I am no acoustician, so please take my response with a healthy grain of salt! :-) My understanding is that there is healthy debate among acousticians regarding the nature of vibration -- whether it's causal or a-causal (as in, when all the conditions for vibration are met, the sound wave comes into being, synchronistically). I can share that I had a professional acoustician from Australia reach out to me after seeing this video to let me know that, in their view, what I have presented aligns with their understanding of resonance and frequency. I might also say that adding tension to the lips has not been helpful to me; which is why I appreciate the reed analogy you have presented. Tension cannot be added to a reed . . . yet the frequency of the vibration can increase. One of my good friends devoted much of his professional life to collecting intra-oral images of what's going on with single reed instruments, and his conclusions were that the sympathetic resonance of the oral cavity is an integral factor in pitch. He has swayed me. It has been useful to me to consider this model, as I have continued to learn about the nature of the aperture in what we do as trumpeters. (I created two videos about that as well, if it's of interest to you.) Either way, we do know the following: The lips don't actually buzz while we play the trumpet. Rather, there is a complex interaction between the aperture (opening in the lips), the refraction of the airstream between the cup of the mouthpiece and the aperture, and the concomitant acoustic vortex which forms in the throat of the mouthpiece, setting up a standing wave. I have found all of these bits of information genuinely helpful to my playing. And, as always, I'm more than open to my understanding being incomplete/inaccurate, as well as remaining very open to the reality that what works for one likely does not work for all. In any case, all my best to you on your trumpet journey! Sincerely, Ryan.

So glad that it's feeling helpful to you! All my best on your trumpet adventures!

It would be tough to know without seeing you play; but if the air is simply falling out too quickly, my first guess would be that perhaps the lower lip is being rolled out excessively? You might enjoy watching episodes 6 and 7 for some basics of embouchure to troubleshoot there . . . . Hope this helps a touch!

Thanks, Anders. The short answer: a love of Fred Rogers combined with my own inexperience making these videos when I started out :-) All my best to you!

Thanks, James. I'd love to help if I can. Do you have a sense of what is feeling confusing about the half-whistle to you?

I love this! Thank you so much for sharing this experience with me. Here's to keeping the joy alive!

Sounds like you've found what works for you. Wonderful!

Love this question. The gentleman I study with right now, Newell Dayley, is 84, and no longer plays. In his words, he doesn't have the muscle to play anymore. But, he can pick up a horn and play a high G without any difficulty, because he knows exactly how to setup inside his mouth. To my mind, the question of muscle is more about endurance than range. Assuming a healthy, simple setup of the lips, the resonance of the mouth is extremely important, even key.

@@ryanstrumpet Thanks a lot for your reply, this helps a lot. I played a lot when I was young but stopped playing for 25 years, now it's been 4 months since I started to play again because I have a project with a band, so, in terms of muscle, I'm in the building process ! Regarding the high notes, since I saw your video, I am trying everyday to find what fits the best for me. I found out that there are different possibilities in how one can position his lips, tongue and even the teeth to make it work. And it happens sometimes that when I find the correct relative position of all this, yes, the sound goes out loud and clear.....and clean. So, now it's just a matter of practicing everyday, identify more precisely what works for me, feel it so that this can be "printed" in my body and becomes automatic.

@@sylvaincalmels1284 Check out episodes 6, 7, 8, and 9 for embouchure basics and "chop builders." If that's the phase you're in, they will likely be helpful!

The point, between the top of the tongue and the ceiling of the mouth, that creates the half-whistle sound.

It's possible that it would, depending on your dental bite. Let sound and ease of response be the guide, always. If you go from the Embosure to the horn, and it sounds better and feels easier, you're on a happy path forward!

@@ryanstrumpet OK, it always feels better but doesn't neither sound nor look like you do

@ryanstrumpet I had the same question. I buzz the embosure and free buzz with my tongue touching my bottom lip. If I don't, and I release the aperture setter, air comes out no buzz. I am wondering if this is a problem with my inner embouchure setup or if it's okay to use the tongue to assist the buzz.

@@EEE85- It will likely look different for all of us . . . just make sure that the border where the upper lip meets the face is *inside* the rim of the mouthpiece, and pursue the "double reed" buzz sound. And be careful not to over do it . . . for me, 2-3 minutes is a workout!!!

