ANGLIA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

MUSCULATURE – ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE PLAYING OF BRASS

INSTRUMENTS

David John Notley 

A Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of

the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

Submitted August 2002

Approved by ____________________________________________________
Chairperson of Supervisory Committee

__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

Programme Authorized to Offer Degree_______________________________

Date __________________________________________________________

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express sincere thanks firstly to my supervisor Charles Hine and George
Reynolds, my trumpet tutor at Colchester Institute.

I would also like to thank the internet list members of the “Trumpet Players
International Network” (TPIN) and “Tasteebros. usergroup” for their assistance in
freely giving their advice and experiences as brass players.

Thanks to the members of the Young Ambassadors Brass Band of Great Britain who
discussed the theories used in this dissertation with me during our long tour of Canada
and the United States of America (2001).

Many thanks also to the pupils and friends used to gain the required information for the
questionnaires and lecture. Finally to my family and friends who have supported me
throughout my period of study.

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 ABSTRACT

This thesis presents a study on brass instrumentalists and their bodies. It focuses on
physiological, psychological, perceptual habits learned either from books, teachers or
the player’s own experiences.

The study concentrates on the way that each player breathes and blows using muscles
in their body to make a sound. It looks at the way that air is blown through the aperture
and the manipulation of the aperture with embouchure and mouthpiece.

The variation in embouchure manipulation, tongue level, air speed, space between teeth
and awareness of the body were also studied. Many players and teachers have their own
knowledge of methods and were very protective of them, thinking that their way was
the only way.

The study tries to prove that all brass instrumentalists and people in general are
different and that not all people should or in fact, can use the same method.

I studied six individual brass players of differing ages, abilities, backgrounds and
perceived knowledge.

Results of my studies showed that individual people had individual problems,

as each of us is entirely different. It is not possible to derive a technique, which is

equally useful for everyone. I have also presented some evidences to prove that

different teachers and performers used a certain method and advocated that every

player should play the same way.

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Some players have little knowledge of what they do or how they play. This has never
been of interest to them as they have never had any obstacles to their playing. This
study has perhaps made them think about their technique and the way that they play
their instrument.

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 OUTLINE:

In the first chapter, I have given a background to my own interest in this

subject. I have studied the mechanics of my own body’s musculature and the methods

required playing a note within four positions of the harmonic series.

From the Chapters, II to V, I have presented the case studies of different brass

instrumentalists. I asked about their backgrounds, in what manner they began to learn

to play and which tutor books they had used. I asked about their attitudes to playing

their instruments in each range and whether any obstacle or obstacles to their playing

had shown themselves.

In Chapter VI, I have tried to find out, what different experts say about it. I have

presented some evidences to prove that different teachers and performers used a certain

method and advocated that every player should play the same way.

In Chapter VII, I have summarized my discussion and give the conclusion.

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 CONTENTS

Abstract ............................................................................................................... iv
Outline………………………………………………………………………..vi
Introduction.......................................................................................................... 1
Chapter I: Case Study – David Notley................................................................ 3
Chapter II: Case Study – Players still at school
Christopher Pannell ..................................................................................... 11
Jackson Mathod........................................................................................... 13
Robert Domingue ........................................................................................ 14
Chapter III: Case Study – David and Sarah Minchin ....................................... 16
Chapter IV: Case Study – Tim London ............................................................ 18
Chapter V: Case Study – John Malam and Stan Cooper.................................. 20
Chapter VI: What the experts say ..................................................................... 21
Chapter VII: Conclusions.................................................................................. 24
Glossary ............................................................................................................. 26
Bibliography ...................................................................................................... 27

Appendix: 1 Case study: David Notley pre 1991 (3 pages)

Appendix 2: Internet discussions (29 pages)

Appendix 3: Photographs and diagrams (51 pages)

Appendix 4: Internet web pages (129 pages)

Appendix 5: Questionnaire1 (16 pages)

Appendix 6: Questionnaire 2 (5 pages)

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 LIST OF FIGURES

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 INTRODUCTION

Brass players have been around for a long time. Many hundreds of years ago players
would have learnt in groups or from each other. Improved communications in travel –
to hear others play – and recordings available have meant that theories are developed.
These theories, due to the physical or mental attributes of the player may work for some
and not for others.

