Topics created by GeorgeB

UPDATE

Just want to let you all know that last night during the 20 minute break from practice, I went to my car in the parking lot, sat in the back seat and played a variety of easy exercises that included long tones, lip slurs and some scales including chromatic scales. I took a good rest between each exercise and figure I played about 12 or 13 minutes of the 20 minute break. When practice resumed I played the remaining 40 minutes of practice without any embouchure problems.
I guess not playing for 20 minutes was encouraging edema. I don't know, but I do know I will be continuing to play during the breaks from now on.

@GeorgeB said in New book about Harry James:
I just feel trumpet players would really like this book.

And it might be. That's the thing about getting as much diverse info as you can, balances out a subject.

I am playing in small groups coached by local Phil players. They (and I) have done their research (studies by UC (Colorado ) and CSU). Last week the pros asked if I had a bell cover. I responded that I had left my Crown Royal bag in my kit bag. Then I remembered that I was wearing a Buff neck sleeve. I took it off and wrapped it around the bell. I could not tell any difference in tone or playability. Problem solved.

Another note -- the phrase "Science is Science" has become trite. Science is a process. The "Conclusions"
can and will vary considerably.

It's probably that forward movement of the chops, but using the poo attack just seems to bring every thing together for me. Whether it is pure breath POO or a soft tongued TOO, the poo sets me up properly.

It sounds like it is meant to be played first, and after the wonderful experience I am enjoying, it just makes perfect sense.

@grune

They do it for film. You'd think they would do it for Music, too. It really bothers me when I talk to young musicians and they never heard of Harry James, Bobby Hackett, etc. Heck some don't even know who Chet Baker was. So sad.

@Newell-Post
Thank you, and everyone here for your help. One of my bandmates said he used Wrights so I guess I'll give that a go.

@J-Jericho said in did he play or didn't he ?:
I have never forgotten that episode. Here's more info:

Wow! I've never met another person who saw (or remembered) that!
Thanks for the link. Interesting.

@Dr-GO
Thanks for getting the thread back on track, Doc, but isn't that Headhunter Album thing some kind of a dig ? C'mon, now, let's be nice.

I just continue to practice 1/2 hour or so every day.I also try to use a different horn say for 4 or 5 days in a row. Currently though I have been playing my Conn Concert Grand for a week and a half. Doesn't play quite ass good as my strad but I just like it.

@GeorgeB said in Lip Flexibilities:

@Dr-GO said in Lip Flexibilities:

@GeorgeB said in Lip Flexibilities:

Both flugelgirl and Dr.Go indicated they did lip flexibility exercises as a warm up. I am now wondering why I never tried doing them as a warmup for my afternoon ballad playing session. Well, it is on the table for this afternoon's session...two hours from now...☺

Looking forward to your review on how this works out for you!

Hey, Doc.
I have been doing a 5 minute warmup routine of whole note long tones that always seemed to benefit my tone in the first pece of music I play, but the 5 minute flexibility I used yesterday did something that long tones never did. They eliminated a stiffness, especially with intervals, that I often encountered with my first or second song in my afternoon sessions. Now, maybe my chops were just in a better condition yesterday. I don't know. But I am going to warmup with flexibilities for the next couple of weeks to see how it goes.

Great to hear this! I really think the octave slur component of the Blee warm up exercise is what it takes to get the blood flowing through the lip muscles. Getting oxygen (and glucose) to highly toned muscles is key to optimizing muscle activity out of it's resting threshold.

@Kehaulani
Your sister was quite a lady and sorry to hear she had a breakdown, but considering the kind of person she was, and the profession she was in, a breakdown is certainly understandable. She and others like her are very special people.

@Dr-GO
I'm certainly well aware of Chris Botti. Love his work.

@flugelgirl said in I won't be bored by band suspension:

@fels they are just using reharmonizations. Some of the changes in the older editions of the real books are actually ukulele chords, so they have been modernized over time.

It was often assumed that the ukulele would be played in a group with piano. So, with only four notes available to it, the arrangers would write the ukulele part playing the middle and upper extension notes of a chord.

So, for example, when the actual chord was a C Maj9, (C-E-G-B-D), the ukulele part would be E-G-B-D, but the actual chord would not be an E minor chord, it would be a C Maj9 with the root (C) being supplied by the piano (or bass player).

Dick Grove called this "bringing the chord up to zero".

@GeorgeB said in Anyone remember JOHNNY ZELL:

@Kehaulani

Yeah, Miles was in a different league. I was more into the big bands, louis and Dixieland style jazz while I was playing back then, but after I stopped in 1965 I became interested, as a listener, in jazz players like Miles and Chet. And I would say that no one was further away from the Harry James exaggerated vibrato style of playing than Miles.

Actually as a young lad in St. Louis, Miles aspired to the Harry James sound. His earlier teacher scolded Miles for trying to sound like Harry... Miles listened, and the rest is history.

@Kehaulani

Okay, gotcha...☺