I apologize to any who was burdened, offended or annoyed by my posting a shorter version of this response on the Yahoo horn group yesterday. I accidentally posted on Yahoo, but this response belongs on this list, where Steve originally asked this very reasonable question:
>I think the entire discussion so far has been entirely appropriate, including the original 2 posts. But I searched "balanced embouchure" on YouTube and all I found was a bunch of demented trumpet owners making horrible farting and screeching noises, so far I haven't heard any tone. Wassup with that? < Good question, Steve. There's a reason they don't sound so pretty. What you see on YouTube are exercises specifically designed to develop tone while traversing the full range of embouchure motion. These exercises are purposefully designed to be awkward and difficult to execute with a pleasing tone. Striving to meet this challenge in the extremes enhances the ability to more easily adapt the embouchure to the less extreme circumstances of "regular" playing. For a performance example of a fine musician who has used BE for a number of years to keep his embouchure in top condition, see the links below. You may recognize the soloist, Ewe Zaiser, on piccolo trumpet as one of the "demented trumpet owners" who posted BE exercises on YouTube. ;o) And, BTW, after years of using BE, there is no evidence of Mr. Snake's predicted "damage" to Ewe's embouchure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o34NFyb9HKY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ3sDTFeN3o Practicing BE exercises is like a football player doing extreme agility drills during practice. When it's game time, he is better prepared for the rigors of the game. Like the BE exercises, you don't see the agility exercises in performance, but you do see the results of the training. There's nothing new about practicing in the extremes to develop skills, but to my knowledge, this concept hasn't previously been applied to horn pedagogy in this exact manner, to this extent. I suppose that's why some still considered BE controversial, damaging (Mr. Snake), or even fraudulent (HELP FINALLY ARRIVING HERE !!!). I believe as Sandra Clarke does, that The Balanced Embouchure or a watered down variant will eventually be taught to brass players everywhere. Sandra wrote: "I believe that within ten years (less if there is any justice and fairness out there…), everyone will be teaching your concept of lip rolling – if not the entire spectrum of your method." http://www.trumpetteacher.net/testimonials.htm -- Valerie Wells The Balanced Embouchure Method http://bebabe.wordpress.com/ http://www.beforhorn.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