From the very beginning, brass players, teachers and educators have been divided into
two groups. They have either struggled with their embouchure or found it very easy to
play their instrument. The latter group have found it very natural to play, while the
former group have met with obstacles to their development. Those obstacles come in
many shapes and sizes.

Many players are termed “natural players”. The natural players picked up an instrument
when they began to play and found their instrument to be quite easy. On the other hand,
others have had to think about and look into the way in which they play and try to find
different ways to develop range, stamina, articulation and sound. Some professional
players, it seems from my research learnt a particular way and advocate that everyone
should learn that way. Some “professional” players and teachers are very protective of
the methods with which they learned and are quite forthright in their statements.

Also I would like to prove that “if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it”. This old saying holds
true for many brass players who may play in unorthodox fashions but make a
wonderful sound and are technically brilliant. Others may “look good” with “text book”
embouchures but have other problems, which are involved in the mechanics of their set
up.

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Many players play well but are musically stretched whilst others do everything right but
do not have the correct attitude to be any better. Others have rushes of adrenalin and
have a physical “high” whilst playing.

This study does not delve into the instrument’s manufacture, mouthpiece size,
backbores (size of mouthpipe diameter) or any other outside influence. Instead it tries to
show that with a correct, “buzz-able” embouchure, “proper” breathing and use of air a
fine working model of a brass player will be evident. Training the body to break habits
is extremely difficult but with perseverance great things are possible.

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 CHAPTER I: CASE STUDY – DAVID NOTLEY

The background to this chapter and the build up to my change in embouchure can be
found in appendix 1.

In June of 1991 I was forced to stop playing for some eight months. I had my teeth
rebuilt, 18 stitches in my lower lip, ribs and thumb broken, and a cracked jaw. This was
due to a road traffic accident (see appendix 1)

Reading books and seeing diagrams about “How brass players do it” (by John Ridgeon)
and thinking about my playing I had to make sure that I wouldn’t go back to my old
ways of using pressure first. I started to practise buzzing first. This was difficult, as I, to
this day, have no feeling in the front of my lower lip. I persevered and could buzz many
tunes – the buzzing meant that I was able to control the pitch of my playing better and
could move around the ranges easier. The buzzing meant also that all of my
embouchure muscles were even and radiated out from the aperture.

I noticed that my upper teeth were a little long and came into contact with my lower lip
also that my left lateral incisor tooth was twisted so I asked my dentist to file the edges
down. My lower lip also had a stitch or thread added inside anchored at the top down to
my chin.

fig.1

3
fig.2 fig.3

fig.4 fig.5

4
fig.6 fig.7

fig.8

I then had to think about my embouchure and why my aperture was closing when I
went for higher notes. My aperture vibrated on the fleshy part of my top lip, back about
two millimetres from where it was supposed to be. I had read that I was meant to “roll
my lips in” to strengthen them and vibrate the aperture on the actual lip and not the
fleshy part. My sound was more controlled and the control over my lips was greatly
increased.

Previously when I vibrated my lips the Orbicularis Oris around my mouth had tightened
unevenly, my top lip closed over my bottom lip. The Levator Labii Inferioris and
Depressor Labii Inferioris pushed upwards from below and Depressor Alae Nasi
pressed downwards from above. The Depressor Anguli Oris pulled downwards so that
the muscles were pulling against each other.

5
One final observation of my previous embouchure was that the tongue would
constantly be touching my bottom lip so articulation was problematical.

I had gained the embouchure through lack of knowledge and being told that there was
no problem by teachers and that practice would “put everything right”. I sounded ok but
I wanted to be better than OK. In my head I could hear what I wanted to do but my
embouchure would do otherwise. I played trombone, French horn and euphonium for
long periods but wanted to play the higher brass instruments.
Fig.9

My new embouchure was much different. The Obicularis oris rolled in evenly around
my lips. The Depressor labii inferioris, Depressor anguli oris and Mentalis all pulled

6
backwards easily. The Dilator and Compressor nasi of the nose and the facial muscles
detailed above all pulled outwards.

