Reducing tension

[JoeCool]

Just wondering how Mr. Caruso helped his students to reduce tension. Although I've experienced alot of positives over the last four years with the calesthenics, I am and have been at a wall for some time. Seems I can't break through the G over high C barrier. I know I have alot of tension in the throat to the point of it closing off as I approach the G. Of course you need that air in order to continue. It's that natural reaction I guess to hold your breath when you encounter a heavy load of work, like say lifting something. So how do you get to stop doing something that seems natural?

I've also noticed a kind of grunting noise at certain times in my playing that is most likely connected to this. Especially decending over intervals greater than a second or third. I know I'm manipulating the airstream with the glottis/throat.
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Joe

[gennaro]

this was also a problem of mine.....

my personal answer (absolutelywithout support of real Caruso descendent.... so take carefully or not take at all)

- increase pedal execise in the routine... there are a lot inside this forum.... or in Flexus book.... (I'm using Stamp warm up....even if in a calisthenics way )
- lip bending exercise as in Flexus
- node exercise as presented by Mr. Raimond at the end of day.... in my opinion an helpful exercise to release lip tension and excessive pressure... perhaps a little bit underrated exercise.
- mouthpiece exercises.... but i'm not shure they are really necessary... (but i have in Stamp warm up)
- last but not least: incorporate shulmann system during calisthenics.... even if your range during exercise go down drammatically.... I assure you that your range and endurance go up when it really need.... moreover prevent a little bit from overdoing.... (bigger problem for me)

Another thing that I found helpfull for me is a Mouthpiece with large rim (like W of bach).... and even if Caruso minimize equipment influence with the students.... I'm not shure it was true for himself.... there are a coupled of aneddote where the solution was searched also in the right mouthpiece....

For a not original Caruso student I believe I'm goin a little bit over the boundary...
Mr Ph if you believe that this topic isn't correct or misrappresentative of Caruso teaching feel free to remove it.

Regards
Gennaro

[ertatta]

gennaro-
i think your advice is obviously well founded and beneficial, but i'm very interested to hear more about how you implement the shulman device in your routine and some specifics about the positive influence it has had for your playing.
thanks!

[gennaro]

well... at the beginning I used it only for pedals and development scale... In a second time I used it for everything except music.

Benefit: as declared by Shulmann it help a lot to reduce tension in right hand... and this was the main reason i decided to try the system. In time i appreciated the fact that using it you limit pivot and pressure (unless you force in any case with left hand... but if you just touch trumpet for equilibrium...). The first has enhanced the positive influence of pedals exercise (the successive chromatic scale has became faster, higher and with a clear sound and articulation....I'm waiting and hoping that this become my usual playing and not only few seconds after a pedal exercise). The second is presenting to my body a new equation to be solved with a limit in pressure... this make calisthenics exercise completely different.... and body reaction new. This is a new story started two month ago... so i don't know yet the end.... in this time I could observe less effort in CC exercise (very reduced range in interval and harmonics...) but a better range and strength during music perform, and more time to play music, probably due principally to be less tired in chop after routine exercise…. And this prevent to be fatigued by overdoing…. As I said, bigger problem of mine.

I hope to be clear... some language problem.... sorry.
Gennaro

[JoeCool]

I am talking about the tension that occurs in the throat as one ascends to the end of their range and how to eliminate it. How did Carmine help in this? Please start another thread if you want to talk about the Schulman System. Thanks!
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Joe

[janet842]

I've found that many players who experience a lot of throat tension have that problem because breath support is lacking, so the tendency is to compensate in some other area -- usually the throat.

If not breath support, sometimes the mouthpiece being used can be a contributing factor. There are definitely mouthpiece designs that do not facilitate upper register playing -- and it isn't always cup depth. It can be the mouthpiece throat or the backbore.

[PH]

Tension (like excess mouthpiece pressure and any number of other "bad habits") is a symptom of a playing problem. It is not the problem itself.

It is not possible to release tensions by "trying to relax". Tension occurs when your body is out of balance, working inefficiently, and some muscles are compensating for problems with or lack of synchronization of other muscle activity.

