BRASS CLINIC

Reducing Pressure
in the Trombone Embouchur!
CUSTOM-BUILT
Donald L. Banschbach
INSTRUMENTS
AND MOUTHPIECES The so-called "non-pressure em- muscles that surround the moul
• bouchure theory," espoused by and contract to close the lips.'
TRUMPETS
many teachers and performers is lips are compressed against
really a misnomer. To completely teeth, and the lower lip is press
IN Bt>, C, D, EP, Ei>/D, F, G, eliminate pressure would break the against the upper lip. This conm
E7F/G. 65 Models-Trumpets- seal between the lips and the mouth- tion involves four sets of muscle!
Cornets-Fluegelhorn. piece and silence the tone. But to bers: 1) obiscularis oris, which!
• exaggerate the pressure inhibits to close the lips, 2) compress^
PICCOLO TRUMPETS blood flow to the embouchure mus- labii, which compress the
IN BP/A, C cles and results in muscle fatigue. against the teeth, 3) incisivus\ and inferior, which
• Players who complain of paralyzed
TUNING-BELL TRUMPETS lips have repeatedly abused their the corners of the mouth, and4)j
embouchures by pressing too tightly mentalis, a triangular muscle in
With Detachable Bells - against the i n s t r u m e n t ' s mouth- chin which elevates the chin |
Eliminates the tuning slide piece. Continual restriction of blood lower lip. Pronouncing the
improving intonation and flow breaks down the muscles and "m" gives the feeling of themu
response. Additional bells in some cases even destroys them. action involved in forming the
offer varied tone color. The end result is muscle fiber which bouchure. A simple way to visu
• no longer contracts to produce the the embouchure muscles is to in
"M" MODEL desired tone. ine a central oval of heavy mu
TRUMPETS AND CORNETS Pressure must be considered on a fibers with many guide lines l
TRUMPETS IN Br>, C, EP/D relative basis: it can be minimized
but not eliminated. A player's aware- Donald L. Banschbach teaches \ heads the perceptualcurr
Moderately priced, these in-
struments equal and surpass ness of muscle contraction and re-
laxation is vital to good embouchure Lake Forest South Elementary I
other professional trumpets in Harrington, Delaware. Healsoc
and cornets priced much
development. He can achieve this
three brass groups in Kent Coi
higher. awareness through 1) an under-
•
standing of the embouchure muscles
Maurice Faulkner is the contrib^
themselves, 2) a relaxed way of editor for the Brass Clinic. He reel
MOUTHPIECES - holding the instrument, and 3) by
STANDARD AND SIGNATURE a PhD degree from Stanford Univi
practicing exercises using slurs. and is currently advisor to the l
Precision made for Trumpet, Anatomically, the trombone em- education students at the Universl
Cornet, French Horn, Trom- bouchurq may be defined as the California, Santa Barbara.
bone, Euphonium and Tuba.

SCHILKE MUSIC, INC.

529 So. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, III. 60605
312-922-0736

PLEASE SEND:
G Instrument Catalog
Q Mouthpiece Catalog S4 San Fernando Ro
Name i Valley, CA 91352
:J) 767-2360
Address -
City/State
Zip
Box IA

54 THE INSIRUMENTAUST/OCTOBER 1978


What small liberal arts school
in the Middle West has a music
department that:
• is dedicated to the proposition
that all music educators and
performers must first and fore-
most love music and know how to
make it
• has a staff which includes
gifted and recognized performing
artist-teachers
• has students winning major
state, regional, and national
competitions including the
regional Metropolitan Opera
auditions
• stages two major opera
productions and excerpts each
season
• has an instrumental program
that includes specialized private
instruction, chamber music, jazz,
band, and orchestral experience
• is the home of the Des Moines
Metro Opera Festival
why Simpson College of course
(you got it, didn't you?)
Scholarship auditions for new
students:
Chicago, November 11
New York, December 15 & 16
Minneapolis, January 13
Kansas City, January 20
Indianola, February 17 & 24
For further information and
applications write:
Dr. Robert Laraen
Department of Music
Simpson College
Indianola, Iowa 50125
(515) 961-6251 Ext. 637
56 THE INSTRUMENTALIST/OCTOBER 1978
Brass Clinic
ating outward from the oval. The
guide lines contract to stabilize the
central oval which in turn contracts
to produce the desired tone.
Pitch is controlled by the contrac-
tion and relaxation of these muscles
and by the proper placement of the
mouthpiece on the lips. I recommend
that horizontal placement be at the
center of the mouth with vertical
placement more toward the upper
than the lower lip. moving the chin
slightly upward to elevate the lower
lip and push it tightly against the
upper lip.
One of the best-known pedagogi-
cal techniques to demonstrate non-
pressure playing is the practice of
hanging a trumpet from the ceiling
by strings, allowing the instrument
to swing freely. The player then
walks up to the instrument with his
hands held behind his back and at-
temps to blow the horn. Naturally,
it is not possible to press against
the mouthpiece without also moving
the instrument.
Trombonists may experiment
with reduced pressure by using one
of several hand positions for prac-
ticing. (These positions are not in-
tended for regular playing.) I call
the first of these positions the "left-
hand 'L.'" The L is formed by the
wide-open palm and thumb of the
left hand. The instrument is sup-
ported on the heel of the hands and
the bell tube is rested against the
extended fingers. An alternate posi-
tion is to rest the instrument in the
left-hand thumb joint and use the
extended fingers to balance the bell.
A suggested position for the right
hand is one in which the slide rests
on the index finger. If the slide is in
good condition, it can be mo1
easily from one position to anothj
by pushing or pulling the bn
Each teacher should help his <
dents adjust their hand positions| Int
that the trombone is held prop
for purposes of pressure adjustn
All teachers are aware of thebegi
ning student's frustrations in 1
coming familiar with his instrun
It is therefore advisable to
until the student has played I
few months before starting pres:
awareness exercises. Agoodrulel
to wait until the student can sli
the interval of a fourth (say, FJ
Bt>) in first position.
The purpose of pressure exercisi
is to make the player conscious]
the muscle action necessary top
duce tone with minimal presstii "I designed the
In preparation, the player sho the player an al-
warm up for ten to fifteen minuf ; trumpet that's ide
to avoid practicing with a cold! is large — .468. T
.465. Both have e
Studies similar to those found! mellow sound.
the Cimera-Hovey Method can)
"Some people r
used. When the student can perfol [that's easier in th
exercises built on the intervale
i very small. But I'v
fourth, he can then progress] \s really great
slurred sixths. Finally, he shoi tsame one that ha
practice slurring octave interval j register because i
beginning on 8^2 and progressii I horns are just mar
chromatically upward as high asj to have them both
is capable of playing with rainin
pressure. Slurring broken cha Fast valves.
and arpeggios will also inert want to
one's flexibility. press a valve
The effects of such exerci &nd see it
should be carried over and appl srne up fast.
to etudes, solos, and group perfoi Even when it's
Dt show-
ances. The trombone player wh
duces pressure has the potentialj 3om clean.
greater muscle endurance and| I mean, I wonder
prospect for a longer life of pro jjlean their horns out
performance, as the
live performance.
ays. I've used hund
my day, and these
hat work the best."
toughness. "I'm ver
nstrument. So it has
Bnd constructed so
ne. And the airline
c:.
or a test,
nee, the
'resident of -,
eblanc tossed
horn into its'
ase, took it to the
dge of a stairwell, a
ver! Just threw it d
[almost freaked! We
he horn, then, and it
effect. Perfect!"