The arguments go back and forth as to what happens in our body as we play trumpet.
Some say the tongue arches to increase air velocity in the upper register while others say it is the lips which produce the faster vibrations and still others say that it is the increased velocity of the air stream but give no reason for the increase in speed.
This is a very helpful film which shows us exactly what is going on in our mouth, throat and lips.
Watch this and determine what needs to be done to play throughout the entire range of our instrument.
Note the function of the flexible pallet which seals off the opening from the throat to the nose (in the back and upper part of the throat).
Also obvious is the movement of the tongue while single and double tonguing.
Am I wrong in seeing articulation through the teeth? Possible proof that not all good players conform?
This is a great clip. It seems like the main thing that is happening is the change in the airstream direction, going from the edge of the mouthpiece towards the center as the notes ascend.
To my mind, it brings a question mark of all the many theories about tongue arching and airspeed – but I’ll have to do more experimentation to get a clearer concluscion there.
One request, could a similar video be made but also showing what happens when the extreme high range notes are played, like the double Cs and so on? It would be highly instructive. Right now, I don’t really have an idea where else the airstream could be pointed in the playing of the extreme high range.
Great stuff, many thanks for sharing this clip!
Your suggestion is a great idea and I do know of some experiments on this direction issue. The material I have seen supports the theory that as the high range increases, the tongue arches more and the direction of the bell changes to allow the air to enter the horn at an effective angle. This theory is what we now call the “Old School” understanding.
The “New School” view is that the bell, tongue and angle do not have to adjust with range, and there are many excellent players who prove this possible. Whether this applies to everyone is where the debate starts. A great trumpet player from NTS was tested by our teacher and was found to actually pivoted in the opposite direction, ie high notes- bell up/ low notes- bell down.
I’m sure this is covered in the Encyclopedia of the Pivot System some where.
Thanks for your observations and check back often, maybe one of our readers can help us out.
Since the lips cannot be seen in the video, there is no way to see their affect on the airstream. Reinhardt (& Wilkens) teach that the airstream moves toward the rim while ascending and toward the throat of the mouthpiece while descending; opposite your conclusion.
Thanks a lot Bruce for your interesting reply. From Wilktone’s site and studies, I was given the idea that the airstream goes towards the rim of the mouthpiece, and then moves towards the shank/center as the notes ascend. But what I observed in this video was the opposite direction, with the low notes being more towards ther center, and the high notes towards the rim. Oddly, when I tried both methods, they both worked!. Evidently, something else is happening with the embouchure/airstream, otherwise this would not be possible.
Would you know the identity of the trumpeter playing in the X ray video? i would assume that it should be someone competent, and was a bit perplexed by certain comments made on trumpet forums about this clip, to the effect that the player was either very average or even showing poor technique! One of the things that they didn’t like was the seeming absence of much tongue arching or level changes when playing the higher notes…
I agree witht the bad technique obsrvation. The trumpeter using the “ich” method of the rear of the tongue and the throat choking off to get the higher notes. You’ll hear his high notes lack tone quality as proof. EEE as in “Ci” is what Claude Gordon advocated many years ago and it is an important thing to think about especially for people from different countries with different accents. EEE is not pronounced the same in every culture that’s been my observation as a lifetime student and longtime teacher of brass. Thanks for the clip, it’s Gold for teaching, it would be great to have a few comparison of a few players of different levels.
I’m glad that it will be useful in your teaching. It does help to understand how our parts relate and function to/with each other.
Your comment as to the many differences in pronunciations was something I had not thought of and you are correct. Now that we are connected world wide, many new issues seem to be coming up.
Thanks for your input and the very best to you and yours.
BC
“From Wilktone’s site and studies, I was given the idea that the airstream goes towards the rim of the mouthpiece, and then moves towards the shank/center as the notes ascend.”
NO. Wilkens (Reinhardt) teach the opposite; toward the rim while ascending. It is important to note that there is no conscience effort to direct the airstream in any direction. It is the action of the “embouchure motion” (Wilkins & Elliott term) and the lower lip curling very slightly over the lower teeth while ascending that causes the change in airstream direction.
The concept of the “Pivot System” as promoted by Reinhardt was an accepted practice when I was at North Texas and Mr. John Haynie promoted it as did most trumpet teachers at that time.
Through the years many fine players and teachers have questioned this practice and in some ways I have been swayed toward their side.
The argument still continues on both sides and my thought is that what works best for you is the way you should play. I still pivot and will always pivot but I have played with some great players who do not.
Very good post. I definitely appreciate this website.
Keep it up!
thanks.
It is unfortunate that the player chosen for the fluoroscopic (X-ray) film was a mediocre player who doesn’t use tongue levels properly in his playing, and also tongues with the tip of the tongue as do most average players. As such, his upper register is rather harsh and unsure, especially when articulating the notes. In particular, as he chips the first High C in the video, if you watch closely, you can actually see that the note is at first missed because his tongue tip is in the way of the airstream as he first articulates the note (incorrectly) with his tongue tip, then he gets the note to sound by finally arching his tongue a bit – though closer to the back of the mouth instead of up and forward toward the front of the mouth.
The player on the video does finally use some tongue arching as he slurs up a scale at 0:33 on the video, but probably isn’t even aware of it.
The player (and anyone else still tonguing with the tip of the tongue) would do well to learn the correct way to tongue, as taught by Herbert L. Clarke, Claude Gordon, and Armando Ghitalla among others. The proper way to tongue notes when playing a brass instrument is to keep the tongue tip just behind the bottom front teeth at all times and articulate the notes by striking the area just behind the top teeth with the front-middle portion of the tongue. Some call this “Dorsal Tonguing”; Claude Gordon referred to it as “K-Tongue Modified” (KTM) as it is similar to K-tonguing, but involves articulating with the area of the tongue closer to the front then when actually K-Tonguing notes. By tonguing in this manner, the tongue hardly has to move at all when articulating notes. This allows for far higher tonguing speeds to be developed and also increase accuracy tremendously. And, since the tongue tip is never in the way of the airstream (as it is momentarily each time one tongues with the tongue tip in the wrong way), the tongue tip never impedes the airstream when using KTM type tonguing. This makes it much easier to tongue cleanly in the upper register. Once developed and incorporated into a player’s multiple tongue, double and triple tonguing can be done right to the top of one’s upper register. It’s one thing to be able to hit a G above High C. Being able to triple tongue cleanly on G above High C tends to get one noticed…
Best wishes,
John Mohan
Staff Trumpet for the Mercury Theater Chicago
1st Trumpet for “The Color Purple” Chicago, USA
1st Trumpet for “The Addams Family” Chicago, USA
1st Trumpet for “Cats” Hamburg, Germany
2nd/1st Trumpet for Disney’s “Der Glöckner von Notre Dame” Berlin, Germany
1st Trumpet for “Phantom of the Opera” Antwerpen, Belgium
1st Trumpet for “Evita” Berlin, Germany
1st Trumpet for “West Side Story” Basel, Switzerland’
Trumpet in the above-stage band for the European Tour of the Musical “Grease”
Former Los Angeles Studio Musician
Webcam Lessons Available – Send me a Private Message through the Trumpet Herald website if interested
Well you definitely has the distinction of being the most decorated trumpet play to leave a comment and I agree with your observations on the position of the tip of the tongue. I hope my readers will take your suggestions to heart.
Thanks for stopping by and the very best to you and yours from the Branson Trumpet Ensemble.
And I’m humble, too. 🙂