[TPIN] bad chop/swollen chops

[David Arndt]

Just saw this post (catching up on my TPIN...).

Here's my perspective 

In cases where I really think I've abused my chops - I find that limiting my
practice sessions to 5 or 10 minutes of easy relaxed playing is the best
remedy - sometimes preceded by a day off.  I'm an advocate of taking a day
off one a week or so anyway, if possible - keeps me in perspective of how
natural or "beat up" my playing is.

I truly believe that avoiding those "hurt" days is about balance, pacing and
conditioning.  It's easy to get into playing too heavy to produce the sound
you want (at least it is for me).  For this reason, I try to spend a fair
amount of time and the beginning of every practice session focusing on sound
production and resonance - broad, free, but easy connected arpeggios -
lyrical.  If I can't feel "good" in that period, I will take it as a signal
that I should curtail or shorten the practice session.  It needs to "pop".

Another thought here: While "pp" playing will get your chops more focused, I
believe that it's important to remember that "pp" is an extreme - just like
"ff"...  Avoid extremes when you're feeling beat.

For me, working on basics and sound production is best done at "mf" - or
more to the point: at a volume level that allows the sound to "float",
without straining - neiher very loud, nor very soft.  I'm pretty sure that
I've read that Claude Gordon (for example) would tell his students that "pp"
was the *goal* for Clarke studies - and allow them to work up (down?) to
that from a normal, relaxed volume.

Makes sense to me, anyway...

- da

 
"once-was-pro-quit-to-make-a-buck-now-middle-age-come-back-player-havin-a-ba
ll-trumpeter"



[-----Original Message-----
[From: tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu 
[[mailto:tpin-bounces at tpin.okcu.edu] On Behalf Of Glenn Bengry
[Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 11:03 AM
[To: Jeff Helgesen; rlapka1015 at aol.com
[Cc: tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
[Subject: [TPIN] bad chop/swollen chops
[
[
[Fellas,
[ 
[    If I've pounded the chops for days, sometimes I get a 
[little (or a lot ) of swollen tissue that is pretty hard as 
[opposed to supple and flexible.  It doesn't vibrate real well. 
[ Sometimes as has been suggested, some rest not only gives the 
[ muscles to recover, the tissue can soften back up.  If the 
[tissue doesn't vibrate very well, what do all of us do?   WE 
[PRESS HARDER AND HARDER. By that time, it kind of dead ends.
[ 
[that may or may not be involve in your case, but some guys 
[know what I'm talking about.
[ 
[glenn
[