The MDAS system uses two apertures. One aperture creates sound and the other aperture changes the pitch of the sound. The aperture which produces sound works in a very normal trumpet playing way. When you blow through a space between your lips they vibrate and you get sound. That's why I call it the "sound" aperture. You can see it at 10:04. If you can "buzz" your lips like a bee you are blowing through a sound aperture. Now in normal trumpet playing the muscles of the lips and face tighten and loosen changing the size of that aperture, and therefore the size of the vibration. A tense aperture gives a smaller vibration and higher notes. A loose or relaxed aperture gives a bigger vibration and lower notes. Watch at 8:39. But I don't use my lips to make the vibration smaller and bigger. INSTEAD I use an area of my lower lip to funnel air through a gap in my teeth with a FFFFFFFFF sound. You can see the gap at 10:07. This can give me a much much smaller aperture with less effort. This hole/gap/aperture sits behind the vibrating lips (or sound aperture) and I can change how big or small it is in a similar way to saying "FAR FAR FAR FAR". The "F" gives me a smaller gap so smaller air stream and the "AR" gives me a bigger gap so a bigger air stream. The small air stream will hit my lips and vibrate high. The bigger thicker air stream will hit my lips and vibrate low. So, the top lip touches (or almost touches) the lower lip for the sound aperture (10:04), and slightly behind that, my lower lip opens and closes against my top teeth (FAR FAR FAR) to change the size of the space and therefore the frequency/pitch. That's why it's called a frequency aperture (10:07). Watch the sequence from 10:04-10:07 and you'll see them both. And if you can buzz your lips and say FAR FAR FAR at the same time you'll be using a version of MDAS!! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND HIT THE LIKE BUTTON IF YOU ENJOYED THIS VIDEO. THANKS TP
This is in response to someone below who asked for more details. I wasn’t sure what the Prof meant either, but I played around with it and this is what I got: there is an inner aperture that is created between the lower lip and the upper teeth. An overly simplistic approach is to make the FFFFF sound. The point here is making a concentrated airstream that comes out of this inner aperture. I am not blessed w the space between my two middle teeth, but was still able to get a concentrated airstream, formed by my lower lip and upper teeth. A few more tips that I figured out were (1) helps to have a very slight rolling in of the lower lip, (2) the upper teeth touch only the edge of the lower lip - not the meaty part (in other words, if bringing the teeth together, you would be biting just a sliver of the inside of the lower lip and not contact with the main meaty portion of the lower lip) - so don’t roll in too much and (3) bringing in corners ever so slightly which pushes middle of the lower lip out a tad which creates the aperture. This creates the inner aperture. Then the outer “standard/regular” aperture is formed between the two lips which is simply making sure the upper lip gets in the way of the inner aperture air stream. This happens fairly naturally, but may require the slightest downward push of the upper lip. The beautiful thing I found is that because the lower lip is pressing up into the upper teeth (not the upper lip), the upper lip stays so much more relaxed and independently vibrating with great resonance. The above basically gets your pre- playing set up. Once you start playing, since everything is in place, for me mechanically it simplifies down to just be sure as you’re ascending that you feel the lower lip pressing up into the upper teeth and upper lip is staying free and relaxed. It does help some for me to feel the majority of the upward pressure from lower lip coming on either side of the “inner aperture” - if I press too hard at the aperture itself, it seems to close it down too much. For me, the above mechanical thoughts above get me about 80% of the way there and the last mysterious 20% is achieved by hearing in my head and trying to duplicate the tone of Arturo Sandoval. He has such a huge, resonant sound w immediate effortless response. Adam Rapa and James Morrison also do it for me. So once mechanically you have everything in place (after a few days), really let that sound concept take over. I think every once in a while, while playing, a mechanical thought may pop in which I think is fine, but the majority of your mental capacity should be focused, once everything is in place mechanically, on that sound concept. I know that people are going to rag on me because of needing to get the 80% mechanically in place first, but those are the people who already naturally have their mechanics 80% in place so literally all they have to think about is the sound concept - most of us normal people are not 80% of the way there, so no matter how good your sound concept, your playing ceiling is going to be very low without improving the mechanics. These people could actually be more helpful if they just admitted that mechanically they really don’t know how they’re producing the beautiful sound they do; and more importantly that the vast majority of us are not there, so will not benefit from sound concept only advice. In just a few days the above has worked wonders for me. For 40 years I’ve struggled above the staff and in just a few days the above has me finally easily playing to high C - who knows where I’ll be in a few months.
