Steve, FWIW, I didn’t take your post as negative or inappropriate.

Everyone on this site have felt the way you expressed, including Greg and I certainly have.

I think its helpful to share good news and bad, successes and failures, to make this forum as relevant as possible IMHO.

A break is good once in a while as is playing music.

I got…[Read more]

I have been thinking more about the concept of Whistling and Playing the Trumpet. I recalled this thread, so I thought I would post again on this thread.

I feel that there are some useful similarities to note between whistling and playing the trumpet, such as:

1. You must keep the lips as relaxed as possible and form the aperture by engaging…[Read more]

I agree, ab-hoffman, it’s not about strength. And I have been having luck starting with releasing the air and allowing the embouchure to respond to the air.

I have yet to lack the strength to obtain a pitch. I have too much strength, as I cut off the air and/or vibration beyond a certain point.

My understanding is that the only strenght needs…[Read more]

That’s funny, my wife has repeatedly told me that she wishes I played guitar (acoustic) again more…

And she’s made less subtle hints, but she understands and is supportive.

I’m in a single family house, so I’m lucky most of the time I can play freely. But I have to play early morning or late evening sometimes and use various mutes in those…[Read more]

I understand our experiences are different.

I played for 40 years with a range of G above the staff, then a couple of years ago I experimented and figured it out.

“It” wasn’t just one step or thing, it was a combination of things, mental and physical.

I believe it’s more likely than not that the same will be true for you and for Steve if…[Read more]

SvV, with all due respect and with my sincerest wishes to your success, I call bullshit…

From 1978 to 2018, I too thought the highest I could play was, nor or less, G above the staff.

I thought perhaps it was due to some physical limitations specific to me, as I spent countless hours practicing Clarke, Arban, Schlossberg, etc. And I took from…[Read more]

Can you whistle? Are you much of a whistler? Ive done that occasionally and have found I’m above average at it. I know it’s not a direct correlation to playing trumpet, but it could provide an indication.

Do you think you might be flexing/engaging the lip tissue as you ascend? Or are you sure that you are keeping the red part of your lips…[Read more]

I’m sorry you’re frustrated. I have been there, believe me. And I know Greg any many others on this site have too.

I started playing when I was 8, started private lessons at 10 or so, thought if I did what my teachers told me to do and worked hard / put in the time that I could be a professional musician, major in music, etc. When I was in my…[Read more]

Hi jerman. I would follow Greg’s recommendations, of course. It takes time and i have done many laps through Largo and each time I do I’m glad for watching the videos again and take away more each time.

I had several instances early on in which I thought I had it all figured out and would just play increasingly better from then on.…[Read more]

Steve,

That is the million dollar question.

I’ve been there myself, wishing someone would / could articulate what precisely I am supposed to do with my face, etc.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to articulate what to do, how to do it, etc. as it’s a combination of coordinated movements involving our lips/face muscles, tongue, air, jaw,…[Read more]

Sounds great, Reijer. I think a lesson with Greg in person would be great and very helpful.

I have no over or under bite, my teeth meet exactly in the middle.

But I have always tended to play with my bell down and head back a bit. I used to roll my bottom lip under and in and blow the air downward towards my feet.

Now I play much more…[Read more]

Wonderful to hear that, Reijer! Congrats.

Yes, I have done countless “laps” through the Singing C exercises and felt a greater sense of ease each time.

It takes a long time for our brains (my brains…) to create a new understanding of what to do and when.

I also saw your post on the Practice Routine thread, and I recall we had both…[Read more]

Thanks E.h., I hope my posts and Gregs videos are helpful.

I’m still on this journey myself and figuring it out, but found that when I let go of my expectations and made it a point to be an objective Observer with no focus on the result–not caring about whether I successfully hit the note I was aiming for but caring more about making sure I…[Read more]

Here is the other:

Steve,

I was listening to some of Gregs videos on YouTube on my commute this morning and thought of this thread. Here is one:

Good to see you posting again, Steve, I was wondering how you’re doing. Glad you’re still at it.

FWIW, my interpretation and experience is that:

It’s really important to separate air support from shape change.

That may be the single most important key to it all, as we have a tendency to use more air than is required to ascend.

For me, I…[Read more]

I was there myself for many years, SvV.

Greg explains it better than anyone I’ve ever seen.

What helped me the most was focusing in on the fact that less air is required the higher we ascend and we have a tendency to over blow.

I played a G below the staff, followed by a G on the staff with a breath attack. Both notes with passively…[Read more]

Our minds can be our greatest ally and our biggest impediment, for sure.

If we have a great state of mind when playing, we can sometimes overcome physical limitations / problems (i.e. coming back after a hard day playing), and vice versa–we can halt our progress or go backwards by focusing on results only and manipulating to achieve those…[Read more]

Hopefully Greg or someone with experience with physical side effects from pressure responds.

I played for about 20 years with pressure and clamping, including marching band stuff (USA) but never felt any big physical side effects, so I may not I know.

But, some of the greatest players (Wayne Bergeron, Thomas Gansch) have mentioned cut lips,…[Read more]

Great post, G. I’ve been thinking lately about the drum head analogy–our lips vibrate like a drum head (or reed); tensing the drum head (or vocal chords) inhibits vibration, deadens the sound or even stops the vibration.

I realize now, thanks to Greg, that I was tensing the lip tissue which was working against myself.

I’m still on my…[Read more]