Lip Slurs For Brass Players - How To Connect The Registers

[@jamespileggi6650]

Yhanks for the idea of horizontal airstream and the vertical notes. Never thought of it that way!

[@TheChopsShop]

That concept was very helpful to me as well. I learned it from a great saxophonist and started experimenting with it on a brass instrument.

[@jeffhutchinson8409]

Your videos have changed my playing so much in such a short amount of time and I can’t thank you enough for sharing your life experiences and knowledge! In May of this year I was unable to play above an F on the staff which I chalked up to embouchure overuse and stress. I tried to play over the summer, but developed many bad habits just to get my face to work. I was completely unaware of my new habits until I watched your focal dystonia video and every video since then has changed the way I approach the trombone. I honestly thought I would have to change my major and find a different career path until I found your channel. You saved my career, my joy and my face. Thanks again!

[@TheChopsShop]

Jeff, I’m really touched by your words. I know exactly how you feel so your message really hit home. My goal when I started this channel was to help, even if it was just one person I really don’t want any player to go through what I’ve been through. It can really mess with our mentality as musicians and the thought of having to step away from what we love is very difficult. I’m happy that you’re able to start down a new more “healthy” path with your playing. Sometimes knowing someone understands what we’re going through is all we need to help us refocus and become better for ourselves. Stay positive, motivated and inspired that you can achieve whatever goals you set for yourself. Thanks again for you message.

[@TheNorbert2010]

I tried for several weeks now not to body-force the register change, but to think connecting the registers using the finger simulation ,--> and it works. Interesting to see, that the more I move the finger on the slide to simulate register change, the more accurate the higher note comes. I do not change the tongue, the lips, the air - nothing, I just think to move to the note looking to the finger. Seems, that you unlocked a secret of the brain with this method. Thank you so much

[@TheChopsShop]

I'm glad this technique has been helpful to you. Giving the brain a different picture can lead very different results.

[@AVUSfan]

Oh, Dion, I think, you've saved my lips with this advise. Thank you man, thank you so much!

[@TheChopsShop]

That’s awesome, I’m glad the video and concept was helpful!

[@lukekent9687]

I wish I knew about your ideas when I used to play. Would have done wonders for my playing!

[@TheChopsShop]

The journey continues. If you do pick up the horn again, now you know!

[@johndowson7929]

Lip slurs for me are where the magic is on the horn. Its ok single note playing the major scale , slur that M F in and hear the difference . Hope its going well for ya Dion .

[@accage2131]

It's really interesting to discover you can slur notes vice tonguing......

[@TheChopsShop]

Once you get a handle on this skill you can use it in place of the tongue and still get the same sound of articulation.

[@tazfam]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this awsome video!!!

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m glad the video resonated with you! I hope the concepts help.

[@gmh8547]

Thanks for another outstanding vid!

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks, doing my best to keep em coming!

[@marcogonzalez596]

Great advice and content,

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks for watching Marco! As always I’m glad to be able help.

[@BigBeatBigBand]

Great video Dion! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. -Caleb

[@TheChopsShop]

My pleasure Caleb. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel!

[@JonErikKellso]

Thanks for this!

[@TheChopsShop]

My pleasure!

[@tbonealex]

Any thoughts on the "pivot system"? I believe that devotees of this approach would advocate a shift of the angle of the horn relative to the lips as we change registers.

[@TheChopsShop]

I can’t say I’ve studied much about the pivot system so I’m only gonna speak from my understanding of it which is limited. Any technique that advocates shifts in the horn or the embouchure I would not recommend. The size of our aperture will change throughout different ranges but the function of the embouchure should not. It’s going to be more difficult to make large interval changes when there are shifts in the horn. Muscles that wire together fire together so you can easily develop a dependency on shifting your horn or embouchure. If we develop a dependency on our airstream, we can let the body make these minor adjustments without overthinking.

