Claude Gordon Brass Playing is No Harder Than Deep Breathing

About Claude Gordon

Claude Gordon began to play the trumpet professionally at the age of eight. To date, his playing career has covered every aspect of the music field: symphony orchestras, marching bands, concert bands, circus bands, night clubs, hotel orchestras, and the big dance bands. He began to play for broadcasts at thirteen years of age. He studied for many years with Herbert L. Clarke, and spent over thirty-five years as a studio trumpeter in Los Angeles and twelve years as first trumpet player with Columbia Broadcasting System. He has conducted many orchestras for recordings, stage shows, and TV specials with many of the top stars. His teaching career started when he was fourteen years old. His students are found in leading orchestras around the world. Players come from many countries to seek his advice. His many books are published by Carl Fischer, Inc., some in four languages, and are used world wide.

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The raison d’etre for a new textbook in a field which has been served by many superb works over the years arises from the conviction that a distinct need exists for an approach to modern trumpet-playing that carefully articulates what the true virtuosos of brass instruments have all known but for one reason or another have not communicated. Because Claude Gordon possesses a rare ability to carefully interpret the art of brass-playing and to take the mystery out of successful brass study, he was urged by many of his fellow professional players to put down in written form what he has been so successfully transferring to his students over the years. As a physician and trumpet player, I am well aware of the “art” of both professions. I have seen professors in both areas form their careers by enlarging the mystique or magical element in their performing, whether in the operating room or on the concert stage. Mr. Gordon possesses the ability to succinctly cut through the maze of mystique and logically explain away the trappings of rhetoric that so quickly confound and discourage the aspiring player. Mr. Gordon has always been interested in the “why” of brass-playing. Indeed, it is this common interest that has led us to our collaboration in the research laboratories. Here, the principals of medical physiology and the diagnostic laboratory have been used to answer questions surrounding the mystique of brass-playing. Mr. Gordon aptly describes himself as one of the “old work horse” trumpeters, but those who have followed his illustrious career know that this means he played lead trumpet seven nights a week for years and years and was highly sought after by conductors, especially for live radio and TV shows because of his reliability, endurance, technique, big-sound range, and because he very seldom “missed”. Indeed, an old associate who played with Claude when both were in their early 20s during the Big Band era was quick to point out that Claude was always trying new and innovative ideas and that he kept track of his misses like a score card, once going for over a year with less clams than you can count on ten fingers. This same source was quick to add that Herbert L. Clarke felt Claude was his most illustrious student, quite a compliment when one considers the many highly-regarded players taught by Herbert L. Clarke, but readily believable when one listens to the many recorded virtuoso solos Claude has performed. A list of his students reads like a who’s who of brass players. On the West Coast, Claude’s “Vegas and Reno families” are well known. It has been my privilege to become acquainted with many of his pupils, a great number of whom travel yearly from Germany, France, Japan, and other countries, as well as all parts of the United States to study and assimilate all this man has to offer—and he offers himself generously. Midnight transcontinental calls for emergency trumpet first-aid with bizarre embouchure problems, lip malformations, injuries, and all sorts of worries are commonplace at the Gordon home. Even after a close brush with death followed by coronary bypass surgery, Claude has continued, relentlessly giving of himself. It is his long legacy of experience with years of daily study of Gatti, SaintJacome, Scholssberg, Herbert L. Clarke, Harris, Levy, and countless other grand methods coupled with years of successful practical application that he freely passes on to others. His brand of “shuttle” trumpet instruction has been unequaled. Monthly, he splits his time between San Francisco and Los Angeles studios, in addition to two or three university brass clinics. Recently, consecutive weeks found Claude teaching in Los Angeles, then in San Francisco, then off to the University of Utah for a clinic, and then to New York to lecture at the Annual Brass Conference.

Claude freely passes on this legacy, frequently citing Herbert L. Clarke’s admonishment to h'im, “Claudie, you’ve got to take this farther than I did.” I have seen Claude leave a roomful of reception guests that included some of the most prestigious players in the world to spend hours with a 17-year-old college student who earnestly sought help with his playing problems. It is this dedication to teaching and passing on information that makes this book possible. It is not a book of scales, articulations, lip slurs, or etudes, but a didactic text that put the mystique surrounding brass-playing to rest and shows us how the great virtuosos really did it.

D. Larry Miller, MD.

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PARTI THE GREAT SOLOISTS PLAYED EASILY

Remarks on Jules Levy

A Little Background Brass playing is very easy when it is done correctly. It is very hard when it is attempted incorrectly. Brass playing is fun when it is done easily and then your work becomes a pleasure. It is absolute torture when the player is playing incorrectly and trying to do it by sheer force. Today there are thousands playing each brass instrument, and yet the great virtuosos can be counted on your hands. The era of the great brass virtuosos started with Arban when he demonstrated so successfully that the cornet was equal to the flute or violin as a solo instrument. Then followed the great cornet soloists of the 1800’s and into the early 1900’s. Artists such as Jules Levy, A. Liberati, Herbert L. Clarke, who became the most acclaimed of all, George Swift and others astounded the world with their feats and abilities on this marvelous brass instrument. Also the lower brass started to gain prominence as solo instruments. The possibilities were demonstrated with the amazing performances of Arthur Pryor, on trombone. These soloists became almost as national heroes. When they performed in a community, almost the whole town would turn out to hear them play. The critics and musicians were in awe as to how they could accomplish this virtuosity. In terms of their playing register, they all played double high “C” and above with ease and at will. Now almost a century has passed by. It would be logical to assume that with our music institutions and teachers with instruments far superior to the ones of that time, that the abilities would have improved down to this day. This is not the case, however, for today there is a handful of virtuosos who play effortlessly while the majority of players struggle and suffer, but do not even get close to equalling the accomplishments of these virtuoso players. The fact remains that no one has ever surpassed the technic, the beautiful tone, the endless endurance, the extreme range on both the upper and lower notes, the soft control and enormous power that these players had developed. Remarks such as the following were made by critics and writers after hearing performances of some of these greats:

