Ep. 2 Center: Finding the Five

"In this second episode of Ryan's Trumpet, I share some tried and true doors into experiencing what it sounds and feels like to play in the center of the horn.
Finding Center may well be the most important fundamental in trumpet playing. It's a key to unlocking flexibility, range, and healthy embouchure development.
Here are some links to materials cited in the video:
David Hickman's "15 Advanced Embouchure Studies" can be found here: www.hickmanmusiceditions.com
Hakkan Hardenberger performing Charlier can by found here:
• Håkan Hardenberger // ...
Ryan's Trumpet is a recurring series that shares ideas and practices that have been extremely helpful to Ryan as a trumpeter, musician, composer, improviser, and teacher.
Have some questions about this episode? About the trumpet? Music? Performance? Jazz? Composing? Contact Ryan through his website, www.ryanstrumpet.com
If your question captures Ryan's imagination, you just might get a free lesson and have an episode dedicated to you!
Ryan Nielsen is the trumpeter in the Kobie Watkins Grouptet.Their first album, "Movement," received international acclaim and was selected by Howard Reich (former member, Pulitzer Jury) as one of the 10 best albums of 2018.
Ryan has recorded and performed with Ra Kalam Bob Moses and the Summit Brass. In 2021, he was an adjudicator for the preliminary rounds of the Carmine Caruso Jazz Trumpet Competition, "The world's most prestigious competition for jazz trumpet." He has performed as lead and solo trumpet with Delfeayo Marsalis's Uptown Jazz Orchestra, and received the Doc Severinsen Award for Outstanding Classical and Jazz Trumpet.
Ryan co-authored "The Classroom Guide to Jazz Improvisation" with John McNeil (Trumpet, Hush Point; frmr. trumpet, Horace Silver; Professor Emeritus, New England Conservatory). It is due to be released later this year by Oxford University Press.
He is currently Associate Professor of Trumpet at Utah Valley University.
Visit Ryan online at www.ryanstrumpet.com

[@piotrbalmusic]

Amazing. I learned a lot. Thank you. 🙏

[@mikeraleigh4928]

I've been doing different bend exercises for quite a while. Now I need to evaluate the techniques against your pitfall warnings. Thanks, Ryan 🙂

[@ryanstrumpet]

You bet, Mike. Thanks for checking this stuff out!

[@GregoryPearsonMusic]

These are great lessons Ryan

[@ryanstrumpet]

So glad they are feeling useful! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know 🙂

[@MrCrescendo]

Excellent. I've been doing something I saw Arturo Sandoval do, which is playing the Caruso 6 notes, but 3 slow triplets on each note. The first triplet is just holding the note 3 beats with a completely centered "5" pitch. Then the second triplet is lip bending center-half step down-center. Then the 3rd triplet is lip bending center-half step up-center. Then move on to the next caruso note. Lip bending up a half step is super hard, I can't do it, but I think there's value in lip-bending up as well as down. I'm loving these videos you're doing. Thanks very much.

[@ryanstrumpet]

Sounds like a workout! I'm gonna have to play around with that one! Thanks, Erik.

[@CaptainJazz262]

Great tips, thanks! I’ve been using Haken’s Charlier etudes to do exactly what you’re talking about

[@ЦветомирПаунов]

Nice videos.

[@JazzIsKing]

I’ve been doing lip bending and included how to do it in my book. I like your number system as the target for pitch of center.

[@ryanstrumpet]

Thanks, Linda. I wish I could take credit for the number system -- that's all Dave Hickman, who I had the great fortune of studying with for a couple of years. I've found it to be a helpful way to talk about center with my students, for sure . . .

[@revraybrown]

Sweeeet! This is going to be so dang sweet bro.

[@hernanroses]

Gracias!!!

[@ryanstrumpet]

De nada, Hernan!

[@GaryBoren]

Great Player and great teacher,… not so much a balance mixing engineer. I read (a lot/not all lot of) the comments, but I did not see him acknowledge the problem. I composed / produced over 300 episodes of primetime television. But I never let Chuck Findley do my mixes. Lol . Carry on!

[@ryanstrumpet]

Definitely have acknowledged the problem and am learning as I go! Wish I could change it after the fact, but, sadly, KZbin doesn't allow that. Count yourself as one of the the dozens who have let me know 🙂 Hopefully, the balance feels better in later episodes!

[@49bednar]

Thanks Ryan. I appreciate your descriptions of the potential pitfalls. Can you say specifically what the correct technique is for creating the bend or is it an individual thing? Cheers!

