Problems and solutions are of all times

[Larrios]

Hi all,

Finally I took Ole's advise to take the time to read H.L. Clarke's autobiography, which can be found on Ole's site through the following link:

http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/clarke/bio/.

Ole pointed out earlier that Clarke used TCE. He wrote about it in a letter, calling it a 'stunt'.

I have just finished reading chapter 10 and much to my surprise I stumbled over what has to be his discovery of what we call 'playing on a rolled-in setting' on this forum.

Below are some quotes from the autobiography to illustrate this. He had visited a concert as a teenager, where a cornettist of about his own age performed a perfect, seemingly effortless, solo. It was a polka, packed with high C's. Clarke had much trouble at that time to be consistent at G top of the staff, blowing his *ss off and turning a nice deep purple while making the effort. He was aware that this soloist had to be using another, more efficient technique, as his playing seemed effortless on the outside. He visited several other concerts with the same cornettist to observe his playing and then started experimenting on his own.

"The remarkable thing about his performance was that he played so easily, gracefully; apparently with unconcern, and without any facial muscular contortions or movements. [...] As I was all but crazy with a desire to find out how he had acquired such an embouchure and wonderful endurance, when I took up my cornet the next day for practice I tried to see if by any possible means I could produce those high notes without straining for them, but of course I completely failed. I blew hard and strained until I felt as if my eyes would pop out of their sockets, but without results. Then I reasoned that if one person could do a certain thing easily so could another, but the point was how to go about doing it. [...] the more I experimented,the worse I played and the madder I became! [...] the more I blew the harder it became for me. Then I stood before the mirror and tried to adjust the mouthpiece to my lips the same as I had observed Rogers do the night before, placing just a little of it on the upper lip with more on the lower lip and drawing the latter in slightly over the teeth, but not a tone came out of the cornet! I tried it again and again with no better results [...] The next morning I tried the same way of playing as on the previous day, only changing the position of the mouthpiece against my lips, and again struggled to produce tones. The only result being that I found myself worse off than before, and by the end of that week I could play neither in the old way nor in the new. [...] However I kept at it for another three-week period of struggle.
One day I picked up the instrument for the usual practice and imagine if you can my surprise and almost bewilderment when the first tone I produced with ease was the formidable high C! [...] Now the whole secret was out, only there really wasn't any secret about it! I had used only a little pressure of the mouthpiece on my lips and so allowed them to vibrate naturally [...] Starting for the third time with the high C, I began to run down the scale and watch for results. At first a few tones sounded, then there was no further response. Slightly relaxing my lower lip, I repeated this for a few times until I was able to reach down to middle G on the second line of the staff, but not a tone lower! I laughed at myself and thought: "Well, if it is so difficult for me to play low tones then I must practice low tones, which I proceeded to do." [...] and very shortly I could produce C on the ledger line below the staff easily."

Yes, end of quote now.

There are several reasons for putting this on the forum. It shows that even the greatest cornet player has had his share of embouchure struggles. Believe me, this is only a small part of what Mr. Clarke had to go through. It also shows that the solution is similar to what we are doing today with BE. After being inspired by another player, he started out with an easy upper register. (Of course, this links him to Ghitalla as well.) I'm sure you recognise the trouble he had with a more closed setting at his first attempts. No sound coming out of the horn at all. And then suddenly, after some weeks, boom, an easy, sounding high C! It is not just similar to what we are doing with the roll in excersises, it actually proves that these principles outlined in the book are universal and of all times. High playing should be easy. It's more a matter of lipposition than anything else.
It has been said before on the forum, Jeff did not 'invent' these principles, he 'simply' came to understand the big picture behind the basic mechanics and gave the various aspects names (roll out/roll in/ tongue on lips etc.) and described them in a way that's understandable. Also, he designed a method around them to be able to study them indirectly on your own.

As I am writing this, I realise that there is something strange going on in trumpetworld. Clarke's Technical Studies are world famous and used in almost any form of brass education. Yes, exactly, this book is also widely used within the flat chin camp! If only they supplied this autobiography with the book, perhaps BE wouldn't find as much resistance in that part of the trumpet community? One way or another, we are in a transitional phase, which will take time to expand and manifest itself into the acceptance of a more efficient way of playing and teaching.

I can recommend everyone to read this autobiography. Clarke is a great storyteller and it's full of interesting details. I'm not yet halfway the work, but I look forward to read the rest of it, as I'm sure I can learn from his experiences too.

Ko

[HJ]

Ko,

I also read something similar from Ole on the Callet forum. There is a discussion going on whether BE and TCE are the same, compatible or totally different. When you look at Clarke's struggle it almost seems as if he goes down the same path as we all. Roll in playing, TCE tonguing. Apparantly it is not really far apart. In my own experience TCE (or at least the very forward tongue) is a pretty logical step towards better control. And a step I could not have made without being reasonable proficient with the BE exercises.

You mention the Clarke book as an important book used by flat chinners, and of course it is a book that every trumpet player ownes, just like Arban. It is indeed a pity that Clarke does not really mention his real playing method. Nice thing is that I can finally play the Clarke studies much better than ever before, thanks to BE and TCE. Clarke must have known these principles. Like many other 'normal' type exercises they all seem to have much more impact now that I feel those principles in my own playing. Breathing, slurs, rips, tonguing etc. And also Clarke is a nice way to improve flow and flexibility. Before BE it was a struggle do do them, now they bring me further.

Bert

[trumpetteacher1]

Ko,

I plead guilty to having never read Clarkes entire book - only excerpts that are posted from time to time. But I am in the process of doing it now, spurred by your post. Thanks!

And thanks to Ole for providing such a tremendous resource, at his http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/ website. I've come to the conclusion that Ole never sleeps.

Jeff