Posted by David on May 08, 2002 at 19:29:49:
In Reply to: Re: Re: BERP/Buzz Aid posted by Thomas on May 08, 2002 at 16:48:16:
Mouthpiece buzzing can be quite an effective way to warm-up and to create the sensation of playing. Adding resistance to the mouthpiece does not necessarily speed up the process, it just makes it easier to do. If all you want is resistance, put a finger partially over the end of the mouthpiece and save the cost of a BERP or a buzz aid.
I studied with Roger Bobo a number of years ago and his take on the matter of resistance was that you, he, wanted no resistance. He used to warm up for the LA Philharmonic rehearsals and performances while driving in from his house. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I figured if it was good enough for Roger Bobo, it was good enough for me.
There are several good reasons to buzz a mouthpiece. One is to warm-up quickly, another is to develop endurance, another is to get a more open sound, and another is to develop your ranges in both the upper and lower ends of the instrument, and another is to develop the ability to cross over the "break" without interuption. Buzzing with resistance makes it easier to do all these but defeats the purpose of creating a better tone quality, getting across the "break", and extending the upper and lower registers. While there is resistance built into each instrument, the best way to create a good sound is by blowing through that resistance. If a person practices the resistance, then he/she never acquires the ability to blow through it.
This concept certainly goes against the grain of many teachers out there but I have found this to be the only way to successfully use the mouthpiece when buzzing only.