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Clever & smart , thank you

This helped me a lot

Outstanding interview! Thanks for the inspiration to practice and document my practice!

Hi, I just found your channel as I seek help in learning the trombone. It might help for you to know I’m a professional pianist and accompanist at a middle school. This year I’m in three choir classes and two band classes, one is a 6th grade beginner band where half the class is learning trumpet the other half trombone so the band instructor thought Ms. Joan should learn the trombone with the students! It’s been about 5 weeks and I’m up to learning my 6th note-G in slide position 4. Oh, and one more fact, I’ll be 67 next month!! Is this even possible? I struggle with high notes. BTW I LOVE Duke Ellington! Thanks.

I really appreciate this information. There's only two of us trombones in my marching band, and we're both freshmen. I want our section to sound good, and you've helped in making that possible. You're literally awesome-sauce.

Thank you for all your help here very much appreciated.

Thank you. Very cool!

Thank you so much i just got my braces on a few weeks ago. i couldn't play as high as i use to and after watching this it helped me a lot

I had the same feeling with my experience developing focal dystonia for the guitar. My hands would involuntarily contract, fingers wouldn't go where I wanted, with random flexing and stretching of my muscles involuntarily. This forced me to really hone in on playing relaxed, with control. I had to rewire 20 years of automated body movements to become more conscious, more deliberate. I returned to being a complete beginner for several months and by the end, I was playing cleaner, faster, all for less effort and with more musicality. For the first time in my life I felt able to express the music I was playing, not just recite it. It was hard work and took a load of discipline to work through the issues, but in the end, absolutely the best thing that's ever happened to me. Interesting how positivity can come from the most severe adversity.

So insightful, thank you!!

I play trombone and struggle with reaching high register. I tighten my lips in a «smile» and thin them out to reach higher notes. And when I can’t tighten them anymore, I can’t get higher. I don’t know how to fix it and I’ve been trying for months. I don’t know what practices to do to improve. My conductor has said that you can’t move your mouth like a smile, but to just move it up and down like pouting. I don’t Understand how to do that or how to change my technique. I’ve been «smiling» to reach higher notes for seven years and don’t really know how to fix it. Any tips?

I can play high F pretty much every time, but high Bb only half the time. I just want to make that high Bb comfortable because I’m trying to get into DCI. If I was on baritone 2 I think my high F would suffice, but I also think expanding my range would increase my tone quality and flexibility in the mid range.

Ta-ka-ta-ka for 4 sixteenth notes

Thanks for this! Just heard of Curtis Fuller for the first time today.

Dion-+Love the sight. What a great way to get great but not known by the rest of the country players known out here. And already I'm impressed. Cool, cool, cool! Wynn Sands LA area.

I love trombone soo much

A very nice presentation Dion . At the moment I am working on doodle actually , using duh Dul syllables . You are the first presenter I have seen who stresses the strength of the syllable on the upbeat . That makes perfect sense and I will apply that idea . Who knows , I may wind up back with dah Gah . I guess there is not just one right way because the preference of the individual player is important . Cheers , Andrew .

I have as assignment to play a song, the notes are SUPER HIGH, and I can't even get through 5 measures before dying.

Like you I spent most of my career buzzing. Life is so much easier without!!! sound is so much nicer, and one can concentrate on the music, and expression! I love all your videos! Incredibly well done, they’ve all been of great help!!

Yhanks for the idea of horizontal airstream and the vertical notes. Never thought of it that way!

Studying this now to help students, it's been hard to try to explain what you put into words. Thank you!

I cannot understand why the notes are not in order. so instead, the A’s in 3 different octaves are all right on top of each other, the B’s from three different octaves, etc?

WOW! What a great video. I'm a brass player and my students have been struggling with good sound - this changes a LOT of perspectives and I'll be sure to relay this information to them. GREAT STUFF!

Hey I just want to let you know that I’m recovering from a major slump on the horn right now and it’s been really discouraging but your videos have been helping me so much to become relaxed while playing and I just want to say thanks for what you do, it’s made a world of difference!

