The words we speak to ourselves, as well as the focus of our attention, directly determine outcomes. Positive thinking ranks a distant second to directed thinking in terms of the quality of the product. This post gives 5 tips to think a better way about articulation.
1. Forget the word "attack". We can all get on the same page using that word, but leave it behind when you're working on clean edge releases, and clean articulation. One of the best ways to transition away from thinking of attacks is to substitute the idea of making a good seal before releasing the air. In order to accomplish this, focus on producing a clean release that makes a "PAW" or "POOH" sound. After a while when you notice you're getting the clean edge you want, then pay attention to what physical actions accompanied the sound. In other words, note well what you did. It may seem counter intuitive to approach articulation this way rather than via tongue placement or speed, but it will eventually lead to greater consistency. 2. Stick with a few "guidelines". So even though it's best not to focus on the physical, there are some ideas which can be used to get started. Guideline 1: For example, allow a very slight pause before the release in order to firm corners and place the tongue. It's okay to focus on making a good seal. I stress that because my background training shied away from thinking along the purely physical dimension. And I believe it to be excellent advice, so once it happens successfully several times, allow attention to gravitate back to the sound itself. Guideline 2: Even when a slight pause occurs, the air should flow freely and fully. Practice using full inhalations and discover where to place the tongue to achieve a full clean release. If you experience difficulty moving air freely, back up and work on that skill before addressing articulation. Guideline 3: Your mouthpiece may be standing in your way of a clean-edged articulation. That said, try not to place all hope in finding the right mouthpiece. Either way, great results require plenty of hard work to acquire the necessary timing and seal. 3. "Spit" in the high register. Making a seal, then utilizing a spitting motion helps create air pressure and speed needed in the upper register. Basic Attack Practice by Jim Thompson is a great way to practice this technique. 4. Take to point of fatigue and then a little more. Shuebruk exercises illustrate how to stress the tongue enough to get results. Also replacing long tones with subdivided tongueing sixteenth-note patterns can accomplish the same results. Allen Vizzutti's method books contain great tongue fatiguing exercises. 5. Work it into a daily routine. Here are a couple of daily morning workouts designed to turbo charge articulation and which get immediate results. A)
If you would like coaching or materials, feel free to get in touch. Have a great practice session! If you've managed 7 or 8 straight days of practicing, I'm sure you're hearing results. Actually, you're probably hearing them even if you've missed a day or two. So while you're on a roll, why not take the 100 day challenge along with violinist, Hilary Hahn, and others. Everyone from beginners to professionals has benefitted enormously from doing it. Read here what Hilary said.
This time of year, most of us probably aren't thinking about practicing. On the other hand, there's a little more time for it with a break from other responsibilities. Maybe you have an audition coming up in early January. East TN senior clinic auditions are held at this time, as well as college auditions, and a few major orchestral auditions around the country.
Does your practicing cause you to feel like swearing occasionally? Well, so does my own, but I'm going to demonstrate in this post why it's better to be thankful even for the mistakes we make than beating ourselves up or allowing negative thinking.
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GlendaI'm a trumpet player and music teacher aiming in this blog to help other Trumpeters, Music Enthusiasts, Music Educators, and aspiring professionals reach their highest potential in life through the study and cultivation of musical skills. Music Education
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