Thanks Chris. This information will certainly help some players of a certain type. My intention was simply to share the concept and to show players how I play personally, and how I believe all great high note players do it. This system has a 100% success rate for those who are suited to it physiologically: which is unlike any other system. The biggest frustration for me is that most players don't watch the entire video and therefore don't understand certain aspects of it. Many of the questions and comments so far prove that! The biggest complement to my system is your final paragraph. It's just a shame it's taken pedagogy that long to get there! All best, TP
Really grateful for taking the time to write down and share your observations and thoughts on the mechanics. For a beginner like myself, I hope this avoids years of frustration and can't thank you enough.
@chrismartinez8414 and @TheTrumpetProf, do you have any advice for isolating the airstream in the inner aperture to concentrate it through the space between the upper teeth? When I attempt to implement this method it feels like a large amount of air is just redirected and escapes through the space between the canines and the incisors, rather than being forced through the smaller space between the upper teeth
Mr. Mayes, I’ve been playing trumpet for 46 years now. I tried your upper register suggestion and hit G and A over high C WITH EASE and zero pressure! I am eternally grateful to you for the simplicity of your revelation but outraged that no one has ever explained the HOW TO before. Thanks to you now I understand what Adam Rapa and others were trying to explain in their videos. THANK YOU!! 🎺
Incredible insight 😊can’t wait to experiment further in my practice routine although as an old cornet player such high range is rarely required but I would love to improve my upper register 🎶🎶🎺🎺✊
@@barackdrinksWD40It might be impossible for you. You don’t have my embouchure or technique. Larry Meregillano can play a high C with his trumpet laying in the palm of his head. Perhaps you should adjust your mindset.
@@tyrmorris8155 No, i've heard from my private lessons teacher that playing with *no* pressure is impossible without it sounding horrible. You at least used some pressure. I can get up to about a dub g or higher using about the same amount of pressure that i normally use for my mid range using this technique. No pressure is impossible.
I visited Paul today for a lesson and when I came in I barely could hit a G. after warming up (Paul’ warm up) Paul spent few minutes analysing my mouth and teeth trying to find any good channel then let’s say after 10 minutes I was able to hit a double C and an E. Back home after few hours I took my pocket trumpet (as it’s the only option I got) to see if it was just a dream or I could still play high notes.. well I was able to hit a F above the double C. So in few words the system does work!! Thanks again Paul for sharing your expertise.
Was a pleasure to meet you today and you're definitely now on the right track! Just to clarify, you played high C up to double high F and something tells me you haven't finished there!! Best, TP
Dear Paul, thank you for your contributions and your great patience towards the questioners; personally, I think you make excellent and insightful arguments - I find it hard to understand why some people ask the same questions over and over again, as if they haven't actually watched your videos. It's a shame that I only came across your posts so late (6 weeks ago) and purely by chance. I have been interested in this subject for a long time and have tried out many schools and tricks to improve my playing in higher registers. I am now 75 years old, not a full professional on the trumpet, but a doctor and music therapist - but the sound and the creative possibilities on the trumpet have always fascinated me. The only instrument I learnt to play very well as a child was the recorder. I still enjoy playing it and have tried all my life to transfer its lightness and liveliness to the trumpet. In the comments and considerations, the question repeatedly arises as to whether some wind players would not do well to have suitable gaps built into their dentures. I agree that this would need to be carefully considered and would rarely be a good idea. If it seems sensible in exceptional cases, here is a basic consideration: If dental repairs are necessary in a wind denture and small spaces are acceptable without visual or technical disadvantages, it would be interesting to see if a prognostic statement can be made about the optimal size for the spaces. My opinion on this in a later comment. Best regards Wolfgang
This has appeared randomly on my feed while I am away on holiday without my trumpet! I’m 70, played for 60 years as a good amateur and am still big band competent but never knew about this technique! I cannot wait to get home and start practicing.
