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    reading the road map

    Embouchure and Air
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    • GeorgeB
      GeorgeB last edited by

      I was watching a video on dead air ( stale air, residual air, whatever you want to call it ) and wondered if other players use the method I apply to avoid having dead air issues, and God knows I had plenty of them in the past.

      My method is simple, I keep the tank full to ensure I have good air when I need it. So, no matter how well I know a piece of music, I read each song or piece of music like a road map, before I play, looking for those bars that have notes that take sudden jumps above the staff, or where a series of tied whole notes are called for. Then I go back 2 bars and put a breath mark. It's my warning sign and extra air will be needed, so time to top up, buddy.

      Other than reasons as noted, I don't use breath marks per se. I know when it is time to top up while playing a piece as a whole, but more important to me is the unexpected twist or steep hill ahead.

      I'm not recommending this. I am just stating this is what works best for me.

      1960s King Super 20 Silversonic, 1940 Olds Recording, 1942 Buescher True Tone 400 ,1999 Conn Vintage One Bb trumpet, A 1952 Selmer Paris, A 2020 Getzen 400 and a Manchester Brass ACB custom pro Bb trumpet, a 1962 Conn Victor 5A Cornet.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • ROWUK
        ROWUK Veterans & Military Musicians Western Europe Group Monette Club last edited by

        My first action when reviewing a new piece is to determine phrasing and breathing. I enter breath marks, dynamics, slurs and other info (pencil). I ALWAYS prepare this way and practice with everything that I have decided. Only this way does it become habit for me and it relieves my mind during performance of some unnecessary decision making.
        There are occasions when I enter notes to take a "small breath". I need this when I have little time further down to exhale before I fill up. The Bach Christmas Oratorio bass aria #8 "Grosser Herr" is an example of this situation. One could also try to muscle through, I just have had better luck through optimization.

        Dr GO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • Kehaulani
          Kehaulani Credentialed Professional last edited by

          The question is not how much "gas you have in the tank", it's how to use your breath to support the musical phrases. Don't look for the best places to take a breath, physically, but musically. You may have to make compromises but when you do, the priority should always be musical first.

          Benge 3X
          Martin Committee
          Getzen Capri Cornet
          Adams F-1 Flugelhorn

          "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."
          Charlie Parker

          "Even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis, I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis."
          Chet Baker

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • flugelgirl
            flugelgirl Qualified Repair Techs Veterans & Military Musicians last edited by

            It’s good to have these habits when you practice. Do it long enough, and you won’t have to think about it anymore! Well over 50% of my gigs are sight reading - in most cases the set is already up when I get there, and there’s not much time to do more than set up my horns and leaf through the titles before I play. Those early good habits like identifying musical phrases, repeats, codes, etc kick into high gear! One of my college teachers used to say that when he sightread he just saw groups of patterns - that really hit me one day when I remembered what he said and realized that I’d been doing it that way too. I was so extra fortunate to have private teachers early on that taught me great habits!
            Wow, I sure miss gigs.......☹️😢

            Daily players: Adams A1, A4LT, F2 flugel , CN1 cornet.
            Schagerl Raweni
            Puje 3am(named for me), Benge pocket
            Schilke P5-4, C5L
            Yamaha 761 Eb/D
            Lots of vintage toys

            GeorgeB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
            • GeorgeB
              GeorgeB @flugelgirl last edited by

              @flugelgirl said in [reading the road map]

              Wow, I sure miss gigs.......☹️😢

              I know how you feel, flugelgirl. Playing with your band mates is okay, but playing for an audience...that's something else altogether and was the reason I picked up the horn in the first place.

              Also, you were fortunate to have those private teachers. I had very little instruction when it came to sight reading. My teacher, a pro trumpet player, concentrated more on playing the instrument.

              1960s King Super 20 Silversonic, 1940 Olds Recording, 1942 Buescher True Tone 400 ,1999 Conn Vintage One Bb trumpet, A 1952 Selmer Paris, A 2020 Getzen 400 and a Manchester Brass ACB custom pro Bb trumpet, a 1962 Conn Victor 5A Cornet.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Dr GO
                Dr GO last edited by Dr GO

                Isn't were to breathe a part of musical expression? If the breath marks are not inserted (and there are no inferred vocal lines in the chart) isn't it fair game to breathe as the artist performing would desire? We too are artists and can paint with or breaths and phrasing.

                To me, a jazz musician, breathing and phrasing is how we express our voice. Now when it comes to a jazz, contemporary, pop, gospel piece, the words behind the notes should dictate the breathing and phrasing. But the artist still has their prerogative to rephrase the sentence toward a fresh presentation.

                Allora Pocket Trumpet 2014
                Harrelson Summit 2017
                Kanstul 1526 2012
                Getzen Power Bore 1961
                Getzen Eterna 4-Valve Fulgelhorn 1974
                Martin Committee 1946
                Olds Super Recording 1940
                Olds Recording (LA) 1953
                Olds Recording (Fullerton) 1967
                Olds Ambassador 1965

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • Dr GO
                  Dr GO last edited by

                  As for the concept of "gas in the tank" if you can use the technique of circular breathing, there is ALWAYS and endless supply of gas in the tank.