Amongst instruments much neglected, but destined to come into more general use, is the cornet. For social festivals and for public worship, the cornet is sure to become increasingly popular. Away ahead of all other performers on that somewhat difficult instrument, the cornet, stands J. Levy, admitted on all hands to be the “King of Cornetists.” It can easily be seen that it requires a man of special physical strength to do justice to an instrument of such peculiar formation as the cornet. A man ought to have wonderful lung power to attempt cornet-playing. In this respect Levy is to be envied, and the charm of his playing is, that he succeeds in sending forth a blast long, and loud, and far-reaching, as easily as though he were only blowing feathers in the air. There is no unpleasant swelling of the veins, no starting of the eyes, no reddening of the face, but all is done without any apparent effort. Paganini was not more perfectly master of the violin, nor Rubinstein of the piano, than Levy is of the cornet. The late J. A. Arbuckle, for many years the cornetist at Dr. Talmage’s church in Brooklyn, made it abundantly clear that the cornet could be used with best possible effect in public worship, and won great fame as a performer on this instrument, but Levy is acknowledged, both by American and European critics, to be the greatest cornet player of the age. He has won wide 6

fame in England and throughout Europe, and has now Returned to his native land, where it is said he intends permanently to reside. What Paganini was with his one-stringed fiddle, that Levy is with the cornet— its perfect master.

Remarks on Herbert L. Clarke

Remarks on Bohumir Kryl

Herbert L. Clarke, the cornet soloist, also amazed his listeners, not only by his artistic playing of the cornet but by his endurance, a quality commented upon by Gilmore when he hired him in 1892. He had a full-tone range of six C’s and could play a chromatic scale of three octaves four times through with one breath. Said one of the writers during this European tour: “Suddenly Herbert L. Clarke seizes a note, but such a note! Stupendication causes complete silence around this note. It prolongs itself, it loses itself, it becomes eternal. It is not possible that Clarke can have accumulated so much breath in his lungs. Someone is injecting air into him. Or is it by some unexplained psychological phenomenon the substance of Clarke is being transformed into breath with which to feed his cornet? One expects to see Herbert L. Clarke melt into sonorous ripples. Finally the note stops. And yet Clarke has not thinned sensibly. What a man!”

When Innes’ Band appeared in Lincoln, Nebraska, in September 1904, the Evening News carried a story which shows how Kryl’s audiences reacted. The writer commented on the performance of the band and then continued: “It remained for Bohumir Kryl, in his rendition of Dudu with variations, to arouse the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. He has marvelous command of the instrument and, notwithstanding his display of technique, managed to preserve the lacelike delicacy of tone in the finer lifting passages. In response to the continued applause, he rendered Psyche and took the house by storm, and then the Carnival of Venice, in which he once more demonstrated his complete mastery of the instrument.” In May of the following year, when the Innes band played in Los Angeles, the papers were full of comments on Kryl. The Examiner critic said, “About Kryl there is no question—even without his wonderful mass of tangled flaxen hair he would be a musical wonder. He is both artist and magician. Caruso of the golden voice might almost envy Kryl his artifical golden throat, for Kryl sings through his cornet with a rich, clean-cut tone that carries no suggestion of metal with it.” The critic on the Los Angeles Daily Times was even more impressed with Kryl’s performance. “Kryl is a wonder—an instrumental freak,” the critic said. “He played a lot of things on his cornet. He began with Kryl’s King Carnival. . . winding up with a skyrocketing note of a minute duration in Kilamey, the ever popular. “In triple tonguing, in attainment of very high notes and in terrific coloratura work, Kryl is probably unexcelled in the world. When he had shown off high notes, the people were startled at a tremendous low tone coming from somewhere—down, down, down it went, all the time coming, as you finally knew, from Kryl’s magical cornet, until the notes would have registered bass on the scale, absolutely of deep trombone character. How Kryl effects these notes, he himself does not know—they are of startling quality to anyone understanding the nature and limitations of a brass instrument.” While Kryl was not the only cornetist who could play below the fundamental range of the instrument, this trick was limited to a very few with exceptional embouchures. These low tones, which K?~yl himself couldn’t explain, were what the physicist calls “difference tones.”

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THE METHOD BOOKS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Why does this condition exist today?—the condition of stagnation regarding the understanding of brass playing — the great mystique that surrounds the playing of these instruments. There are basically two reasons. First, the lack of understanding of what makes the instrument work and secondly, the lack of devotion and determination to practice correctly and stay with it until it develops naturally. Everyone during his learning years has heard the statement, “You must learn to play correctly!!” Yet most never learn what correct playing is!! First of all, let’s look at the methods. Saint-Jacome: One of the greatest of all and one every player should have and practice. It is a great book of exercises to develop what is needed. But notably, there is not a word of how it works or how to practice the exercises. Arban: Another equally great book that every aspiring player must have. Arban does have some fine explanations, but they were never clearly understood and were subjected to everyone’s interpretation and further clouded by erroneous statements of revisions. I have thoroughly gone through the new Carl Fischer International Edition of Arban’s (1982) and by the use of footnotes, explained the Arban text. This eliminates the former confusion. Gatti: Another fine method of material with no explanations. Ernest Williams: A fine method, however, the same situation. Jules Levy: Now out of existence. A book of excellent exercises showing great possibilities with no explanation whatsoever. Worlds Method: A marvelous compilation of several of the foremost methods, also with no explanations of how playing is accomplished. If one understands the elements that make the instrument work, then with these books, he can accomplish his goals on the brass instrument. He must, however, understand the meaning (the purpose)—of what the author had in mind. The exercises in all of these books are in complete harmony, and prove that all of these players accomplished their results with the same functions. Herbert L. Clarke was the first to let us have an understanding of how the brass instrument works, and also how to practice to accomplish our goals. Herbert L. Clarke gave us an insight to the natural elements and yet his marvelous books are mostly used according to each individual’s interpretation and not in the proper manner. A good example of this is in his book, Technical Studies, published by Carl Fischer. Notice Study number nine; he has chromatic scales four times, each in one breath. The last one starts on low “G” to high “G” and back down; 4 times in one breath. At the beginning of the study he states, “No strain is necessary if played properly.” I have asked hundreds of players and students, “What do you suppose this statement means?” I have never had a correct answer. Most of the answers were absurd. Yet the statement is there and it is correct, but there is of course, no further explanation. There was, however, a way of finding out what was meant: STUDY WITH CLARKE!!! That is what all of my writing is about: to help the ambitious player understand how to play correctly and make his work a pleasure; to help him prove to himself that Brass Playing is No Harder Than Deep Breathing. Ernest Williams in his fine method (published by Charles Colin) made another marvelous statment under the heading “High Tones” (page 190) when he said: “When we are in tune with nature’s requirements, the playing of high tones on the cornet or trumpet is not difficult.” He continues on to say, “It is generally believed that high tones are more difficult to produce than the ones of the middle register. This is not altogether true. If one has trained properly and has cultivated the correct method of production, one tone is virtually as easy to produce as another.”