When playing in the higher register these muscles pulled further outwards and gave the
embouchure room to move. My Orbicularis palpebrarum around my eyes and the
temporal fascia muscles around my ears also pull back.

Now I had control over my range and playing became a joy.

A quote from the great Herbert L. Clarke, the top soloist with the John Philip Sousa
Band.from his autobiography “How I became a great cornetist”:

“One day I picked up the instrument for the usual practice and imagine if you can my surprise and almos
was out, only there really wasn't any secret about it! I had used only a little pressure of
the mouthpiece on my lips and so allowed them to vibrate naturally, instead of pressing
against them with so great force that all lip vibration was stopped and tone would not
come from the cornet. It then dawned upon my mind that, always when trying to reach
a high note I had been pressing the mouthpiece so hard on the lips that it kept them
from vibrating at all. I had been like a man trying to walk with his legs bound firmly
together!”

Increasing my ability and being able to play what I heard in my head made me so much
more confident. Although later two other problems surfaced whilst playing with Black
Dyke:

1. I developed in New Zealand a lung disease/ condition called Sarcoidosis, which

affects the lungs and immune system. It is non-contagious but restricts
breathing.

2. My tonguing had been learnt with restriction on the space available in my

mouth due to the position of my teeth. Double tonguing (ta-ka) and triple
tonguing (ta-ta-ka) were easier but needed to happen at the back of my mouth

7
 instead of forward. This is now rectified but the schedule of such a great band
meant that I could not devote the time to it then. My sound was too hard whilst
multiple tonguing.

Next I needed to think about my tongue and breathing correctly. Knowing that my
buzzing and whistling were regulated by the up and down movement of my tongue I
experimented and after a short period was able to buzz long tunes.

The flow of air through the body to the instrument should be a smooth. Any obstacles
should be removed. An open throat is needed for the air to flow through slowly for
lower notes and lower dynamics. For louder and higher notes the airflow is accelerated.
The channel for the air to travel through is narrowed depending on the range or
dynamic required.

fig.10

8
 fig.11

The above diagram shows the movement of the tongue through different vowel sounds, this is the
same for both whistling and brass playing.

Fig.12 fig.13

When playing in the upper range on my brass instrument the sides of my tongue – at the
back of my mouth – push against my upper molar teeth (fig.13). This helps to create the
smaller channel for my air to flow through faster, thus forcing the lips to vibrate faster.

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When relaxed to play throughout the normal range of the instrument there is still a
considerable amount of tension in my body. Firstly, in my embouchure and secondly in
my diaphragm region. Pre-1991 I would have tensed my arms and pushed my
mouthpiece against my teeth to gain increased range.

Now I buzz the notes and tense my stomach muscles downwards through my groin area
all the way to my “backside” then past to my upper leg muscles – so as to “anchor” my
body. This proves that the higher the pitch of the note, the greater the tension in the
muscles.

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 CHAPTER II: CASE STUDIES – PLAYERS STILL AT SCHOOL

CHRISTOPHER PANNELL

fig.14

Chris Pannell, 17 has grown up in a very musical family. His brother, Tim last year
gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music, London as a trumpet student. His
mother and father have played in most of the top brass bands of East Anglia. Chris has
for the past three years been the solo horn player of the National Youth Brass Band of
Great Britain.

Chris gained grade 8 on his tenor horn and also learns the French horn. He started
playing at the age of 4 and was taught by his parents using mostly the tutor book “Tune
A Day” (Belwyn Mills). Chris is very confident in his playing style but attributes that to
the fact that he doesn’t think “too much” about his playing.

Whilst on the latest (July 2001) National Youth Brass Band course the horn players
were rehearsing a particularly difficult passage with much interval jumping. Afterwards
the other players were asking Chris about tongue positioning and what he thought about

11
whilst playing. Chris answered that he doesn’t think about things like that and that he
prefers to think about tone quality and style. The other players looking for answers to
their problems but Chris didn’t know how to help as he didn’t perceive any problem.

