How to Play Trumpet with Less Tension! |
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- Опубликовано: 3 ноя 2024
- In this episode of #TrumpetProTips, Bryan Davis talks Tension. Many brass players struggle with excess physical tension as they play, which manifests in a number of different ways. Fortunately, the root cause of much of it is the same - get one fundamental thing right and play much more easily!
The included interview clip of John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie comes from the documentary "A Night in Havana - Dizzy Gillespie in Cuba". Used without permission.
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This one’s been on my mind for a while. Enjoy. All polite feedback welcome....
Bryan Davis - Airflow Music I get frustrated with glissandos. I can hit every note individually but I don’t slide. Do you have a video on that?
Very helpful thanks very much Brian
I have been playing over 40 years. Recently, I came upon an exercise that seems to have "fixed" my "tension" I've been having success with it and wonder if this might be something others are experiencing.
Here is the exercise: Breath in 4 - suspend chest and sustain in a relaxed open feel for 4 - blow out 4 beats. repeat a few times until I hone in on keeping chest open and relaxed.
The suspension is where I was tensing. Consequently, I was trying to manipulate my sound with the lips. I've found that sustaining long tones now with a relaxed blow/open chest is allowing my lips to vibrate freely. I've discovered blowing from my pelvic region through a relaxed open chest.
Bryan, love the videos! Keep it up!
All through my school years, including college, I had been taught "Take in more air! Take in a full breath. Oh, you can't reach that upper note? Use "faster" air." My band directors and clinicians always said those things to all the trumpet players, but I always thought there was more to it. They seemed like general statements.
I am 42 years old, and it was about a month ago, I rewatched a video of Roger Ingram teaching a masterclass. (I will put the link below) He says "The amount of air you take in depends on how long the phrase is." He says to not take in a full breath if you don't need it. Even Wayne Bergeron said "You can take in as much air as you want, but only so much air is going to go through that tiny hole." Less is better? What do you think? I know it depends on what range you are playing in. ruclips.net/video/LmWE3BoSoGM/видео.html
Your video on W for Whistle helped out a lot. We use our tongue naturally when we want to play higher or lower notes when we whistle. I even watched some of those crazy awesome people who have won the Whistling World Championships. (yes, that is a thing. I had no idea.) They don't move their lips at all. It is focused and the air moves faster or slower depending on what the heck they do with their tongue. I can't whistle nearly as high as they can. Check this guy out (ruclips.net/video/dVQq8U9HdMI/видео.html) Geert Chatrou
Thinking this way has relieved so much tension in my playing. Everything has improved! Flexibility, articulation, range, endurance.
Thanks again!!!!
Hi JB. Thanks for watching.
There are a couple of things about breathing and, as usual, the context is important. Instructions like "Take in more air!" or "Take in a full breath." may be the right thing if a student is struggling with a long phrase. However, it may be their lack of breath support which is holding them up, so it may be irrelevant. Using faster air is important for playing in the upper register, but without other context in the individual's studies or experience it may well be meaningless to them, as an instruction.
I wholeheartedly agree with Roger and Wayne on both those points. That shouldn't be entirely surprising as I studied with Roger, and he and Wayne both studied with Bobby Shew, so we're likely to all be somewhat on the same page. However, context comes in to play, once again. Yes, one shouldn't take in (much) more air than is necessary to play the phrase but, in the practice room, you also have to develop the skill of properly taking and regulating your air. In my opinion, it's easier to get the feel for proper breath support and using appropriate muscles to regulate your airstream if you take a deep AND large breath, at least to begin with. Once you have that dialed in, then it's easier to get the feel for taking a smaller breath but "putting it in the same places" as Roger explained it to me. In other words, maintaining support and the ability to add compression with a smaller air supply.
Regarding the amount of air that fits through the tiny hole, take a look back at "A for Air" - one of the very first videos I posted on this channel. You'll find it at ruclips.net/video/pQkc2hkdhNk/видео.html
I'll look forward to checking out the whistlers, as soon as I have a moment. Thanks for sharing!
Hi mate, happy New year. Another excellent video Bryan. I wish id known this stuff 20 years ago, life would have been so much easier...
All the best.
Rob
Hi Rob. Happy New Year to you too!