THE MYSTIQUE ABOUT PLAYING GROWS

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The statment is there, it is true, but with no meaning for the student, who flounders through a maze of books, going from one teacher to another, engaging in endless theory discussion, always looking for a new mouthpiece or instrument to solve his problems. The mystique of the brass instrument grows, along with his daily frustrations. Why does this happen and where did it start? When the great soloists in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s would play, the audience was amazed. The first reaction was alway the question, “How does he do it?” Many others would try and fail, always bewildered. They would listen to the amazing endurance and exclaim, “What a lip!” That was the only explanation that they would offer and thus the theory of the lip was passed on. Always the lip, the lip!! It, to our very day gets the blame for all the poor playing or the credit for all of the good playing. Then too, as with the great singers, the brass soloists had developed great breathing techniques. When watching a performance the audience would say, “He looks as though he takes in all the air in the auditorium and then plays endlessly,” etc., etc. Then many theories grew and today these theories are followed without the player even stopping to think if they are logical with a basis in fact or not. Finally, with the greatest number of players failing to obtain their goal, the theory developed that in order to be a great player, one had to be a specially gifted person, a so-called natural. As many may say, one with the gifted talent. Let me say here and now: It is only about one-tenth talent and nine-tenths hard work. Then one may ask: “How do I know if I have the talent?” If you have the desire to work as hard as you must and the perseverance to stick with it until you accomplish your goal, then YOU HAVE THE TALENT. Today we have a dangerous situation for the aspiring player: TOO M UCH THEORY. Theory does not prove anything; it is just someone’s idea. Furthermore, one does not play by theory, but by feel. Today we have stacks of books on theory. We have it expounded at schools, argued by teachers and in brass guilds and institutions where each one gets up and talks about all of his theories. Doctors are now expounding upon how they can operate on your lip and supposedly correct it. Dentists are talking on how they can change your teeth or jaw and make you play better. They are filling the player with fear of blowing holes in his neck or getting a hernia. This all leads to the phobias that exist today at the expense of the brass player. None of these things is true. The doctors and dentists are not brass virtuosos, they are doctors, yet the players listen with open mouth to things they say, which is mostly based on the lip theory. There is no physical harm going to come to the player if, as Ernest Williams stated, “He is in tune with the natural elements of this universe,” and as Herbert L. Clarke stated, “Uses correct basics of playing.” The natural forces that govern the universe never change. If they did, one could not do a mathematical problem, an airplane could not fly, scientists could not depend upon their calculations, a ship could not be put into space, a medical doctor could not perform an operation. The fact that these forces are stable, enables man to learn and put them to use. Actually, that is all that man can do, as in putting a man on the moon; this was done by studying natural forces and learning how to use them correctly. These forces effect every aspect and activity of out lives. Thus they apply to the playing of brass instruments. If we learn the basic elements that make the instrument work, apply them and develop their use, we will play easily. Every great player uses these elements correctly and every one of these players does it exactly the same, whether he knows it or not. Regardless of what they look like, which way the horn points, etc., what happens inside is exactly the same on all good players. There is only one correct way to play—not many ways, as some suppose. 9

As I talk to hundreds of players all over the world, I am absolutely amazed at the mass confusion that exists about making a piece of pipe work. As far as the player is concerned, that is what the instrument is—“a piece of pipe.” In other words, there is nothing in the instrument to play for you. Pressing a valve down or moving a slide does not make a sound. You are the one who makes this piece of pipe play.

DETRIMENTAL ATTITUDES A lady called at my studio one time and asked if I would teach her son to play trumpet. I replied: “I don’t know. Does he want to learn to play?” She said she did not really know, that he was not ambitious and did not get good grades in school. His-tendencies were to be lazy. She said, “I thought that learning music may be helpful to him and trumpet would probably be the best instrument because it only has three keys!!” Many people, even some of those who take up a brass instrument without ever realizing it, actually think the same way. Many feel that all that is necessary is to buy an instrument (as cheaply as possible), then get a teacher (as cheaply as possible); learn to read music and finger the instrument, then practice the music and you will become a player. Nothing is further from the truth. Learning to read music and learning to finger the instrument have nothing to do with making it sound. These erroneous thoughts are just the start of the many frustrations that plague most brass players for their entire lives, and most of the players by far, even though they work hard and are very serious, never make the grade. When this happens it is generally figured that they didn’t have the talent. One writer in a national magazine stated that the trumpet seemed to be an instrument designed for sheer torture. It certainly seems that way when you see the average player struggling year after year with no apparent improvement and with no idea of why. Some have become so frustrated that they have ended up under psychiatric care. The psychiatrist is not a brass player and therefore can offer little help. Many players become discouraged and give up. This is especially so among those who want to be accomplished players by next week and when we are in an era where many judge a player only by how many high notes he plays. The worship of high notes is very detrimental to progress. High notes are inevitable if one develops correctly. The school player, however, wants to be the high-note hero of the stage band long before he should even attempt such playing. As a result he retards his progress, develops innumerable bad habits and even sustains physical injury as well. The aspiring player is also subject to much negativity from friends, teachers, parents and relatives who have no understanding whatsoever of what it takes to make music, or of the music business itself. Many become discouraged because they are constantly told, “Don’t be a musician,” and that “It’s a bad business,” or “Only a few can make it.” The general attitude of the school is to be a teacher, not a player. That is certainly a negative and destructive attitude. If there were to be no players, who would have need of a teacher? There are even some successful players who tell their students not to be players because it’s not a good business. If he is successfully playing, what right does he have to discourage a young player? Furthermore, what right does any teacher who has never played professionally have to say that a student can’t reach the top? Even further, a teacher has no right to discourage a student with the theory that he doesn’t have enough talent or that his lips are not right, etc.!! It is reported that one of the greatest cornetists was told by his teacher to go by the lake on his way home and throw his cornet as far as he could into the lake and forget it. He would never be a player!!! Bohumier Kryl, however, became one of the greats of all time. Tests may show results not indicative of a certain aptitude, but they do 10

