[Trombone-l] Long tones

[Steve Gamble]

This might be a good time to rehash some old advice, what with summer
vacations and all looming.  The first thing to deteriorate when you take
a long break from playing is your breathing...not the chops like a lot
of people think.  It feels like the chops are way out of shape when they
are really only a little out of shape.  It's the blower that's weak.  If
you have a lot of playing to do soon after a vacation and you don't want
to take your instrument along, keep up the breathing exercises.  You'll
be amazed at how 'in shape' you are upon your return.

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 samford.edu
[mailto:trombone-l-bounces at samford.edu] On Behalf Of Keith Marr
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 5:36 PM
To: Jeff Albert; thetubameister at adelphia.net
Cc: Trombone-L
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Long tones

I think Jeff's onto something there with the muscle tone idea. For
various 
reasons I didn't play for about ten years and when I came back to the 
trombone I found most of my technique was still intact from before, if a

little rusty. The one thing that needed serious work was breath control.

It makes sense as that is the most physical part of what we do and sot
he 
one thing above all else that requires constant exercise. Long tones do 
exactly that.

It stands to reason, as Dan's found, that getting that diaphragm muscle 
going with the long tone practice improves the tone quality as the air 
support gets so much better.

Cheers!

Keith in Bb/F/D
Bass Trombone: St Albans Symphony Orchestra, Page Three Big Band and Mid

Herts Jazz Orchestra
Soloist: Alto, tenor and bass trombones

----- Original Message ----- 
>
> Air is a big part of it, but I think there is some muscle
> toning/development/whatever that comes in too.  Long tones are just
> regular playing with all of the distractions of articulating and
> changing notes removed.
>
> jeff
>
>
>
> On Fri, Jun 6, 2008 at 2:45 PM,  <thetubameister at adelphia.net> wrote:
>> Air - pure and simple.  You learn to use it, maintain it, controll
it, 
>> and never stop it.  All necessary to great playing.
>>
>> J.c.S.
>>
>> ---- Dan Thornton <dan at dethornton.com> wrote:
>>> Thanks to a couple Trombone-L members I started doing low-range long

>>> tones
>>> in my practicing. In 39 years of playing I had never heard of doing
long
>>> tones before joining this list. In the last year, they have made a 
>>> dramatic
>>> improvement. My pedals have opened up. Upper range has increased
several
>>> notes. And endurance is generally better. That's even more
remarkable to 
>>> me
>>> since I am a "weekend warrior" who only has time to practice when I
need 
>>> to
>>> for the next gig.
>>>
>>> So, my question is this ... how do long tones help so much? Why do
they
>>> work?
>>>
>>> I'm a believer ... now I want to understand.
>>>
>>> Dan 


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