Mystery to Mastery › Forums › WindWorks › Personal-Lesson-with-Greg Shout-out › Reply To: Personal-Lesson-with-Greg Shout-out
Your post really resonates (pun intended!) with me Elgin. I had my first lesson with Greg a week ago and was so thankful for Greg’s supportive approach. His powers of observation, even over Skype, really are amazing. After working on the Foundation Level of the course for 10 months I decided it was time to check in because I really wasn’t sure if I had achieved sympathetic oscillation or not. After my lesson I had the same realization that you did. I was not interpreting the openness of the Mmm, Ahh, Oooo, too-to-to-to exercise literally enough. I think on a subconscious level, I refused to accept it. When Greg says people say to him “it feels so open it’s ridiculous, I can’t possibly play like that,” I realize now I didn’t really get it because I hadn’t abandoned the old lips together approach, even though I thought I had. Greg picked up right away that as soon as I put the visualizer over my embouchure my chin comes up. Same thing if I try to release the air with my tongue. Once again my instincts were leading me astray. It’s so great to know this though and I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t reached out for a lesson. I’m at the stage now that if I’m working with the leadpipe and mouthpiece or the Largo Stage pure process exercises, there is no sound. But there is calm, much less body tension, more passive reduction and, as you say, more black between the lips. Who knew you could have so much fun when there isn’t even a sound?