The Magnificent Trombone of Curtis Fuller. I had it on 33rpm record. Great ballads jazzed discreetly with warmth

But "mmm" plus blow into free air equals just air flow. Buzzing requires additional effort in the lip action, to "clamp" the lips, which is not required to play into the resonant instrument. If you play the instrument with the same action and effort as Buzzing, then the resulting tone is NOT pleasing. It is also inefficient, so more air effort is required as well. It is a counterproductive way to teach beginners for sure.

Hey love the tips I’m a beginning band playing for middle school and I need your help on getting those high notes for the brass instruments specifically the baritone

porque no esta en español :(

I never cease to be amazed that almost every brass teacher is fanatical about buzzing. The sound is not caused by buzzing. The lips resonate, ie, they react to the sound wave set up by causing turbulence in the cup when you blow. It is similar to whistling. You don't buzz to whistle.

I feel like it’s a mind thing. Your lips have to vibrate/buzz to make a sound, but the placement of the lips in the mouthpiece should help create the buzz depending on the setup and embouchure placement. I feel like if you end up getting to much air sound, it’s probably because the aperture is too big or you are not using enough air or consistent stream of air to support or sustain the vibration/buzz. It’s almost like a reed or a grass. The sound is created by the vibration with the air support, but the setup needs to be there, the reed or grass needs enough tension to support the vibration. For brass, the lips need to be setup well inside the mouthpiece to be able to have the sound to come out.

I love this approach. I’m kinda going through a re-transformation with my playing right now realizing how unhappy with my sound I was and focusing back on fundamentals. This was really helpful.

Solid top 5 musicians

This is like the Yoga of trombone.

I don't know if my experience is unique, but when I play (euphonium player btw), my embouchure tenses up, if I'm moving air its tense, the only time it doesn't happen is when I play in the lower register. I assumed this issue would be more easily resolved after a recent dental surgery, but the issue persisted and I'm running out of options. There are times where I get it under control for a second or two and then I lose it and it cuts my range down severely. I do apologize if asking for personalized advice in a comment section!

Great video! What kind of cut depth and rim shape are most comfortable for such style of playing? Or doesn't matter? Thanks

Dear, dear Dion. I'm writing from France. I'm 51. I've bought my first trombone last wednesday. PBone tenor, no cash for brass, and a proper mouth piece. I' ve watched all your videos, sometimes several times. You can't imagine how thankful I am. No buzzing, just blowing!!! :))) and listening to what comes out of the bell! I can now play all notes, from low Bb to High F, E, Eb. You're a magician! I love the way you share things, subtle, unspeakable things, finding the words to explain such things as blowing and breathing. I love the tennis video! A million thanks Dion. Thankful and friendly thoughts from France.

Wow❤! Thank you so much, I try and surprise myself with a new great sound and better high register. Hallo from Italy

Top les explications et cette voix grave ! Waouh très relaxante .

I have a solo in my marching band playing the the marching baritone, because the mouthpieces is similar i thought this video may help, it does, but i am very experienced with flutter tounging but whenever i transfer it to the baritone, its just not raspy enough and sounds like im a bad baritone player, any advice?

Very cool!

Thankkkk you soo much

Slide Hampton is my grandfather, I really enjoyed your tribute, thanks sir.

So to clarify, playing high notes doesn't necessarily mean I should have to tighten my lips, right? I'm a new player, playing about 6 months, and the highest I can play is probably high F with 2 ledger lines above the staff. I find that in order to play this note I have to tighten my lips like crazy which produces a low-quality sound, and also limits how much higher I can play. What can I do to play high notes easier and have better sound quality?

I am a trumpet player and your videos have been very helpful to me, thank you!!

Just curious. What is that trombone your playing. It looks like it has at least an 8 inch bell.

I've only played classical, what should I start with if i want to play jazz?

With my embouchure, the center of my lips give out way before anything else

Thanks so much for all this great advice! (I've just watched about 10 of your videos, so impressed!) As a French horn player, I definately over think my playing, paralysis by analysis definately applies! Yesterday was la fête de la musique here in France, playing outside in gusty wind and cold definately helped shift the focus too.🤣Looking forward to activating all your trombone tips, it definately makes playing more mellow. 👍

Is that an alto trombone?

I keep trying to go from a flat to e flat ( higher obviously ) and I keep sliding down to a d flat 😭