[@ryanstrumpet]

Hi George! The sound will guide the technique in most instances. Keeping full volume on the bend, with that "nasal" quality to the sound, and then finding the 5 is tough to do with problematic technique! (So long as you don't open the jaw). Two other words that can be helpful regarding embouchure on these exercises (another forthcoming episode!): Strength (outside the mouthpiece); Freedom (inside the mouthpiece). We firm up quite a bit to accomplish the bend at full volume; this frees up the chops inside the mouthpiece. One other potential pitfall -- very important NOT to "roll out" or "efface" the lower lip. The vast majority of us need to make sure we are vibrating on the OUTER tissue of the lip, not the inner membrane. Is that getting closer to your question?

[@49bednar]

@@ryanstrumpet Thanks Ryan. I’m an old guy working really hard to come back to the trumpet after many years away and Bell’s Palsy so I consume everything I can find. I’ve found a resource on bends that specifically espouses pouting out the lower lip. He states that the upper will fill the created space. It does work but I now wonder if it’s correct.

[@ryanstrumpet]

@@49bednar I love that you're coming back to the horn. What a beautiful thing! I did bends like that for years; prescribed by a great teacher. It was to address the fact that I was tucking my lower lip behind my upper lip, and in that case, was helpful. However . . ., It set me up for an injury that came later in my career (because I didn't understand that it was just for that context). That said, you can experiment with moving the lower teeth forward to aid the bend (just don't open them). Best of luck!

[@kurthettrich2731]

I cannot understand! Why this loud piano?

[@ryanstrumpet]

My apologies, Kurt! Hopefully, later episodes have a better balance 🙂

[@frankwcrespo]

The piano is really distracting.

[@mcanta]

Absolutely

[@FlyPants]

very true

[@jaydee8872]

Terrific video. Glad you dropped the Glory filter you had on your first vid. I see people are 🙉🙉 the piano… good for them!

[@ryanstrumpet]

If only I knew what a Glory filter was . . . . 🤣 I'm not sure why the image does that reflecting thing . . . I've checked the cleanliness of things . . . it seems to have to do wit the fact that my "lighting" is just the natural sunlight coming in through my office window. . . . Yes . . . hopefully the piano is less intrusive in later episodes! Learning as I go . . .

[@SteveHideg]

It is difficult to understand what you are saying with the not-so-background piano music.

[@ryanstrumpet]

Thanks, Steve. I've gotten that feedback from several people, and really appreciate it. Hopefully the later episodes reflect that. Best wishes!

[@anderslarsson6463]

@@ryanstrumpet man, your videos are fantastic and contain such great stuff that will be useful to so many players. Wouldn't it be possible to edit the video, remove the piano and update this episode? I'm sure it would be worth the effort.

[@ryanstrumpet]

@@anderslarsson6463 Thanks -- I appreciate this feedback, and am learning as I go. I looked into it, and haven't been able to find a way to do that on KZbin without deleting everything (comments, views, etc.) Do you know how? Thanks again --

[@anderslarsson6463]

@@ryanstrumpet sorry but I haven't posted anything on YT before so you are way ahead of me there. If it's not possible without deleting other stuff then it will work fine as is. Keep posting your videos, they are great!

[@ValeryMedvedev-f3h]

Good sound!Wich company yor trumpet? Thanks!

[@ryanstrumpet]

My trumpet is a LOTUS Silverflare, with Nickel tuning slide. I love it! kzbin.inforMpbVNlpCUM?si=icI3mvrZ0sGN_z4d

[@ValeryMedvedev-f3h]

@@ryanstrumpet Thanks ,trumpet is nice!

[@GamerDad1987]

I will use those half whistles while singing along with a lead part. It's hard to get myself to do that while playing, but when i can, those high notes take almost no effort

[@ryanstrumpet]

So glad it's helping!

[@janosterud4188]

The music can definitely be left out

[@tooter1able]

Ryan, What you are actually doing is teaching students to HEAR /PLAY in tune? in a great trumpet sound? Do you check your own pitch on a tuner? Should we...........as teachers who use this technique?

[@kaicuber7840]

i'll say get a great sound first then tune the instrument after bending is great for finding where the note really opens up, after finding the spot, then you tune your trumpet

[@Rhuthun]

Great advice - but would be easier to concentrate on without the piano background music.

[@patoni860]

I'm trying to learn from you, and no disrespect, but the music in the background is too loud

[@ryanstrumpet]

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.)

[@leenewcombe5112]

Piano to loud

[@ЦветомирПаунов]

I have guestion for you.What separates people like Vizzutti Ruben Simeo Rafael Méndez from normal trumpet players. What is the reason they have such a technical difference. Please don't say talent.😆What makes theme so different.

[@ryanstrumpet]

I might just say talent . . . 🙂 Where talent = an unusual love of something; and an unusual love of something = immense amounts of time coupled with curiosity (and mentors).

[@ЦветомирПаунов]

@@ryanstrumpet Good answer.Thanks!

[@Zelubow]

That piano kills your message

[@frankyeo7776]

Piano is too loud

[@Kontrabass66]

Do you earn money with that piano background music? I see no other reason for it...makes it really hard to follow yout ideas for a musican´s ear.