Before you said that you no longer relied on tongue position as the primary means of changing pitch, leaving me to puzzle out what you meant. I assumed that it had something to do with the aperture. Thanks for stating it so clearly!
Fantastic! Great to see you back Paul! Admittedly I’m not an ‘advanced’ player by any means, I’m a ‘come-back’ player in my early 50s with limited natural ability, but I have valued and really enjoyed your videos very much. Really hope you post many more words of wisdom over the weeks and months ahead 👍🎺❤️
Such a fine and illustrative explanation of the dynamics. Thank you for focussing on the mechanics of playing. I had naturally stumbled upon some elements of this method and to have you explain it so clearly really helps in formalising my own understanding and expanding on my current capacity. Eternally grateful.
First of all, it's great to see you Paul posting this video. I can't wait to give it a try. Thank you again for everything you do. Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day. 👍🏻🎺🎺
OMG im so gratefull. Ive been playing trumpet for 10 years and could play to f on top of the staff with alot of efort. I got big overbite and no one could tell me why i just cant go higher. I was in music school i had best private lessons and everyone wanted to help me but no one could. Some was saying im not practiceing enough (i was practiceing 3-5 hours a day every single day) some said i had stage fright (but i had no stage fright in my ammateur band when i didnt had to play high). My best teacher showed me everything he could, but he just had No overbite so he didnt knew whats problem. Yesterday i watched this video and today IN JUST ONE DAY im playing most jazz standards i could play shifted up an octave!!! Its not perfect like it was in lower octave but im not even tired!! This is not a problem since i was doing big emboshure changes many many times before i will get there in No time. At the moment it feels like very minor change that makes a huge diference. THANK YOU!!!
Interesting way to get the inner lip vibrating, a la Pops McLaughlin. I like that it forces a realignment of the (bottom) jaw to accommodate moving air deliberately under the top teeth instead of to the back of the top teeth. This will really help students with long upper teeth and short upper lip. I'd wager some players already do something like this naturally, like Tine Thing Helseth. She has long teeth and a short upper lip, but looks so natural when playing. It's her setup because it's her unique teeth and lip formation. In fact she says she can't really free buzz because it is really different than how she plays.
Thanks for your comment. I agree. And I'd argue that the majority (if not all) of the best and most successful players already do this. Like I said in the video, I think it is the fundamental reason why the great players have incredible range and efficiency. The biggest problem is those players don't realize that's fundamentally how they do it. Young (and old!) players wanting to improve gravitate towards the big name players for advice and are then taken down the path of convention and frustration. Most have good advice to give on many areas of trumpet playing but the high note problem exists because the real solution isn't understood. . . . until now!! TP
Im a natural proffesional player being able to play up to high g above the staff daily. Although with tension in my body and shops if playing loudly. I actually think i have been using some variation of these since i was little (around 15). And this video really explained what is happening, i will experiment more with this!
Hi. Yes I have!! In fact I refer to it as a way to increase lip speed in this video. The point here is that you should start with the aperture and work from there. It is my simplistic view that faster air doesn't create higher pitch, it creates louder notes. TP
Fascinating subject. I am a retired french hornist and wonder if you have diacussed this with vornists? I jave only ever heard a handful of hornists who truly had an unlimited high range. My own personal feeling is that is a sort of physical limit to the top, like being blocked. I had the money notes, and never experienced any physical difficulty playing high notes, but the limit was unmovable.
This is technique is ideal for horn players. For me, it's nothing to do with "the instrument" it's simply a way to get lips vibrating faster. The lips don't care which instrument they're attached to! I agree there will always be a limit, but most players don't really know how they do it, and without that knowledge they're trying to fix the whole engine and not the tiny component which is limiting they're potential. Thank you for your comment. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf when I consciously applied these points I realized I have developed some similar techniques subconsciously. I recognize the role of the teeth and bottom lip working together, but I can't seem to get my range to expand upwards like you describe. Mental blocks are the hard part for me. I'm thinking this is how Philip Farkas could play so high while his horn was resting on the piano.
