Re: last minute questions


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Posted by Marty Neilan on March 14, 2000 at 00:41:47:

In Reply to: last minute questions posted by Matt on March 13, 2000 at 15:33:51:

I usually stay out of playing questions, because that is something best dealt with by a private teacher. Also, I personally play a lot less now than what I did ten years ago, but still love fooling with equipment. Since I will have to shut up for 2 and a half months though, here goes with my take on things:

Breathe in with a deep Hoh. Articulating with the Toh you are using is normally great for most playing. For the very low register, especially loud and fast like the 'Ride', Tah may help you with tongue placement and throat openess better than Toh, or a cross between both the ah and oh syllable (Taoh?). A combination of Tah, Toh and the 'Taoh' articulations may even be used in the same phase depending on length, accent, and style of each individual note. Also, as another poster stated, thinking about keeping your throat open may not help and actually do the reverse. Instead, something I learned was the 'Hot Potato'. Visualize having a very hot potato or something else in your mouth. Your jaw will drop, your tongue will stay down and your throat should stay wide open top to bottom without telling which muscle what to do where.
The previous is a distilling of what I thought some fine teachers tried to teach me. I hope it may help you a little. In the meantime, buy a Warburton Neilan mouthpiece and have all your horns cut or lengthened to DD. Sound is everything; make music.
Or, to quote a former teacher: 'Blow and count, you dumb F***!'

See you all in the Summer!

Marty Neilan
administrator(AT)lynchsystems.com

full time network geek and part time tuba philosopher




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