Winner of nine Grammy awards, Herb Alpert turned 85 years old today. Herb and his Tijuana Brass actually out-sold the Beatles in US record sales during the year of 1966. His A & M record label eventually sold to Sony Entertainment for 3/4ers of a billion dollars.
Excellent taste. Truly great tone. The best compliment to hear is when somebody compares you favorably to good ol Herb's golden tone. I was lucky enough to live and listen to him back in the day..
@Bob-Pixley said in Ed Tarr, RIP:
Just heard that Ed Tarr passed away this morning. Great trumpet historian and natural trumpet pioneer/performer of our time.
Very sorry to hear this. Actually I'm kinda stunned. Because I'd very recently thought about him after not thinking of him much since college. In fact I'd done a wikipedia search on Tarr only this past weekend. Just to see if he was still among the quick.
His natural horn was fantastic. As was all that he did. And who could forget that "cookie cutter" piece he was using back in the 1970s? I used to think that the Schilke 22 was difficult to support but Ed played a No 24!! An artist model. Those Germans like the roar of that "Teutonic sound".
I'm seeing some " re-inventing the wheel" type posts here. Granted my own have hardly been succinct. I do sorta gave an excuse for running on. In as much as I've finally found a direction which while very new to me. One which does seem to lead in the direction of having a much more efficient embouchure. This is very elating.l
And while the Stevens system is fairly involved it does have at least one very simple and logical directive. An idea that encompasses perhaps at least half of its value. As stated before, quote from Roy Stevens,
"You can't play on your teeth".
The flip side of this coin is that,
"The upper lip.must be exposed to air".
This a quote found not only in the Stevens book but also said by the book's editor Dr William Moriarty.
"The lip must be exposed to air/you can't play on your teeth"
Form an invaluable framework for embouchure. I used it before I even changed embouchures. Back when I was on the road. After applying this concept? Almost overnight I became able to blow the upper register that I did have at will. That and much more powerfully. The guys thought I'd turned into another trumpet player. Suddenly my job was much more secure.
I'm not going to mention names here but some of you guys have been fairly rude to me. I can easily take this as I wasn't born yesterday. Nor do I have a thin skin.
Further, I've stated, more than once that I don't expect everyone to agree with me or not. Even though the principle I just posted above is as simple as pie to understand. And that anyone who currently struggles to play trumpet will usually find that the proper application of Stevens "two aperture theory" will definitely make it much easier to gain the physical strength and ability to play trumpet. Or at least IMPROVE their embouchure efficiency.
Almost no major thought process even needs to go on above and beyond this simple concept. However the dissonance I'm seeing among some of the posters here, I hate to say is typical of the internet. Trumpet players like to think they know it all. I've seen examples here of what a major spiritual figure once tried to define with the metaphor of,
"Casting pearls before swine". He advising not to do this.
As such? I'm probably not going to discuss this issue much any more. After this new chop setting I'm developing really starts to take hold? I think that I'll mostly use forums like this to hawk mouthpieces and sell ideas and videos on. This is what most the pros do. I've talked to more than one or them who've privately said of trumpet forums in general, esp Trumpetherald in particular as
"Being full of idiots"
His words, not mine but the cat who made that statement has been a monster player since 1980. Put his kids thru college with just his professional trumpet playing. And I don't like to pin negative labels specifically on people. Even after they do it to me. I'll just close this post by saying that I've tried to hold my head high here. Meanwhile others sought to pull this topic down into the sewer.
Frankly you ought to feel ashamed of yourselves.
@Dr-Mark
The reference you posted appears at first glance to be a site requiring considerable examination. Multiple artists have made statements. By posting that site it seems to me (and of course I could be wrong) that you'd like to see the concepts found in Stevens-Costello to be corroborated elsewhere. Okay fine but check this out.
