Today, I had what felt like my “Coffee Moment” of coffee moments…

While I had developed an ability to play a High C and beyond a couple years ago, my consistency and predictability hasn’t been as good as I want it to be. I chalked that up to my not being able to practice as much as I should or lack of structure; and I’m sure those issues…[Read more]

Thanks E, glad if my ramblings are useful.

Really feeling like I’m on a roll with my renewed focus on air.

I was feeling like I was having an epiphany or coffee moment yesterday and today.

I feel like the genius of why harmonic slurs, Stamp and Clarke are so important and effective is that, when done right, we are effectively and…[Read more]

When I first was experimenting with WindWorks, I overdid the “aperture corners” inward horizontally thing and would wind up with what felt like an extreme pucker at times that would not have a good sound or ability to articulate, etc. even though I often was successful in obtaining the pitch.

After a while, I developed a better sense for the…[Read more]

I don’t think you’re correct.

I believe Greg does intend for you to use the mmmaaaaahoooh setting to play the singing C exercises.

He just posted this video yesterday which may help:

I used to believe that the Mmmmmaaaaaaooooooohhhhhhhhh wasn’t meant that literally, just as a means of mentally getting the…[Read more]

That’s wonderful to hear, Elgin–thanks for sharing your experience!

I spent a lot of time the first year or two checking to make sure there was no buzz in the mouthpiece like Greg demonstrates. Important to note that needs to be passive air or at least not too loud, it doesn’t work if you’re playing Fortissimo. But if you’re releasing air…[Read more]

Hixsta, good to hear, leading with the air / trying to keep the air flowing through the phrase, scale, exercise, is helping me a lot right now. Hope it helps you.

Leo, you’re very welcome. I hope my experience helps you.

When I said “lead with the air”, I just meant start the tone with the release of the air through the aperture/embouchure–keeping things as relaxed as possible, then responding to that air by engaging the aperture corners only to the extent necessary to achieve the desired pitch. If you’re playing a low C below the staff, then there’s not much…[Read more]

Great to hear, John. I had a similar experience and WindWorks has helped me play better than ever before. When things are going right, it feels and sounds better than I ever thought possible.

Wow, I just read what Greg wrote above:

When I started the process of change, I was a full-time playing professional. I could not get the leadpipe to…[Read more]

You’re welcome. As I mentioned above, I ran into a little difficulty / relapse myself last week but am happy to report I had one of my best days ever, maybe my best–the day is still early and I haven’t played that much yet. But I’m having a great day, above the staff feels easy / like playing on the staff feels and the sound is full and…[Read more]

Welcome to the Trumpet and WindWorks!

I haven’t experienced what you have described, but others probably have.

My gut is that you are over thinking it and are manipulating your embouchure into an inefficient shape.

The MmmmAaaahhhhhOooohhhhh is important and key, and I do believe that playing forward is efficient and

My interpretation of…[Read more]

Greg’s course is brilliantly laid out. I did multiple laps and understood more each time, I still do-I’m still very much on this journey myself, learning more each day how small changes make a big difference.

It’s impossible to put in a nutshell what the difference is as we’re all different and have had our own difficulties. Greg’s done the…[Read more]

At times, I kind of feel like its like driving a car with a manual transmission.

Too much gas (Air) or clutch (Shape, facial muscle engagement) and you stall, but just the right balance and you are optimally efficient / resonant.

Awesome! Yes, that sounds like you’re separating Air, which is used for loud or long notes/phrases, and Shape, which changes pitch.

Keeping that awareness as you play and experiment with shape will help you develop your awareness of what changes in shape affect pitch and the quality/resonance of sound, etc.

Being able to do the different…[Read more]

I think the key is to do what you can and write that down.

Then, try to improve it and record your progress.

We are all at different levels and are trying to improve.

You may want to check out GREG’S harmonic slur competition videos on YouTube, those might be helpful.

I think he shows it in the part of the course titled “Largo C# Harmonic Slur…” and actually that’s a great video in which he talks exactly about what I tried explaining on the other thread “Air Support and Air Kick”–Greg says it best in the video in that section of the course, I recommend checking that out and I think you’ll see what I mean.…[Read more]

If you take a Body Concert Hall breath and release that passively, that’s Passive air.

Basically, you’re not using your mouth or abdomen to compress the air into the horn, you’re just releasing the air out in a constant flow.

This is helpful, crucial I think, in separating Shape and Air and learning how Shape changes pitch, independent of…[Read more]

You might want to check out the following 2 videos. You may need to open up the aperture a little more than you are. You didn’t mention at what note you were playing. Hope this / the videos below help FWIW. Best of luck!

I switched from the 1.5C noted above to a Bach Commercial 3MV, which has a shallow cup, a couple months ago. I thought I would try to find a brighter mouthpiece that might be easier to play high on to complement the 1.5C, which I would use for other stuff.

I didn’t like the 3MV, but liked it better than the 3E I tried before, which is even…[Read more]

Yep, that’s what I do. Or you can bet a “Boba” straw–a straw made for a “Boba” drink, it’s a plastic straw with a wider diameter–wide enought for a mouthpiece shank. It’s just more convenient to have something laying around so you can play the leadpipe then switch to your horn without having to take the slide out, etc.