Have you ever blown across the top of a bottle and gotten it to whistle?
If you have then you understand the importance of focusing the air. If you just blow at the bottle without focusing you don't get a sound (other than 'whoosh') but if you focus it in just the right place you get a whistle.
We also need to focus the air in the right place. If the airstream hits your lips wider then the inner diameter of the mouthpiece rim then you are at a disadvantage. It's very hard to control the lips with the air and we will fall back into the hands of our old enemies: tension, stiffness, lack of range and endurance, intonation problems, etc.
Just like whistling we use our tongue to focus the air at just the right place.
If you can get the air to focus the same size of your aperture and right at your aperture then you will be playing very efficiently, will make a great sound and your technique will get much easier. Combine this with proper breathing and you will be a formidable horn player!
If you have then you understand the importance of focusing the air. If you just blow at the bottle without focusing you don't get a sound (other than 'whoosh') but if you focus it in just the right place you get a whistle.
We also need to focus the air in the right place. If the airstream hits your lips wider then the inner diameter of the mouthpiece rim then you are at a disadvantage. It's very hard to control the lips with the air and we will fall back into the hands of our old enemies: tension, stiffness, lack of range and endurance, intonation problems, etc.
Just like whistling we use our tongue to focus the air at just the right place.
If you can get the air to focus the same size of your aperture and right at your aperture then you will be playing very efficiently, will make a great sound and your technique will get much easier. Combine this with proper breathing and you will be a formidable horn player!
I find this one of the most interesting parts of the system. I also find it the most confusing. When you blow, your whole mouth fills up with air so how can the area outside of the inner diameter of the mouthpiece not come into contact with the air. I know it is a visualization but could you clarify. I guess my imagination isn't good enough.
ReplyDeleteThanks