[TPIN] A "natural" embouchure?

[Olaf Brattegaard]

This was really weird, and made me think (just a little......).

On TPIN as well as other trumpet forums we often get the impression that
everybody can play the trumpet if he/her just does it the right way.
We also get the impression that the "right" way is found in the myriads
of methodes, books, and teachers out there.

I think this is rather far from reality, i.e. everybody can not(sorry)
play the trumpet.

However, I think there are two qualities nessesary to play one: 
First there is musicality (the mental part) - you have to have a good
ear and the interest for music in general (and the desire to play the
trumpet).
Then there is the other part - you have to have the physical abilities
to play the trumpet. I.e. if you don't have the right physical abilities
you will never(sorry again) be a trumpet player, no matter how hard you
try.

Talent can't be learned, so you have to be born(!) with it.
However, if you have talent, it can be developed (that's the tricky
part).
Somehow it seems like too little or too much talent is kind of
unfortunate(?), so a fair amount would probably be OK.

Now, I'm not going to elaborate on this, rather give you some examples:

I know a pro who played tripple high C when he was 10 - he didn't even
know it was high.
I also know a pro who has struggled all his life to play a decent F
above the system.
Me? For more than 50 years I've had problems getting my lips to vibrate
properly, and neither me nor any methode, book or teacher have ever been
able to fix it. So I'm certainly no "natural", but still a happy
amateur......

Sorry for the disturbance this first day of the new year.......


Regards,
Olaf in Oslo
  

------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:17:07 -0800
From: "Bob Romans" <cellblk7 at comcast.net>
Subject: [TPIN] A "natural" embouchure?
To: <tpin at tpin.okcu.edu>
Message-ID: <00d101c84bf2$803e1420$6401a8c0 at lodibrass>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"

In 1981 I was starting beginners at one of my elementary schools in
Stockton, California...a 5th grade black boy was starting trumpet
lessons...the ONLY note he could play? High C! Try as I could, using all
of the tricks I had learned after about 20 years of teaching, plus being
a trumpet player for 30 plus years, he could only play high C! For
weeks, it was the same story...just high C!! I finally called the
principal in to observe it, and HE couldn't believe it! So It was, take
a breath, put the MP on the lips(Which were quite large, BTW!), and "try
playing softly"...HIGH C, try player softer yet! HIGH C! Buzz like
this...soft, low buzz from me...couldn't buzz low!
I NEVER got him to play ANY other note! He finally dropped out!