[TPIN] Advise Appreciated - Come back Questions

[Tim Swensen]

Greg,
   
  One range development book that is music is "Top Tones for the Trumpeter."
  I think it is published by Charles Colin.
   
  One thing I worked on this summer was getting my low range to be more
  secure, especially after a long line of high notes.  You know how one can
  become stiff after wailing away above the staff, and then that low, soft C#
  just doesn't speak -- "airball......."
   
  I worked on lots of scales, lip slurs, and arpeggios that traversed my entire
  range.  I kept the embouchure moving, but at the same time tried to minimize
  the embouchure motion necessary to do the slurs with good sound.  I tended
  to have problems with "overshoot" when slurring down an octave.
   
  I also focused on drawing my lips toward the mouthpiece and making the
  aperture smaller when ascending.
   
  I also worked on tounguing my scales, arpeggios and octave jumps.
   
  By doing all of this in a practice session I was able to develop better sound
  and enhanced range, all the while feeling good about my total technical development.
  I was getting more "zip" on my high range and less tensing of the throat.
   
  There are a number of the Bitsch etudes that involve large slurred intervals that are
  difficult to hear in tune.  I found these improved my pitch accuracy.  They are well written,
  so even though they are hard and a bit stark to listen to at times, they are fun to play.
   
  And finally, I did most of my practice off the top of my head.  This forced me to
  be able to play arpeggios by ear only, and developed my sense of chord structure.
  I may be a little weird about this, but I really enjoy playing this kind of abstract "music"
  when I'm actually making a good sound and everything is working in the chops.
   
  Best wishes,
  Tim
   
  Greg Fuess <gregory_fuess at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Thanks Mike, I appreciate your opinion of the book. Any thoughts on an
outline of progress towards my goal?

But yes, to address your question, I have gone through the first pass of the
drills every other day, and then the second time every day, and am wrapping
up the third trip through the drills every other day, and will complete the
exercises towards the end of January by repeating them again, this last time
everyday. I do not know anyone who has used the book, but I will say that
tone quality has improved, and may be better than when I set the horn down
10 years ago. Range has definitely improved, but I agree, I am not playing
music; not doing anything musical or that I would want anyone to hear.

Any recommendations?

Best Regards

Greg

-----Original Message-----
From: tpin-bounces+gregory_fuess=yahoo.com at tpin.okcu.edu
[mailto:tpin-bounces+gregory_fuess=yahoo.com at tpin.okcu.edu] On Behalf Of
Vaxtrpts at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 3:01 PM
To: greg.fuess at gmail.com; tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
Subject: Re: [TPIN] Advise Appreciated - Come back Questions


In a message dated 12/1/2007 9:03:25 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, 
greg.fuess at gmail.com writes:

Since May I have focused exclusively on building up embouchure so that I
would have the chops to spend time practicing music making, instead of
wondering if I would have the chops to complete a piece with any sound at
all. To this end, Double High C in 37 weeks has been my guide, following
it
religiously for 31 weeks. From no play in 10 years, this past weeks
practice I have been squeaking out F above high C. That high F does not
sound musical at all, but it is there. Intonation is significantly
improving with every week; and even the DEG has started to sound ok. I am
using a Bach 1B mouthpiece; a wash bucket for sure, but with good chops
produces lots of great sound.



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Greg:
Boy, where do I start? Are you doing the "play every other day" thing with

the book?
My first impression? Wrong.
You need to be playing at least some almost every day.
My second impression? That book - by far - hurt more people than it
helped, 
when it came out.
My third impression? High notes do NOT give one good endurance.
You must work towards having good endurance BEFORE you worry about playing 
much above a high C.
If you are not working on MUSIC and MUSICALITY, you are missing the most 
important part of playing any instrument.
My fourth impression? Too much emphasis on high notes.
"Squeaking out" a high F is not really "playing" the trumpet. Have a GOOD 
SOUND up to a high C, first.
Guess I am being a little "harsh" here, and pretty much straight to the 
point, but I feel that I am really doing it for your own good.
Mike Vax



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