Perhaps 50% of Stevens-Costello rests in one very simple concept. One which I'll get to in a minute. A totally gut easy one to understand and yet one which you'll almost never see posted or spoken of anywhere else. Herein lies a serious problem. Let's say that the concept (from Stevens) that I'm about to state is as easy to understand as a statement like this,
"Most fires need oxygen in order to start and sustain combustion".
Who would disagree? (okay technically you can also burn something with pure fluorine gas too but this is so rare as to almost be irrelevant). But here is the statement which I think comprises about 50% of Stevens-Costello. I'll start with a common quote from Roy Stevens. Something he was well known for saying.
"You can't play on your teeth".
There it is! Granted that the statement of Roy Stevens requires additional explanation. However from my background it is dead accurate and on the money.
The number 1 factor hammered in over & over in the Stevens Costello book is that the upper lip must be exposed to air. Occasionally Stevens uses the word "lip" in plural. His point however mainly refers to the way that the upper teeth can get in the way of the production of sound.
We can't see our teeth when we play. Both pairs form what is called the "Two Aperture Theory". To my mind it's less of a "theory" and more of a concrete fact. The lips form one aperture and the teeth the other. If the teeth close too much OR the upper lip doesn't set slightly below the upper teeth? The sound MUST always cut-off as one ascends into the upper register.
This explains why so many trumpet players can't play above a concert pitch high C. I once chatted online with a distinguished pro. Someone well known for his upper register. Not a major star but a lot of us would know of him. He absolutely insisted that his upper lip did not descend down past his upper teeth. He even further continued that his upper lip stayed even with the rim of the mouthpiece.
I responded that what he said may be so but I'll bet that just as soon as he sets his embouchure and places even a mild amount of mouthpiece contact pressure on his lips that at this point at least some small portion of his upper lip was remaining free to accept the force of air through it. Indeed there could be considerable variance in the amount of upper lip needed to receive the air flow. Perhaps the described fellow had a very elastic texture in his upper lip. As such only a small portion of it needed exposure to air.
But you can take Roy's statement to the bank. No trumpet player can produce a tone without first exposing his upper lip to air. Much of the Stevens system is locked up in this simple observation. It's not rocket science and doesn't require a blue ribbon panel to issue a peer review.
In fact before I switched totally over to the Stevens embouchure I still found it very helpful. Crucial in fact. In order to blow in connected registers up to high G.
Good luck all.
@Dr-Mark
Any of the recordings of Roy Roman or Phil Driscoll are indications of the Stevens embouchure in action. Roy's office wasn't a recording studio. More like a repair clinic. There aren't many of Stevens recordings even on his tribute page. One of the inherent problems in understanding the system comes from the high, wispy statics being produced right at the beginning of the study. The natural assumption people make here is that "the high notes are something that can be learned over night". Wrong!
Costello and Stevens were both emphatic about this. They stated very clearly that the only reason to start out in the double to triple notes is just to make darn certain they are there. Once the student begins to sustain these extremely high notes he then has conclusive proof that he's setting his embouchure correctly.
In my own case I only rarely play notes above high G in practice. Although I've only been on this system a little over four months I'm observing incredible improvement pretty much every day. My goal is to get solid in the middle register. Just like I once was before my injury in Aug '18.
Initially I played the statics every day. However as soon as I could work the embouchure down into the middle register I spent most of my practice time between third space C to D/high C. Only venturing up to high G or A once a day or so. In fact the only reason I blew those high notes was just to make sure they were still there. As this assured me that I still was forming the embouchure CORRECTLY!
The work we do on high notes is largely a test. We're working to make sure that we don't drop our jaw. Or play in a loose, flabby embouchure setting.
There will always be lots of opposition to the Stevens-Costello system. Particularly by those who understand it the least. As the system takes a radical departure from the "evolutionary approach". Stevens-Costello insists that the student prepare himself to play the complete range of the instrument. While the evolutionary method does not.
