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Comeback Lesson #5 with Pops



 
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got back from my 5th lesson with Pops.

Background I started with Pops almost a year ago, which was about 1.5 years after I made my comeback in June of 2001. Prior to June '01, I hadn't played any instrument in 20 years, and I hadn't played the trumpet for 23 years.

I played trumpet from fifth grade (1970) through high school. After my teacher had me make a mouthpiece change my sophomore year, I couldn't play above the staff. Because of the range problem, I switched to French Horn the end of my senior year in HS, and started college in 1978 as a music major playing French Horn. I dumped the music major in 1980 and dumped playing all together in 1981.

Pops has taken me through a definite progression. I would not presume this is the right path for everyone, because each of us bring different strengths and weaknesses to the table.

Initially, I had to learn how keep one embouchure set, learn how to use air (suck gut in to go higher), and develop some strength in my embouchure. I was way in the hole with the embouchure because I had been playing an Asymmetric mouthpiece. This mouthpiece did work to enhance range and endurance, but it was at the expense of my embouchure development.

After 6-8 months with Pops, I started regularly hitting G/Ab above High C in practice. I once or twice hit a double C, but realize that was one of those very thing an tentative notes. the only "right" about it was my lips were indeed buzzing at the right frequency. Regardless, my "gigable" range was more in the D range, sometimes Eb. Also my endurance still wasn't what it should have been given my range when I was fresh--I'd really have a hard time playing sustained notes at the top of the staff for very long.

There were lots of issues, the biggie being playing with too much tension in facial muscles not really required to hold my embouchure. Tiring these muscles would fatigue my whole face and then everything would go.


With this lesson, Pops had me make a minor embouchure adjustment, which is something I had been going to anyway. I'm now using a slight pucker, or pout, sort of pushing my lower lip up and pushing my whole embouchure a bit forward, creating a cushion of lip tissue between my teeth and mouthpiece. Realize this is very close to what i had been doing, so the change produced immediate benefit.

However, the biggie on this lesson was tongue movement. I had been doing lip slurs, which are really tongue slurs--the tongue arches more and increases air velocity the higher you go. In short, you progress form an "aaahhh" to an "eeee" to a "hhee" to a hiss, kind of "hhthhss " sound. For the hiss, the tongue arches high and rolls forward all but touching the roof of the mouth.....it's hard to explain.

Anyway, even when my face was tired I was playing (not just hitting) Fs and Gs strongly and even tentatively hit Double C 3-4 times throughout the lesson. This is now my new focus. My embouchure is pretty much there, my set is consistent, and my air is good. All I need to do is get the tongue working and use more tongue and less embouchure to change pitches. This will reduce the effort of my facial muscles and increase my endurance.

I am not there yet by any means, but I am excited about the progress!

Blaine
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germerv
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Joined: 24 Dec 2003
Posts: 85

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blaine: Who is Pops?

Thanks in advance, germerv
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LFRoberts5
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Joined: 12 Nov 2002
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Location: St. Louis

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2004 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.bbtrumpet.com
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WxJeff
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Joined: 10 Dec 2002
Posts: 2484
Location: Atlanta GA

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I'm doing the math correctly (1.5 years back, 5 lessons) I calculate you're getting together with Pops on a quarterly basis? I've considered once monthly or bi-monthly lessons myself, but didn't want to commit to any more lessons than that due to scheduling concerns, which I guess all of us comebackers of the gray hair variety face. Have you experimented with other lesson frequencies?

Thanks!
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeff,

Yeah, quartely is about right, though the first couple were more like bi-monthly. Also, these are not all full day lessons. the first lesson was a full day, the secons was 1/2 day, and since then they have been about 2 hours.

Blaine
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tweetfaip
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Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 22

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent progress Blaine! I have enjoyed reading your lesson reports. Thanks.

My regards to Duane and Steve Fouch.

Eric Jones
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INTJ
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Joined: 25 Dec 2002
Posts: 1986
Location: Northern Idaho

PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Eric,

George had cancer last year, but praise God he came though chemo fine and is now completely "clean". He just announced tonight that he will be retiring in July. We all kind of expect Ken to become the senior pastor, but they still have to go through the process of ahvijng others submit resumes.

Blaine
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