Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2020 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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| amboguzzi wrote: | Lionel,
I agree with you! If a few basic principles are applied, teeth opening, lip configuration and alignment and use of the proper facial muscles, range and endurance can improve dramatically. |
I recently corrected one sticking point to Stevens-Costello. Prior to building a mouthpiece which significantly exceeded the normal inner rim dimension I could never pull the system off. Not other than to get an unacceptable small sound.
Being a person well versed with power tools however I was able to craft a mouthpiece with an inner rim abt 30% bigger than average. Let's do the math:
Standard lead tpt mouthpiece equals:
.625 inch + 30% = ?
So,
00.625
+0.187
------------
00.812
Or a little over 3/4s an inch.
That's a biggie however the depth stays the same. And for some reason I prefer a very narrow rim contour. Although the bite is extra mild.
So when looking at it as I play it appears no larger than a regular mouthpiece. The reason I can employ such a large sized inner rim dimension is because the very rolled in Stevens-Costello embouchure is by it's very nature well rigged to gain tremendous "leverage" into the upper register. It doesn't need the help of a small mouthpiece like conventional chops do.
OMG my improvement has been fantastic!
Many of Stevens students used to get impatient. Not realizing that a major embouchure change puts the trumpet player right back at square 1. Just like he was in the 4th or 5th grade. At least many of them found it this way as did I. Granted some cats will find the switch to Stevens pretty easy but their group certainly didn't include
me.
However had I known what I do today? That and had the tools and equipment available 45 to 50 years ago? I definitely would have made the conversion back then.
As here I am just over 5 months into the change and I can easily sustain any note on the horn I've ever seen written. Granted that I need to develop more overall.no question about that. I think that Roy used to say that the change over to Stevens usually took about three years. Until the student had chops like Roy Roman.
Well even at age 64 (when I started) I was and am certainly willing to make the small sacrifice. However my guess us that the average trumpet player probably isn't willing to do this. Thus even with the best instructional techniques in the world available to all trumpet players?
Those who master the complete range of the instrument will remain few and far between. It takes more commitment to learn a four octave range. The average person won't pursue it. He may remain somewhat frustrated at his inability to play above High C but he won't change himself.
_________________
"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!
Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980). |
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