In the evolutionary method the development of range is left purely to chance and the odds aren't very good are they? Some will succeed. Obviously Maynard Ferguson and Wayne Bergeron are a couple guys who did. However they and those similarly gifted represent perhaps just 1% of the rest of us who struggle.
Instead of leaving range development to chance Stevens-Costello treats the trumpet in a way similar to the demands we place on a clarinetist. Even fairly early in the reed player's development he is taught the fingerings and way to play notes above high C. Not so the evolutionary approach for trumpet players..
Since the average teacher is unaware of even the most basic fundamentals of range production he is absolutely unable to guarantee that his approach will result in the student learning the complete range of the instrument. Plus it is far easier to teach a beginning student the lower register. However by doing this the teacher is inadvertently sealing his student's fate. The odds show that the great majority of trumpet players will never play the complete range on the horn.
Once I discovered why I personally was having a tricky time learning the Stevens system I was finally able to take corrective measures. I needed a different mouthpiece from that I'd previously been accustomed to.
Presently I've got a fine tone on the Stevens system. And like any trumpet player who's only been on a totally new embouchure for a short time I'm still developing accuracy and confidence. However with my upper register in place? All that remains for me to do is to start "hollowing out the rest of the log". I've learned the lower and middle registers before. A long time ago in fact. It's a comparatively simple thing to do. I largely just need to remember to maintain the structure of the embouchure without receding or closing my jaw. It's almost becoming a cinch.
And one of the many fringe benefits to the Stevens system is that the transition to the extreme upper register is virtually seamless. You know that really tricky to slot A/High C? Well it's just another note above high Con the Stevens thing. In fact the high A is about as far up the scale as I practice daily. Because the mere ability to play this note tells me that I've got the embouchure right.
Previously on my receded jaw embouchure I had a Dickens of a time playing the high A. This is one of the various indications of a "limited embouchure".
I forgot to list the various musical uses of the "trippa" notes.
Some of these are Youtube videos.
At Maynard Live at Knott's Berry Farm on "Pagliachi" he plays a beautiful and incredibly exciting E/double C at the last note of the piece. An incredible climax to a superb performance. Both band and soloists.
Search "Bud Brisbois, Hang On Sloopy"
Bud twice picks off a terrific F/Double C. Bud also recorded a set of cool duets inc "Higher Meyer". Cleanly pooping an F and G over double C.
Maynard hits a triple C# on some live recording of "Conquistador".
Cat Anderson featured on many "trippa notes" on "The Louis Bellson Explosion" album.the main features of Cat found in the charts are,
"Intimacy of the Blues" &
"Groove Blues"
The liner notes on the album describe Old Cat this way on "Intimacy for the Blues"
"The first solo is by Blue Mitchell but it is UNMISTAKABLY CAT who finishes out the recording".
Above and beyond entertainment value? I agree there isn't any need to play a triple C. With perhaps a few exceptions I'll list at the end. But to quote William Costello (from the book)0
"A man who can lift 200 lbs over his head will surely have no trouble lifting 150 lbs. Or even less so 100 lbs".
It's a loose quote but pretty accurate.
If we compare the "200 pounds" to the triple C?
Then the double C is analogous to the 150 lbs. And yes I've seen and played lead trumpet parts with double C's and notes close around it.
Unfortunately for me the way my chops used to be programmed only allowed me to JUST BARELY be able to play double C. In other words I was like the man who could just barely lift 150 lbs.
Now had this been my only problem I'd have been fine with it. However that "150 lbs" took EVERYTHING that I had physically. Comparing it to the double C that is.
And after playing that double C I wasn't worth much to the band afterwards. Because I had expended most of my reserve energy.
In the Stevens-Costello method we set the embouchure to be able to blow this double C from the very start. Beginners learned the embouchure and started out making little "statics", squeaks or "cyclonics" come out of the horn. Just wispy little tones. Some people catch on right away. Others like me take longer. I had to make a mouthpiece change (larger) to pull it off.