not take into account the determination or desire to become successful if a person wants to. A person may show an aptitude for something and care absolutely nothing for it. Conversly, someone may not show an aptitude on a test, but through dilligence and perseverance may reach the top of his chosen profession. If you want to be successful, one thing to remember is that no one can do it for you. You must do it yourself, and that means hard work, determination and correct practice. Some young players will say: “I’ll do anything to be a great player.” That statement quickly fades away in some, however, if he must lose a meal now and then or a little sleep, or if he has to walk a few miles to get a lesson. An example is the pupil who called his teacher a little before his lesson and said, “I can’t make my lesson today.” The teacher asked, “Why not?” The pupil answered: “Well, my Mom has the car and won’t be back to take me.” He only lived a few blocks from his teacher. Every aspiring player should read the accounts of all the great artists: pianists, cellists, violinists, vocalists, brass players and others. They will see that they all read the same. It is a history of hard work. Giving up some comforts, maybe missing meals and other things, but sticking with it until he reaches his goal. A good example is the book by Herbert L. Clarke, How I Became a Cometist, published by Frank Holton Band Instrument Co. The attitudes of some parents are stumbling blocks also. With little understanding, they tell the youngster, “Put that thing away when I am home,” or “Stop playing around and do some work,” or “Go get a job so you can make some money.” One mother looked at her son and with amazement said, “You mean to tell me that you want to spend fifty dollars for a lesson and then drive clear across town to take it? Why, there is a teacher down the block that charges only three dollars a lesson!!!” And that’s just what he got, “A three-dollar teacher.” Success depends on where your values are. You can not skimp on the cost nor the effort. A young player should get all the encouragement that he can to help him overcome the obstacles and to stay well balanced in all forms of professional work. Parents should be extremely happy to have sons and daughters who want to be successful. When I was a youngster, I had a driving desire to be a great trumpet player. I practiced all of the time. I never entertained any thoughts such as “What if I don’t make it? Maybe I should get another profession in case.” These kinds of negative thoughts never entered my head. These were very hard times, right in the heart of the great depression. I learned on a horn for which my Dad paid five dollars. It looked as though a blacksmith had made it. I thought it was the greatest thing I ever had. I had it with me all of the time, even when I took a shower and when I went to bed. When I was somewhere around five years of age, my Dad showed me how to hold the horn and blow it and taught me how to read and my Mother worked with me all the time as with my brothers and sisters. They encouraged us always. We had an orchestra within the family circle and played for hotels and the earliest broadcasting when radio first started. As a youngster, I played fairly well. I had a playable high “F” and the best thing was that I didn’t worry. I just loved to play. I played in all the local bands and orchestras, the Boys Band, the High School Band, the High School Orchestra, the stage shows, the Symphony Orchestra, for the circus that came through town, the carnivals, night clubs and the Grandstand Fair performances. In High School (this was at the start of the Big Band Era) I started to play dance music also. This brought all the negative thinkers down upon me. Teachers lowered my music grades. I was told that I would never amount to anything. I would always be broke, always looking for work, never have a home or a family. That I would probably end up the drunk on main street. In spite of all this, since that time I have had fifty-eight years of 11

professional playing and, outside of a few years when I went to Los Angeles to study, I have never been out of work, No one can tell me that it is a bad business. During that>time I learned that it is the one who follows through, who overcomes all obstacles, who stays with it, who can stay with it until he climbs above the average and becomes an artist, who will always be successful. That one will then find out that there is plenty of room at the top. There is plenty of room at the bottom also. It is the middle, that great expanse of mediocrity, that is overcrowded. As a young player I was happy and never worried untill I started to take lessons. I was studying with a fine player, but everything changed. I remember when he said,“Keep those corners tight!!” and “Get that jaw out!!" I had never heard these things before. In fact, I had never thought about the lip at all. I was dedicated, however, and practiced hard, looking in the mirror, watching every movement. Finally I could keep the jaw out and the corners tight, but now I couldn’t play my high “F” anymore. I also started worrying. Is my lip OK? Is my jaw out? Are the corners tight? All the frustration began. I kept on taking lessons but played continually worse and worried more. Every time a good orchestra came through town, I would meet the trumpet players and ask myriads of questions. The answers became a conflicting mumbo-jumbo of “Try this,” or “Try that,” or “Get this mouthpiece or that.” I had boxes of mouthpieces and could not play any of them. I was still playing professionaly at 18 years of age, but not as well as when I was eight years of age. Some valuable things were learned, however. I had learned every wrong way to play that has ever been devised. From this I can truthfully say, “It is hard to play wrong and it is torture.”