Chris has an “unorthodox” embouchure whereas his embouchure is to the side of his
mouth but he buzzes his lips in the centre of his mouth. His tongue articulates towards
his aperture, which is also to the side of his mouth. This should mean that he, and many
other players should have problems due to the angle that the air flows into the
mouthpiece and aperture but it seems not to in Chris’ case (see photographs page Chris
Pannell).

During my observations I noticed that Chris often is not secure in his upper range, he
can play well and high, he can play all the technically difficult pieces but does not
always give the impression that his embouchure works all of the time.

Despite this Chris is a wonderful player, very musical beyond his years. He proves that
his embouchure works for him even though he is aware that others may tell him
otherwise.

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 JACKSON MATHOD

fig.15

Jackson Mathod is a new trumpet pupil of mine from Stretham in Cambridgeshire. He

is 11 years old and has been playing the trumpet since the age of 8.

Jackson was taught using the method book “Team Brass” (R Duckett Pub. IMP).
Jackson says that in his almost three years of playing he has never heard of or thought
about his embouchure, he doesn’t think about his tongue or his diaphragm. Sometimes
he thinks of his “tummy” but usually he “just plays” his trumpet.

Jackson enjoys playing tunes and does so at home most of the time with backing tracks.
Because of his enthusiasm to play these tunes he often plays (incorrect) alternative
fingering in the higher register. This is easy to do because in the upper register the
harmonic series are closer together.

My observations of Jackson are that he has taught himself to play the trumpet even
though he has had a teacher. Jackson enjoys playing the tunes so he has to pitch each
note even if they are too high for his ability. He therefore has squeezed each high note
out of his embouchure using the pressure of his mouthpiece against his lips. From the

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photographs on the “Jackson photos” page this is evident as he squeezes the higher
notes to the side of his embouchure.

ROBERT DOMINGUE

fig. 16

Robert is a member of the “Hatfields of Colchester Band” and Colchester Area Music
School Band. He is 15 years old at the time of this dissertation and has been playing the
cornet and trumpet for approximately eight years. Robert studied the tutor book “Learn
as you play, trumpet” by P. Wastall, (pub. Boosey and Hawkes) but learned to play by
listening to his teacher and playing along with him.

Robert learned to play on the mouthpiece first, progressing to the instrument after a
couple of weeks. He is aware that he touches the mouthpiece first between his lips in
order to feel the aperture and he breathes in at the sides of his mouth. Robert rolls in his
top lip and smiles at the corner of his mouth.

14
Robert does not think about his tongue and tongue levels when he plays and says that
his teacher has not told him about it. He doesn’t play higher lip slurs to increase his
range but uses lip slurs of a third for lip flexibilty.

Like many brass band players Robert uses only the Arban tutor book (Boosey &
Hawkes). This book gives a thorough grounding to any brass player and is extremely
difficult but it doesn’t help the player who wishes to increase his or her range. Some of
my teachers have played only exercises from this book in my lessons but that was
before my embouchure began to work.

Robert’s brother Philip Domingue tried to find a smaller aperture for his lips to work on
the cornet so he moved the mouthpiece to the sides of his lips. He plays the cornet to
the left hand side because he couldn’t see the music. If a player finds it hard to play a
note in the centre then they will try to play to the side. Perhaps they should be on a
larger mouthpiece for a larger instrument as some people have embouchures which just
don’t suit the smaller aperture required for trumpet or cornet playing.

15
 CHAPTER III: CASE STUDIES – DAVID & SARAH MINCHIN

fig.17

David and Sarah Minchin are brother and sister, they are 30 and 31 respectively and
play the bass trombone, tuba (David) and trombone (Sarah). Both of them have studied
at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and been section leaders of the
National Youth Brass Band.

Whereas David has played the cornet, tuba and now bass trombone due to changes in
his embouchure and repetitive strain injury, Sarah has always played the trombone.
Sarah has not had any major problems with any aspect of her playing.

Sarah learned about embouchures and her muscles only at music college. She is aware
that her embouchure works well and that she rocks her stomach muscles up for higher
notes and down for lower notes (“tipping”) and thinks of “giving birth” using her pelvic
floor muscles when playing higher notes. She says that brass teaching is much more
difficult to do than string or piano – which she also teaches because “you can’t see the
insides of your pupils”. You “need to treat yourself as an athlete as stamina is critical
for playing at a good level”.

