Re: Articulation Flaw = Sore Throat ?


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Posted by Roger Lewis on October 22, 2003 at 08:12:12:

In Reply to: Articulation Flaw = Sore Throat ? posted by Paul on October 21, 2003 at 10:19:07:

The key to moving the articulation again to the front of the breathing passage where it belongs is to whisper the vowel sound but to also focus on a breath attack for about 10 minutes during your practice sessions. What you need to do is not so much to change the vowel you are using but to change where the air is stopped. When I find one of my students with this problem (the same problem I had 30 years ago or so) is to use Kopprasch exercise #3, very slowly using a breath attack for each note. This allows you to get used to the feeling of "breathing (or exhalaing)" and "not breathing" which is a stasis of the breathing muscles where nothing is moving and this keeps air from going in or out of the lungs without requiring the holding of the breath or a glottal stoppage. After a week or so doing this, then add a VERY soft legato tongued attack to it and remember to feel the air at the back of the tongue where it is supposed to be. Then alternate between breath attacks and the soft legato to ingrain the feeling of the proper articulation method. In a month or so it should be pretty well under control.

The next step is to develop a mental check list that you go through every time you start a practie session where you examine the shape of the oral cavity, the flow of the air, your posture, level of body tension, physical interaction with the horn, hand position, etc. etc. to make sure that the habit you have just corrected does not creep back into your playing.

My $0.02.

Roger


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