Tightening of the throat...again!

Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

I have really been choking up lately. More so than my usual. I've been trying to relax while playing but to no avail. I've even started making audible noices in my throat when descending. You guys know those sounds. I was wondering if I should not try to play anything above the staff for a while so that I can used to playing relaxed again. Is that too extreme. I know my frustration level is extreme. Of course that leads to more tension. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim (All choked up in Plant City,Fl.)

PH · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 5:58 pm Post subject:

Tim,

Don't think about your throat or the sounds you are making. When you dwell on those things you INCREASE their likelihood of continuing. Focus on the result you do want, not the one you don't want. That is like trying not to think about the elephant in the next room.

You don't relax your throat in order to get a better sound. You go for a better sound and that relaxes your throat.

Be certain you are taking in plenty of air and keep it flowing through the sound.

Keep your pronunciation very relaxed and focus on the vowel (doo-doo-doo...).

Imagine that your tongue is melted in your mouth (Thanks, Karl Sievers).

Keep your energy up. Don't mistake relaxation for laziness. Your should not feel like you are sitting in an easy chair. You should feel like you are ready to jump off the diving board.

Keep your mind bathed in the most beautiful, opulent, resonant sound you can imagine.

Start in the middle register, slurred or legato, at a rich but not forced volume. Get that gorgeous tone and carry that tone into all the registers, dynamics, articulations, etc.

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2003-04-17 21:14 ]

Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

PH,
Thanks for quick response. I suspect I have had an incorrect concept concerning playing with relaxation. I suspect that I should focus more on the finish line instead of the potholes in the road.

Thanks,
Tim

shinytrumpet · Veteran Member Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 151

PH, that was a beautiful explanation. Almost brought a tear to mah eye...

Another thing that helps me is to think of the word "hope." Some people use this, while others don't. When using the word, "hope," fill your bell up with rich, hot air. Pretend your throat resembles the bell of the horn...it opens up. Fill the bell up and line your sound with the rim of the horn, and think of the air going out the bell in the shape that your bell is in (hopefully there are no major dings in it

).

This all leads to PH's statement of relaxing. It's quite the mental challenge. But back in high school I was once told (at All States actually) that playing the trumpet is "90% mental, 10% metal." Hope this helps!

Good luck,

Matt
_________________
Hartt School of Music '06
BM OrchestralTrumpet Performance
Drexel University '16
MA Music Therapy & Counseling

rsandals · Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2003 7:29 am Post subject:

I think this might be a good time to be reminded of a quote from Henry Ford that Mr. Adam often uses:

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

Richard

sparxII · Veteran Member Joined: 09 Oct 2002 Posts: 216

Tim80,

Sounds like it's time for you to check out 'The Alexander Technique'

-this has helped me a lot.

-lots of information on the web as to how musicains can benefit from this and books on places like Amazon.

Cheers,
Ted

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Here is something which works for a lot of people.....

Throat closing is usually due to excess tension in the system ...try this...think
"H O T - A I R" whilst blowing.

IT'S HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE MENTAL IMAGERY/PHYSICAL CHANGES REQUIRED, TO ACHIEVE YOUR END GOAL!

SO...THINK ....YAWN......THINK.........."H O T - A I R" ......

1. PLAY A LOW C ........MEZZOFORTE for 6 beats…slowly
2. AND AGAIN
3. AND AGAIN
4. NOW PLAY IT (WORTH ONE BEAT) AND SLUR MOVING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING IN YOUR BODY (NO LIP/JAW ENGAGEMENT) UP TO THE "D" ONE NOTE HIGHER AND HOLD FOR TWO BEATS.

IF THE NOTES DON'T COME EASILY DO THE SLUR AGAIN...

5. REPEAT PROCESS #4 PLAYING C,D,,,,,DON'T PLAY TOO LOUD THOUGH,... KEEP THE TONE CENTERED AND FOCUSSED AT ALL TIMES + MPC. PRESSURE DOWN!

