Cleaning Out the Basement

Summary: The Low Brass section (Trombones, Baritones, and Tubas) have many similarities in their playing fundamentals. Developing a common understanding of tone production, style execution, and section playing creates a foundation for your ensemble. Techniques for individual growth (beginning to advanced levels) and how they transfer to the ensemble will be discussed and demonstrated.

PRESENTATION SLIDES : Cleaning Out the Basement

Keys to Remember: “Presence – Oral Cavity – Listening”

• Presence
  • Bring them forward towards the audience
  • Conceptualize Trombone 1-5 or Tuba 1-5 or…
  • Size over volume
• Oral Cavity
  • Open shape (front to back)
  • Teeth are the enemy
  • Tongue is a muscle
• Listening
  • Low Brass needs to know where their reference is
  • Emulation is the greatest form of flattery

 

Practice Techniques:

• “How much air can my instrument handle?”
  • wind THRU the leadpipe
• “How do I get confidence in my buzz?”
  • Half-valve phrases and pitch matching
• “How do I keep the aperture open?”
  • Straw thru the mouthpiece
• “How can I strengthen the embouchure muscles?”
  • Pencil test