There are so many misconstrued ideas about the brass embouchure. Many incorrect or at best incomplete ideas are preached by competent musicians who are able to play well but do not fully understand how to express what they are doing. The student hears things like, “ its all in the air.” Or,” relax and allow the air to do the work.” But relaxation can only occur when we find a balance on the air. The balance only occurs when we have experienced muscular growth in the embouchure. The muscular growth only occurs when we have learned the coordination of allowing the air to control the muscular tension. Brass players are like the guy who goes to the gym week after week exercising with incorrect form expecting to become a succesfully body builder. They lift the weights stopping the muscular movement in its tracks never working throughout the full range of muscular motion. The biggest culprits which hinder embouchure muscular movement are predetermined tension and strong armed pressure. Add to the list the lack of air support because it is the air that becomes the positive weight load which in turn challenges the muscles in the first place . All of these factors hinder embouchure development . We are like the aspiring body builder who stops the movement of a curl half way. We never lift all the way from the waist to the chest therefore the muscles are never exposed to the tension of weight throughout the range of muscular motion.  Traditional methods have proven moderate success in building strength but only a few become exceptionally strong. They are the ones who naturally understand the coordination of allowing the air to set the tension in the muscles of the embouchure. This action allows for correct muscular tension which in turn promotes correct muscular strength and coordination. I have been shouting. “I have found a way to allow the student to develop the correct musculature!” The mystery is solved! Yet, inspite of this advancement, I am met with disbelief. Egos come into play and blind them to the truth. Like despotic dictators they shout, “its my way or the highway !“ never realizing that the road they have taken is impassable for many.
I'm having throat tension problems where when i play my throat tenses up even though i do not have any mouthpiece pressure i been having this problem for a while now would greatly appreciate it if you can tell me about it?
This exercise seems like a great idea! By the way, I don't know how to fix it, but just so you know your mic auto adjusts the volume so after each time you play it's really hard to hear you speak 🙂
I’m afraid that I’m away from the house right now out of state visiting my sister so I don’t have access to my equipment but I wanted to get a video up
Except you do curl your fingers a bit which creates resistance against the valve case just like Roy Roman does in videos. Put the horn on a purpose made pad that's as smooth as the palm of your hand - not some grippy rubber - mounted on a mic stand or something and see how that works.
@@LarryMeregillanotrumpetlegacy Close enough. Everyone I've ever seen do this demonstration gets the exact same results - raspy, shrieky sounds that would in no way be acceptable in a performance situation. The overall mechanics are **nothing** like what you do when actually playing - you're setting your chops to make squeals like with a pinched balloon neck - not actually playing useful notes. All it demonstrates is that no one can actually play this way. You have to use as much pressure as is necessary to create an effective reed with the lip tissue and for the rest of the chops mechanics to work against.
@@obbzerver sir you have no clue what this exercise is all about! True it is noise and not a musical exercise nor was it intended to be. Before you judge my musicianship take a look at my resume outlining my extensive professional career. I have played principal under the batons of John Williams, Burt Bacharach, Raloh Carmichael to name a few. I make my living playing music not making noise. The palm exercise is one of the most valuable techniques ever thought of to teach the student to exchange strong armed pressure for the positive energy of compression. Having a Closed mind is not a good trait for the student of any discipline. The palm exercise was never meant to be musical!
@@LarryMeregillanotrumpetlegacy *"..sir you have no clue what this exercise is all about!.."* Betcha I do. This sum it up? "..The second exercise was the hand-palm exercise. This trained the lips to resist air compression, reduce hand arm pressure and produce "static" precursors to real notes. Corners of lip and facial muscles are trained in harmony from the bottom register to extreme highs.." I maintain that it's nonsense just like free-buzzing is nonsense for the exact same reason - you're adjusting your chops to perform a "stunt", not for what's required of them when playing. The mechanics of what you're doing when doing this - engagement and focus of the muscles, etc. are so far removed from what happens when you actually play as to be useless. Sure, you want to use as little pressure as you can but ultimately you play with as much pressure as needed - there's a reason why people who've been playing for a while and certainly everyone who plays high and loud a lot - Doc, Maynard, Chase and on and on, has visible scar tissue. I of course realize you have a vested interest and you're going to defend it to your dying breath. If you insist it helps you - okay.
@@obbzerver I attribute my ability in the upper register to this “nonsense! I am afraid that your comments are the only nonsense on this post. You appear to be educated. I fear that your “education has blinded you to the truth.
![F.HERO Ft. JSPKK x ลำไย ไหทองคำ x M-PEE - ไม่สนิทบิดหมด (Thai Riders Anthem) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kPJZ0UihBfk/mqdefault.jpg)
It's always a pleasure to watch your videos Larry!!
Thank you cliff
Where to get it at ?
your videos are very educational and professional , I really enjoyed it how you teach 👍
Thank you. I guess I should do more on TH-cam
There are so many misconstrued ideas about the brass embouchure. Many incorrect or at best incomplete ideas are preached by competent musicians who are able to play well but do not fully understand how to express what they are doing.
