[Trombone-l] (no subject)

Mon Sep 18 12:29:09 CDT 2006

Hi Phil,

Valsalva is a completely natural bodily function.  It is a reaction to
various normal but strenuous actions.  Some people talk about it as
though it were some kind of disease.  It would be a disease if we didn't
have this function.  It becomes a problem in brass playing when a player
has learned an approach to playing that is strenuous in character.  The
trick to not triggering the natural tightening of the throat is to learn
a relaxed approach.  Somewhere along the way, your student's mind and
body have collaborated in believing that playing the trombone is
HAAAAARRD.  I don't remember a situation where I had to deal with this
problem in a student where it wasn't a result of mindless and careless
practicing.  I know this sounds a bit severe.  But since the solution
requires mindful and careful practice, anyone who is successful in
dealing with throat tightening will eventually see that, indeed, they
had been practicing inattentively.  

To begin, you and your student must find a condition under which the
throat doesn't tighten at all.  No fudging.  In real life, a little
tightening might be something we can get away with, but in solving the
problem you have to start with zero tightening.  (Just like most
difficulties we encounter as we learn our instrument, to the casually
observing player, the symptoms of bad technique don't show up until long
after the point where the problems actually began; back where a problem
was the smallest and therefore the easiest to fix.)  Usually, that
beginning point from which he will progress is going to be something
soft and low (not strenuous).  Or it might not be playing at all if the
problem is severe.  Just find something related to playing where the
throat doesn't close.  This is where you start.  Every micro-step toward
conquering the problem must be built entirely on this beginning point.
No skipping.  No testing.  Just a steady methodical progression where
the student continues to relate the next step to the previous one.
(This is yet another description of what I mean by "do what you CAN.")
It is extremely important to keep priorities straight.  The old
successful things are always more important than what ever new thing has
you're attention at the moment.  New skill must be born out of old
successes.

OK, all that is very general.  Since you and your student are in the
'trenches' it'll be up to you to figure out the specifics that fit the
generality.

Here's a couple of things you can try, though.  While buzzing the mp,
have your student gently place his free hand just above his larynx.  It
is very easy to detect the slightest tension.  I find that consciously
relaxing the tongue (drool mode) can make the throat relax.  Try
glissing up, stopping at the point where the slightest tension is
detected.  (For some students this can be discouragingly soon.  You will
need to have your cheerleader hat on.)  Go back down in pitch just a bit
and, at that point (the point at which he is at the limit of his skill)
practice, practice, practice until it is very easy and natural.  Just to
clarify, 'easy' is the opposite of HAAAAARRD.  You can also substitute
change in dynamic for change in pitch in this exercise.  

The other thing to try is related and uses an incentive spirometer.  I
have one that was designed to inhale through.  But if you turn it upside
down, the little ball will respond to blowing instead.  Put your
student's mouthpiece into the tube and have him very easily blow into it
to show how little effort is actually required to move the ball.  Now
try buzzing a note.  Typically, the student is very surprised to learn
how much unnecessary effort he is using to buzz the mouthpiece -- and
how little air is actually going through.  This is because the airway is
blocked somewhere, usually the throat.  You will also occasionally find
that the problem originates in the lips being pressed together too
tightly, with the throat tightening sympathetically.  Again the exercise
involves going to limit of where everything is very easy and successful
and NO further, and then spending a great deal of time at that level and
only going on when everything is EASY.

It is very important that this process of discovering the best starting
point be utilized at each and every practice session.  It won't be the
same starting point each time.  A starting place that was fine yesterday
or even a minute ago, may not be the best place to start right now.
Also the skill limit might change from day to day and moment to moment.
What matters is what is possible now, not what he could do yesterday.
Patience and consistency are absolutely essential.  The line into
whatever causes tension must not be crossed.  Then it won't be long
before closing of the throat is history.

Phil, if there's anything you'd like me to clarify, just let me know.
There's really no reason why anyone should suffer with this valsalva
thing.

Steve Gamble, Librarian

Tucson Symphony Orchestra

2175 N. 6th Ave.

Tucson, AZ  85705

520-792-9155 x118 office

520-792-9314 fax

520-991-7056 cell

sgamble at tucsonsymphony.org

www.tucsonsymphony.org

-----Original Message-----
From: trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu
[mailto:trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu] On Behalf Of Phil
Brink
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 3:52 PM
To: trombone-l at server5.samford.edu
Subject: [Trombone-l] (no subject)

Friends, boners and countrymen:

I have discovered a problem with one of my most talented students. Found
it 

out today, in fact. He says [and his playing today gave evidence of
this] 

that he has a problem with the so-called Valsalva maneuver. I have heard
of 

this and I know that some fairly high-level players have suffered with
this 

and have sought to deal with it. What I need to know are some remedies
or 

coping strategies for Valsalva.

Huge thanks in advance for any experience, wisdom and/or advice.

Phil Brink 

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