We shoot for high G at first but accept the high C. Resting often because tired chops can not learn much and the whole process of playing while exhausted produce bad habits.
Soon as we get a wispy little high G we continue gaining control and range. I continued above the high G until I could sustain a few notes above double C. Like an E or F/double C. At this point?
I knew that I was setting my embouchure as directed by Stevens-Costello. Because if I hadn't done so I wouldn't have been playing so high to begin with!!. THAT'S PART OF THE TEST! The goal of starting out playing extremely high notes is not necessarily to become a screech player BUT AS A CHECK TO PROVE THAT WE'RE PLAYING CORRECTLY!
That was last November. Soon as I could get notes in or around double C I took this same embouchure and worked it down to my concert B flat tuning note. NOW I started playing conventional exercises. It is at this point where I can't really fail.
Because we all know that building a middle register is far easier than building an extremely high register. And the low register is much easier than the middle one. Our teachers all started us out in the middle and lower registers when we were kids because,
A. Teaching lower tones is far easier than playing high ones.
B. Our teachers never knew any better.
This is what Roy Roman calls the "Evolutionary Method". And again WE ALL WERE TAUGHT THIS WAY.
The main problem with the evolutionary method is that only a small fraction of those playing this way will ever develop the complete range of the instrument. This is because only a small % of trumpet players have teeth, lips and jaw etc that automatically place their embouchure in the CORRECT position to allow extreme range.
One of my own beliefs, outside of the Stevens System is that perhaps these lucky few also have a particularly elastic surface on their upper lip. The part that vibrates on their lip is well suited to sustaining a vibration in the extreme upper register.
Not so for the rest of us. Our chops USUALLY tend to be incorrectly set up to allow extreme range. So we mash the mouthpiece into our chops. Our range has a ceiling. Usually we're limited to a High C to D area. I was a little luckier and had a workable and nice sounding G/High C.
But it was so hard to blow! And difficult to just "sit on" for any length of time.
If you remember only ONE THING about the Stevens-Costello method it is that we demand that our teeth NOT GET IN THE WAY OF THE LIP/AIR intersection!!!
So many trumpet players do not understand this! Way back when I was in the road I decided that although I didn't have the time to convert my chops completelyover to the Stevens-Costello system that never the less I was at least going to KEEP MY UPPER LIP IN A POSITION WHERE MY TEETH DIDN'T BLOCK IT FROM VIBRATING.
What a freakin eye opener that was! PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE BELIEVE ME!
Back on the road playing 5 nights/week plus rehearsals & travelling. It all took a toll on my chops. While I didn't need to play any high F's and G's on my gig I still had trouble with endurance and power up to High C and D. The singers demanding that I play louder.
Well that took a lot out of me. I tried all sorts of ways to conserve my strength but then I remembered the number 1 point in Stevens-Costello. Roy Stevens said,
"You can't play on your teeth".
Meaning that most of us do not leave enough upper lip below our upper teeth. In order that is to sustain a vibration in the upper register. We're always fixated upon our lip position on the mouthpiece. Forgetting of course that our upper teeth are equally important. The teeth act like the other "bookend" to the teeth. I guess that another term could be called the other clamp on a vise.
If our teeth cover too much of the upper lip? The tone will usually cut off somewhere as we begin to ascend into the upper register. Or the tone can grow weaker.
So right then and there I decided to DROP MORE OF MY UPPER LIP BELOW MY TEETH!!!
Almost immediately after consciously pushing my upper lip down a tad my strength to blow high C and such more than doubled. I could BLOW the roof off of the room throughout my whole range!! A high C and D felt like nothing. I could blow them at will, all night long and loud as hell. The guys in the band loved my new way of playing. This meant better job security and a more friendly atmosphere in the band.
Granted that my "practice room range" didn't increase. Nor would it because I hadn't converted completely over to the Stevens-Costello design. Like I'm doing now. My sound (back then) had a serious ceiling around a high G. But at the time it hardly mattered.