FALSE INFORMATION CAUSES CONFUSION

The situation has never changed over the years. The mass confusion still exists. In the lead is the theory that only the gifted can become great players. The one with the “natural lip.” I wonder if anyone has ever seen an unnatural lip. I never have. We all have natural lips. The only exception would be the unfortunate incident of a deformity and in some cases this can be overcome. I have had students with what is called a harelip, who played very well. Today more theories abound than ever before. There are many books on the market. Much is discussed on holding the horn up or down, blowing high or low. Such phrases are being used as “blow up-stream or down-stream.” There is much said on the aperture being too closed or too wide. Some think that if you have thin lips you will play high or if you have big lips, forget it. This is absolutely not true. I have had students with exceptionally big lips, sometimes the mouthpiece seemed to disappear and yet they played beautifully. The size of lips has absolutely nothing to do with it. Now dentists are separating the two front teeth on some and taking a chip off one of the teeth on others. This means nothing and it cannot help the player. All that it is doing is costing the player money and causing more problems. However, as usual, the lip gets most of the attention. As a result we now have so-called No-Pressure Systems. However, there is no such thing as No-Pressure. As one fine player aptly put it when a player asked if no-pressure was the best thing, “Well, you can try it, but I’ll tell you what will happen. First it will be No-Pressure, then No Tone, then No Job.” There are Buzz Systems, Pivot Systems, High Note Systems, Low Note Systems, much discussion on Open Throat or Closed Throat. If you are using your tongue correctly, it will not effect the throat in anyway. Outside of the tongue, it is impossible to close or open your throat. It is not built that way. Because of these theories, brass players are practicing hanging their horns on strings without using their hands, thinking they are going to develop No-Pressure playing. Actually, they are going to develop nothing but frustration. I read an 12

article which stated that Herbert L. Clarke developed the No-Pressure System. This is absolutely false. He demonstrated at a university on one occassion that a developed player could play easily enough to hang his horn on a string and reach the higher notes. Most everyone interpreted this incorrectly and it went all over the country as the new No-Pressure System. Clarke told me later that he was sorry that he ever did it, that everyone got the wrong idea. One of the first things he told me was, “There is no such thing as No-Pressure.” Students are practicing pointing the horn up while laying it flat on their hand. Others lay the horn on the table, then get on their knees with their hands behind their backs and every time they blow, the horn pushes away. There are the NoPressure mouthpieces. On these the mouthpiece is in two pieces with a spring between. When the player starts to blow, the spring gives, the mouthpiece separates, and the air goes out the sides. Students are practicing with the mouthpiece on a track that channels the mouthpiece into the horn. Then while buzzing the mouthpiece, they push it in and out of. the horn. Some are hanging weights on their mouthpieces. Others are tying strings from the water key to the belt buckle so the horn will remain in one position only. Some brass students squeeze a pencil in their mouths, hoping to build muscles. Others are wearing tight, wide belts. Years ago, one person rented a small cubicle off the main street and put a barber chair in it. He then advertised in the trade magazine for brass players to get his lip massage. He would put them in the chair, tilt it back and massage the lip. This would build endurance and high range, according to his advertisement. This cost each player five dollars a massage and the players were lined up clear to the corner outside waiting for their turn. Brass players are the most gullible people in the world!! They will buy anything if you tack a high note on it. When I was a teenager, I wrote to Herbert L. Clarke with my problems. He wrote the letter to me that I have printed in this book. Notice he said that the secret of success is: HOW TO PRACTICE, WHAT TO PRACTICE AND WHEN TO PRACTICE!!! When this is analyzed, it is the whole answer. Only, at that time, I did not realize what was meant. The average student and player does not have the slightest idea of WHAT TO PRACTICE, how to go about it, what he is working to develop, nor when to practice and when to rest. A person can aimlessly play every day and constantly get worse.

PART 2:

To Play Correctly Brass playing is a form of athletics. This means that the player must train and coordinate like all athletes. This also means that if you are lazy, forget it. Furthermore, you must banish all fear from your mind and get an attitude as a halfback on a football team. When you’ve got the ball, go with no fear. Herbert L. Clarke demonstrated this very forcefully to me. I was very timid and very careful in my playing in front of this great player. All of a sudden he loudly exclaimed, “Will you put some air through that thing!!!” I said, “I’m blowing.” He said, “No you’re not! You think you are!!” Then he hit me so hard that I fell over backwards. I fell flat on my back with my horn on top trying to protect it. When I finally stood up, he knocked me down again. Now when I got up, I backed away, he followed me and knocked me down again. This kept on all around the big room until we got back to the music stand. He then stopped and shouted, “Now thats the way you play that thing and don’t forget it.” I never did. 13

It was one of the best lessons I ever learned. From then on, I started to play without fear. Sure you’ll miss, but that is why you are practicing!! You must work on breathing exercises, keep in good health, gain physical strength and then learn to control it. There is no short cut, no big mysterious secret, just common-sense development of the natural elements that make for correct playing. Remember, as I have stated before, every fine player plays the same way. Everyone has the exact same things to work with: lungs, mouth, teeth, jaw, lips, tongue, fingers, arms, hands and common sense with the ability to think and learn. You, too, can be a great virtuoso, “IF YOU WANT TO BE.” If you learn to play correctly and stay with it until it develops. What one man can do, another can do too. As stated in my Systematic Approach to Daily Practice, published by Carl Fischer (04702 and 04959): There are seven elements involved in playing a brass instrument. These are all the natural elements that work in a natural manner within the forces of nature. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Wind power. The tongue. Wind control. The lips. The muscles of the lips and face. The fingers of the right hand. The left hand.

It is not possible to work on all of these seven elements at once, as you couldn’t be thinking that many ways simultaneously. Each one must be developed until it works correctly by habit, not by thinking about it. This takes practice and time. Nothing will happen overnight. By constant application, each of these elements will develop until they all fit together as you get the feel or knack of playing. You may understand how the machine works in a short while but that in itself will not do the job. In other words, you can learn how, but then you must develop it until it works. One of the great masters once said, “Without technical proficiency there can be no music.” That is what my books are all about. To help you play your instrument easily with proficiency so you can play great music. I well realize that there will be those who will dispute much of what I say. However, if I am wrong, then Arban, Saint-Jacome, Liberati, Herbert L. Clarke and Max Schlossburg were all wrong, for that is how they all played and taught.

