Any fellow BE'ers that could give some advice? (results)

trumpetjunkie · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2003 Posts: 622

Since I started BE about a month ago my range has increased about 6 (still weak)chromatic steps. My thing is this- The only real change has been a top lip roll in- while the chin only stretches farther away from the mp. I am now in the process of conciously moving my chin toward the mouthpiece. The sound is very unstable when I do this-but my range goes higher. Is this the correct way?

[ This Message was edited by: trumpetjunkie on 2003-06-09 12:40 ]

TossedSalad · Veteran Member Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 236

As long as you can play higher, who the hell cares about an "unstable" sound. Go for it!

TossedSalad

pushyred · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 1:49 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you're on the right track. My accruacy suffered slightly as the BE habits crept into my my performing embrosure but the adjustment was fairly quick (a couple of days) for me. My experience was that it felt less secure because I wasn't pressing the horn into my face as hard; thus I had to learn to trust my ability to tongue precisely and focus my embrosure. Once that happened, the accuracy came back and my sound really opened up.

I love what Jeff says about this not being an embrosure change, but instead that it is a method to teach the embrosure how to move in the right way. So much of what I'm doing now reminds me of things that other teachers have tried to say (and demonstrate) in the past but just didn't have the right words because they themselves were "natural" players.

[ This Message was edited by: pushyred on 2003-05-31 16:51 ]

[ This Message was edited by: pushyred on 2003-05-31 16:53 ]

Forte · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 2:31 pm Post subject:

Hi,
I have been working with BE since last August. Something that you need to keep in mind is that the roll in and roll out exercises are EXTREME exaggerations of what will really happen when you play. I made the mistake of thinking that the lip position for G on the top of the staff was the same as the actual roll in exercise #1. It took me a while to realize that I was over doing (by a lot) the roll out and roll in movement during my regular playing. I have seen about 4 people demonstrate a closed setting embouchure and in all four there was no visible lip movement until they when into the extreme altissimo register. Remember that the important lip movement will happen inside the mouthpiece and you will not be able to see it. One last thing I did, I decided to go "cold turkey" on my embouchure change, instead of letting it gradually creep into my normal playing. I would not recommend anyone do this, it was very frustrating, and I am STILL having trouble playing easy things like scales. The gradual way is best I think. The importance of "zips" are understated I think. They help to insure you are not overdoing many things, like air pockets.
Thanks, Robert

P.S. - Play with a wet lip set!

[ This Message was edited by: Forte on 2003-05-31 19:09 ]

trumpetplayer87 · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 4:29 pm Post subject:

I don't know anything about the BE method but I do know range usually starts out shaky, and as you play up there - softly - your tone will eventually get better and the note stronger.

Bonnie

jazzsolotrumpet · Posted: Sat May 31, 2003 4:54 pm Post subject:

I dont know what BE is. I have been trying to figure it out, but I cant. Can someone please elborate this for me?

Thanks in advance.

-Matt

mcombo · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2003 8:07 am Post subject:

It is shorthand for "Balanced Embouchure" - a method by Jeff Smiley. I have just started the evolution as well, and I find these posts to be very helpful.

As with so many other trumpet topics, Bruce Lee is your go-to man for questions about the Balanced Embouchure method.

Lex Grantham · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2003 12:00 pm Post subject:

Go to

http://www.trumpetteacher.net

to be able to see what Jeff Smiley has written about his "Balanced Embouchure". There are some comments under the "Pedagogy" and "High Range Development" sections of the Trumpet Herald, too.

Sincerely,

Lex Grantham

[ This Message was edited by: Lex Grantham on 2003-06-05 15:02 ]

trumpetjunkie · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2003 Posts: 622

Woa. I was indeed doing it wrong. I had the top rolled in but the bottem still pullin down. I have now adjusted that (by conciously pushing the jaw up) and I am getting even wilder results but it's pretty unstable. And sometimes IT'S HARD TO PLAY BELOW HIGH C!!! Oh I am so weary with this problem! Thank you Jeff Smiley!!!
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