[Trombone-l] airy sound

[Wayne Dyess]

Howdy from Texas, Julie!

OK.  As Sam Burtis said -- you might try going back to your previous  
set-up -- the one that was working for you before.  Back track a  
bit.  Air in your sound...  ??  Uh-oh.

Be mindful of the corners in your embouchure.  That's the place we  
brass players tend to leak if there is a problem.  Perhaps you are  
trying to play too high without the proper preparation?  Are you  
breathing the same as before?  No apparent health problems, right?  I  
would practice scales slowly in two octaves where possible.  Three  
for some.  Practice EVERYTHING slowly -- always with a great sound.   
If there is a leak somewhere... stop and try to evaluate the problem  
and fix it if you can.  Be patient.  Don't practice too fast too  
soon.  Take those solo's and orchestral excerpts (or whatever you are  
practicing) VERY, very slowly.  But always, always, always with your  
best sound.

Have you tried buzzing techniques?  Just buzz on the mouthpiece?  Try  
that.  It usually works for my students.  Sing a phrase, play a  
phrase, buzz a phrase.  Buzz an entire Bordogni exercise, for  
instance.  That should build up the corners if they got weak on you  
for some reason.

Shires.  That's your "axe".  Sorry.  Jazz term, I guess.  Great  
choice, though.

You need to just sit and do some breathing exercises before you play;  
or perhaps whenever the lips get tired.  Breath in for 8 counts, hold  
8 counts, breath 8 for 8 counts.  Repeat 8 times.  Another:  breath  
in 8 counts, blow out the air in 1 count, hold for 8 counts.  Oh  
boy.  That one is fun.  Repeat 8 times.  If you can't make it to 8,  
don't fret over it.  Just try for 4 or 6 counts.  Work with a  
metronome.  Not only will this help your breath support, but it will  
put you into a more relaxed state of mind.  Stress.  Depression.  Not  
good.  OK?

Report back in a day or two.
Take two aspirin.

(just kidding on that one).

--Wayne


On Nov 24, 2006, at 2:44 PM, julie harnois wrote:

> Hi wayne!
> my warm up use long tones low range high range attacks scales etc  
> and I do it for 30min
> Kind of similar to the remington one... I don't think thats the  
> problem
> my kind of playing... well classis trombone music  (tomasi,  
> dutilleux,frank martin) and orchestral excerps
> i dont really care of the dark of my sound actually I ust want to  
> remove that air in my sound
> i play on a shire tw47 slide with leadpipe no.2 and a gold brass  
> bell...
> and what do you mean by axe?
> And I use to record for at least 1hr every 2 days...but i'm  
> actually affraid to listen to my recording because they make me  
> more depress :P
> I think i'm kind of stressed because I want to change of school  
> next year and all those audition, deadline and tapes etc...
> thanks for your encouragement
> julie
>
>
>
>
>

Dr. Wayne Dyess, Professor of Trombone
Lamar University
P. O. Box 10044
Beaumont, Texas  77710
http://lamar.edu

The Night & Day Orchestra
http://ndotex.com