@@jamesgage5418 I believe most great high note players use a form of this but without knowing. That's no good for those who need the help! And those who do use it naturally could probably enhance it even more if they actually knew what they were doing. Conventional techniques actually get in the way of it. Funnily enough I gave a consultation to a pro horn player (member of a top European symphony orchestra) yesterday and in less than 5 minutes he played a succession of 15 totally effortless F's above high C. TP
I make this observation: "The primary mechanism by which wind instruments, including brass instruments, achieve different pitches is by altering the effective length of the resonating tube. This change in length directly and consistently corresponds to changes in pitch, following the principles of physics. In essence, whether it's a traditional brass instrument like a trumpet or a mechanical device, the fundamental principle is the same: changing the length of the resonating tube or cavity is the primary mechanism for producing different pitches. This physical adjustment in length is what enables the instrument to achieve its pitch range." i.e. a machine does all this without any of this.
Agreed. But we are not simply dealing with changing pitch or frequency. That's very easy to do on any brass instrument. The challenge is, and has always been, high register trumpet playing and if it was that easy everyone would be doing it. I'm offering and sharing a way to do it which has 100% success rate for those who fit the physiological parameters (which happens to be the majority). I personally don't know of a method or system with this success rate. TP
Thank you for this demonstration. When doing flexibility, do the embouchures change, and if so, approximately at which pitch? Assuming it’s approximate to accommodate all players and their different abilities.
Hi. My frequency aperture (HFA) changes but not my sound aperture. You're right that it will depend on the player. Balancing the way we control pitch requires experimentation and I'll do a video about it soon. Many thanks. TP
Can this still be done if you don't have a gap in your teeth? Are the two apertures being used simultaneously or are you switching between them as you go up and down in register? If switching, at what point does the transition occur? If simultaneous, then you are only controlling the pitch ever with the inner aperture?
If you have no gaps or air channels anywhere then it's not possible to create a second aperture. But it's extremely rare for a player not to have something they can use. The apertures are used simultaneously. One aperture creates sound while the inner aperture changes frequency. If there's no outer aperture there's no sound. If there's no inner aperture, you have to change frequency/pitch with the the same aperture as you produce sound. All great players use two apertures. They might not realize they do but that's what gives them their technical ability, myself included. TP
I play most brass instruments and I have been playing tuba mostly because my band needs it most but I also volunteered to play a church song on my trumpet. Tuba rarely ever needs anything close to a tight aperture. So after getting used to tuba I could barely play high notes on my trumpet. Thanks for the tip.
I've been trying and trying to recreate what you're doing in the video, and I feel like for split seconds I'm getting it but then losing it again. I've rewatched and read the comments explaining and I still can't seem to get it right. Is there anything else that I'm missing, or maybe I just don't have the right natural capability?
Thanks for such a well presented and thought-provoking video. After watching it I tried to implement this technique on my trombone and about 20 seconds later played (and held) a double-high concert Bb. I then took out my phone to video record myself, but wasn't able to repeat the act. I hope to get the knack of it, but am also wondering how applicable this is to trombonists, as we need a slightly larger aperture than trumpeters?
If you've done it once it means you can do it! It might only happen 1 in every 100 attempts but you know it's in there somewhere so keep going with it! If we think of a brass instrument as one separate instrument we are simply trying to create very high frequency down to very low frequency. For me that has nothing to do with actually playing the instrument. It's simply finding a technique or method to get the lips moving at extreme speeds. So yes, this can work for other brass instruments. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I greatly appreciate you posting all this information out here for free. This video has been quite a revelation for me and has instantly helped me in my work as a professional trombonist. The funny thing is, I think I used to intuitively play this way when I was younger, but I seem to have gone astray by focusing too much on firm corners and embouchure strength. Sometimes so-called “knowledge“ or doing things “correctly” can lead you down the wrong path. But thank you for sharing your discoveries. Higher and fuller notes with less effort, better endurance and faster recovery all seem to prove that I’m on the right track.
