[Trombone-l] Embouchure Dictations Of The Bass Trombone Valve Register (not an immaculate conception)

[Steve Gamble]

Galen,

I agree with J.c. here.  You're just going to get yourself all tied up in knots if you think about the instrument too much.  Just learn to buzz the correct pitch into whatever mp is on your chops at the moment.  In my experience, burbling is due to compensating, either consciously or subconsciously, for the varying degrees of resistance/backpressure of the different instruments/registers.  The less time you spend trying to figure out the best embouchure for every situation, the sooner it will become natural to go from one horn to another or from register to register.  While free buzzing isn't like playing, I still think it is very helpful for clearly establishing the idea of just buzzing the correct pitch into your horn.  

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 thetubameister at roadrunner.com
Sent: Thursday, April 02, 2009 7:15 AM
To: Tom Izzo; Trombone-l at samford.edu; Galen Zinn
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Embouchure Dictations Of The Bass Trombone Valve Register (not an immaculate conception)

It's a little different with me...

I have separate embouchures and mouthpieces and rims for every instrument... much as any non-double would.  I haven't met anyone who really works that way, but I do; I think (don't laugh) it comes from my flute background.  Aperture, Aperture, Aperture!

The constants for me are that in free-buzzing, pitch is pitch.  If I can't buzz it, I can't play it.  Fix the buzz, fix the note/phrase.  It's that simple, and that complex!

When I get to higher brass, which I've sorta given up over the years, I use a different support structure for the buzz, and the architecture - especially with my jaw - is much different with trumpet and horn.  But the fundamental is always there - the buzz is the note.

Ironically, I don't really practice buzzing regularly... I take instrument on its own terms, and buzz when I have an issue to resolve.

YMMV...

J.c.


---- Tom Izzo <contrabasstrombone at yahoo.com> wrote: 
> Galen,
> 
> --- On Wed, 4/1/09, Galen Zinn <grzinn at astound.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: Galen Zinn <grzinn at astound.net>
> 
> 
> This all leads me to another related question for those of you who claim to
> double on alto, tenor, bass trombone, euphonium, and tuba. How do you
> accomplish all this without ³burbling² attacks on notes? Apparently you have
> found a single embouchure setting that works for all of the circumstances on
> all of these instruments?
> 
>  
> "Claim" to double???????? LOL
> I can't speak for anyone else, but in my case. 1) find a mouthpiece that works for you.
> I copied that rim (Doug Elliott mp's) for use on Alto & Tenor & Euph & Bass Trumpet. 
> 2) Tuba & Contrabass Trb, I use another favorite rim.
>  
> PLUS, I've been playing multiple sized instruments for over 40 years. It does take practice to accomplish this, it doesn't happen over night.
>  
> That's me, your mileage may vary.
>  
> Tom
> 
>  
> 
> 
>       
> _______________________________________________
> Trombone-l mailing list
> Trombone-l at samford.edu
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