Removing Tension Playing Above The Staff

[tromba mann]

I've become much more attentive about my playing habits of late while also trying to avoid getting into get into technical analysis of aperture, compression and all of that. I'm a big believer in play musically, use your air and forget the rest. But...

Lately I've noticed when I play above the staff, I've started to use throat tension as almost a thing to lean back on to play high. The result is a need to use increased mouthpiece pressure resulting in issues with intonation and a thinner sound than I want - issues I've not dealt for quite a while.

Does anyone have exercises to play to help remove tension in the throat (and elsewhere I'm sure)? Thought about playing the simple Concone stuff up an octave and working on a free-flowing sound. Lots of air. Trying to get a mental picture of that in my head again - once I grab onto it, I'll have it.

Thanks all!
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Cogito, ergo sum

[Don Herman rev2]

Search for posts by me about the toilet-paper tube trick, and dealing with tension (start with G in the staff, just breathe into the horn, keep that feeling as you ascend). Soft playing, thinking "gentle, relaxed" and focusing on a very pure tone also helps. Set your body up relaxed, drop shoulders, no tension, then imagine the sound and play to that -- do not focus on your body as you play the note, just inhale and let the note sound.

I have to run, but will try to get back and post more later.
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

[JRoyal]

Try to identify where the break in your chops is and stay below that with Concone and other etudes to refine how you want to sound. Once that is cooking slowly add in other etudes and exercises that take you up there expanding that break one note at a time.

I would guess that you are spending too much time above that break, and that you are probably playing a tad too open in the mid and lower register.

[tromba mann]

Thanks all. My break is between concert Bb or B-natural and C above the staff - it's the point where I tend to want to bring in the bottom corners (I don't try to do this or think about this too much, but I've become aware of it). The other lower break around E or F at the top of the staff used to be a place where intonation was odd on the C side, but I've gotten past that over the years with air and some alternate fingerings.

I've gone back to basics - a minute of just breathing to start - thinking reverse OH like the cardboard tube exercise from college. Long tones and flow studies - lots of active listening. Concone as written, then in D, E and F (to also get some transposition practice in). Things are starting to come around up to the break as you said.

Two things have changed recently - I moved from a 229/25H to a new Chicago C and I've been working on a bigger sound concept. Less soloistic and more orchestral. I've removed the hardware variable and gone back to my trusty 229. Maybe 99% in my head, but resetting to my default setup removes that variable from my head.

Also starting to study with a Chicago school disciple (principal of the NSO) this month and that should also help. I've got 1 to 1.5 hours a day to put on this, so things should hopefully even out soon. Odd thing is my Bb playing has never been better - go figure!
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Cogito, ergo sum

[tmac]

James Stubs had some great relaxation exercises involving a physical slump at the end of a breath and or phrase before going on to the next. Basically, it involves playing to the end of the breath, then physically slumping down in your chair a bit, to make sure you weren't holding tension anywhere. It worked great for me in teaching me to blow freely, and keep everything relaxed in both the chest and the throat. Hope that is helpful.

http://www.americancomposers.org/orchestra/orchestra_bios.htm#stubbs

[tommy t.]

Your voice is a great indicator of whether you are holding tension in your "throat." Without anything to do with your trumpet, find your lowest, relaxed, fundamental vocal pitch -- the voice you would use to hypnotize somebody -- "You are relaxed, you are very comfortable, you are falling asleep, relax and let yourself fall into a deep, comfortable sleep." Now, remember that voice, how felt and how it sounded.

With the trumpet, take a moderate breath way down deep. Expand out against your belt, all the way around, but don't inflate at all above your solar plexus. Put the horn to your chops but before setting and playing, say something like "deep, relaxed" in that voice you just found above. Without inhaling or changing anything, play a scale. Play C major scale one octave , up and down, starting below the staff.

It may have surprised how full the scale sounded, even without a full breath. That's because there was no tension in your "throat."

Now do the exact same thing starting on second line G. Trumpet playing depends on air, but taking those 100 inhales can create tension. You don't really move that much air just playing a scale and the low, relaxed voice is a check that there is no unwanted tension.

Do the G scale up to the top of the staff, hold it for a second and blow on up to a C or D.

That's how it feels to not have tension.

Play your flow studies and when things start getting tight, repeat the low breath and relaxed voice check.

Tommy T.
(with thanks to Jim Manley's YouTube demos of this tecnique for the Airmen of Note)
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Actually, I hate music. I just do this for the money.

[danduncan]

Tromba Mann - I have a simple approach to trumpet that addresses all of the concerns you speak of. They are all interrelated. Trying to solve them one at a time is not the answer. (IMHO). Check out the video link in my signature and contact me if you want to talk.

Cheers!

Dan
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Dan Duncan
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skype: dan.duncan.and.brass.a.fire

[Don Herman rev2]

Four years later... And not sure that is Chicago-style? You may wish to post in the High Range Forum if you haven't already.
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music" - Aldous Huxley

[villagestudio11]

Great information. Thank you

[cucmd1]

Tommy t. I'm definitely intrigued to try what you said.

[Craig Swartz]

Contact Pops.

[Turkle]

As an addendum to what Tommy said, I also recommend doing some practicing with earplugs in. You'll hear instantly when your throat gets tense: your body stops resonating! It's a real eye and ear opener, and is a great way to supplement Tommy's recommendation. Keep the throat open in a relaxed, singing way, and put the earplugs in so you can hear *just* when it happens!
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