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David is a brass teacher for the county of Cambridgeshire. He began at the age of seven
with a local brass band on the cornet. After realising that high his technique was
stopping his progress he moved on to the tuba at the age of 15. This was despite the fact
that he had gained Grade 8 at the age of 13. He felt that his face shape had changed and
his lips were too thick for the cornet.

Even throughout Music College David says that he was not told about his embouchure
or his body. The college was more interested in music and sound although brass players
on smaller instruments were often discussing embouchure changes.

Since he has been teaching brass pupils, David has thought more and more about player
problems. He feels that beginner players need to think more about the adjustment of
their jaw, and should open the space between the teeth more. He tells his pupils to use
vowel sounds and to listen to the note that they are producing.

David relaxes the back of his rib cage when inhaling and tries to open it forwards,
backwards and sideways. He uses a pivot technique for his jaw and uses lots of air. He
advocates using the lip slurs of J. B. Arban “Cornet Method” (Boosey and Hawkes),
and reading James Stamp Warm-ups & Studies, published by BIM and John Ridgeon’s
“The Physiology of Brass Playing”.

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 CHAPTER IV: CASE STUDY – TIM LONDON

fig.18

Mr. London is Head of Music at City of Ely Community School in Cambridgeshire and
studied the French horn at Huddersfield College of Music and at the London College of
Music. Mr. London is 49 years old and started playing the French horn at the age of 17.

He began playing the cornet with the school brass band with a maths teacher who was
an “enthusiast but not an expert”. He learnt within a section of the band. Embouchures
were never discussed even at Music College (only by the trumpet players).

Breathing is the most important part of playing a brass instrument says Mr. London he
also states that there are many pitfalls in French horn playing. The horn is left - handed
whereas most people are right – handed, the horn is a long instrument and is played in
it’s high part also horns are seated in the middle of each ensemble with bells facing
away from the audience. These facts can be added to a larger list of factors that mean a
brass player has to build up their musculature to compensate.

The seating position of a hornist is hampered by the left hand being held out from the
body, this changes when the player is required to move their hand inside the bell, called
“stopping”. The left hand is used for fingering because before valves the right hand was
used in order to fill in the harmonies.

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Mr. London says that the bottoms of the lungs have to expand greatly and that the
speed of the breath is more important than a smaller aperture for the higher notes.
Bigger mouthpieces are used for a bigger sound in orchestras and horn players have to
play loud in order to be heard - the Schostakovich 5th Symphony is “all breath”. Finally
he says that a change in embouchure is needed to get the lower notes combined with
power – something that horn players do, but say that they don’t!

CHAPTER V: CASE STUDIES – JOHN MALAM & STAN COOPER

fig.19 fig.20

Both John Malam and Stan Cooper both have much experience as trumpet players, whilst
John has had embouchure and teeth problems, Stan has had many years away from
trumpet playing. They both have a sound technique on their instruments and understand
the theories behind brass playing.

Stan is 71 at the time of this dissertation and played with the R.A.F. Fighter Command
Band. He started playing at the age of 14 using a silver band method. He was not told how
to play and was given no books. He has only in the last few years begun to take it seriously.

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He has told me of email lessons with Roddy Lewis of the TPIN and other Internet groups
from which he has learnt much.

Stan says that Claude Gordon, in his book “Lip Flexibilities” states that the diaphragm and
not the stomach muscles are used as bellows. Stan feels that this is wrong as he uses his
stomach muscles in order to play. He feels that different methods are used by different
people, with different bodies.

John Malam, Stan and myself play in the same “big band” we hold similar views on brass
playing which helps this study immensely. John is brass co-ordinator for the Thurrock
Music Service and former trumpet player with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. He is 43
years old and began playing at the age of 12.

John started playing the cornet using the “Tune a day” book (Belwyn Mills). He had no
real tuition and played in a downward fashion with a “bunched” embouchure but had no
major problems.

At the age of 19 John says he became more serious and read about the pivot system This
means that the angle of the embouchure directs the air to the top and bottom of the
mouthpiece and manipulates the lips to find the different ranges. He soon found that his
sound was full and relaxed.

