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Started Caruso 2 weeks ago. Help alittle bit please.



 
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Tal Katz
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Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 781
Location: Israel

PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi !

I was interested in the Caruso method for awhile and I got it at last like 2 weeks ago and started working like it's suggested here.
Still there are lots of questions remained unanswered in the book itself.
When Caruso means keep the mouthpiece in contact with lips... how much pressure do I have to put on lips when starting the six notes exercise.
The first G I mean... maybe I'm putting to much pressure and all I need is just to feel the mouthpiece on the lips.
I don't know... how do I know that ?
So I practiced the six notes and the 2nds for a week like it says without thinking too much and because it's only a calisthenic exercise.
I hope I'm going ok with it. I'm waiting to see results.
What I'm striving for is a better control on my higher range which I mean in sound.
I want my high C to have a beatiful sound like a C. open and nice.

About that G starting in the six notes exercise.
I can do it in several ways.
Putting less mouthpiece pressure and push the lips together and it'll be a G, but a small not opened one and not stable...
And I can put more mouthpiece pressure and blow air with an open sound.
Anyway... Caruso says it doesn't matter how it sounds.

Hmm... what about air support ? abs ? stuff like that ? did he say anything about that ?

What bothers me for some time is that after I play a few minutes a red circle mark of the mouthpiece's rim shows up on my lips.
But it disappears after a few minutes of resting.

Well that's it for now,
I'll keep on working the method,
and I hope for good results after awhile.

Thanx everyone,
Tal Katz,
Young Israel Philharmonic,
Israel
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PH
Bill Adam/Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 26 Nov 2001
Posts: 5859
Location: New Albany, Indiana

PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2003 3:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tal-

Don't think too much!

Mouthpiece pressure doesn't matter. I always try to start the exercises with my "normal" setting-the way I play when I play music. Since I always try to play with a rich, beautiful sound, I start the 6 notes with a setting that will likely give me a rich, beautiful sound...but I don't really think about it. I just play.

As for keeping pressure during the rests, the crucial point is to not reposition the embouchure (even unwittingly) during the rests. Don't change the mouthpiece placement or the position of the lips inside the mouthpiece. That way you have to begin the first sound AFTER the rest with the setting you left off with BEFORE the rest. This elimination of these readjustments and resetting helps stabilize the embouchure.

IMPORTANT: The idea of not resetting the lips is something that is to be adhered to DURING THE RESTS. It is perfectly fine for you to allow the lips to work and move freely during the playing. The lips should be allowed to do whatever they have to do to get the desired result. However, do not consciously move the lips when playing. Your conscious thinking is totally focused on keeping the blow steady and subdividing every beat in order to make your movements rhythmic and precise. Let your unconscious mind work the lips. The thing to avoid is changing the chops setting when you are resting/breathing.

Don't think about your air. Just take in a full deep nose breath and blow steady while you are playing. I find that I always want to use at least 3 beats of every 4 beat rest for a smooth steady and full nose breath inhalation. I have had a few students get into trouble with the nose breaths because they wait until the last beat (just before the next sound starts-the way they might breathe in a musical setting) and just "sniff" air into their sinuses. Take the time to really fill up.

Don't worry about the red mark on your chops. Playing the trumpet is an unnatural act. That red ring doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong.

In CC Pressure is not an enemy. It is something that just is...an accepted fact of life. You learn to use it in moderation and balance with all of the other facets of sound production through the calisthenic exercises. Don't avoid mouthpiece pressure.

Good luck.


[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2003-03-16 12:45 ]

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2003-03-16 12:47 ]
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_bugleboy
Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 2865

PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 6:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In CC Pressure is not an enemy. It is something that just is...an accepted fact of life.

A further note on pressure. Carmine explained it to me this way. For the lips to vibrate (and create a sound) they must be touching (just touching). If the muscles aren't coordinated enough to keep the lips together the player incorporates various forms of manipulation to keep the lips in touch position. Pressure is one such form of manipulation.

Once the muscles of the embouchure become coordinated and in balance, they will take over more and more of the necessary effort to keep the lips (just) touching and pressure will become less needed. No player will use more pressure than is necessary, so as the muscles take over, the pressure comes off.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the pressure is the last thing to be reduced when developing a correct embouchure, so it is probably best to embrace it as an integral part of playing and not worry about it. Also pressure, by itself, will not hurt the lips. Damage to the lips is almost always due to pressure in combination with some other form of movement, e.g., twisting, pivoting and sliding the mpc, or any combination of the three.

The traditional perception of pressure as being wrong is wrong. It is very normal and natural for a beginner to resort to pressure when their embouchure is unable to keep the lips in a touch position. So how can "normal" and "natural" be wrong? What is desired is to teach the muscles how to do the job. This is what learning to play the trumpet is all about. Pressure will always be part of the equation, but eventually it just won't get in the way.






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[ This Message was edited by: bugleboy on 2003-03-14 09:28 ]
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Tal Katz
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Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 781
Location: Israel

PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2003 11:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi !

Just came back from a 3 days job
Great answers ! Thank you very much.
I'll go on practicing the method.
I think Caruso had really smart ideas.




Thanx,
Tal Katz,
Young Israel Philharmonic,
Israel
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