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LaBestia
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Location: 10 minutes from NYC
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 Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:20 am Post subject: Air Velocity |
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Been fortunate to play alongside some great lead players lately.
It seems the great players tend to play with a faster airstream in the upper register. They do not seem to be inhaling like gorillas or anything like that......just blowing at a faster rate.
What routines or execises would help a player increase his air speed? |
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lmaraya
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Joined: 12 Dec 2005
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:28 am Post subject: |
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| Breathing Gym, a Book/DVD by Sam Pilafian and Pat Sheridan |
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kevinwoods
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Joined: 02 Sep 2004
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Location: Bellingham, WA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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Tongue arch is the way to speed up the air stream. Breath volume has little to nothing to do with it. Remember, it takes much less air to play a high G, than a low C. Most players run into problems trying to use their bodies to speed the air up...i.e. tension in playing. The greatest lead players have a very relaxed physical approach to playing (Bobby Shew, Greg Gisbert, Frank Greene, Brad Goode, etc...) You should get the Colin "Lip Flexibilities" book and read the info before all the exercises (Reinhardt would be good to review as well). Of course you have to support your air stream (use of body), but not engage muscles you don't need. This is key!
kw
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Kevin Woods
Director of Jazz Studies
Western Washington University |
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shofarguy
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Joined: 18 Sep 2007
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Location: AZ
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: Air Velocity |
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| LaBestia wrote: | Been fortunate to play alongside some great lead players lately.
It seems the great players tend to play with a faster airstream in the upper register. They do not seem to be inhaling like gorillas or anything like that......just blowing at a faster rate.
What routines or execises would help a player increase his air speed? |
This topic comes up often. It is not air speed so much as air pressure and lip compression in ballance. You don't need more air, but it needs to be at a higher pressure to achieve the higher notes. At least that is my understanding.
Higher speed and volume of air results in overblown notes, loss of control and tone quality. Also, endurance and facial pressure issues issues tend to crop up.
So everyone knows my situation, I was an overblower for all the years since high school marching band up until about two years ago when I sought advice on overcoming my own limitations with trumpet. I have since been working toward less and less air flow, reducing facial pressure, more and more efficiency. As of this past week, I have found that a small adjustment to my lower lip, by rolling it out just a tad, has given me solid usable (i.e. "hit it every time, no problem) range to Bb above the staff, and a practice range to E above that. This is comfortable performing through four 30 minute sets over 6 hours.
The practice routine that began the journey to this improvement was to set aside two weeks to practice at only whisper levels, working to achieve good tone. Using scales, arpeggios, and long legatto phrases (never going higher than was possible to do while properly relaxed), I was able to transition from overblowing to efficient blowing in a fairly short time.
Range is developing in such a way as to allow even access to all notes with no resetting of my embouchure, or major adjustments to "get there". I simply don't "go there" in performance until I can do it properly.
Brian
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Brian A. Douglas
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper
There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds. |
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kalijah
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Joined: 06 Nov 2003
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Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Tongue arch is the way to speed up the air stream. |
Tongue position is related to embouchure manipulations, it has nothing to do with air speed.
| Quote: | | Breath volume has little to nothing to do with it. Remember, it takes much less air to play a high G, than a low C. |
I think you mean "flow", not "volume".
And flow depends on the loudness of the tone as well.
Air volume depends on flow AND the duration of the note.
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tom turner
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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| POPCORN ANYONE?!!! |
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kalijah
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Joined: 06 Nov 2003
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Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Labestia asked:
| Quote: | | What routines or execises would help a player increase his air speed? |
You can only directly control your air pressure. And the embouchure directly controls the pitch.
"Air velocity", as terminology among players, is used interchangeably as "air pressure" , "air flow" or even as mental technique to manipulate the embouchure or aperture along with the pressure simultaneously.
Air velocity does not matter so don't be concerned with it. Just pay attention to sound quality and don't think about it. |
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Kevin Burns
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Joined: 15 Nov 2006
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| Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Air Velocity |
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| LaBestia wrote: |
What routines or execises would help a player increase his air speed? |
Octave slurs are good for learning to get the air 'pressure' or 'flow' or 'speed' or whatever anyone wants to call it under control in the upper range.
Start with a medium/average volume and a comfortable note like third space C - slur up the octave and back repeatedly while reducing the volume to soft, then increasing the volume to loud, then back to soft. All done while keeping the same relaxed feeling from the starting note. Continue the exercise up in half steps.
For the sake of this exercise just think about what you are doing to move the air faster or with more pressure or whatever helps you 'get it' to the point of being as relaxed and free of tension as possible. It's a good exercise.
It also helps you get a feel for the upper notes. Learning the upper register is a like riding a bicycle - once you get it you won't forget, but don't start off trying to do wheelies and ramps. Gain your 'balance' with patience and steady/consistent effort. |
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