Thank you, John

Thank you all for the encouragement. I truly believe in the WindWorks method, and I know that what I am trying to achieve with WindWorks is possible. I’m still uncertain how to approach a true embouchure rather than a pedal MmmAhhOoo shape, i.e. how to make the transition to the real instrument. If anyone has links to photos or videos…[Read more]

Okay, here’s an update. It has been more than 18 months. I have been through physical therapy, speech therapy, and I even did some Alexander technique lessons. I learned that I was living in the end of expiration and never inhaling a full breath. Therefore I was constantly compressing the ribs and body just even to speak. It took significant…[Read more]

Thank you, andykyle, for posting here. Your post reminded me of this posted conversation, and I read it again. I also watched the aperture corner development video again. When I repeated the exercises just now with two fingers and then with a single finger between the teeth, I notice some pressure on the fingers from the center of each lip,…[Read more]

Thank you for a very educational post, tandeitnik. Do you have any comments about the physics of resonance, the body’s concert hall, etc? What happens when the neck/throat, tongue/mouth, chest wall, and other muscles engage with too much tension? Eric

Thanks for posting the video. His sound is amazing, and I agree that he looks relaxed.

However, as the pitch increases so does his volume suggesting more support than passive release and perhaps a more synthetic oscillation. Although these exercises may be a future goal when the Windworks concepts are solidified, for those of us enrolled in a…[Read more]

I am an amateur comeback player still in the Largo status stage, and music is not my first career. I do the WindWorks exercises every day as my warm-up. I begin with the visualizer and tissue and then progress to the mouthpiece and leadpipe. I spend a few minutes on a stand alone leadpipe, and then I play my trumpet leadpipe by removing the…[Read more]

I’m sorry to hear this is an issue, Stan. It has been a while, but it has happened to me several times. I have bitten the lips and the cheeks. I realized that it is most likely to happen to me when eating in a hurry and/or eating while distracted. Chewing gum has caused it before as well especially while talking with gum in my mouth. I…[Read more]

Some of the recent and best forum threads have many comments. Would you and others find it more helpful to have each thread listed in reverse chronological order to prevent the need for scrolling to the bottom each time?

I’m not a FH player, but I think too little pressure mouthpiece to lip would result in a weak, airy sound with air leakage around the lips. If you do not have this sound and have a strong, resonant sound, enjoy the feeling of freedom I am working toward.

This sounds like a tighter system was leading to sharper notes that have now flattened with relaxation by working through the course. I interpret this to be good news.

The green boxes work well for the first go ’round. I like to return to old sections such as some favorite videos in the Largo series which I am watching again now for the >10th time. Having a bookmark for old favorites or a bookmark for a subsequent round through the course would be a nice addition if it is an option.

Thank you for the reply, Francis. Deconditioning bad habits is remarkably tough work!

I just watched this video, and I saw increased tension in some of the exercises. There is a red face, flared neck, and just the overall appearance of tension. It is worse with the louder notes. Is this just a reflection of tight corners and support? This is how I feel when playing much lower notes 🙂

Thanks for this post, wild_flower32. I recently discovered that I was also closing my jaw significantly, and I think it is related to my pronunciation. This is an international website, and others may have this same issue based on your language and accent.

When I sang “mmm… ahh… ooh,” I was pronouncing the “ooh” with a sound like the…[Read more]

Thanks, rwcarson11, for the reply. The article was helpful.

If you have ever seen an asthma or emphysema attack, you know that these accessory muscles work on exhalation. I do not know if the chest tightness I feel with the active exercises is related to intercostal contraction or something else, but it is real.

The key is the question about…[Read more]