Does the type of mouthpiece have any effect on being able to play in the higher register? For example, is it easier to play a high C with a 3C verses a 7C? What mouthpiece are you using in your video? Thank you!
Yes, a shallower or narrower mpc will help you play higher but you may then be sacrificing sound or flexibility etc elsewhere. It also depends on the way you play. Really efficient players with effortless high range can play any note with any mouthpiece. I've made a video on mouthpiece choice and demonstrate going to double C on even the biggest deepest flugel mpc. I'm between mouthpieces right now after making a very small change to my set-up. The one in the video is actually a cheap mpc I bought online. I got a 3C, 5C and 7C for £18! They work fine. I put a Denis Wick booster on it but it works fine without. TP
Thanks, it's great to be back. If you are suited to MDAS you could achieve the same range as playing the trumpet! It might not sound as nice on the flugel but in the case of this video, the frequency is determined by the size of the aperture and nothing else. TP
Never mind, I see where you already answered that question. I was stuck at E above high C and after watching your video getting up to G. Looking forward to better sound and control as I settle in to the new setup. THANK YOU!
I'm curious how you're decreasing the size of that frequency aperture, i.e., what you're doing to make your lower lip move up in your case. Is your jaw moving closed to make that change happen? Thanks for a very interesting concept!
Hi. There are numerous ways to close down the frequency aperture and the jaw is one of them. This video has attracted so much attention I'll do a follow up video and address some of these points so thanks for the comment. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf that would be great, thanks! Glad that you're making videos again, I stumbled upon your older ones last year after I picked up my horn after many years away from it, they've been very helpful.
So interesting - but I have not got it rigth now, may be be I am prctising with any unknown basic error. What should be the steps in detail to practise? Please tell me, Paul, I am really interested in leaving c3 upwards easily. Thank you.
Hello Paul and thank you for the videos. Question about setting the lips (or embouchure), just before placing the mouthpiece. When setting up the "M" of the lips, is there any unfurling involved with that at all? I ask because I'm reading about an "aperture tunnel" being formed by doing this, that is supposed to be helpful for range & endurance. Thanks & be well!!
Hi. I can't see how simply forming an aperture tunnel with the lips alone can be helpful to play high UNLESS something else (like an inner aperture) is in play. The inner area of the lip vibrates slower than the outer area so it makes more sense to use the dry area of the lips to create the vibration. Saying that - if it works, use it! TP
Hi Professor. Thanks for the reply. So are we saying that unfurling causes the outer area of the lips not to vibrate as much because by unfurling they are moved away from the airflow, & thus the air is moving past the inner lips (& not the outer lips), that don't vibrate as much as the outer lips? With that, are we saying that if we simply did an "m" with our lips, the air would move past the outer lips for the best & faster vibration? Along with that, do you still advocate wetting the lips, even forming the "M"? THANKS!!
I really like what you teach. But I'm confused some players say use air and don't push and Don't make emboushoure so tight. So I get confused. I will keep watching. And thanks for expertise and sharing.😂😂😊😊😊
Wow, you had me a bit on edge. After 64 years of playing (began at age 9 in March of 1960) it had me wondering what this "new" technique was...I discovered it on my own about 40 years ago; a lot of us do it without realizing it. No substitute for a sensible warmup and not over-playing as we age.
I agree with what you say, and as I said in the video, I believe it is what gives the great trumpet players there range and efficiency. It's "new" because it's not taught. There is no system or method for a player to learn it . . . . . .but there will be very soon! "No substitute for a sensible warmup and not over-playing as we age." That's some of the best advice I've heard for a very long time. Thank you for your comment. TP
I'm just starting with trumpet but i'm adult and I played piano and bass guitar before so limited range really put me off. I watched many videos on how to extend range but nothing worked. I was skeptical with this mdas system but gave it a try. It didn't worked after first 5 min but 3 days with 1.5h practice and I'm playing higher than ever before. Yesterday high C was hard for me. Today I played high G. Even one time I played double high C. And without using my lip muscles. My tone in upper register also is better. It is not that easy. For me the trick was to start with highest notes i can play. With teeth close to lower lip and good pressure of air I tried to play high. When after few tries I found some really high note I started to descend from that to low C and go back to that note.