@@FandenFaen It's difficult to know for sure . . . Sound is always our guide. If the sound on the horn gets easier and more resonant, then it's a keeper . . . For me, when no sound comes out, I tend to need to work on creating a pinpointed relaxation at the tip of the lip, guided/invited by the aperture setter. Hope that helps!

Thanks, Walter. I'm currently working on putting together an online course that will go into more detail. Sadly, I'm not in a position to take on additional students right now. The short answer is, more coming soon!

Sadly not taking any additional students right now, but may be available come summertime! Thanks, Walter!

Assuming the embouchure fundamentals in episodes 6 and 7 are sound, a clear sense of accurate pitch in the mind, and a trust of a simple, relaxed, even exhale, I would guess that you can. The upper register was my nemesis for *years*. I could barely play an F on top of the staff when I started college. Take your time, play with ease and a beautiful sound, and things will absolutely develop. Best wishes!

So glad it felt insightful to you!

@@ryanstrumpet Do you know much about Gordon's Music Learning Theory? I've been teaching with solfege for about 7 years now, and what it has done to develop my own audiation and ability to improvise has been nothing short of miraculous. I am also able to audiate chord changes like I couldn't before; listening is a much richer experience now because of moveable solfege.

@@carlharper5846 I only have a cursory understanding of Gordon's theory . . . I read a few chapters once, a *long* time ago. I remember the concept of audiating sticking with me ... but that's about it!

It really is such an important principle.... So glad it feels helpful!

"Playing high has become just playing." Yes! Love it! As for the tonguing, I've found the following reminders helpful in my practice and teaching: 1) Remember that the heart of accuracy is accurately imaging (hearing in your mind) the *precise* pitch that you want, imbued with an emotional character. 7/10 times, if I alternate playing and singing (falsetto!) the accuracy challenges will either improve a lot or resolve themselves. 2) Invite/allow the strike of the tongue to be a natural extension of deliberately maintaining the same Vowell-shape or mouth-chamber-shape or tongue-position (whichever of those phrases works best for your mind). In other words, if the tongue is causing problems, it's likely causing them because it is either moving too much (and disturbing the Vowell-shape), or it's striking in a place that is incongruent with the Vowell-shape that's working when you slur to it. Bottom line: 1) hear it. 2) sing with the same Vowell shape. Hope that helps!

@@ryanstrumpet thanks a lot! I'll keep that in mind 🤗

What can you tell me about your background as a trumpeter?

Sounds like you're just like most of us! My initial understanding of this took *months* of practice to cultivate. Two years after discovering it, it's starting to really solidify. To use a garden analogy, we're interested in growing perennials ... the plants that just keep coming back and getting stronger over the years . . . . and cultivating a garden of perennials takes consistency and time. All my best!

Which part? Happy to try and help . . . .

Adjusting my tongue position and angles depending on octave. After like almost 6 years of casual playing I never thought to use my tongue in anyway I just let it sit there. I guess im doing it like you explained wrong cause my sound soundd raspy when I try to use my tongue. I got bad habit of smashing my face into my instrument when I get tired and like really tensing my face, although it's worked pretty decently I know it's bad techni

@@charmsly9506 Sounds like you may be closing off the airstream with the tongue, rather than channeling the airstream with it. Arban maybe said it best when he said that the tongue needs to be "hermetically sealed." Meaning, the sides of the tongue need to create a seal on the teeth, so that a simple exhale is all we need to funnel the air straight to the aperture. The tongue needs to be in the place where the sound resonates with less effort . . . part of it is about the air, but a bigger part is about resonance/vibration. The more you practice, you can actually *feel* the vibration at the front of the mouth chamber, as though it were *on* the tongue . . . like a vibrating bubble. Hickman was the first teacher of mine to mention this to me. I didn't get it until the summer I posted this video . . . .

Thank you! Would love to have vinyl.... I'll keep my eye to that for sure. 🙂

We would love to come to the South of Spain! Who could we talk with to help that happen?

@@ryanstrumpet I will think through whom.. I cannot promise anything and when but I will have it in my mind

Yes. With an understanding that the placement itself is as much about resonance as it is about airstream.... wish I'd understood it a *long* time ago! :-)

Love it!!! So glad it feels helpful!

None taken! You might imagine that I've gotten a *lot* of feedback about that. :-) Count yourself in good company! Hopefully you find it resolved in later episodes! (KZbin doesn't allow me to adjust background volume on posted videos.)