How do you get a good sound with a close lip setting?

[Jon Arnold]

I have been tweaking my embouchure. I realized my apeture was way too open and I was pressing the crap out of my chops past high C. I have been reading Pops books and they make a lot of sense. The only problem is my sound is crap. I realize that it takes time to adjust. I was wondering if anyone can explain how they can get a good sound with a
close lip setting. BTW I played a double C for the first time ever yestereday, but wasn't very loud and I didn't press my chops to get it.

[ This Message was edited by: Jon Arnold on 2002-12-29 13:10 ]

[LFRoberts5]

Get Jeff Smiley's book The Balanced Embouchure. You need to learn the Roll/Out Exercises. It can be found on thru his web site at http://www.trumpetteacher.net
Great Book!

[Emb_Enh]

Closed setting / Open sound

many people write to me saying >>

>>>how about the brain rush / small sound when I play with closed aperture?<<<

I'd like to make a couple of points on this....

How long did you persevere with the closed aperture thing? [4 week minimum]

No matter what your answer to #1 is.....your probably blowing too much [mass] of air...with the closed aperture set up. So much so, that it can't take it yet.

When making an effort in closing the aperture you must allow sufficient time for the NEW flesh which is now being put into the Mpc. to become accustomed to vibrating in it's NEW home....don't forget that's some NEW stuff you've just put in there, has been.. "Goodness knows how long," on the outside of the "optimum (for you) target inner area!"

Don't get me wrong, all of the above that I've written here can take as little as a week to a 6 month period. There is NO one answer for everyone's timetable. It's a nature thing, NOT how much time / hard work you can expend. --It ain't suddenly gonna 'up and play great straight away'!! --disappointed?? You REALLY need to coax gently getting the NEW flesh to vibrate naturally in it's new (inner) environs!!!

--Of course you WILL see benefits accrue -- less pressure needed / more air left on long phrases / higher notes easier to sustain / more endurance.

Then, when you've learned to play with the NEW stuff in the right place THEN you need to produce VOLUME [loudness]. Actually this is easy provided that you don't slip back to your old way of stretching the lips back and opening up the aperture (on taking a breath) in an effort to get more volume cos' if you remember that's how you got to this point in the first place!!!

As I've said, most people, after putting the mpc. on their (old) comfy spot, take a breath and stretch back their lip flesh out of the mpc. to open up that ol' aperture again for a big sound!! --BAD NEWS!! Sometimes, a little nose breathing for a while can help here!!

Remember the wise words of DON JACOBY on playing louder / softer......

"Do not TRY to play LOUDER....Just INCREASE the mass (or amount) of air you are using. As the mass INCREASES so does the volume."

"Do not TRY to play SOFTER....Just DECREASE the mass (or amount) of air you are using. As the mass DECREASES so does the volume."

In getting to a more closed aperture it is beneficial to do lots of soft playing pp-ppp. [simple studies] It helps to have a teacher show you where your uneeded tension is. The sound will indeed get better. You still will be able to knock'em dead with your big sound...

...be patient....
_________________
Regards, Roddy o-iii RoddyTpt@aol.com

"E M B O U C H U R E___E N H A N C E M E N T"
BOOK 1 also... BOOK 2 + demo CD

[Self Analysis and Diagnostic Trumpet Method]

[Jon Arnold]

Roddy,

Thanks for the encouragement. I am going to continue to be presistent. I think one of my problems is that I am using a lot of tension in my mouth due to my open embouchure background. It is not necessary with a closed setting. I was doing some lip buzzing yeaterday and relaxed more than usual and the buzz came out more freely. Thanks for your tips. BTW I love your web site and plan to buy your embouchure book when I get some cash.

Thanks,
Jon Arnold

[Pops]

[ This Message was edited by: Pops on 2003-05-13 12:59 ]

[Jon Arnold]

Pops,

Thanks for the tips. I have been working on the closed setting for about a week now. I realize that my facial muscles are too tight besause I have played that way with an open apeture since my freshman year of college(10 years). I am one of those players that can play consistently from low F# to High D. If I use a lot of pressure I can get up to a g above high C and pay for it the next day. I read your books every day and appreciate you giving information that get results instead of just talking in academic terms. I also have a question about lip buzzing without an instrument. Could you give me some more detailed info on how to incorporate it into my practice. Should I be able to free buzz every single note I play on the horn (scales arpeggios etc.) It is hard for me but I want to play correctly instead of cheating. I hope to play for the rest of my life and I am only 28. I am sick of doing things wrong. I have been in this long enough to teach myself and I know how I play better than anyone. I have been working on it and I am concerned about false buzzing. In your books it says if it is done wrong in it not beneficial. How do I know if I am doing it correctly? I would love to get a lesson, but it is probably not a reality at this time.

Thanks for your help and advice.

Jon Arnold

[ This Message was edited by: Jon Arnold on 2003-01-01 20:52 ]

[Yeti]

Hey Pops,

That was a really good explanation of the tension factor with the open setting. I think I am suffering greatly right now by using way too much mouthpiece pressure to play higher. Most of the stuff I do is Pep Band or Marching Band at the University level and its been killing any decent emboucher that I might have had. Do any or all of your books talk about how one could develop a closed set up? I assume you use the closed setup instead of the open one too?

I have a problem right now with playing off center as well, more to the right side of my mouthas opposed to center. Its been working, except for it takes a lot of pressure. Would I be able to play more to the center with a closed setup?

[Pops]

[ This Message was edited by: Pops on 2003-05-13 12:59 ]

[Pops]

[ This Message was edited by: Pops on 2003-05-13 12:59 ]