Thanks for your comment and congratulations on working it out for yourself. Most players who have a lesson with me can do it in less than five minutes. Some in 5 seconds! I agree it is not easy to do but it makes playing high easy and that is my point. I haven't shared everything about this system for several reasons. Firstly it would take too long! It is a complex system which includes techniques, methods and exercises to develop effortless and efficient playing. I've been developing this for many years and put in a huge amount of work both with my own playing and with others. I'm sure players will appreciate and understand that I am not simply going to give away my life's work! I feel I have given enough away here for players to work with and to feel the benefits of the system but there is so much more to it. I am working on books, courses and a website to offer players a variety of ways to study MDAS in it's entirety so look out for that. TP
HI Mr. Mayes, thank you for all your videos. Making a small aperture when you have a protruded top lip like me is not easy! Can you give some advice ? Thank you in advance.
I think "blowing your lips closed" utilizes the tissue that is further back under the lips. This tissue is much softer than the outer portion of the lips and much more prone to faster vibration with less effort. The unfurling of the lips also exposes this inner area of the lips to become the vibrating surface AND can create a longer vibrating surface front to back for more volume?
Hi. For me, it is better to use the dry area of the lip to vibrate if you can, as it will create faster vibrations. It's difficult to produce a clear and resonant tone using the inner areas. TP
How important is the type of mouthpiece? I’ve been playing recreationally on and off for 55 years. Still using the original 1C, 3C and 7C Bach mouthpieces. Most professionals have very different looking ones. Can one get those super Cs with these types? Thanks!
I'm between mpc's at the moment. I made another slight change to my set-up and am using a 3C replica I picked up online for £8! I'll look at AR, Monette and GR soon but my general advice is always to go for the smallest diameter mpc which gives you the best sound.TP
Hey guys, so I watched the whole video and is he saying to use your teeth help vibrate your lips ? I’m still trying understand, I apologize for newbie question, still having trouble hitting above F on the staff
Hi. Thanks for the comment. It's really important for me to hear of the various ways players interpret the video. The MDAS system uses two apertures. One aperture creates sound and the other aperture changes the pitch of the sound. The aperture which produces sound works in a very normal trumpet playing way. When you blow through a space between your lips they vibrate and you get sound. That's why I call it the "sound" aperture. You can see it at 10:04. If you can "buzz" your lips like a bee you are blowing through a sound aperture. Now in normal trumpet playing the muscles of the lips and face tighten and loosen changing the size of that aperture, and therefore the size of the vibration. A tense aperture gives a smaller vibration and higher notes. A loose or relaxed aperture gives a bigger vibration and lower notes. Watch at 8:39. But I don't use my lips to make the vibration smaller and bigger. INSTEAD I use an area of my lower lip to funnel air through a gap in my teeth with a FFFFFFFFF sound. You can see the gap at 10:07. This can give me a much much smaller aperture with less effort. This hole/gap/aperture sits behind the vibrating lips (or sound aperture) and I can change how big or small it is in a similar way to saying "FAR FAR FAR FAR". The "F" gives me a smaller gap so smaller air stream and the "AR" gives me a bigger gap so a bigger air stream. The small air stream will hit my lips and vibrate high. The bigger thicker air stream will hit my lips and vibrate low. So, the top lip touches (or almost touches) the lower lip for the sound aperture (10:04), and slightly behind that, my lower lip opens and closes against my top teeth (FAR FAR FAR) to change the size of the space and therefore the frequency/pitch. That's why it's called a frequency aperture (10:07). Watch the sequence from 10:04-10:07 and you'll see them both. And if you can buzz your lips and say FAR FAR FAR at the same time you'll be using a version of MDAS!! Hope that helps. TP
To boil it down to a simple statement, would it be accurate to say that the difference between using MDAS and using just a “default” aperture is that your top teeth are touching your bottom lip in MDAS?