The student hears things like, “ its all in the air.” Or,” relax and allow the air to do the work.” But relaxation can only occur when we find a balance on the air.
The balance only occurs when we have experienced muscular growth in the embouchure. The muscular growth only occurs when we have learned the coordination of allowing the air to control the muscular tension.
Brass players are like the guy who goes to the gym week after week exercising with incorrect form expecting to become a succesfully body builder.
They lift the weights stopping the muscular movement in its tracks never working throughout the full range of muscular motion.
The biggest culprits which hinder embouchure muscular movement are predetermined tension and strong armed pressure. Add to the list the lack of air support because it is the air that becomes the positive weight load which in turn challenges the muscles in the first place . All of these factors hinder embouchure development .
We are like the aspiring body builder who stops the movement of a curl half way. We never lift all the way from the waist to the chest therefore the muscles are never exposed to the tension of weight throughout the range of muscular motion. 
Traditional methods have proven moderate success in building strength but only a few become exceptionally strong. They are the ones who naturally understand the coordination of allowing the air to set the tension in the muscles of the embouchure.
This action allows for correct muscular tension which in turn promotes correct muscular strength and coordination.
I have been shouting. “I have found a way to allow the student to develop the correct musculature!” The mystery is solved!
Yet, inspite of this advancement, I am met with disbelief. Egos come into play and blind them to the truth. Like despotic dictators they shout, “its my way or the highway !“ never realizing that the road they have taken is impassable for many.
I'm having throat tension problems where when i play my throat tenses up even though i do not have any mouthpiece pressure i been having this problem for a while now would greatly appreciate it if you can tell me about it?
This exercise seems like a great idea! By the way, I don't know how to fix it, but just so you know your mic auto adjusts the volume so after each time you play it's really hard to hear you speak 🙂
Thank you!!
I’m afraid that I’m away from the house right now out of state visiting my sister so I don’t have access to my equipment but I wanted to get a video up
FYI...went to your website...couldn't add CTS to cart...is it available yet?
Undoubtably you caught us at a time when the website was down for maintenance. We have just rebuilt the entire site at www.trumpetlegacy.com
Larry are you saying our facial muscles are largely responsible for supporting our upper register ?
Absolutely I’m saying that. If you want further proof contact me and I’ll show you.
Except you do curl your fingers a bit which creates resistance against the valve case just like Roy Roman does in videos. Put the horn on a purpose made pad that's as smooth as the palm of your hand - not some grippy rubber - mounted on a mic stand or something and see how that works.
Do you mean like this? th-cam.com/users/shortsRoYeAmkcI_Y?feature=share
@@LarryMeregillanotrumpetlegacy Close enough. Everyone I've ever seen do this demonstration gets the exact same results - raspy, shrieky sounds that would in no way be acceptable in a performance situation. The overall mechanics are **nothing** like what you do when actually playing - you're setting your chops to make squeals like with a pinched balloon neck - not actually playing useful notes.
All it demonstrates is that no one can actually play this way. You have to use as much pressure as is necessary to create an effective reed with the lip tissue and for the rest of the chops mechanics to work against.
@@obbzerver sir you have no clue what this exercise is all about! True it is noise and not a musical exercise nor was it intended to be. Before you judge my musicianship take a look at my resume outlining my extensive professional career. I have played principal under the batons of John Williams, Burt Bacharach, Raloh Carmichael to name a few. I make my living playing music not making noise. The palm exercise is one of the most valuable techniques ever thought of to teach the student to exchange strong armed pressure for the positive energy of compression. Having a Closed mind is not a good trait for the student of any discipline. The palm exercise was never meant to be musical!
@@LarryMeregillanotrumpetlegacy *"..sir you have no clue what this exercise is all about!.."*
Betcha I do. This sum it up?
"..The second exercise was the hand-palm exercise. This trained the lips to resist air compression, reduce hand arm pressure and produce "static" precursors to real notes. Corners of lip and facial muscles are trained in harmony from the bottom register to extreme highs.."
I maintain that it's nonsense just like free-buzzing is nonsense for the exact same reason - you're adjusting your chops to perform a "stunt", not for what's required of them when playing. The mechanics of what you're doing when doing this - engagement and focus of the muscles, etc. are so far removed from what happens when you actually play as to be useless.
Sure, you want to use as little pressure as you can but ultimately you play with as much pressure as needed - there's a reason why people who've been playing for a while and certainly everyone who plays high and loud a lot - Doc, Maynard, Chase and on and on, has visible scar tissue. I of course realize you have a vested interest and you're going to defend it to your dying breath.
If you insist it helps you - okay.
@@obbzerver I attribute my ability in the upper register to this “nonsense! I am afraid that your comments are the only nonsense on this post. You appear to be educated. I fear that your “education has blinded you to the truth.