6. NOW START AT # 1 [thru #5] AGAIN AND PLAY 8VA ....[third space C]

........NOW HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND....

THE '8VA' C-D [third space] NEEDS TO FEEL LIKE IT IS.... ''NO MORE DIFFICULT'' (LIP/JAW/THROAT- WISE) THAN THE LOW C YOU STARTED ON!!!!

If your C-D [third space] is harder to produce and causing more strain than the low C-D you should'nt be moving on from this register at all until it is mastered.

Now use different notes that are applicable to YOUR problem in this area,
[if you have one!]

Be relaxed -don't raise your shoulders and / or tense yourself as you take in the air. Make sure also that you play with good posture shoulders down, back straight, elbows out. To repeat myself, a simpler feeling of an open throat is as when you yawn..go on give it a try and think about the throat feeling!

Why not try the "breath builder"..it's a sort of ping pong ball in a cylinder affair, designed to let you blow with variable resistance and very effectual in curing that closed throat feeling. There are many devices on the market which may help to alleviate this problem.
_________________
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]

72* · Regular Member Joined: 17 Feb 2003 Posts: 59

I looks like trumpet isn't your bag.

72*

PH · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 8:11 am Post subject:

72*,

Thanks for the advice. The next time I'm at the mall and you wait on me please introduce yourself.

fuzzyjon79 · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2003 8:27 am Post subject:

72*

"I looks like trumpet isn't your bag."

Maybe correct grammar isn't yours..... I....It...."IT looks like trumpet isn't your bag!"

Tim80 is a great player, and besides.. if you do want to trash someone, speak correctly!

_________________
J. Fowler
Houston, TX
Schilke X3 w / Warburton 2MC, 8* backbore
"It takes a big ole' sack of flour, to make a big ole' pan of biscuits!"

[ This Message was edited by: fuzzyjon79 on 2003-08-12 11:28 ]

[ This Message was edited by: fuzzyjon79 on 2003-08-12 11:29 ]

senea · Veteran Member Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 131

PH - I loved everything you said about relaxing being a result of concept, but I'm a little confused:

If the Adam philosophy is about creating a sound image, and using that image as a communication system between your mind and your body, then would thinking about hot air and an open throat contradict Adam? Or am I just messed up about the sound concept thing altogether?

No one be mad at me please! I'm not criticizing anyone at all, in fact it all sounds pretty good. I just don't understand. I'm very new to this approach and I have no teacher to help me develop it, so I am getting confused.

senea

[ This Message was edited by: senea on 2003-08-15 11:45 ]

Tim80 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 1415

I am not great player but thanks for the kind words. The visualization does help and I've noticed that if I relax and blow with an open throat the tone does get fuller. If I allow stress or tension to creep back into my playing the tone really suffers as does range.

_________________
Started playing again in October of 2001.

[ This Message was edited by: Tim80 on 2003-08-15 18:06 ]

PH · Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 4:41 pm Post subject:

thelurker · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 257

i dont know much about Adam approach...but have you tried just doing some multiple tonguing exercsies.... i find that forces you to keep the throat open as you ascend.....

PH · Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 1:10 pm Post subject:

Good point!

Multiple tonguing is one of the things Mr. Adam had me work on that transformed so many seemingly unrelated aspects of my playing.

Try the first page or two of the triple tongue section of Arban's, and do it every day for a few weeks.
1) Play it pretty loud and full with a beautiful tone. Keep the air flowing so the tongue floats on the breath.
2) Keep it really slow and even at first. Speed comes through repetition.
3) Breathe before you need to.
4) Keep it legato ("doodoogoodoodoogoo"). Focus on the vowel of the syllable as much or more than the consonant.
5) Tonguing is "pronunciation".
6) You might be surprised at how tiring this is. Rest copiously.
7) The flowing air creates the feeling of blowing the pronunciation to the front of your mouth.