MDAS is making use of any small gaps or potential air channels you have between your teeth. If you don't have a gap between your top teeth, connecting the lower lip is of no benefit. I used my front teeth gap as an example of an HFA but there are multiple ways of using the system.
When I started doing this, I started hitting high c consistently, but after about 30 mins, I’m back down to my normal range. Also it feels very unnatural, because I spend like 15 seconds setting up my new aperture, and somtimes it just doesn’t work, does this come with time?
You found it then you lost it! If you've done it once you can do it again. It probably will feel unnatural but that's compared with what you're doing right now. Remember, you don't have to use it 100% to begin with. My video is to make players aware of it and to explore it but the way you play now is always going to fight change. Continue to play as you do, but in your practice try to find high and you can eventually bring them together. I'll do more on this soon. TP
Yes it is possible and the principle is still the same. You are creating a narrow air channel through the teeth and using the tissue of the lips to vibrate it. Think outside the box. Forget conventional teaching. It's been around long enough to realize it doesn't hold the high note answer. Make sure you get your lower lip out the way of the gap. You'll need to lower it or roll it back or it will block the air stream TP
I have a split in my lips and a side that can generate very high. I thought I had to play in the center. Should i move my trumpet on the side for the high pitch and back for the lower one?
Thanks for your message. IMO it's absolute rubbish to say everyone should play in the centre. That's conventional technique and if you want to really get on with the trumpet, DON'T LISTEN TO CONVENTIONAL TECHNIQUE!!! My advice is to start high and work from there. Start with your high note (mouthpiece off-centre) and see how far you can drop. Then think of ways to turn your small aperture into a bigger one. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf Thank you soo Soo much. My wife used to mock me that I can't play high, but since yesterday she have just been admiring me play very clear. As you explained, it's so easy with my natural set up. I don't press, it flows much easier and very high. I can't believe that it was just there the whole time
This is a system to generate high frequency. The lips don't care what's attached to them so it works equally well for high register trombone playing. Take a look at my follow up video. I demonstrate it on trombone! TP
Ok, I think this is what's going on: The upper set of front teeth are, in effect, acting as a clamp on the lower lip -- so its excursions are constrained / limited. In other words, the teeth are limiting the ability of the lower lip mass to 'flap about'. In effect this is increasing the resonant frequency of the lower lip, taking some of the load away from the lower lip orbicularis oris muscles. Hence higher notes are easier to obtain.
In this particular instance of MDAS the lower lip regulates the airflow through the upper teeth gap. The thinner smaller air stream predominantly causes the upper lip tissue to vibrate against the lower lip. I see where you are coming from but I don't like the use of "clamp" because at no point is there a sensation of clamping or biting down and I do not want to encourage players to adopt this idea. In other forms of MDAS (and there are many) the lower lip is virtually hidden support the notion that it is the upper lip which creates the higher frequency resonance. Thank you for taking the time to comment. TP
Interesting approach! I have a gap between my teeth so I'm starting to wonder if this will actually work xD I have the issue of actually doing a lip buzz at all, I can't even blow raspberries most of the time.
@@TheTrumpetProf Oh neat! Then I'll definitely try to drill this because it just might work XD I'm trying to teach myself the trumpet (after doing the same with guitar, piano, drums and somewhat with trombone but hardly at all).
You have to use some of your mouth muscles or it is impossible to play! Physically or directly buzzing your lips is not the best way as it requires too much tension. Try to let the mouthpiece hold the lips together AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE . It cannot hold the corner together but it can hold the middle of the upper and lower lip. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf Oh, it's a bit hard to keep the mouthpiece to keep my lips together because I push the mouthpiece into my face and starts to hurt my mouth, do you have a solution to that? or should I just use more air?
I feel like this was intentionally vague.... You're saying to use what you have naturally, then at one point it sounds like you are talking about using the curves in teeth as an aperture, but not once do you say to use your teeth.