1. WIND POWER When I say wind power, I am not necessarily talking of how loud you play. I am, however, discussing the force of power that makes everything work. It takes just as much power to play softly as it does to play loudly. Playing softly is using the wind power in a controlled way. You cannot control something that is not developed, so first of all it is necessary to work on building the strength of the wind power. The development of wind power, as in any athletic endeavor, is a major factor in playing your instrument easily. It stands to reason that if you have twice the wind development as your colleague, he is going to be working very hard to do what is easy for you. To develop wind power, one must consider the essentials of deep breathing. Now stop and think; we are made a breathing machine— it is natural to breathe, and if we develop along these natural workings of our body, wind power will develop easily and surely. If you try to develop contrary to the natural working of the body, you will experience frustration and failure. It is therefore essential that we breathe the way we were built, breathe within the natural laws, or we may say, breathe correctly. 14

Part of this is a matter of posture and not being lazy. Today, however, there are so many theories on breathing that the player will find a great deal of confusion on this matter. Some of these theories are as follows: Breathe from the stomach Blow from the diaphram Push out your stomach, etc., etc. Why all this talk about the stomach, when in the natural scheme of things, the stomach is for food? Isn't it strange that in all of this kind of talk, very little is said about the lungs!! Yet the lungs are there to hold the air!! Watch a highly-developed runner or a jogger at work. Does he run pushing out his stomach to breathe, as in Figure 1? Believe me, he wouldn’t run far. Or does he run with good posture with his chest up and breathing easily, as in Figure 2? Take a football player. Does he run down the field pushing his stomach out trying to outdistance the other players, as in Figure 3? Or does he breathe naturally, with good posture, the way he is built to breathe, as in Figure 4? A weight lifter must fill his lungs with air for the power necessary to exert strenuous tension on the entire body. If he tried to push out his stomach and lift as in Figure 5, he would be a ready candidate for a hernia. He gets his strength from breathing correctly, as in Figure 6. The brass player uses air in the same manner as any of these athletes. Does it seem reasonable that he would breathe as in Figure 7? No; he must fill his lungs, as in Figure 8. N trumpet. Naturally I asked Mr. Gordon if he could in fact do this. When he replied in the affirmative, I unabashedly asked him to do it for me. He gave me that little smile of his, took out his trumpet and double-tongued his way down to the fourth pedal “C" below low “C”, and then in sim ilar fashion up to a triple high “C”. Needless to say, that made a believer out of me in regard to the Claude Gordon method of trumpet playing. Anthony "Tony" Horowitz

March 11, 1983 Despite all the theories that get passed around about brass playing, there is still only one correct way that a brass instrument can be played. Herbert L. Clarke taught this correct way of playing to Claude Gordon and Claude Gordon has been teaching it to his students. In Claude’s new book, Brass Playing Is No H arder Than Deep Breathing, he describes in total detail every aspect of correct brass playing. The concepts in this book are not theories, they are FACTS. The two most im portant concepts, breathing and tongue levels, have been proven medically by the use of X-ray studies, which were recently conducted on a group of trumpet players. I have had the privilege of studying with Claude for several years. His teachings have greatly helped me to achieve and m aintain the level of proficiency that I need as a professional musician. Claude has been a constant source of inspiration to me, as a trumpet player and as a teacher. I use his concepts and books as the foundation to all of my students’ daily practice. Claude’s insight and knowledge as a teacher, and ability as a player continue to impress me. Just recently, at the age of 66, he played for me a chromatic scale from pedal C up to double C and back down to pedal C, smoothly, in one breath, and with total ease. This new book will take the mystery and frustration out of brass playing for both the student and the professional. I highly recommend all of Claude Gordon’s books to anyone who is serious about brass playing. Sincerely, Rhys Henson

15 March 1983 I have taken lessons from Claude Gordon for 12 years. D uring that time I have heard him play the upper register of the trumpet. One particular occasion was at the first Claude Gordon Brass Camp. Claude demonstrated a new exercise he had been developing to be added to the end of some flexibility routines. He started on low F f (F-sharp) and did a glissando to F-sharp (2 octaves) on top of the staff and back down. As soon as he played low F-sharp he glissed to A-sharp above the staff and back down, then up to C ji and down and then to high F# (3 octaves) and down to low Fji. This exercise then went through all the other valve 12 2i 1 l. 2, o) till the last one (open) which he played to combinations on trum pet ( double “C”. This routine he did very easily as was with everything I have heard him play in the time that I ’ve known him. Carl Leach, Jr.

Once again I must emphasize that you must practice the pedals correctly. Saint-Jacome in his great method written in 1860 notes on page 81 the pedal “C” and states, “Existing on the cornet, to be obtained without moving the mouth, or left alone.” The lips do not play the pedals (they only vibrate) so do not try to play them by pooching out the lips or by other means of using the lips. Systematic Approach to D aily Practice, on pages 8-10, describes the correct manner of obtaining these notes. Follow these instructions carefully. Do not be in a hurry. Let them develop gradually, until they feel natural. Practice only the exercises given. DO NOT OVERDO Y O U R PRACTICE trying to develop too soon! Notice on page 9, it describes the feel of the first pedal “C” (Concert B-flat) and those continuing down. DO NOT try to get this in tune. Drop the jaw, as in saying “aw” and let any sound come out. It will generally be as much as a fifth too low. This is correct! Leave it low and keep working that way with a big sound until it develops. If you try to get it in tune, you will get a raspy,-bad sound and that is wrong. Leave it low and let the sound develop with ease. That will be the correct feel. Pitch comes much later. I have had hundreds of students, all of whom have mastered the pedal register. Throughout the book, on Part 1 of every lesson, hold the last note of each exercise long in the same manner. On Part 2 of each lesson reverse direction and go up as far as possible. Do not hold the last note long on these exercises. Hold only long enough to make a crescendo. Follow the directions. IT IS H O W Y OU PR A C T IC E THA T CO UNTS

