Trumpet Tip... Over Blowing Cure

[lynn]

The below info may or may not be useful to the point of this trumpet tip--to provide players with the means to recover from and minimize destructive over blowing. Just happened to realize that the restrictive nature of the mute also slows down the air, so proves again that fast air alone doesn't make you play higher.... Mentioning same has apparently brought up more questions regarding upper register trumpet playing and trumpet sound production in general, so I offer the following.... Proceed at your own

First some basics. Bob Reeves explained to me in 1975 how sound production takes place on the trumpet. In simplest terms, we do not buzz the chops to produce a note. Instead, we first blow air into the horn. The chops then vibrate as a secondary response to the correct application of air. When he told me this, I experimented for about 30 seconds, and realized he was absolutely correct. Been approaching the horn that way ever since, with extraordinary results.... :) A sound wave is produced as the mechanical air stream interfaces with the more esoteric acoustic resistance of the hardware. When everything is correct, response is lightning fast and appears spontaneous, as the note is produced. In a perfect world, the hole in the mouthpiece acts as the main source of resistance, although for many players, their primary source of resistance takes place in their chops, tongue, throat, etc, BEFORE the air even reaches the hardware. This internal tension is primarily why most players top out at G-A. Tension is a killer, in trumpet and in life. Properly employed, the MF Protocol prescribes ​i​increased relaxation of the chops while ascending, allowing the air stream to enter the hardware unencumbered. If there are any doubts, look at any photo of Maynard and you will see that his chops are unfurled and relaxed--always, and progressively more as he ascends, enabling his chops to vibrate all the way across, all the time, for a uniform/big sound in all registers. I had him buzz on a rim in 1974, and sure enough, he vibrated all the way across with a VERY relaxed vibrating surface.

Okay, enough basics. To your questions, compression from the abs/intercostals changes the pitch. These are the muscles you use when you cough. As described in the ​process above, this acoustic reflection causes, the chops to vibrate. For complicated reasons, the greater the compression​ from the abs/intercostals, ​ the faster the chops vibrate. In the interest of efficiency, the tongue and other elements are also minimally active, since the air must be directed to precisely match the inner diameter of the mouthpiece. However, the tongue is NOT to be used as a coarse compression device. As shown in the below video links, compression for each pitch is the same, loud or soft. As repeated more times than I care to remember, playing the note softly clearly has much less air speed going through the constant, the hole in the mouthpiece, even in the extreme upper register. And to be clear, I'm not suggesting slower air as a means to play higher. Air speed only relates to loudness. If you haven't seen my videos on compression and the guitar string myth, please take a quick look now....


Yes, you can change the pitch by tensioning the tongue, throat, chops, etc. However, overly tensioned chops produce a smaller sound, since this approach generally results in a narrower horizontal vibrating surface and associated lack of precision, resulting in mosquito-like high notes. Too much arch of the tongue reduces the oral cavity, also resulting in a smaller sound, and difficulty tonguing upstairs, since the tongue is doubling as a coarse compression device. A overly tensioned/constricted throat acts as a global restriction in the playing apparatus. Bud Brisbois is ​an extreme example of ​a low ​tongue position. While playing, his tongue was observed, via floroscope (sp?), always in the bottom of his mouth. However, Bud did lots and lots (I was told 1000, but probably a figure of speech) of sit-ups per day to strengthen his stomach muscles, and no one played more consistently higher than Bud.​​

Finally, sound production on brass instruments is not directly analogous to anything else, including, but not limited to, vibrating strings (see video), fluid dynamics (air is compressible, fluid is not), paper flapping in the wind, saxophone reeds, etc.... ​Further, any attempt to isolate/compartmentalize the various aspects at play in the process will result in fragmented results. Lots of elements in the algorithm; allow them to be collectively adaptive in real time. Focus mostly on proper use of air, and all else will fall into place. Maynard was a revolutionary departure from ​the ​conventional ​approach to ​trumpet playing, so his Protocol requires even more open minded and aggressive experimentation. Once understood​/employed​, though, the normal physical limits are removed from your pursuit of trumpet/music, and you will experience a very real liberation.... Hope that helps, rather than further confuse.... :)

[theimp]

I have been around a long time and you are one of the great players . I have seen you many times with Maynard what a thrill. Thanks Lynn ! .

[champagnetrumpet]

Just tried this, and it’s gold!
Been practicing the lead Trumpet part to jazz police for a couple of weeks, one of those impossible Wayne Bergeron lead charts lol, played it through with a practice mute, took the mute out and sounds so much more brilliant and relaxed!

[tpte]

Thanks for the tip Lynn. Many top lead players are dispelling the whole "Faster=Higher" myth nowadays including Roger Ingram, and Jim Manley. Arturo Sandoval played his famous 4-octave ending to Night in Tunisia about one foot away from my ear once and I was surprised that his sound was sweet and not overpowering at all. I can't wait to try out your advice. Thanks a million!

