Re: Young Player - Need Help


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Posted by Daryl on November 14, 1999 at 16:35:28:

In Reply to: Young Player - Need Help posted by Jared on November 14, 1999 at 12:34:10:

Hey Jared,

It sounds to me like you might be putting excess pressure on the mouthpiece. Here's a good exercise to try; take your mouthpiece out and balance it against your mouth on your hand. You do this by making a backwards "L" with your right hand and putting your thumb under the decorative knob where the cup meets the shank. Then, try and buzz a Bb on the staff (second line). The lack of pressure should be a problem at first, but if you persevere you should be successful in a short time. Then, expand the buzz downward and upward by a half step, then a whole step, then a step and a half, and so on....use a piano or a pitch pipe (or even the horn itself, if you don't mind picking it up and setting it down a few hundred times a day) to give yourself a reference pitch.

IF you have trouble generating the pitch (which I suspect you will in some cases), relax; focus on blowing a relaxed but intense stream of air towards the center of the mouthpiece and also in keeping your lips firm but supple in the center. Let the air do the work of buzzing - keep your corners firm but not tight. If you do this for a few weeks, I suspect that things will get a little easier. While you're doing this, you can use your free left hand to call around and find a private teacher!! Best of luck to you!

Daryl Bean
Howell, MI


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