[@tbonealex]

@@TheChopsShop I've only studied it a bit and it's still confusing to me, but it does seem to work for many players. Students of Reinhardt included Bill Harris, Kai Winding, Trummy Young, Al Grey, Quentin Jackson, and many other bad-asses. I honestly didn't do a great job of describing the pivot process, so here are some comments from Reinhardt himself: "The PIVOT is controlled by pulling down or pushing up the lips on the teeth with the rim of the mouthpiece. The outer embouchure...and the mouthpiece move vertically (some with slight deviations to one side or the other) as one combined unit on the invisible vertical track of the inner embouchure ...; however, the position of the mouthpiece on the outer embouchure must not be altered in any way" (Reinhardt, Encyclopedia of the Pivot System, 1973, p. 194). "Pivoting is the transfer of what little pressure there is used in playing from one lip to another. . . The instrument is slightly tilted to get the tone at its most open point" (Reinhardt, Pivot System Manual for Trombone, 1942, p. 23). "In the early stages of PIVOT development, some angular motion of the instrument is often prescribed, so that the performer may thoroughly familiarize himself with the proper jaw manipulation and its attendant sensations for his particular physical type. . . With consistent and correct daily study and practice, all exaggerated movements soon subside until they are negligible" (Reinhardt, Encyclopedia of the Pivot System, 1973, p. 19). I can see how this could create paralysis by analysis for some, but it might open up some roadblocks for others. If you ever wanted to do a video about this, I would be super interested to hear your thoughts!

[@TheChopsShop]

I’m gonna do some studying on this concept. It seems like from the description the position of the lips are the focus of attention. As players we can shift our focus to different aspects of our playing. I’m always curious where other players put that focus.

[@tuckerwoerner2803]

Doug Elliott would be a great resource for more information.

[@TheNorbert2010]

Dion, thank you so much for sharing this invaluable information. I am back on the way to normal trombone playing after my embouchure dystonia, which stopped me for about 2 years. As one of the main reason having suffered from dystonia was extreme tensionsing up the whole body with the start of the first note. Several methods helped me to get rid of that tension and I am starting now with Arban, page 1 again. As I do not want to make the same mistakes again, I am carefully listening to your advices. One question an slurs is, how much the tongue is involved to support the air stream as the primary source of the slur?

[@TheChopsShop]

Thanks for the kind words. Sorry you had to deal with Dystonia. I’m glad to hear that you’re in a good space to start playing again. There should not be any tongue involed with lips slurs. Feel the natural breaks across the different partials. Let the air lead you, the lips will follow.

[@АлексШустрый-у7х]

Великолепно 👍👍👍💥💥💥🤝🤝🤝

[@michaelsundarev5818]

I wish you spoke Russian, so my kid would understand what you're saying ))))) As always great content, thank you, Dion(hope I spelled it right).

[@TheChopsShop]

Yes you spelled it correct, and thank you for checking out the content. I only know maybe two words in Russian lol. I which I could figure out how to have my content translated into many languages so everyone understands! Maybe some day I will figure that out.

[@darryljones9208]

The lips are ABSOLUTELY what is changing that change the pitch. The air has nothing to do with pitch it is related to loudness of tone.

[@TheChopsShop]

Speaking in absolute terms when it comes to brass playing can lead to us having a hard time adjusting if something does not function correctly. The excitement of air molecules in the instrument is what creates the resonance in the tubing of our horn. This is the primary reason there is a tone. Our lips vibrate as a result of this action and truly are secondary in the process. Take the palm of your hand and tap the rim of your mouthpiece. Do you hear a tone? Are your lips involved with creating that tone? If you push a valve down and do the same thing, does the pitch change? Are your lips involved with the change of the pitch? Our lips help enhance the shape and efficiency of the air column. Do our lips have to vibrate to play, absolutely but I don't need to create this action. I let my lips vibrate sympathetically to the airstream.

[@darryljones9208]

@@TheChopsShop when you play a tone you use the lips. The muscles around the lips control the state of tension of the lips and the frequency of tone played. Yes the air pressure provides the energy of the tone but air "speed" , anywhere, Is not what determines the pitch played. You really don't ever know, or care, what the flow velocity of the air is. Be honest, did you ever actually measure the air speed or read a scientific study that did? Why do brass players not understand the role of the lips and how THEY determine the frequency played?

[@TheChopsShop]

Well, since you know and other brass players “don’t” all I can is, I hope the way of playing that works for you continues to provide you with success throughout your playing career.

[@darryljones9208]

@@TheChopsShop so you can't answer those questions?

[@TheChopsShop]

@@darryljones9208 I believe I did answer your questions and I think I've had this conversation before with you. I'm not here to debate with you about the physics of brass playing. I'll share this information with you and you can use it at your will. I notice you did not answer any of the questions I asked you. At any rate, good luck to you and your playing career. ccrma.stanford.edu/marl/Benade/documents/Benade-Trumpet-1973.pdf