2. THE TONGUE If there ever was a secret to brass playing, it is the tongue. Without a tongue, you could not play a brass instrument. With a little experimentation you can prove this to yourself very easily. First, say out loud the syllable “Aww”. While doing this, notice that the tongue lies in a flat position with the tip back of the lower teeth. Now say the syllable “Eee”. While doing this, notice that the tip of the tongue is still behind the lower teeth, but the center has raised forward and up. Now say the syllables many times; “Aww, Eee, Aww, Eee,” etc Notice the movement of the tongue. It rises and lowers in the front of

the mouth with a “to ” and “fro” movement. Keep doing this until you can visualize what the tongue is doing. As soon as you can see, in your mind, this movement of the tongue, then say the syllable “Aww” again. Notice that the tongue is once more in a flat position with the tip behind the lower teeth. Now, hold the tongue in that position. Don’t let it move. While in the “Aww” position try to say “Eee” without letting the tongue move at all. You will notice very quickly that it is impossible to say “Eee” while the tongue is in the flat “Aww” position. Now say the syllable “Eee” and notice that the tip of the tongue is still behind the lower teeth, but is arched forward and up. As soon as you can visualize this, lock the tongue in that “Eee” position and try to say “Aww” without the tongue changing position or moving in any way. You will immediately notice that it is impossible to say “Aww” while the tongue is in a position to say “Eee”. Repeat this over and over until you get the sense of what the tongue is doing. Soon you will realize that the tongue is the means by which the syllable changes. If you did not have a tongue you could not change from “Aww” to “Eee”. The only sound you could make would be “Aww”. So we could ask the question, “ What makes the syllable change?” Answer: The tongue. Let’s experiment further. Whistle from a low note to a high note (an octave or more is OK) Notice on the low note that the tip of the tongue is behind the lower teeth and that the rest of the tongue is down in a flat position, while on the higher note, the tip is still behind the lower teeth while the front center of the tongue has moved forward and up into the “Eee” position as when you were saying the syllables “Aww” and “Eee”. Now, whistle the low note and, as soon as you visualize where the tongue is, lock it there and don't let it move. While it is locked on the low note try to whistle the octave back and forth without letting the tongue change positions or move in any manner. You will immediately notice that you can’t do it. Unless the tongue moves, the pitch will not change. So now again the question, “What makes the pitch change?” Answer: The tongue. Now, take your instrument and play a low C (Concert B-flat) and you will notice the tip of the tongue is behind the lower teeth and the tongue is in the “Aww” position. Now take a big breath and slur C to G (Concert B-flat to F) back and forth.

¥ A w Eee A w Eee

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-9 * A w Eee A w Eee

Notice that the tip of the tongue stays behind the lower teeth while the front center of the tongue moves from “Aww” to “Eee” in the same manner as in saying the syllables or whistling. Take your instrument again and play the low C (Concert B-flat) and notice that the position of your tongue is in the “Aww” position. Lock it there. While it stays locked in that position, try to slur to the G (Concert F) without the tongue moving in any way. Blow as strong as you can, pinch your lips together, try all you can but keep the tongue locked in the “Aww” position . Do not let it change in any way and you will find that you can’t change the note.

22

So, as before, the question, “What makes the pitch change?” Answer: The tongue. There are some theories that if you blow stronger you will go higher. If this is so, lets’ try it. Again play the low C (Concert B-flat). Lock the tongue in the “Aww” position. Be sure that the tongue does not move. Now blow as loud as you can and you will see that the only thing that happens is that you get louder. Unless the tongue moves, the pitch will not change. If blowing harder or louder made the pitch change to a higher note, how could you make a crescendo and stay on the same note? There are theories that if you have a strong lip you can play high notes, because pinching the lips make the vibrations change to higher pitch. Let’s try this, then. Again play the low C (Concert B-flat) and notice the tongue in the “Aww” position. Lock the tongue; don't let it move. (This will take some concentration as it wants to move up.) Do not let it change from “Aww”. While the tongue stays in that position, squeeze the lips together tightly and blow strongly. You will notice nothing happens except that you pinch off your sound. You could have a lip strong enough to lift a piano and not play above a low C. Lets experiment a little farther. Play an A-flat arpeggio slurred (Big breath). o

When you reach the top note, hold it, and while you are holding it visualize the position of your tongue. Notice that the tip is behind the lower teeth, while the front center is raised into the “Eee” position. Now take a big breath and slur the arpeggio again. Hold the top note until you visualize the position of your tongue. As soon as you can see that position, lock the tongue in the “Eee” position. While it is in that position, (remember, concentrate on the “Eee” position), don’t let the tongue change. Try your best to slur directly to E-flat on the following 1st line without the tongue moving: o ■

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You will find that it is impossible to come down unless the tongue moves from the “Eee” to an “Aww” position. This proves that you cannot change pitch in either direction up or down unless the tongue lets you. This means then, that the tongue is in a different position for every note on the horn. It is very minute in some places so you couldn’t measure it BU T YOU C A N F E E L IT. This points up the fact that we play by feel, not by theory. Now, with this in mind, let’s reason a bit. As you have proven, if the tongue is in the proper position to produce the A-flat, that’s the only note that will come out. Therefore if, through practice, you gain the knack or feel for the octave above A-flat (double high A-flat) then, likewise, that is the only note that will come out. As a result, the double high A-flat will be just as easy as the high A-flat, because IT IS THE ONLY NOTE THAT W IL L COME OUT!! 23

With all this in mind the second rule becomes apparent: 2. The tongue channels the pitch. The two first rules now must work in harmony until they work together, correctly, by habit. 1. The air does the work. 2. The tongue channels the pitch. With these thoughts in mind we can look at the statements of some of the greatest soloists. First of all, refer to Herbert L. Clarke’s Characteristic Studies, published by Carl Fischer (02281), page 5, paragraph 7. Talking about his manner of tonguing, he remarks that the tip of the tongue rests slightly against the lower teeth, while the center of the tongue strikes against the roof of the mouth (that is, the front center). This explanation has been there all this time (the book was published in the early 1900’s) but has gone virtually unnoticed as it was misunderstood or clouded over with the phobia of the lip. It is notable that A. Liberati in his method stated that the tip of the tongue never rises above the lower teeth. All of the great soloists tongue in this manner, whether they realize it or not. Over the years, therefore, it has virtually remained a secret and not understood. When tonguing in this manner, you will learn to feel every note and sense exactly the feeling of that note. In time you develop so that you never miss attacks, even in the extreme register. This is why soloists like Jules Levy, Herbert L. Clarke, George Swift and many others, could perform such phenominal feats so easily; feats such as the following example of one of Jules Levy’s exercises, which were written, but never explained.

