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sensation of tightness in upper chest while blowing



 
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Murray
Regular Member


Joined: 18 Nov 2001
Posts: 94

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I sometimes experience this while blowing, and I wonder what Caruso would have said about this?
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_Don Herman
'Chicago School' Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 3344
Location: Monument, CO, USA

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hopefully Charly will give you Caruso's view, but here's mine (and to some extent, Jacob's, the Tastee Bros, and who knows how many others, since I have few original thoughts on the subject): it ain't good.

Lay on your back and breathe. Notice how you work to inhale and then the air just naturally flows out. If you're relaxed your shoulders don't move until you breathe really deeply, and your chest just rises as the air fills your lungs without any significant tension. When Gordon (now I'll hear from John, too) and others say "chest high", the implication is that air has raised the chest, not your shoulder muscles. If you want to really force the air out fast, you may have to use your abdominal muscles to help push the air out.

Sounds to me like you're tensing up things what don't need no tension, except to hold the horn. I find myself doing this when playng high or loud (uh, I guess that's redundant for me and a lot of others ) -- sort of a reaction to the stress of belting out those high notes. I have to force myself to relax and let the notes float out on the air, instead of squeezing them out with my chest, shoulders, and arms. When I get it right, and the notes float, the sound is much sweeter and better controlled, too.

Ever sticking my neck out, I remain
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Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley
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_bugleboy
Carmine Caruso Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 2865

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2002 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don,

Thanks for the input, and per usual entertaining post! You have said much more than I can. I don't know what Mr. Caruso would have said about a tightening in the chest. My GUESS is that if he was sure it was not a medical problem (due to injury or a debility) he would probably encourage the student to proceed with the calisthenics, with the confidance that over time all the muscles that are involved with tone production would come into balance and work harmoniously, and therefore relieve the cause of tension that could be causing the tightness.


Regards,

CR
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John Mohan
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 13 Nov 2001
Posts: 9828
Location: Chicago, Illinois

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2002 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, here I am jumping in on the Carmine Caruso Forum! (Hi Charlie!).

I think that this is an issue of unnecessary tension. Some breathing exercises might help:

First off, there is NOTHING complicated about the following Breathing Exercise, so don't get all tense about learning these!:

Just take a nice full breath, as if you are Yawning. In fact, just allow yourself to Yawn!

See? That is the feeling of a full, comfortable, RELAXED breath. You don't have to worry about where the air is going, or how much your cramming into your lungs - just a nice full sleepy breath.

Now, take another full breath like that, but this time hold full for a moment and count out-loud to 3 ("1 - 2 - 3"). If your voice sounds nice and relaxed and normal in tone, then you are relaxed (and this is good...). After counting to 3, blow the air out as if you are blowing birthday candles out. While blowing out, keep uninvolved parts of your body (arms, shoulders, toes, fingers, etc.) relaxed. As you blow the air out, keep your chest slightly raised (don't let it sink down) and notice how your stomach goes in as you empty of air.

Now, repeat the above 5 - 10 times, each time counting to 3 when full (to check and make sure you are relaxed.

Always think of yawning when breathing in, and always think of blowing a candle or two out when blowing out.

Do the above 5 - 10 breath cycle 5 times a day. When you play your trumpet, think of breathing in in the same fashion as how you are breathing in for the breathing exercise - nice and relaxed - like a Yawn. And learn to develop the HABIT of maintaining relaxation while playing.

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,

John Mohan
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brnt99
Regular Member


Joined: 17 Nov 2001
Posts: 82

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2002 6:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I notice that when I yawn, or inhale like a yawn, I drop my lower jaw. I definitely take in more air quicker when i do this.Is there a problem with dropping the lower jaw?I kind of disturb my lip setting on my mouthpiece when i drop my jaw a bit---is this a problem?
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Pat
Veteran Member


Joined: 18 Nov 2001
Posts: 396

PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2002 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

To brnt99: I've seen conflicting advice on that. Jacobs says to breathe out of the corners and not drop the jaw because the latter will distrub the embouchure. Earlier on the Hyton Adcroft site he advised dropping the jaw because stretching the corners to breathe could result in a "smiling" embouchure. I noticed that his site now says to drop the jaw slightly while keeping the center of the lips together inside the mouthpiece and breathe out of the relaxed corners.

I think any way you can do it to get adequate air, get your embouchure reset quickly before applying mouthpiece pressure will work. One helpful suggestion from Stamp is to say the word "UP" when you take the breath so the lips are back together and ready to play.
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