• FAQ  • Search  • Memberlist  • Usergroups   • Register   • Profile  • Log in to check your private messages  • Log in 

Pencil Exercise


Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Fundamentals
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
_Don Herman
'Chicago School' Forum Moderator


Joined: 11 Nov 2001
Posts: 3344
Location: Monument, CO, USA

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 12:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm... The wanting advice on how to be mediocre seems a bit harsh...

Anyway, I think the (or, "one") idea is to find things which can be done during the day for those of us who aren't professionals, perhaps. I can work at my computer, or read a juournal, or drive to work, and do the pencil thing or other "isometric" (most of which ain't, really, but that's another discussion) exercises to help build embouchure strength. I'd agree that it generally ain't about strength at all, of course.

Aside: The "deep breathing exhale 'til empty" and some other breathing exercises are best not performed while driving. Trust me on this.

I have done them, and not, and don't personally see them helping me a lot. It could well be that I have progressed past the pouint where they help, or (much more likely) the way I do them doesn't translate effectively to the way I play my trumpet. I think the latter argument is what causes a lot of us to not use, and/or not be helped, by things such as the pencil exercise, other "isometrics", free buzzing, etc. Since I've heard some pretty stellar players pretty strongly advocating, or not, various things like this my only conclusion to date is that just about everything works for somebody... Or not.

The hard part is figuring out the true paths from the dead ends, for you. I can't do that remotely. Or maybe even at all; probably something you have to figure out on your own. What works, what doesn't, that is.

YMMV - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Pat
Veteran Member


Joined: 18 Nov 2001
Posts: 396

PostPosted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember reading that to increase his endurance Bill Chase would hold his lips in a tight embouchure setting until his corners started to burn--then he would rest and do it again.---In his ITG article on increasing endurance, David Baldwin suggested dong the same kind of thing but perhaps not to Chase's extreme.

I see these kinds of exercises (including the pencil exercise) as something for us obsessive types who want to somehow be improving our facility on the trumpet even when we are not practicing.---you can do the Chase exercise while stuck in traffic, on the treadmill or in the shower.--(but if you find yourself doing it while on a date with Jennifer Lopez you should probably give up the horn)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Schilkeguy
Regular Member


Joined: 29 Dec 2003
Posts: 90
Location: Stone Mountain, Ga

PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2004 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree that to play trumpet well you have to play efficiently. I agree that you can get the muscular work out that you need by playing alone. I agree that it isn't all about strength, I never said it was. Practice to get strength and efficiency--and use the pencil excercise to help the strength along. That way when you get the efficiency, the strength will be there when you need it. But my question is, why be so strongly opposed to an excercise that, at worst, won't do anything? If it does, in some very odd situation mess with your playing, by all means stop. the muscles will go back to how they were if you keep playing how you used to play.
I know there are many things you do during practice to get better. Tone, technique, intonation, flexibility, and accuracy are not what the pencil excercise is meant to help. It's supposed to improve strength in muscles that you use while playing that aren't as strong as they could be. I know that the chops can only get so strong, but if they aren't there yet, why not help? The big argument I've heard is "you don't need to" Well, unless you can't play the music that you need to play for a living, you don't need to work on anything, just maintaining things. Another argument is "I could do the same thing on the trumpet, and since we're trumpet players, that's better" I know we play trumpet and that should be the most important thing that you practice. People also do breathing excercises. How many of you sit around during the day when you're not playing and just finger along to something? Well, by the same logic, you shouldn't do that because you'd do better on the horn. No, it's a way of working on one specific thing while you either can't play or are done for the day. If you've worked your lips out on range excercises or something, maybe that day isn't the day for the pencil. Another reason why it's still good along with the trumpet is that you can work one one specific thing faster with the pencil. You could spend half an hour doing range excercises and your lips would get a little stronger (I'm not talking about efficiency, I'm talking about strength. see the first part of the post about efficiency). The pencil excercise isn't to give you range. It's to work on one aspect of the number of things that give you range and endurance. Strength is one of them. As for the muscles that it targets: you use alot of muscles to play trumpet... very small and complex muscles. You may use one set only a little when you play, but when they get tired, it effects your playing. They might get more of a workout from the pencil than the horn. All excercising is meant to give you more strength than you need so you never need more than you have. Same here. (NE, playing trumpet is always working the chops unnaturaly hard. They weren't built to play trumpet). Oh yeah, and no it will not reduce your practice time to hold a pencil in your lips for five minutes while you drive, do homework, ect...
_________________
Trumpets: Schilke B5, Schilke CX4L, Old style Selmer Paris Picc
Mouthpieces: GR65L, 65**** lead, B&S 7E picc
Age: 18
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
_dcstep
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 6324
Location: Denver

PostPosted: Fri Mar 12, 2004 2:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well said, Schilkeguy.

Dave
_________________
Schilke '60 B1 -- 229 Bach-C/19-350 Blackburn -- Lawler TL Cornet -- Conn V1 Flugel -- Stomvi Master Bb/A/G picc -- GR mpcs
[url=http://www.pitpops.com] The PitPops[/url]
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Nonsense Eliminator
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 5212
Location: Toronto

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Tone, technique, intonation, flexibility, and accuracy are not what the pencil excercise is meant to help."

Well said, Schilkeguy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
_dcstep
Heavyweight Member


Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 6324
Location: Denver

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Strength is part of trumpet playing, a very important part.

Dave
_________________
Schilke '60 B1 -- 229 Bach-C/19-350 Blackburn -- Lawler TL Cornet -- Conn V1 Flugel -- Stomvi Master Bb/A/G picc -- GR mpcs
[url=http://www.pitpops.com] The PitPops[/url]
Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    trumpetherald.com Forum Index -> Fundamentals All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3
Page 3 of 3

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group