Whilst studying at the Leeds College of Music he was first chair in every group that he
could play in, then he read Roger Spalding’s book “Double High C in 37 Weeks” and
increased his range.

In 1991 John had 12 teeth capped whilst at Colchester Institute. He now thinks about his
embouchure but lets his breathing do the work.

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 CHAPTER VI: WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY

Many books and theories have been written and studies made on and studies have been
made on the “right way” to play brass instruments. Some use technical exercises to
build up player deficiencies; others use photographs and diagrams to describe their
theories.

Most writers of books on muscles think that we should treat our bodies as athletes do.
To train our muscles with repetitious rehearsal will ingrain in our memories the tasks
that our bodies have to cope with.

Air, it is agreed is the fuel for the engine of the brass player “a car can’t run without
gas” is one of Wynton Marsalis’ often used sayings.

Arnold Jacobs, the former tuba player with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, believed
that brass playing is 85% song and 15% wind and that we should hear the note and then
play it.

“Wind is the energy source used to fuel the conceptual message of the song from the
brain. His emphasis of Song and Wind shows how much importance Jacobs gave to
musical conception. "Study the product, not the method. Mentalize music by making
statements, not by asking questions."
(Freidrichsen 1996 p. 138 – 139)

In his book “Song and Wind” it is written that Jacobs thought that musicality can be
transferred to the listener with the air of our bodies. He also thought that there was too
much written on the subject of playing.

“The mind has the capability for a certain amount of information. If the mind is flooded
with too many thoughts, it will overload. Concentration is lost and the note is missed –
caused by over-analyzing. Jacobs simply calls this "paralysis by analysis" (Freidrichsen
1996 p. 142)

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The use of tongue vowel movements to change the air channel size and the diaphragm
or stomach muscle for support for the air the tutor book “Learn As You Play” states that
we should:

“check that the tongue and diaphragm levels move slightly up when the notes ascend,
and move slightly down when the notes descend” (Wastall, 1990 p.21) also:

“for downward slurs use ‘TEE-OOO-AAA’ and upward slurs use ‘TAA-OOO-EEE”
(Wastall, 1990 p.27)

Howard Snell in his book “The Trumpet”writes:

“In my view, range and pitching on the trumpet are controlled by the modification of
the air stream as it passes through the mouth” (Snell, 1997 p.75)

I, like many other players and teachers have used both of John Ridgeon’s books “How
Brass Players Do It” and “The Physiology of Brass Playing”. He explains to us the way
in which muscles should be manipulated in order to work correctly. He gives some
good advice:

“High notes, if they are to be produced correctly, are dependant on gradual muscular
development” and “make haste slowly” but warns that “ frustration and anxiety (after
rectifying an embouchure), symptoms more detrimental than the original physical
defect” (Ridgeon, 1975 foreword).

Warming up of the muscles is important before playing. Ridgeon advocates a good

warm up for three reasons:

“Cold muscles are inefficient.

Embouchure and breathing muscle irregularities are instantly recognisable during the
‘warm-up’

22
Correct muscle memories are developed” Ridgeon, 1986 p.55)

Bobby Shew advocates teachers listening to their students and also to many other ideas
and schools of thought. He also is of the opinion that “we brass players are certainly
involved in a somewhat athletic-like activity” in “any kind of extended range playing”
(Shew, 1995 Windplayer)

Herbert Clarke states in his Technical Studies Book:

“Remember that a twenty story building requires a much firmer foundation than a
structure of only two stories” (sp) (Clarke, 1934 p.22)

The books “The Art of Brass Playing by Philip Farkas (Wind Music Inc., 1962) and
“The Embouchure” by Maurice M. Porter (B&H, 1967) both explore the physical ways
in which our embouchures should work. The Farkas book uses as models people who
play at the highest levels whilst the Porter book looks in to difficulties and as an
example teeth problems.

All of the books, which I have studied, show how the body should work. Most students
however are in the hands of their teachers. They need to be shown the ways in which
they can fix problems or should be made aware of all of the books and make up their
own minds.

