Hi Patrick, Big breakthrough recently and I am now finding that I can keep the milk spout held through exercises. A long way to go of course but something suddenly seems to have taken shape. Still have some pain but it is going and so I think it was just an unusual use of undeveloped muscles in the face/jaw. I now notice that although I’m not…[Read more]

Hi Patrick, thanks for posting as this sounds similar to “problems” (development opportunities) I’m finding. What works well for me is the ‘milk spout’ aperture and also the 2 fingers placed vertically to strengthen the pull-in of the mouth corners. I’m not sure whether I’m forming the aperture correctly, but I do find that by getting the…[Read more]

Hi Phil,
Yes agree and recognise that. Success does not progress in a straight line and I’ve had a few weeks of almost despair. But by following the ‘process’ manage to keep landing at a different level, eventually. Though I still think that my first time around I wasn’t able to create the right formation physically and now coming back again I’m…[Read more]

Great video Greg, and great question Philip.

I’ve been working on M2M for just over a year and am cycling back to the fundamentals as I could tell that whilst a lot was starting to fall into place there were still aspects that weren’t correct. Note that until the last couple of years my playing was principally about doing a couple of weeks…[Read more]

Love it. Thanks for posting. Hope they come to London one day (or I get back to Oz).

Briliant posts above. A bit off the wall, but there is a general misconception of air and sound. A sound wave travels at the same speed (i.e. the speed of sound) whatever pitch etc. If the air packet (within which the sound is traversing) is moving then the actual sound’s ‘speed’ is in relation to the air. The sound-wave speed and frequency and…[Read more]

Thanks John, I haven’t read the Phillip Farkas book, but the points you raise are exactly what concerned me with converting to a dry placement.

I’m aware of Kurt Thompson’s youtube output but have never taken up the offer of lessons with him. And just to be clear the player wasn’t advocating I change but as he’d only ever played with a dry…[Read more]

Hi Wouter,

You may need someone to look at your embouchure. I think the width of the aperture gets slightly larger when more air is pushed through to increase the volume. If you have the correct tension at the aperture corners I think the aperture will reduce slightly when the airflow is reduced. It may need control (rather than adjustment) of…[Read more]

Great video Pete. Thank you for sharing that. Greg’s technique will endure, as it has so many merits. I’m still surprised how few players have come across the process or who don’t seem to be interested.

Hi Greg,
A very important video and aimed directly at me I feel.

I want to point out to anyone who might still not have an easy high register something I’ve connected with recently as the criticality passed me by the first time “around”: i.e. the importance of getting the tissue test correct and especially with the visualiser.
I’m now beginning…[Read more]

I definitely relate to good AND bad days, I’m sure this is true in every endeavour; whether a sole or team one. My favourite quote on this from the sports coach Clive Woodward (who coached the England Rugby team to its only world championship title) is “success doesn’t come in a straight line”.

P.S. the fact that England beat Australia in the…[Read more]

Interesting idea, but I’m slightly confused, I’ve not seen this before and not tried it: If the support rests against the chin, doesn’t the action of adding pressure from the instrument force the lower jaw backwards, even if slightly. Whilst this doesn’t stop the lower lip from being able to hold its position (or advance) the logical impact would…[Read more]

I had the same issue for a while. Spent a lot of time blowing air through the leadpipe (i.e. no sound coming out) and experimenting to find at what point the vibration started and then taking pipe off mouthpiece to again find the point at which the vibration stopped when taking off the leadpipe. Trial and error * 100.

Agree with John that…[Read more]

Hi Rene,
All interesting and great that you’re achieving your goals. After 40 years off that’s some achievement.

Using meters and gauges all very interesting, but I wonder if you’re using your eyes more than your ears in investigating your challenges? Greg’s “eyes closed” is so important I find, in learning both whats working and how its working,…[Read more]

Great help thanks Ronald, This is largely where I’ve been going. The two-finger exercise and little finger are both great exercises so long as, as you point out, one doesn’t overdo this. Wasn’t it Schubert who ruined his hands by over-reaching on the attempt to increase his finger-spread.

I think things are working better and I’m already starting…[Read more]

By Asymmetric, I mean one side (left or right aperture corners) being more dominant. Thus one side working harder than the other. Given the responses I’m getting above, I’m beginning to think I’m just odd. Its not a major issue, and I am making good progress; I just wondered if anyone else had the same feeling.

My teeth are not perfectly aligned…[Read more]

Good advice; thanks.
I’m definitely getting some “mindfulness” development working on these exercises. I’m now able to see that my conscious brain was blocking out the deep mindfulness aspects, so having also to work on playing trumpet or humming whilst (with eyes closed) letting the mind find any muscle movement itself.

Thanks John,

Your thoughts align exactly with my planned approach too. I have been having issues with removing all the old habits and am trying to balance playing other exercises & music with the demands of Greg’s process(and muscles that are probably not used to working this much). I think fairly successfully, but time only will tell. I am very…[Read more]