Advice For Returning Player?

[Pippen]

I am returning to euphonium after nearly 20 years and would appreciate any help you can offer with this. After about 3 weeks of practicing on a near daily basis I've started to feel a dull ache in my front teeth--mostly upper and to a less degree lower. This is something I never can remember experiencing in the past even when I was spending a number of hours a day in the practice room. I don't know if this is a sign of age induced memory loss , overenthusiasm on my part, or that in this short period of time I've started developing some bad habits. If it's the latter I certainly want to make a correction now.

Any thoughts would be appreciated on this plus ideas for the best way to go about bringing things back up to speed in a proper manner. I am eager to get back into the swing of things but I am also quite fond of my teeth.

[elimia]

Welcome back! First thing I would do is search the archives here on the subject, as a number of us have asked the same question.

You've got several things to rebuild: embouchere, finger dexterity, flexibility, range, air support (really important), and some other things. You might not be using enough air to support your sound and therefore your embouchere may be failing as a result because you are pressing the mouthpiece into the back of your skull. You only need enough pressure on the lips to form a seal, that's it. A good mouthpiece is another consideration (and one you can search on in the archives). I like the Denis Wick SM3.5 (a good balance of range, sound, and pretty comfortable), but it definitely took awhile to build up to it.

When I started back a year and a half ago, I started with deep breathing exercises to build air volume and support, and tons and tons of lip slurs to build flexibility and endurance. It may sound boring but bust out those scales again and get a copy of the Alessi/Bowman version of Arbans and a copy of Rochuts. Drill those exercises like crazy, they'll pay off with patience. I would suggest picking up a Voldyne to work on your air support. More often than not the problem is the thickness of the air column rather than embouchere. You do have to build a strong embouchere, that's a given, but work on the air.

And above all, have fun. With the internet now there are so many ways to get tips, find music, and network with our euphonium and tuba breathern.

[Bob Mosso]

Yup, sounds like too much pressure/pushing the mouthpiece onto your lips.

I recently return to playing after 20 years.... After practicing for about 30 mins, my lip would be fatigued and I would (without thinking about it) start pushing. If your lip gets fatigued STOP playing, play a couple low notes to relax you lip and put the horn down. I would do something else for a couple hours, then return to practicing.

The air support is important. I had difficulty with the upper range (still do) and found air support is what will get the upper notes. I'm still playing lots of scales, in two octaves as you re-build the upper range.

Bob

[Pippen]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I had an extra practice session Friday night and yesterday the discomfort lasted throughout the day so I know something just isn't right. It's nearly gone this morning but I'm going to lay off for a few days and then go back at it a little more cautiously. The air support explanation makes sense for my situation but if I can't iron this out pretty quickly on my own I'll look for someone who can. This is not a habit I want to develop.

[Joe Baker]

I'm no expert, but I "came back" myself (to trombone, that is) 15 or so years ago. I had the good fortune back in college to have studied with the bass trombonist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at the time. He had just made the comeback after being completely off of the trombone for a year for very major oral surgery. He told me what he had done: starting on F in the staff, and staying pretty close to that range at first, he played long tones, holding his embouchure even when he'd stop to breath (breathing through his nose). Bit by bit, he'd add range, but always held the embouchure for each note while he breathed. I took the same track when I started back up after 8 years away, and found that it took me about 3 weeks to be good and comfortable from F below the staff to F above it. Progress went more slowly after that (to be honest, I was able to really play some stuff with that range, so I quit using that technique and started playing tunes ), but within 3 months or so I was secure* up to the fourth ledger line Bb.

I wouldn't suggest laying off for a couple of days even. Just stop for a while (an hour, maybe?) when you get tired. Take it like you would any other physical training. Start simple, and get the technique right. Then push yourself (not your mouthpiece ), but back off when you begin to feel pain. You'll be back to your old form before you know it!
_____________________________________
Joe Baker, who also suggests lots of MP buzzing between practice sessions -- focusing on proper embouchure form.

*secure -- by which I mean I can consistently pick it "out of the air" by feel.

[Pippen]

Thanks for these additional thoughts, Joe.

These past three days I've taken it easy and really focused in to try and identify the problems and it was really enlightening. I wanted all the discomfort to be gone so I for two days I played only for a few minutes, long tones staying in the middle of the staff. Problem #1 became immediately evident as I realized that I was doing mostly shallow chest breathing.

Today I warmed up for a few minutes then pulled out an exercise and paid close attention to the lip pressure and sure enough when I hit the A at the top of the staff there was a significant increase in pressure and teeth discomfort starting to boot. I had been doing plenty of playing above the staff so I must have been abusing myself pretty badly.

I did tackle The Comeback quite enthusiastically and even I was surprised at how fast my range was edging upward and things were falling into place. But now I realize how that was happening...yikes! It was like taking a short cut that leads to a dead end in a hurry.

I'm going to start from here and go after it again...with a little less enthusiasm and more thought this time around.

Thanks again, everyone.

[Charlie Goodman]

Not less enthusiasm, just don't press the horn on your head s'damn hard!

[Pippen]

LOL. I stand corrected, Sir.