Re: Re: Re: Mouthpiece work


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Posted by Joseph Felton on August 30, 2000 at 23:10:35:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Mouthpiece work posted by Joe S. on August 30, 2000 at 00:43:42:

While I do my best to respect you Joe I respectfully disagree with the sentiment expressed in your post and feel that you may have done a great disservice to any young players aspiring to greatness(or first chair 7th grade band).

I buzz daily in my car to and from work and as a technique for working things out in practice. I've seen dramatic positive changes in my playing after buzzing during long road trips which kept me from practicing for a day. The benefits are huge.

I make a point of holding the mouthpiece between thumb and forefinger so as to keep myself from being tempted to apply too much pressure or press too much on one or the other lip. I believe very firmly in *never* covering the end to control resistance. As an experiment try blowing through the open reciever of your horn. Next, blow through your mouthpiece. I think most people will find that short of pressing down *all* the valves there is markedly more resistance being provided by the backbore of your mouthpiece. This makes sense, once the air has left your body the smallest tube is the backbore of the mouthpiece. In other words, you aren't simulating what it is to play the horn you are simply cheating yourself.

For me buzzing the mouthpiece is no different than playing my horn. I can buzz with dynamics and there is nothing different in my embouchure from when playing the horn. Why should it be different? In my opinion if you can't buzz it you most likely can't play it very well.

I'm not feeling particularly wishywashy about this one,
joseph 'stick'n to it' felton


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