I wish I'd known about it as well, years back. Best I can do is share the information now I have it!
One way I think that also works, or at least helped me with tension, breath support and increasing range is to play that problem note, the one you can’t quite reach. Try the long tone exercise on a note two or three half-steps down until you run out of breath. This helps you get used to playing in the range of that problem note/notes and also helps release tension and build breath support.
the value in this video is ridiculous, thank you!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching.
All your A to Z helps me a lot ! love your videos and repeat to hear when i meet slump
Thanks for watching. I’m so glad they’ve been helpful!
Excellent information! I remember seeing that Dizzy interview, many years ago. Do you have a link to it?
You make the world a better place !
Very beautiful, helpful videos !
Thanks indeed ✅👍🙏
That’s very kind. Thank you.
wow, thanks for this advice, i will need this knowledge, thanks you!
Hello from Ukraine, and greetings!
Bryan, thanks. That’s great. I should have realised as well, ‘B for breathing”.
Thanks again for making these excellent videos available to us.
Best wishes, Peter
(Bryan, can you let me know when you see this - I’ve had a bit of trouble replying to your post a couple of
Hi Bryan i think this was the breathing technique that Jon Ruff was telling in one of his youtube videos that he got from Jean Baptist Arban... He told it's like INSTANT SUPPORT ... I am practicing this now... Again thank you so much for sharing.. ❤️🎺🎺
Great video, enjoyed the interview with Dizzy, though I never thought of support in that way! Tension has always been a struggle for me. I find your videos very helpful and try to remember your techniques when I’m performing.
Thanks for watching. I’m glad to have been helpful.
Great video mr Davis
Thank you, Mr Colipi!
Bryan, thanks. That’s great. I should have realised as well, “B for breathing”
Thanks again for making these excellent videos available to us.
Best wishes, Peter
(Bryan, can you let me know when you see this please. I’ve had trouble figuring out how to reply to your post to me about 4 hours ago.)
Just picked up now, apparently about an hour after you replied to me.
Question about playing the trumpet and getting a normal tone as demonstrated in the long tones versus that bright 'brassy' tone like you have shown us in your gig videos. What physical changes happen to go from long tone to brassy?
Partly volume, partly intensity, partly the recording equipment. The sound is more similar than it is different.
@@AirflowMusicNYC Thanks Brian. Will explore this more deeply as I resurrect my playing from 40 yes ago. Your approach is just what I need. Watched most of your videos.
Well done.
Thank you
I tend to get a pressure build up if l get nervous, say before a long solo, maybe l,m holding to much air, any advice.
Yes l have found that breathing into the diaphragm and not the chest and only taking in what air you need for the phrase you are playing has worked well for me. Holding to much air in the chest and not getting rid of it is not a pleasurable way to play it,s the co2 build up.
Good advice!
Glad it was helpful!
👌Thank you
Awesome
Bryan, can you point me to your video tutorial on basic breathing?
I realise that this question is misplaced/off-topic here, but I hope you’ll forgive me. Thanks, Peter
Peter - it’s this video. That’s the best version I ever posted. Otherwise, look up “B for Breathing” from the Trumpet A-Z.
Tightening the bumhole... I honest can't believe I never figured that out until now!!
There are so many things which are so obvious that we can forget to say them out loud.
Another excellent video! I love the Dizzy portion. I accidentally learned that squeezing my derriere together helped me with air support for higher notes. As for long tones, is there a best way to practice them? Such as scales, arpeggios, etc? Is there a minimum efficient time to hold them? Range of long tones, such as below middle C or any above the staff? thank you!
I don’t practice long tones regularly, personally, as they’re something I’ve learned to feel when I need, if that makes sense. There are dozens of permutations and “methods” of them which can all have value. It’s about the approach rather than the specific notes for me. Try and play as relaxed as possible on them.
Squeeze buttocks and prey especially on the lead chair lol
My lips always seem to get all puffed up when I play high notes!
You mean they swell? You’re pressing the mouthpiece on them too hard. Use the tips in this video to develop your breath support, then practice your higher register at a softer volume. More breath support, less air moving, less necessity for mouthpiece pressure to maintain the seal, less swelling.
I'm Filipino I can't understand you
I’m sorry. Unfortunately I don’t speak Filipino.