So I can see why people have questions about Stevens-Costello. A working musician probably shouldn't expect to convert completely over to Stevens-Costello. However he can still pick & choose those universal elements that may support his existing limited embouchure. As I just described.
Back to work now!
I'm from among the lucky few who aren't.much affected by the endemic. Being retired and hsve a small business that largely comes to me thank Gid. So I have plenty of time to convert over to Stevens-Costello. This is my fifth month into it. And am progressing nicely.
But I want to share a caution to all!
My right, front incisor broke off in August of 2018. Due to roughly 46 years of jamming for my high G's and whatnot. Thus my old way of playing was history. I couldn't play trumpet for crap.
Now had I fully converted to Stevens-Costello at a younger age ? I might very well have saved that tooth. Incidentally my Stevens-Costello embouchure is completely unaffected by tooth loss. While on my old embouchure?
My former way of playing is ruined.
Oh poop. UNT just sent me a response to my request for a PDF file of the first edition of the Stevens Costello book.
"Sorry but we can not fulfill requests from non university patrons at this time".
I may follow up with a phone call next week. If indeed they have staffers able to take calls. Granted that it's understandable that during the pandemic crisis the school would be cutting back on such services. However one of the purposes of UNT has always been to provide as much music related literature as possible.
In fact the whole life works of Don Ellis's compositions is on file at UNT. Don's intent was to donate his creative works to UNT for the specific purpose of music education. That and as a free resource for other musicians and bands.
Naturally it disappoints me that UNT isn't exactly living up to the intent of Ellis's donation.
My last resort will be to clean up my office. As somewhere buried in poorly organized junk are the last pages of the described first edition.
@Kehaulani said in Lifetime quest finally paying off!:
Unfortunately, I am now more confused.
What's the difference (briefly) between the "Stevens-Costello book Vol. 1, Vol. 2" and "Embouchure Trouble and Self Analysis, or the Stevens-Costello "Fabulous Embouchure Technique"?
http://stevens-costellochops.com/
You're asking me to be brief? Good luck with that.
I'm very familiar with the,
"Stevens Costello Triple C Embouchure Technique and Embouchure Self Analysis".
Is the original, first edition. Published in 1971. 188 pages long.
The other two are partial reprints of the first edition. As I said earlier my copy of "Embouchure Trouble & Self Analysis" just arrived in the mail a few days ago. It was a partial disappointment. As it is only 111 pages long. Obviously some pages are missing. Inc my favorite technical exercises I'd hoped to find.
I have recently written North Texas State zuniv music library. As their website indicates a file of the first edition. Hopefully they'll send me a PDF. As they once did some 20 years ago.
That's abt as "brief" as I'm capable of.
@Kehaulani said in Lifetime quest finally paying off!:
Does the introductory material contain any new or in-depth material? I'm still wondering what it's value is over the original.
I might as well use your post as a chance to make a correction. Here goes.
There is little if any "new material" within the 2nd edition. I did however make a HUGE ERROR in an earlier post. As THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF PAGES MISSING IN THE NEW EDITION!!!
This kinda saddens me because these held the more advanced technical exercises. Some if which were creative and well written. They actually interested me. I'm going off my memory here Kehaulani so bear with me. But as I recall the original 1st edition text went up t o page 188. Whereas this 2nd edition stops at 111.
I'm personally not without some recourse here because buried among my keepsakes, books and related utter accumulated JUNK lie at least 70 or so photo-copied pages of the original text. I received these 20 plus years ago from an old friend who buggered a librarian from North Texas State Univ. yeah another long story.
So please accept my correction and apology. Remember,
I've only had this book a couple days. And it was only just tonight as I set down to practice my favorite exercise on page 134 - 136 that I realized that these were cut out of the new edition.
