> message: 4 > date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 14:47:33 -0500 > from: kerri davies <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > subject: [Hornlist] Long tone troubles > > Greetings and Happy Valentine's Day to all! > I do long tones on a daily basis: I start on a C right below the staff > very quietly and crescendo as loud as I possibly can, slowly over eight > beats at 50 bpm. Then once the eight beats are done, I immediately > (without stopping the note or airflow) move to a C#, and decrescendo for > another eight counts, not allowing myself to breathe until all sixteen > counts are done. Then I rest and breathe normally for four counts but > take a huge breath right before the four counts are done and start again > except with C#. I work my way up the chromatic scale in this manner > continuously, as high as I can. In December, this used to be a C above > the staff when I used a Yamaha 30C4 mouthpiece, but in January my horn > teacher switched me to a Giardinelli C4 mouthpiece; it's been over a > month, and I am frustrated because after an A above the staff, no note > speaks. I try not to use a lot of mouthpiece pressure, and nothing > speaks; air flows through the horn, and I get these tiny quiet "squeaky" > sounds. Also, I towards the end of my long tones (fourth-line D) it's > harder to keep the note from dropping down to the last partial, and I > have to concentrate at keeping the embouchure firm. By the end of my long > tones, my face feels a bit tingly, but it doesn't hurt, like when you are > tired at the end of a practice session if you're trying to hit higher > notes or holding them for a long time, you know what I mean? Are the long > tones still working? If I keep doing my routine like this will I > eventually be able to hit and hold the high C again? I can hit it if I am > doing my scales, but not in my long tones. Also one day my horn teacher > was hearing me do my long tones and after the A above the staff he made > me dump my horn out, then continue and I was able to make it up to the C > then (mouthpiece pressure questionable). Any input or suggestions would > be very helpful. Thank you, > Brittany Davies, Fort Myers, Florida Dear Brittany, There are several things in your post that may need clarification before I could really answer your question (like what kind of horn you are playing, the size of your lips, the position of your embouchure and how you are breathing), but basically I would be willing to bet that your lips are still trying to adjust to the C4 rim. The C series has a small inside diameter with a rim that peaks on the outside and the Yamaha is more medium sized in inside rim diameter and cup depth with a flatter or more neutral rim. Unless you have very thin lips, I would not recommend playing on a C series mouthpiece. I think the bore and the cup depth of this mouthpiece undoubtedly has some effect on the high register but since you are really experiencing response problems here, I'm sure it has more to do with the lip muscles and how they relate to the mouthpiece than anything else. The question is, why did your teacher want to switch you to a C4? This mouthpiece will work well for large bell horns (like 8Ds) if you have the right kind of lips and you are looking for a certain style of sound and play, but it might not be for you. If you were successful on the other mouthpiece, I think that tells you something right there. The other question is, do you warm up a lot before you do this exercise? If not, you are just going to stiffen up your lip by doing it the way you describe. It seems like overkill anyway. On a smaller inside diameter mouthpiece (like the C4), this stiffening will just be worse. If your lips are not thin enough to get inside the C4, you may be pinning your upper lip muscles because the upper part of the rim will be digging into them. This can be dangerous enough to cause injury. I have more to say if your are interested. Please contact me privately if you wish. Sincerely, -- Wendell Rider "Real World Horn Playing" is here, see www.wendellworld.com
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