Re: High Range for a student


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Posted by Mary Ann on September 10, 2003 at 09:09:00:

In Reply to: High Range for a student posted by Concerned Teacher on September 09, 2003 at 22:05:08:

For me, there are two different things that have to happen for a high range to not be pinched.

First, there is the "belly whomp" that I use to boost the air; this is most easily learned using a slur up a 5th or so, starting in a range that works, until it is rote. I got this concept at a horn camp, where one of the teachers had me put my hands on his belly while he demonstrated. Worth a zillion words.

Second, I think he is not using his embouchure correctly. If you have never had range problems yourself, and no other student has had range problems, this might be the very first time you have to actually teach someone how to do it. Is he a down-blower or an up-blower? It sounds like neither...he doesn't have the concept of moving one lip or the other (curling it in) to go higher, and is instead trying to pinch them together because he doesn't know any other way to do it. You can work with these concepts by showing him, without a mouthpiece and without buzzing, the position of your lips for the various ranges.

Hope that helps.

Mary Ann, who is using the very same concepts to zero in on a solid Bydlo.


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