As I recall the second half of the book contained not only exercises but much of Mr William Costello's original text. So I'm both partly disappointed here and partly pleased. There's certainly enough positive information here in the book to keep me happy. I've even directed my student Matt to buy the book. He's a pretty good fit for the system. Esp when compared to me. I have to work a little harder at the system than some.
So PLEASE TAKE NOTE!
The 2nd edition is missing a significant portion of the book's second half.
@Kehaulani
It's not substantially different. Other than one or two "forwards" or comments from related authorities discussing Roy Stevens (or his predecessor William Costello) it is word for word the same as the 1971 first edition. As I said (above) the only and I mean ONLY changes to the text occur in the title. Which p's me off a trifle. I'm a purist I guess. To repeat,
The original, 1971 first edition title was,
"The Stevens- Costello Triple C Embouchure Technique and Embouchure Self-Analysis".
Yet fer some reason the 2006 SECOND edition just says,
"Embouchure Trouble & Self Analysis".
Which I don't like. For starters? It's too negative. Why insert the word "trouble" into a self-help book? "Oh my God I'm having embouchure TROUBLE". This is the way the brain thinks.
As for me? I personally don't care because I was going to buy the book anyway. Regardless if they titled it "Fractured Fairy Tales" or "Tales of Robin Hood". It's still some of the best reading for trumpet that I've ever seen. This'll be my third copy I've worn out.
Originally the only way that Roy Stevens advertised his system was in a really tiny ad in "Downbeat Magazine". A buddy of mine from Central Mass caught the ad and bought the book. Later taking lessons direct from Roy Stevens waaay back in the day. Otherwise I'd never have heard of it.
This friend excelled rapidly. Developed a consistent G/DHC soon afterwards by following the book as best he could. But my friend was and may still be a total fanatical trumpet geek. He soon burned out his throat from a nasty neck puff issue. I mean the guy would blow double Cs all day long and it really put a load in his larnyx. Or rather his "Adam's Apple". It was an ugly neck puff unlike the more common full throat "bullfrog" like puff. Like the one that I used to have.
But my friend is kinda on the short side. Whereas those cats with the full sized puffs are taller folks like me. Im six ft five in and if I let it? My throat would swell out to close to 20 inches in circumference. As did Bill Chase's neck puff. Or his veritable "Italian twin" Lin Biviano.
Bill and Lin used to so closely resemble each other in size, hairstyle and even playing that we folks from around Boston (which was the area where they're both from!) used to say they were "separated at birth".
I got to ask Bill about my own neck puff when I was still a pup. About seventeen years old in 1972. A precious memory lemme tell ya. So I went to a brass clinic in Andover, MA that autumn. During the Q & A time I told Bill that I was concerned about my neck puff.
Well the irony here was that at the time I had no idea that Bill had one of the biggest neck puffs in the business. He told me,
"My neck just goes out".
Like there wasn't anything that he could do about it. So using his guidance I continued to allow my own throat to expand when I played in the upper register for another 25 years. Then I finally hurt myself but fixed it fairly quick with some isometric exercises designed to both identify and strengthen those throat muscles which can prevent an expanding neck.
But back to the book. Probably the most fascinating thing I've learned about the book in more recent years is that its editor "Dr William Moriarty" is still alive! Or at least he was alive when the 2nd edition was published in 2006. Also, Moriarty was the real author of the book. He did all the typing and editing anyway. Working directly off of Roy Steven's dictation. He explains this in the very last video found on the "Roy Stevens Tribute Page". That video is among the most instructive ones I've ever seen and that's even including all the truly good videos published by Roy Roman. Also on same page
@Dr-Mark
Okay when I have more time I will re-read your post and quote. At this point I wanted to bring up a piece of news that trumps even the words you posted.
First thing this morning I found a copy of the re-released or 2nd edition of the Stevens-Costello Triple C Embouchure Technique in my mailbox!!! (:. I can't describe how pleased this made me. Not that I hadn't seen it before. As I had studied it while in college. On the side. Not part of my curriculum which was pretty standard college or conservatory type of study.
