The way I was taught "arching the tongue" only accomplishes the "first focal point" or "half-whistle." Arching the tongue works to the top of the staff, but not above that (for me and my students). The other two "focal points" of the half-whistle, assuming the embouchure is healthy, and the tone resonant, can unlock the range above the top of the staff.

Maybe that means not only the outer surface of the lip or lips but the inner too..

@@josealejandrocalerodiaz877 Only the outer (naturally dry) surface of the lip tissue vibrates. For me, I experience the double reed as the two lips vibrating in a similar way. I know I've found it when the amount of pressure I apply with the mouthpiece does not cause the buzz to stop. If my top lip is the only one buzzing, then the buzz cuts out around the top of the staff. If the double reed is in place, I can buzz on the visualizer up to a high F or G, without difficulty. Hope that helps!

@@ryanstrumpet it's really helps. Thanks for your videos

Came to Utah for the gig! (*love* Boston). 🙂

No one taught me this particular approach. It's kind of Hickman-meets-Rapa-meets-Dayley-plus-physics . . . . 😂 Hope it feels helpful!

Thanks, @Jason. Yes, I have found mouthpiece size (particularly rim diameter) to be absolutely crucial for success on the horn. For me, I have a pretty unusual dental bit; with teeth that are kind of askew. If I go any smaller than a Bach 1 rim, I find myself getting into trouble over time. For others, a smaller diameter is most helpful. I suspect it has more to do with teeth than lips. A friend of mine explains it like shoes. It really does help to find a pair of shoes that fit, if your goal is to run. Same with the mouthpiece. Best of luck!

I've noticed a few common stumbling blocks . . . maybe one of these might help unlock it for you? The first is that my students tend to place the tongue so high that the air actually gets choked off. We want the "focal point" (the narrowest passage for the air; between the top of the Tongue and the roof of the mouth) to be as open as possible, while still sounding the half-whistle. The second is that it can take a good bit of practice to resist the urge to blow harder as we ascend. "Always blow the same." (Cichowicz) Along these lines, even the tiniest change in the airstream will negate the efficacy of the Tongue level. The third is blowing without singing. There's something crucial about clearly audiating or hearing in our imagination *exactly* what pitch we want to play. The fourth is also always a possibility: if we haven't learned how to really play the center of the horn, the the tongue level won't do much to help. When you find the center, the horn "lights up," and produces more sound than we might be used to hearing, with less effort. Episode 2 goes into this in more detail. Hope that helps! Best of luck to you on your trumpet journey!

If only . . .. 🙂

Here's hoping! Audio side of the release, hopefully this coming year.

Thanks, Braden! Glad it's hitting the spot!

Thank you, Rebecca! I really appreciate this note . . . 🙂

Love hearing these stories, Kyle. So glad this is feeling helpful to you!

I know players who buzzing has really benefitted, and those who it doesn't help as much. For me personally, I find benefits from both free buzzing, visualizer buzzing, and mouthpiece buzzing, but in *very* small doses; keeping in mind, always, that playing the horn simply is different than buzzing. Buzzing became effective for me when I realized that a core part of the practice is to produce a vibration *without* changing the nature of my exhale. So, for free buzzing, I start with my basic setup, lips together and supple (not super relaxed, and not firm) and part the lips with the airstream. I then *slowly* bring my lower lip up . . . really slowly . . . until a vibration begins without me changing the nature of my exhale at all. In general, I have found that, for myself and the vast majority of my students, thinking of the setup to free-buzz a low G (concert F) or a touch lower (assuming that vibration is occurring on the outer tissue of the lip, not the inner wet tissue) is a helpful ball-park for a home-base for our setup. All that said, Dave Hickman told me he never could free buzz, and I've yet to cultivate a sound with as much color and liveliness as Dave's!!! By contrast, Ingrid Jensen has found great benefit in working on lip buzzing at the actual pitch she is playing; and, of course, Arturo is famous for the sheer volume of his semi-free buzz (he uses his fingers as a substitute mouthpiece rim and buzzes a *very* present altissimo). Bottom line, "if the method exists, it helped someone." So, I invite my students to experiment with approaches as they learn what helps them. How do you know if the buzzing doesn't help, or if you're overdoing it? You will find yourself getting more stiff, tire quickly, and even range starting to reduce a touch. For me, 30-60 seconds of free buzz; 30-60 seconds of visualizer; and a max of 3-5 minutes on mouthpiece tends to be helpful when I can sense that I need it. Some of my cues for knowing I need some buzzing are: A) slightly swollen chops (in which case I use the buzzing to get blood/oxygen to the chops and simply loosen the tissue at the aperture). B) a too-open aperture and/or an awareness that my setup *outside* the mouthpiece is too relaxed in the lower register. Hope that helps! Maybe this would be a useful episode topic!

@@ryanstrumpet Perfect thank you very much Ryan, that helps a lot!!

Hello :-) No. Not a problem. My two upper teeth are a little bit out also. Remember, it is okay to place the mouthpiece higher on the lip. Good luck!

I know great players who wet their lips, and great players who prefer dry. Personal preference! :-)

Certainly many roads up the mountain, but I play a lot of classical music, especially on the piccolo trumpet, and I have found this to be *extremely* useful on the picc . . . Fasch, Telemann, etc. . . .

(You can keep the focal point whether you T or K tongue. For most players, the issue is that the tongue is too low . . . for example, Arban was emphatic in teaching that the tongue "hermetically seal" along the upper teeth at all times.)

@@ryanstrumpet hmm that's interesting. So he meant that the tip of the tongue is not used? or that when in use it actually rests on the upper teeth(when not in play) which is how I play. I just downloaded the Arban studies and his method, does he talk about that in his method? pls reference it so i can go obsess over how to do it properly 😎 Btw thanks for your responses. much appreciated. I am just getting back into playing after many years ago actually over practising caused lip swelling and nearly zero endurance. but I could double and triple tongue np. the Ka sound still needs to lighten up to make it sound like the Da or ta of a nice articulated note.

@@CanadianDivergent It's in the opening pages of the Arban's, I believe. . . . It's pretty fascinating . . . . Sheds insight into context for Faye Hanson's writings as well (remarkable teacher/researcher) who was insistent on her students learning to keep the part of the tongue from the canines back more-or-less stationary, while employing minimal movement with the articulating portions of the tongue....

@@ryanstrumpet whioaaa this sounds fantastic. I'll look into the Arban tonight. but I am not familiar with Faye Hanson. But now I have google that to gain some more insight. THx Brother!!

Thanks, @doors7559. I tend to prescribe a balance of lip bends, moving long tones, and pedal tones for most players. If you're feeling regression, it's likely you need to stay away from things like static long tones and long-setting exercises (like Caruso). Shift the goal away from getting a workout, and towards playing as easily and beautifully as possible, with easy response, and see if that yields some helpful fruit. All my best!

This is David Melancon btw

Man, of course I remember you! I was always so inspired by your piccolo playing and the ease of your approach to the horn. Honestly, I still tell my students about you from time to time. I'm sooooo glad this felt helpful you in some way. Our community of trumpeters is definitely the better for having you back in it!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this . . . :-) @@user-fo8vr3xh3x

Thanks, Steve! Hope we get to hang out again soon!

Obrigado, Fabricio! Sou muito gratos pra ti por escutando pra a musica minha! (Faz um tempão desde que eu falasse português. Por favor me perdoa; acho que a minha gramática deve ser ruim de mais!!! 🙂)

Thank you for listening!