Posted by Experiment Guy on February 13, 2004 at 13:45:16:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Low register dynamics posted by Rick Denney on February 13, 2004 at 11:36:11:
Rick, nicely worded. I like pressure better. So, if I've got it right, as you move up in the range (and volume too) you gradually increase the pressure. Then the goal is to find just the right amount of air pressure for a given note at a given volume.
My problem is in the staff. Everything sounds great up to A at the bottom of the staff. I'm just not satisfied above that. Any suggestions would be great. The F just below the staff has great sound and tons of power, but the Bb just isn't as nice. I did discover that I had been subconsciously closing my mouth too much and if I consciously keep my mouth more open it is much better. That still isn't enough though.
Warning -Ramblings ahead - So if the pressure developed is determined by the size of the opening of your jaw and your lips, then there would be an infinite number of ways to generate a given pressure. One could close the jaw so the lips would do less work (cheating, thin sounding?) or have a large gap with the lips working harder (better sounding?) I’m thinking of that toilet bowl mouthpiece Lee Stoffer just mentioned – my pt88 would fit inside, really? – amazing.
I've been working lately on stuff that is mostly in the staff hoping that what I really need is more time playing in that range (read: increased lip strength), not that I'm doing something fundamentally wrong.
I'm always amazed when for amusement, while playing low (where I sound best IMHO), I freeze my embouchure, stop playing and then with my tongue feel just how open my jaw is. The first time I did it I was shocked at the size of the gap between my upper and lower teeth.
Philip "Whose last lesson was mostly trying to slur the notes cleanly - we'll work more on tone next time" Jensen