[TPIN] Re: air support on trumpet

[Orion Development Corp - D. Arndt]

You know, I'm no scientist, but I've always found that I'm best off when I 
follow these rules:

1. Relax (completely) before taking a breath

2. Big breath in, like a yawn... in time.

3. Keep the chest up (but relaxed... shoulders down).

4. Don't think about it. ;-)

- da

On Thu, 18 Oct 2007 09:07:20 -0700 (PDT), Jeanne G Pocius wrote
> Pushing out against the belt is one of the best ways to get yourself 
> an abdominal HERNIA, which will sideline your playing for some time.
> 
>   Even great opera singers now use the *wedge* type of breath 
> support (I've studied voice with a Met Opera Finalist and her 
> husband who sings regularly at the Met).
> 
>   That is, drawn DOWN and IN with the lower back muscles, and UP and 
> IN with the upper abdominals.
> 
>   From the base of the sternum to the lips (for trumpeters) there is 
> NO OTHER IMPEDANCE TO THE AIR, unless tonguing, in which case the 
> tongue makes as small an interruption of air as possible to maintain 
> the best flow.....
> 
>   Hth,
> 
> Feel free to contact me with further questions.
> 
> Best,
> Jeanne
> 
> weaselman1 at aol.com wrote:
>   Hello list:
> 
> I would like to know some different opinions about air support on 
> the trumpet.? What I am most interested in is what is happening in 
> the abdomen.? For example, singers do what is called the "valsalva 
> maneuver."? To feel what is happen in the abdomen during this, hold 
> your nose shut with your fingers and, keeping your mouth shut, 
> blow.? Your abdomen should push outward slightly, and you should get 
> the same effect in the lower back.
> 
> While opera singers use this for air support, other instrumentalists 
> have adopted a similar approach.? The only ones I know who attempt 
> to play this way constantly are woodwind players, especially 
> clarinetists.? The only time I have heard it applied to trumpet is 
> by a few players who say to push your abdomen outward when 
> descending.? What this does is returns your abdomen to a more-
> relaxed position so you don't get "locked-in" to "high-note air 
> speed."? In this method, the abdomen goes inward when ascending to 
> the highest notes.
> 
> However, I have had some success with using the valsalva maneuver 
> all the way up to high F, even on piccolo trumpet.? The advantages 
> for me are bigger sound, tone matching better throughout registers 
> and dynamics, easier flexibility (especially descending slurs), and 
> the feeling of using less tension for high notes.? I have not been 
> able to use valsalva constantly.
> 
> I am wondering if anybody on the list has experience playing this 
> way or experience being taught this way, etc.? Also, if anybody has 
> any information on brass players who may have played this way, that 
> would be great (as much as Arnold Jacobs talks about wind, I have 
> not come across one of his teachings that addresses the abdomen).
> 
> Thank you much for your help.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Bryan
> 
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>                           Jeanne Gabriel Pocius
>   Author of *Trumpeting By Nature, An Efficient Guide to Optimal 
> Trumpet Playing*  Published by Outskirts Press (available at 
> www.amazon.com )  360 pages of information on embouchure, musicality,
>  pedagogy and more!
>   (978)317-4731  Email: jgpocius at yahoo.com    Webpage(under 
> construction): www.jeannegpocius.com
> 
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David Arndt
http://www.oriondevel.com
973.228.7843 (office)
973.464.7065 (mobile)

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