[garyleming]

Thank you! I've been doing long gigs in New Orleans for a while now and have had to practice range with with a practice mute for a while because of my living accomodations. I have found that high notes are mysteriously much easier and my endurance has gone way up over the whole horn. I play up to g's and a's in soloing, but haven't played lead in several years. I'm going to start experimenting with your mouthpiece ideas soon.

[rwc.]

This may be a great tip, but the mute does NOT slow down air. It may be that the mute increases the back pressure NOT allowing you to force as much air through the horn. I think the faster air interacts with increasing the frequency of the lips' vibrating the air column within the horn. Blowing a greater volume air through the lips increases the amplitude of the vibrations making the trumpet's sound louder not higher. Overblowing causes lips to separate and destabilizes the embouchure interfering with the lips vibration. To keep the embouchure together and stable the trumpeter usually presses the horn into the lips to hold the embouchure together which eventually damages the embouchure's tissues. I do not know how fast the actual air moves through the horn through the horn, that seems to miss the point of how faster air changes the airs vibration. Higher pitches require the vibration to have a greater frequency, not amplitude. So the trumpet player who thinks he has to blow more air to get higher notes is likely to be the guy to kill his lips and that is what overblowing does.

You are an elite trumpeter and your advice may be sound, but your explanation using physics is confused.

[spencersivco]

You make some good points Lynn, thanks for the tip!

[garyrumer]

I have had that happen also and it takes a long time to heal. I have never had sore lips but it took a long time to get all my range back but I did get it all back with patience and practice.

[jackosemporiumtoo]

Hi Lynn I’ve not quite gone that far however I’ve done some blowing recently and my lip the next day would not vibrate at all. I’d done a full day including 2 gigs with a band on lead which inc Get It On twice plus Rocky as well as playing lead on every number 14 hours in total. I got the lip back by the Monday but I said to myself exactly the same back off and let it buzz naturally. Monday night rehearsals for me are hard as we play all the Tom Kubis, MF, big phat band stuff etc but I must admit the last few years I’ve really told myself I’m not getting any younger and ease off. I have learnt so much off you the last few months and it’s really helping. I don’t practice as much as I should in fact for 17 years my Trumpet only came out on gigs or rehearsals due to my day job (not in the music world) however this last two years after been given outstanding lead at a European big.band Comp and subsequent gigs I’m practising an 1hr a day (I know I should do more) but then rehearsals and gigs. I’d love to come over to the states and see you but that probably won’t happen keep the tutorials going as I like your ‘NOT look at me’ approach most refreshing. Cheers 🍻

[gregdearmond]

Charlie Davis, quoted by Doc to be the best lead player ever

[TheTrumpets]

Thank you so much for sharing this advise! I was just thinking about this during my morning practice session today. I then started to practice exactly what you mention in this video....and it does work and help!! Thank you!!!

[christophervivestrumpet]

nice one lynn at lunch during school in play my trumpet with a practice mute and yeah it did help not to over blow and when I take it out it is easier to play high also my range decrease a little with the mute I give this a thumbs up

[linlasj]

I love these videos and yet... I have not played for some time now. But still love these.

[buddha]

Buy shear coincidence, l took delivery of a practice mute literally ten minutes ago. How spooky is that.
Great advice by the way. 🎅🏻

[lynn]

I am pinning this comment about the "faster air creates a higher pitch" myth. I've explained the proof that this is a myth, far too many times.... The practice mute provides an additional proof, since it reduces the air speed by at least 2-3 times. How does this much slower air still allow me the same range as I have without the mute, if faster air is required to play higher? Your answer is in my question.... What is often over looked is that the hole size in the mouthpiece is a constant and never changes. If I empty my lungs quickly, more air had to go through the same mouthpiece hole faster, and I will play louder, not higher, all other factors All kinds of theories out there, but these simple facts cannot be ignored to suit yet another bogus That is all.... :)

[adanthemaster]

If a mute slows down air, will practicing with the mute constantly improve skill?

[golffunjn]

Great video, Lynn. Did a physician diagnose your problem of damaging your vibrating surface? This may be a stupid question but are the lips the vibrating surface?

[demontwashington]

Playing the "devil's advocate" card here...if faster air doesn't beget higher pitch, what does? As you've stated in other videos, tongue position is not to be used to determine pitch, at least on a "coarse" scale. This video makes it clear that merely jamming more air into the horn isn't the path to the upper register. Okay...what, then?

[erikandreasbonde]

Hi Lynn. Always interesting stuff you do and tell about. I have a problem: more air and faster air seems to be the discussion and I don't get the point. Does it not give faster air, when you compres the diagframe, and does that not make higher pitch?
Bryan Davis advocates faster air to get higher and he is good at it, so does the MF protocol add more air and small mouthpiece to get higher by blowing only MORE air, which means a big movement in abdomen arena but not like pressing a bottle?
Sorry about My english😪

[trenchiano]

You should upload a viewer challenge to compose some music for you to play. Thank you for the tips by the way :)