I think we need to revisit this.

What do you do to create the embouchure?

Some of us learned to form an embouchure by saying, “m-m-m” or “em”. Holding out the sound of the letter “m”. Others may have learned to form an embouchure by clamping down the lip and buzz. You may have been told to roll the lips in a little when playing higher. These…[Read more]

I am sure Greg discusses double tonguing somewhere. Since I do not have full access, I can’t search it out for you. One day I will get back to it after taxes in the spring.

Here is an older Mystery to Mastery video:

Don’t curl. Start small an gradually go down by another half step. Focus on doing the exercise as described. I can only go from G down to E, sometimes E flat, any further and out pops C. The embouchure is the same when the C pops out as if I planned on playing C. While descending, I get the…[Read more]

The aah-00h is a “little bit more outward” than anyone plays by pinching and or stretching the lips thinner in the upper register. When someone is concerned about using lips to cushion increasing pressure, alarms go off and red flags are waving.

The idea that you need more lip to cushion increased pressure is clearly not what you want to do.…[Read more]

Now the questions I want to ask Caleb J.

When you say you have hit a wall, is this a wall in practicing harmonic slurs, articulation, or range?
Have you gotten to a particular status and singing C exercise and can’t go any further.

Example: You have completed Presto F# singing C exercises with its practice charts and you can’t do Presto G…[Read more]

I am a retired science teacher and I am doing this for fun. I have canceled my subscription. After I cut off my satellite TV and change my internet to something cheaper, then maybe I’ll renew my subscription to WindWorks.

This what I would be doing:
1. Warm-up
– long tones
– easy slurs
– articulation
2. Single and Double Harmonics from…[Read more]

I have heard of The Science of Breath. I read a couple of trumpet books that recommended it.

Thanks, I check it out.

I am glad I responded to this because I rewatched Greg’s backswing video.

I’m not Greg. Sorry.

Clavicular breathing, aka upper lobar breathing, is negative when that is your primary breathing style. The brass teachers are trying to teach kids to take full breaths. Shallow breathing while playing an instrument can lead to musical and physical problems. Clavicular breathing is better than shallow breathing using…[Read more]

The downside to coming to this site is that many of us have played for years. How it is that downside? Well for me, I got instruction for Greg’s marvelous videos and exercises and expected immediate results in all registers. Ooops, that not how retraining works.

As you progress in this course, you are going through lessons on every note…[Read more]

Logan

If you don’t have the visualizer, that’s okay. But you start first by taking a concert hall breath and then forming the aah-ooh embouchure. Immediately after forming the embouchure, release (not blowing) the air with using the tongue to stop and to release the air. Tu-Tu-Tu. Do that as demonstrated a few 50 – 100 times or more (not…[Read more]

Shape consists of several different factors:

1. Tongue position – the tongue arches as you ascend. Here I am afraid of giving bad advice, but it feels like the middle rises and slightly. I think the arch goes somewhat toward the teeth in the extreme high register. Our jaws are tied to our tongues and as my tongue goes down my jaws pull it down…[Read more]

Stan,

This is a very annoying problem. Since you have had periodontal work, it seems that the periodontist should be required to fix this problem. I am inclined to think the ceramic teeth are not aligned properly and you are suffering from misalignment (malocclusion) and it has little to do with them not being natural teeth.

One other problem…[Read more]

Miguel,

As John Elwood said, “Welcome!” Mr. Elwood gives good advice.

I believe you are rushing your progress to no progress. I had to start the Largo stage three times before I realized how to translate WindWorks into playing. Check out John’s and my posts to the thread “I Smile As I Play”.

You need to spend much time practicing the…[Read more]

Caleb Johnson, congratulations on this discovery. I restarted this course three times before concepts sank in and I did not go back to my former ways of playing.

I am going to repeat and emphasize some of John Elwood’s advice.

You must follow the introduction and Largo fundamentals instructions. The goal is to change your habits. This…[Read more]

Thanks for your reply. I thought I might be shut out of this forum because of my blunt opinion.

I watched the second session almost all the way through. Then I watched the first session, skipping the pauses. I say you should not be chopped out or tired. You don’t sound all that tight in the lips. Maybe it is the lip slurs, but somewhere you…[Read more]

Steve,

You are ahead of me on your G to C lip slurs. You are fast.

Bluntly, you do not seem to have a focused practice. You randomly play exercises and then do something else and backup and do the same “warm-up” again.

Throw it all out. My opinion: Stop all free lip buzzing, stop doing everything you do as a warm-up. Do not play petal tones…[Read more]

Steve,
Take John’s good advice. Most of the people using this, including its creator have been where you are.

Also, I would like to remind you that as you go through Wind Works you will go up a half step learning to maintain the same sensations as the previous note and perhaps noting the slight changes in shape as you proceed to the next…[Read more]

Steve,

I have been where you are at. When making embouchure changes, you are going to have struggles, especially since you have expectations and want immediate results to play every note you used to play.

I suggest you stop whatever warmup you are doing. Do not play pedals. Everything does not have to be played FF. By the way, FF is such a…[Read more]

Steve,

You sound like you are on the right track. If you ever get frustrated, just ask questions. Greg will help you through it.