WindWorks Trumpet Academy Forums WindWorks Embouchure changing

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    • #20705
      ab-hoffman
      Participant

      Hi Greg,
      I’ve really enjoyed your course. The singing C series has really made me more aware of what my body is doing and I’ve felt I’ve been playing much more efficiently. I discovered the past couple of days that my embouchure is changing (lower lip is not rolling in). It’s to the point I can’t play the old way I used to, which is probably a good thing, but scary at the same time because I can’t play as high as I used to. Is this normal? and did you experience anything similar when you went from your old way of playing to the new way?

      Sincerely, Brian

    • #20707
      Ronald Carson
      Participant

      The short answer is most people are not going to have the same range in the beginning because you are learning a new way of playing. I know you are waiting on Greg’s reply, but here is my experience.

      Just like you, I changed my approach to playing. One of the things I would do to play higher was to pinch the lips, constrict my throat, engage the abdomen and apply more mouthpiece pressure. Doing those things enabled me to play a few high C’s and D’s in a high school band. Those techniques came with a price. I played with pain and often missed the note or fell off high notes above A.

      I am now retired and I have picked up the horn for fun. After a couple of years looking for solutions, I stumbled across MTM. When I started training using MTM, I replaced those damaging habits with new habits and new sensations. I became like a beginner in my playing. F at the top of the staff became more challenging to play because I was not going to engage all the inefficient techniques. As I began to learn more about aperture corners, shape changes and sticking with the process, I could play high C with control and without anxiety and pain.

      I have only gone through the Moderato and that level has taken me far enough t0 really play for fun. One day I will resubscibe and find out how to do what I thought would never be possible for me. I now know that playing trumpet doesn’t have to hard and painful, thanks to Greg.

    • #20797
      Greg Spence
      Keymaster

      Hi Brian, thanks for using WindWorks and thanks Ron, you are SPOT on 🙂 (and I look forward to seeing you back one day to keep you progressing.)

      Initially range with any changes will be limited, that is to be expected.

      I had to play two different ways when changing my setup – I was gigging in pro theatre and TV land so would have to practice one way and perform another; challenging but possible.

      The WW course is desinged to expose your flaws and judging by your post that is beginning to happen. Be cool with your discoveries and patiently stick to the PROCESS.

      Be sure you are REALLY using the magnifying glass in the earlier stages, there is a lot of information and some important points can be easily missed.

      An Ultimate Level user recently went back to the Largo Status Stage for the THIRD time and posted how he had missed a lot of points – THAT is the way to approach WW.

      Stick with it and stay in touch.

      Cheers,
      Greg

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