                  Allora Pocket Trumpet 2014
                  Harrelson Summit 2017
                  Kanstul 1526 2012
                  Getzen Power Bore 1961
                  Getzen Eterna 4-Valve Fulgelhorn 1974
                  Martin Committee 1946
                  Olds Super Recording 1940
                  Olds Recording (LA) 1953
                  Olds Recording (Fullerton) 1967
                  Olds Ambassador 1965

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Dr GO
                    Dr GO @ROWUK last edited by

                    @ROWUK said in reading the road map:
                    ...One could also try to muscle through, I just have had better luck through optimization.

                    Do you find that circular breathing can get you through such phrasing without muscling, perhaps smoothing out the flow of the phrase so it does not sound overworked?

                    Allora Pocket Trumpet 2014
                    Harrelson Summit 2017
                    Kanstul 1526 2012
                    Getzen Power Bore 1961
                    Getzen Eterna 4-Valve Fulgelhorn 1974
                    Martin Committee 1946
                    Olds Super Recording 1940
                    Olds Recording (LA) 1953
                    Olds Recording (Fullerton) 1967
                    Olds Ambassador 1965

                    ROWUK 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • flugelgirl
                      flugelgirl Qualified Repair Techs Veterans & Military Musicians last edited by

                      Many times even as a soloist, you have lines that are meant to be part of the ensemble. Always helps to identify these before you get there! As a sight reading sub, you have to do a fair bit of figuring out how the lead player is going to interpret the line, or as a lead how to best interpret the line so the band can follow you. This becomes particularly important when the band has never met you and you’re reading down the gig!
                      @GeorgeB I was fortunate to have teachers who taught me what I needed to know to navigate the professional world, and also the tons of sight reading experience I got in the Navy. There were so many times I got handed a book at the last minute because someone else got sick or something, and always in the back of my mind I was thinking “ Okay, but you guys are just training me not to need you anymore...” 🤣🤣🤣

                      Daily players: Adams A1, A4LT, F2 flugel , CN1 cornet.
                      Schagerl Raweni
                      Puje 3am(named for me), Benge pocket
                      Schilke P5-4, C5L
                      Yamaha 761 Eb/D
                      Lots of vintage toys

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                      • fels
                        fels last edited by

                        I am preparing for a brass quartet version (Music for Brass arranged by Daniel Kelley)
                        of Bach's Little Fugue. Lots of face time - very little opportunity for breathing. I am working on it at a slow tempo to get the notes and intervals under my fingers and ears. But the breathing is equally important. Practicing , I may try to muscle through it. But it is more important to let the music part be the guide -- where are the beginnings and ends of the phrases -- where are you the lead versus the support. Breath in the support - prepare for the lead.

                        Schilke x3
                        Bach Strad 37
                        Courtois Flugel

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Kehaulani
                          Kehaulani Credentialed Professional last edited by

                          fels, you might get a lot out of Sound in Motion by David McGill based on Marcell Tabuteau's and others thoughts on musical expression and phrasing. McGil and Tabuteau's thoughts are very insightful. I'll let the write-up on the book do the speaking. https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Motion-Performers-Greater-Expression/dp/0253219264/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=sound+in+motion%2C+david+mcgill&qid=1605928701&sr=8-1

                          Benge 3X
                          Martin Committee
                          Getzen Capri Cornet
                          Adams F-1 Flugelhorn

                          "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."
                          Charlie Parker

                          "Even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis, I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis."
                          Chet Baker

                          fels 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ROWUK
                            ROWUK Veterans & Military Musicians Western Europe Group Monette Club @Dr GO last edited by

                            @Dr-GO No, I have never needed circular breathing to get me through any particular phrase.
                            Most of my gigs are not sight reading, so I do have time to „feed my dependence“ on organisation and preparation.

                            When I do sightread (happens with commercial shows that I play), I still use the pencil when looking at the parts before the rehearsal. Potential missed accidentals get marked as well as „special breathing“ or time change situations. During the usual rehearsal, I fill in the rest of the dots.

                            This is what I do and teach. It is not a recipe for everyone or other situations. It helps to keep those that book me loyal.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                            • fels
                              fels @Kehaulani last edited by

                              @Kehaulani

                              Will check it out -- thanks.

                              Schilke x3
                              Bach Strad 37
                              Courtois Flugel

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • Kehaulani
                                Kehaulani Credentialed Professional last edited by

                                This is just a slightly off-topic comment, but in general, I'm against circular breathing unless for a special effect. I feel music needs space to emphasize phrasing and without it, it can become monotonous.

                                If it's for pre-written music that has no place to breathe, to me, that's on the composer/arranger. It's a WIND instrument.

                                Benge 3X
                                Martin Committee
                                Getzen Capri Cornet
                                Adams F-1 Flugelhorn

                                "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn."
                                Charlie Parker

                                "Even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis, I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis."
                                Chet Baker

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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