Fourth week of SA

Hello, i am continuing with the exercises. They don't seem to be much trouble except that i don't like playing the F and E and Eb pedals because they just don't feel right on the lips and they don't sound very good. It's as if it is not natural for the note to be there and you need to artificially produce the note with your lip.

And i seem to have hit the E above C threshold. Try as i might i can't seem to get that F.

I've decide to not do the K tonging - I'm just not sure of it's benefit at the moment.

Still waiting on the Herbert L Clarke book to arrive in the post.

CU soon
Rob Lane..

Pencil Exercise week five

I'm up to 2:30 min time 3 with 5 min break inbetween. I've noticed a pattern appearing whereby my chops really hurt at the start of the week but by the end of the week i can manage the time pretty much without trouble.
I think that is the beauty of approaching a difficult task in stages. Looking forward to reaching the 4 min mark so that i can start to really gain som benefit from this activity.

Third week of SA

I've been struck with doubt after reading some posts by embouchure specialist Clint 'Pops' McLaughlin. He advocates not using pedals and that they may do more harm than good. I haven't formed an opinion yet but am going to look at some more approaches. It is confusing when there are so many approaches and each promises the world as far as trumpet technique goes.

This week i had a really good day where i was able to play without any tension in the throat. Everything felt easy and it was a joy playing. I want to be able to replicate that feeling all the time.

I seem to be stuck at E above high C. Try as i might i just can't seem to play that F at this stage.

This week includes Clarke exercises and the book hasn't arrive yet so it may take me longer before i move on.

See you soon,

Rob Lane.

Pencil Exercise week four

Just finished the fourth week of the pencil exercise on 1:30 minutes and at the start of the week it really burnt the facial muscles but by the end i felt as if i could go further which is good because that is where i am going. This week is 2 minutes and this is the half way mark as i will be going up to 4 minutes maximum.

I feel as if it is helping my endurance and range slowly. but i also wonder if i am giving my chops enough rest time. Though i will press on and when i have reached 4 min i will look at more heavy lifting with weights on the pencil but will only do every other day.

CU next week
Rob

Second week of SA

This second week is complete and i think i am making progress. My high notes sound clearer, especially after i started to play number 2 exercise the correct way [big thanks to posters on the trumpet forum]. I managed to get a clear E above high C but all my attempts above this came out air and trumpet static. Oh well i'm in training and hopefully they will appear.

The thing i had difficulty with was tonguing the pedal notes in the number 2 exercise.

Still trying to steal time for trumpet practice. See you next week

Pencil Exercise week three

Well the past week has defintiely been more of a struggle holding the chopstick for a minute. I realised that because i was using a wooden chopstick that is heavier and has a smaller diameter than a pencil that my lips were being worked too hard. The end of the chopstick with its small diameter was digging into my lips. I fixed this with some duct tape wound around the end so that it equals the standard pencil diameter.

This week i will be holding the pencil for 1:30 seconds for three sessions with a 5 minutes break between each.

First week of Systematic Approach to daily Practice

I've completed the first week of Claude Gordon's method. It is a difficult exercise in that you are only required to play long notes until your stomache shakes. I found the first exercise good in that it goes down into the pedal register and really relaxes the embouchure. However, the second exercise has you play as high and as long as you can. I seemed to be abloe to get an Eb above the staff on most nights, sometimes a rough F. I am looking forward to the second week just because you can play more that one note in sucession.

I think this last week has increased my stamina and tone but has taxed my flexibility. I am wondering which method out of Carusso and Gorden would be best?

Also i would like to incorperate the SA so that it doesn't take up extra time in my routine.