23
 CHAPTER VII: CONCLUSIONS

As a teacher I feel that I should make students aware of how their body works and what
their muscles are doing when playing a brass instrument. In this way they can make
judgements themselves on the way that they and others play.

I am careful though that I do not give my pupils information that will add to any
problem or, in fact cause one. I did not have any of this knowledge for many years of
my own playing. Perhaps it would have helped me to think about myself and halt any
embouchure defects. With so many experts on the subject of musculature in brass
playing it is hardly surprising that many brass players find themselves confused or
bewildered.

Many players that I have interviewed tell of stories of good players going to music
colleges, having to change their embouchures and ways of breathing. This often results
in players getting “messed up” either physically or psychologically.

The possessiveness of “professional” players and teachers towards their perceived

notions that the method that they learned is a problem which I have encountered. For
example I asked in a questionnaire about the use of the glottis to squeeze the air through
the air passage faster. This was advocated by Scott Englebright who plays with the
Harry Connick Junior band. Douglas Yeo of the Boston Symphony Orchestra replied
that “no professional player would ever do that”. I later explained to him that many
professionals DID do just that and it worked for them.

Air is the fuel of our playing, our body is the car, and the roads are the music. If we
have a car which doesn’t work very well then we won’t get very far or, if we are short
of petrol then we also won’t get very far.

I feel that it is a teachers role to give their pupils all of the information available with
adjustments, according to their needs. Some of my colleagues think that a lot of the
material which is written on brass playing is “rubbish that sells books”. Whilst others

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embrace the theories and take from them the parts which could help them or their
pupils. I am from the latter group.

In my opinion, we are all different and it is not possible that every method is equally
useful for every person. Each of us has different physiological, psychological and
perceptual habits. This is why some methods only work for some people.

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 GLOSSARY

Aperture. The opening that surrounds the vibrations of the lip. Rather like the aperture
of a camera.

Bell. The larger end of the brass instrument.

Embouchure. The position and use of the lips in playing a musical wind instrument

Diaphragm. A thin muscular sheet separating the thorax from the abdomen. It is
attached by the ribs at either side and the breastbone and backbone, and a central tendon.
Arching upwards against the heart and lungs, the diaphragm is important in the mechanics
of breathing. It contracts when inhaling, moving downwards to increase the volume of the
chest cavity, and relaxes at exhalation.

Stopping. The movement of the hand inside the bell of the French horn. The hand fills in
the notes of the harmonic series by moving backwards and forwards.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Encyclopaedia Britannica (1999) DVD

Snell, Howard (1997) The Trumpet Rakeway

Ridgeon, John (1975) How Brass Players Do It Brass Wind Publications

Farkas, Philip (1962)The Art of Brass Playing Wind Musc Inc.

Freidrichsen, Brian (1996) Song and Wind WindSong Press

Gray F.R.S., Henry (2001) Gray’s Anatomy of the human body, A Facsimile Taj Books

www.bartelby.com (2002)

Porter, Maurice M. (1967) The Embouchure Boosey & Hawkes

Wastall, Peter (1990) Learn As You Play Trumpet & Cornet B & H

John Ridgeon - How Brass Players Do It (lip slurs).

Arban's Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet, Arban

Daily Drills and Technical Studies, Max Schlossberg,

Clarke's Technical Studies for the Cornet, Herbert Clarke

Clarke's Characteristic Studies for the Cornet, Herbert Clarke

Trumpet Isometrics, Leon Merian

The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method Book 1 Technical Studies, Allen Vizzutti

The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method Book 2 Harmonic Studies, Allen Vizzutti

The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method Book 3 Melodic Studies, Allen Vizzutti

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New Directions in Tonguing, James Burke

Transcendental Etudes, Theo Charlier

First Book of Practical Studies for Cornet and Trumpet, Getchell

Second Book of Practical Studies for Cornet and Trumpet, Getchell

The Next Level, Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin

Trumpet FAQ's, Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin

The No Nonsense Trumpet from A - Z, Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin

Advanced Lip Flexibilities, Charles Colin

Courting the Upper Register - An approach to High Trumpet Playing

through Melody, Michael Stewart

Total Range, Charles S Peters

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