And I had once picked up a free PDF file in the late 90s from a generous music librarian from N Texas State.
Comments: although the 2nd edition changed the title? The text is still the same. The new edition calls itself,
"Embouchure Trouble and Self Analysis"
However the first edition was titled,
"Stevens- Costello Triple C Embouchure Technique and Embouchure Self-Analysis".
Small matter the title change. And even though I'd used the original title when I'd asked Allan Colin to ship the book? He knew exactly what to send. Because after all,
Allan knew Roy Stevens personally and Roy only wrote this one book. But if anyone has question about what the hell the correct book is? Either title should work. Esp if you order from Allan at Charles Colin such as I did.
Now! To get to the belly of the beast. Disclaimer:
I don't take any issue with those who follow the "tongue arch for range theory". Aka "syllables" such as Aaah, Eeee Iiich" etc. When I once played Maggio? I used the syllables. My range was pretty good. Above average.
Then when I changed over to Stevens? I did not use syllables. This is where I currently am. Going into my fifth month of Stevens system.
But please allow me to quote the old dog Roy Stevens himself. Page 15, second edition, QUOTE!
"I am vehemently opposed to the 'common ground argument' of the (EEE) action of the tongue for the upper register combined with the relative jaw motion because:
A. Raising the tongue to the EE position raises the floor of the oral cavity and thus cuts the oral cavity approximately in half.
Result 1: Vibration is inhibited and muffled in the smaller chamber, leaving a smaller, basic sound to be amplified by the instrument.
Result 2: EEE position of tongue prevents cheek muscles from fighting or resisting air column in the mouth cavity because the air column doesn't reach the cheek muscle. Lip tensions therefore become strained.
Result 3: EEE position of tongue causes air leakage through nasal passage, reducing needed compression at the lips (I would say that 100% of the players that articulate EEE leak air through the nose at the peak of their range"...
Okay I'm going to stop here for the time being. In part because Stevens goes on for about another 300+ words. And also because while I agree that on the Stevens method it's simply unnecessary to use syllables or a tongue arch? I don't see the described activity as being quite the "boogie man" who Stevens claims it is.
I've also posted the statement because it does tend to plainly show that at least one method of playing the trumpet has produced some incredibly strong high note trumpet players who indeed have never found it necessary to utilize a mouth cavity restriction. In other words,
We know for a fact that Roy Stevens 4 to 5 octave range (not using pedal tones!) And Roy Roman's similar range didn't require a mouth cavity restriction. Nor did numerous first call union trumpet players out of New York City going back to the 1930s thru 1970s.
Again,
These statements from Stevens do not necessarily invalidate you from using syllables on your method. Although the chances may be that the raised tongue is anathema to Stevens-Costello.
Lastly,
I'm not in complete agreement with some of Stevens reasoning related to the loss of space in the oral cavity due to raising the tongue. I do not necessarily think that moving the tongue upwards reduces the sound or tone quality. I feel this way because air is very "slippery". It can travel through much smaller spaces than water. We can compress air but not water. In fact my main argument against the "faster air" concept is that you may wag your tongue high & low all day long but the air will just sneak around the side of the tongue.
As for what the tongue arch really does?
I believe that by arching the tongue a trumpet player is inadvertently applying a small tongue pressure to one or both lips. That this application of tongue pressure secures a boost of support to one or both lips. Being slightly strengthened? A more stable upper register appears.
However the trumpet player mistakes "cause for effect". Probably because when we whistle we often change the pitch by a tongue arch. However this involves a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SET OF PHYSICAL PARAMETERS.
The tongue arch for range theorists are correct in stating that their tongue does help them. However their explanation is incorrect.
In the final analysis I consider their reasoning moot. Or maybe their explanation is moot. As the "why" really doesn't matter..