I think it is all like whistling. Some people can't whistle. Never. In all their lives never can. Some people learned as kids and always can. And how do you whistle? Changing aperture, lip tension, airspeed, facial muscles etc, etc. etc.. ? Nope. You find a way to make a whistle sound and then you practice and play with it until it gets stronger and stronger and then you can produce it whenever you like. And then you start changing the pitch. From in your head. You 'think' the pitch. I think that's how all this works, or should work.
Again I think you make a fair point. But playing the instrument in the low and middle register is easy to do. You could effectively teach yourself to do it, just like teaching yourself to whistle. But high register trumpet playing requires a particular set of physiological components and specialist knowledge of how to use them. We all figure out how to walk. We all figure out how to run. Many people can run very fast just through practice and effort. But to become a elite sprinter you need specialist help. IMO it's the same with high register trumpet playing.
@@TheTrumpetProf Yes and I am not arguing against you. In either of my posts. I will be trying to follow your method as soon as I've got it figured - I must have gone too quickly for I reached the end of your vid and still didn't know exactly what it was ! mea culpa. Yep, I simply throw what I believe to be accurate observations into the mix. If they are truths then why not?
Well, thank you about talking about this myth. I always thought, and keep thinking the same (unfortunately), that we’re all talking about same thing but in the right way, and sometimes completely wrong ways, to do it. I agree with the “piano’s aperture” and the manipulation of both lips for sound & register. Who doesn’t ?! But you must/should talk about the Upstream vs. Downstream. Please ! Only after can really existe a good demo about Embouchure & register. Folks misunderstood, and some general Pros, the concept nomenclature of things and we, students, interpret in the right or wrong way ! So, compression is generated by what ? What’s it for ? It’s only “squeeze/tightening” the lips aperture or the way lips set can do it too ? Dynamics’s & Register have one thing in common, coordination, or there’re something else ? Isn’t Airspeed misunderstood ? Hope you can answer, I’m just one more trumpet player, interested in pedagogy and playing, in the double highs 👏
Most trumpet methods and systems work to some degree, I have tried most of them over my years of struggle! I've also studied and performed with some wonderful and amazing trumpet players and musicians. But no one ever really had the high note answer. There is no one technique that will work for everyone because we are all so different physiologically BUT very few methods advise who is or isn't suited to that system. MDAS is a system with a 100% success rate. 100%!! Because I know EXACTLY how it works and exactly who it will or won't work for. If you are suited to MDAS the best way for you to play is NOT manipulating both lips to control register. With MDAS, upstream and downstream depend totally on the individual and it is therefore impossible to specify on a general video. I agree that Interpretation is so important BUT the main problem here is most players (desperate for help) won't watch the entire video. The answer to most of the questions I have received so far are actually in the video!! Compression is generated by the breathing /blowing muscles compressing air against resistance and as I've mentioned before, there are many ways to create resistance (throat/lips/teeth/tongue) but there is always one way that will work better for one player than another. Yes, air speed is misunderstood. I try to keep this simple: air speed regulates dynamic and air pressure regulates (or helps to regulate) frequency. Hope that helps for now. I'll post another video about MDAS soon. TP
@@TheTrumpetProf thanks for replaying. About upstream & downstream, just by looking your video, for what I can see, all of them are “upstream”, manipulation bottom lip up. Thanks 👍
That's the point of this system; to develop beautiful sounding notes throughout the entire range of the instrument. Not just limiting yourself to the mid range. You can have both!!
There are other ways to play high as I explained in the video. The twin aperture system is the most effective but other techniques can work too - in my opinion not as as efficiently. You probably have something you can use. I haven't met a player who doesn't! TP
Q:How do make four flutists play unisono? A: Shoot three. So I'm absolutely impressed that your students play the same highnote. Obviously you can't apply the joke on trumpet players.
Bats don't. But dolphins produce their sound in a very similar way to brass players. Their sound generation system is essentially a pressure-controlled valve formed by two lips.
This isn't the ONLY way to develop high notes but it is the most efficient which is why I haven't referred to other ways yet. Tongue Controlled Embouchure is probably your best approach. TP
