Commencing the tone

[Max Reverb]

I'm wondering if there is a proper way of starting the tone. Descriptions that I've read in various method books and the way I do it is as follows: I bring the mpc to my lips and as the mpc contacts my lips, I simultaneously stick my tongue through my lips, set the mpc on the lips, retract the tongue which releases the air which sets the lips vibrating thus striking the tone. I also do this while doing a breath attack. (the air has to go fast enough to start a vibration.) I never gave this much thought until today. I noticed that if I slowed the air enough, vibrating stopped and just the air was heard going throught the horn. This makes me wonder if my aperture is too big. I have read too about commencing the tone starting with an 'm' formation of the lips and as the air starts through the lips, the vibration would start. (the tongue never penetrates through the lips, but still acts as a valve behind the lips) Well I was messing around doing both ways and really started to wonder if there is a better way, or if it really doesn't matter, or whether I've been doing it wrong all these years. Alot of times I will prepare for an entrance and get the mpc set on my lips and can blow air without making a sound. Maybe I'm paranoid.

There was alot of discussion some time back about vibration. Closed and open. Whether a tone can start with the lips not touching etc...Was quite mind boggling to be honest!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Tal Katz]

Well !

If you are talking about starting a note so just think you are a singer.
Let the air lead your lips, not the lips your air.
Don't think too much about the technical stuff.
Think of a good sound ! And let the sound come out from the bell !
The sound isn't coming out from the mouthpiece... it's coming out from the bell.
Don't push it... don't spit it... Just take air in and play the note. TAH. or TOO.
Easy and let the note ring. Listen alot to trumpet players.
Philip Smith ! Alot Listen to his solo cds
Listen how he starts each note listen to his sound
That's what important
AMAZING

Take a deep breath, and like Stamp said say "UP" so you'll close your lips, and 'TAH' and let the air flow.
Be relaxed in your throat. Don't push. and support.
And Sound is what important. Listen to your sound coming out from the bell.
Think of an opera singer, or any other instrument.



Good Luck,
Tal Katz,
Young Israel Philharmonic,
Israel

[musicmonkey]

What I've read in several places is that you should sit as if for a dignified picture; that is, not smiling, with good posture, and lips together. (Don't think about it too much, just do it: remember "dignified.") Then put the trumpet on your lips. Obviously the embouchure is not exactly right, but when you blow through the lips to create a buzz, the aperture size seems to be just about right.

Hopefully this will help you if you're playing with an open aperture. One thing though, I wouldn't stick my tongue between my lips. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by this, but I think it would widen the aperture a lot.

mm

[trjeam]

You should check out my page at http://trjeam.tripod.com and click under trumpet theory and look at my article on tone maybe that will help you some.
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[Emb_Enh]

Once playing a note and you have a sound on the horn, I believe that although using visualisers and other observations it may appear to be a hole in the centre, in actuality it's the lips opening AND closing at HIGH speed and is an optical illusion.

There is no constant hole or aperture while playing.
The lips make 440 apertures per second when sounding an A 440.
This is not a hole!

The hole, or aperture, observed in the lips is the amplitude of the vibration that is being sustained by the air being blown through the lips. If there is no amplitude, there is no vibration and there is no sound. So instead of calling it "an open and closing hole" or calling it "the amplitude of vibration," we call it an aperture. The tissue inside the aperture is what vibrates. The aperture is NOT just "up and down lip to lip compression" which opens and closes the aperture, it is also lengthwise a range control mechanism, and from front to back which allows the production of the dynamic/volume control.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN STICKING THE TONGUE THROUGH THE LIPS!

Efficiency test / Aperture test at my website:

http://www.R-o-d-d-y-T-r-u-m-p-e-t.cC/effic.html
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