Tongue Levels

screamertrumpet · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2001 2:06 pm Post subject:

Hey,

I was just wondering if I'm doing this right.
I did a Dmaj arpeggio starting on d in the staff. My high d was really stuffy and it sounded like no air was coming out of the horn, while actually, I was putting ALL the air I could (I was told that my problem on the d was that I wasn't creating enough air pressure). Since I knew I was going to give, I tried one more thing, I raised the back of the tongue. Still nothing. I was running out of air at that point and I decided to raise the tip of my tongue. Suddenly, it felt like that note fell right into place. I stop clinching and put more air through the horn and out came this beautiful high d. It felt easy, like it naturally came out. I decided to try it again but I raised the tip even more. I played a double g and squeaked a double a.
Am I doing this right, or is it just a trick?
Thanks for your help.

Trevor

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 14:45 ]

screamertrumpet · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2001 3:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks Quadruple C.
I was getting woried there for a second that I was going to form another bad habit.
By the way, I'm used to holding down when ascending and holding up when descending to stay in tune (My teacher was a student of James Stamp).
Thanks again.
Trevor

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 14:45 ]

airegin · Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2001 5:54 am Post subject:

Quad c,
you said that the secret to trumpet is the front of the tongue. i think that SC advocates a pretty forward tongue thing. before SC i don't think i had ever heard about the front....but plenty about the back (ahhh-eeee....i think that created a lot of tension and frustration for me).

when did you "find" the front of your tongue and what method did it pertain to?

what other methods teach using the front as opposed to the back....as in ahh- aaa-eee?

still learning and just curious,

rob
_________________
Rob Lauderdale

pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

It sounds to me like you are on the right path. I am not a super chops purist, but I do incorporate some of the concepts.

Keep in mind that just because the tongue is in the position to compress the air that the oral cavity does not have to close. Work on keeping the lower jaw descended and this will help keep the throat open. Also make sure that there is sufficient air moving through the horn. You will know this is the case when your lips cease to vibrate fast enough to reach the note you are trying to play, but you can still hear air coming out of the end of the horn.

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 14:46 ]

Doublebuzz · Regular Member Joined: 24 Jan 2002 Posts: 33

I think you are probably a great trumpet player!! I just got my tonge piercedfor the second time, so now when I double tonge I get a rattling noise in my mouth! Is that weird or what?
later Double BUZZ

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-10-01 14:47 ]