Carmine would tell you that if you do his exercises properly, do a fully balanced diet of his exercises (not just 6 notes and intervals), and follow the Four Rules religiously that over time and with repetition your body will become better balanced, synchronized, and coordinated. Then all counterproductive tensions will be eliminated.

Don't do anything special to release excess tension. The exercises will do that for you. It is all about patience, repetition, trust, and following the Four Rules (which includes steady blowing...of course).

[JoeCool]

Thanks, Pat. Your very last comment in parenthesis nailed it. You know what? I actually went back into the book to look at the four rules last night. I've become so preoccuppied with foot tapping, keeping the mouithpiece on the lips and nose breathing, I actually forgot the fourth rule. Really! I had to go and look again. I have to write these down again so I remember. (Pre-Dementia and all.) Amazing what happens when you keep the blow steady.

1. Tap your foot.
2. Breath through the nose.
3. Keep the mouthpiece in contact with the lips.
4. Keep the blow steady.

I will repeat this in my head today many times.
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Joe

[mateo]

one of the biggest faults I have found most players have is not focusing enough time of a practice session on breathing, I have found that doing even 3-5 minutes of good stretching and deep breathing in the morning right out of bed increases productivity while practicing.
A common misconception is that breathing will develop itself "while" the horn is on the face, which is only half true. To develop air to support notes above the staff a person should spend time at least loosening up the chest area and lower gut by doing some simple breath exercises. let your air do the dirty work, keep the blow steady, and forget about your sound, it will definitely improve with these studies!

[jcknauss]

In his instructions for Exercise #1, Caruso talks about the importance of using a "breath attack". I never really understood what he meant - until recently. At the very beginning of my warm up, I play some long tones with a breath attack - just to get my chops working. I have found that to be most effective at this, a breath attack only works if you are playing relaxed.

Further to this, in his Flow Studies, Cichowicz talks about the importance of maintaining the air flow while playing. Being relaxed is essential to maintaining a steady air flow as well. Playing quietly, especially in the upper register (for me, high C to high F above the staff), is a good indicator of whether my air flow is steady and controlled. Now, throw in breath attacks while playing quietly in the upper register. For me to do both, my airway must be relaxed. And when I can achieve this, I surprise myself with my control up there. The trick for me (which can be the hard part) is to maintain this relaxed feel no matter what I'm playing.

My experience, then, is this: instead of trying harder, try "softer".

I'm not an everyday player (2-3 times a week), but I've noticed immediate benefits from this approach, and it is a rare day when I feel tightness in my throat while playing (in which case I go back to my hybrid Caruso/Cichowicz exercises). Hope this makes sense and I hope it helps.
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Schilke X3
GR 67C*

[shaheim]

Joe,
I will comment on your post, since this is an area where I have seen some improvement myself over the last months.

I would attribute this to focusing more on the steady blow, which may mean you have to think a slight crecendo. It is so easy to relax the blow, resulting in an ever so slight dim. if you are not focusing on it...

I also try to back off a little, volume wise when going up, i.e. on the seconds. Or, rather allowing my sound volume to go softer as I climb, always playing at my most comfortable volume level. I see a big variation in how high I reach with the first setting on the seconds, from g´´ to g´´´, but this is apparantly normal.

all the best
svein

[gennaro]

I experienced also various failure during my Caruso way, and time to time I gave fault ti airstream, pressure, embrochure etc...

Fianlly (not more than one month....last chance before stopping) I subdivide in 8 each count.... and my brain began satured....and the system started to really work as it has can do.... and no more question and no more guilty.....

I one month seems I'm getting the results of two years.... and not during calistenics..... but in session.

Regards

Genanro

[PH]

Gennaro-

Hooray!!!!

[gennaro]

I'm getting also many benefit from your technical studies used as Caruso suggested for Clarke (see Mr Raimond advice for this item).
And I eliminate Spider from my routine because it is "incluse" in your pages... very helpful features....

Last call is for lip bending (ala Flexus).... they are great!

So thanks for you help and support in this time.

Gennaro