Dear Pupil: I hope you are satisfied with my Instruction Book. I have tried my best. I can do no more. I have written the last study merely to show the resources of the Conn Cornet. I can play it with ease.

Finally, refer to Arban’s comments on the tongue on page 8, under “Breathing,” paragraph 2 and footnote 15 found in A rban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet, 1982 edition, published by Carl Fischer (021). 24

Critics are quick to criticize the use of the proper syllables in playing. This is because of a gross misunderstanding and a dogmatic view of things. They are quick to state that using the “Eee” syllable thins out the sound and closes off the air, when actually, the opposite really happens. Properly using these syllables is the only way to produce the proper sounds, because it is staying within the laws of nature. If done correctly, the tone stays bigger and the playing becomes easier. As I stated earlier, this comes from a misunderstanding easily understood by studying the diagrams which follow. Refer to: Tongue Level Exercises: Gordon Systematic Approach to Daily Practice: Gordon 27 Groups of Exercises: Earl Irons Note that Figures 13 and 14 are a medical artist’s drawing of the tongue. All this is more understandable when we look at the natural forces that govern the universe and all of our activities. Let’s examine how an airplane flies: An airplane flies because of four opposite forces: gravity, lift, thrust, and drag. If you are flying at 8500 feet on a beautiful day with no wind, you can equalize these forces. This is done by setting the engine at a certain power setting and then trim m ing up all the controls to match the power setting. When this is done you can let go of the stick, take your feet off the rudder pedals and just enjoy the flight. The airplane will stay at its altitude, speed and heading until something changes the air stream, such as an updraft, downdraft or a wind off a canyon, etc. This will upset the equality and once again you will have to take control. You, as pilot, could also upset this equality. If you pulled back on the stick, the elevator (the flat tail) would rise and the airplane would assume a climb attitude, as Figure 15. But it would not climb. It would stay in that attitude until the force of wind against it would slow it down and cause it to stall (or quit flying). So what would you do if you wanted it to climb? The elevator is up and you are in a climb attitude. The other factor needed to make it climb is power. Give it more power. This is a natural force of the universe that does not change. The same applies to a brass instrument. The tongue is the elevator. You raise the tongue (in the front of the mouth) as you want to go higher but nothing happens until you give it more power. Then you go up. And so we have another rule of brass playing which relates to a combination of the first two: 3. As you go higher you must use a little more power or get stronger.

With the elevator up, the airplane assumes a climb attitude, but that Is all It will do. In order to climb It must have more power or thrust.

At first this must be noticeable, you get louder. Later, as this is controlled, you can use more power without it being noticeable. Let’s take another look at the forces that we call natural. When a baby is born it can not talk. When it is mad, it can yell or cry. When it is in pain or uncomfortable, it cries. When it is comfortable and happy, it will laugh and coo. However, its mother will talk to it. She says No! or Yes ! or daddy or the names of brothers and sisters. The baby cannot say those words, but he soon learns their meaning and he wants to say them and communicate. So what does he do? When he is comfortable and happy, you hear him mouthing sounds back in his crib, and someone may say thats baby talk or noises because he is happy. But what is he really doing? He is practicing! Yes, he is practicing to form the sounds that he has heard. This is a natural development of all of us. He is practicing forming these sounds by the use of his tongue. The tongue moves in many shapes at great speeds to form these sounds. If 25

you could see it on a fluoroscope, the speed of movement would be amazing. Its shapes and movements are unending. No one can explain exactly the position of the tongue, only the manner of its movements because no two mouths are shaped alike. The manner of movements, however, is the same. It is one of the natural forces of the universe. The baby practices and practices, hundreds and thousands of repetitions until it can form the sound that it hears. Without a tongue it would never be able to talk or to form syllables such as “Aww” and “Eee”. So it is with the brass player. He must do hundreds and thousands of repetitions until the tongue finds its position for each note on the scale in every conceivable model, until it works correctly by H A B IT (NOT B Y THEORY). As Herbert L. Clarke said, “The tongue rising in the the mouth to make the inside of the mouth shallow, is the ‘Knack’ of producing high tones.” And Alessandro Liberati said, “The very tip of the tongue will naturally take a position back of the lower teeth. Never allow it to strike back of the upper teeth.” The great books that will never die are Saint-Jacome, Arban, Clarke and Gatti. All those of a later date that are based upon the principles contained in these great books, were written keeping the basics we are discussing in mind. All flexibility books are basically tongue-level books. The student must study these books to get the sense of what the author was writing about. Then, by diligence and perseverence, the student must stay with the principles until the tongue works correctly, by habit.

Training the Tongue

Developing the Tongue for Strength and Agility

To start your practice to develop the tongue, take the book Tongue Level Exercises, Gordon, published by Carl Fischer (Treble Clef instruments 05089 and Bass Clef instruments 05090), and study thoroughly pages 2 and 3 until you get the sense of what is said. Turn then to page 8, Part 1, Exercise 1 and practice with the tongue in the manner prescribed on pages 2-3. Repeat each measure many times. (Watch the tongue; never rigid). Practice this exercise many times every day until you get the knack or feel of the tongue in this manner. This may seem strange or difficult to some at first. Stay with it and you will be well rewarded. Think “Tee” as you go up. Keep the tip of the tongue resting lightly behind the lower teeth. The tongue will adjust to different registers, so DO NOT HOLD IT R IG ID OR A N C H O R ED . Remember, this is an exercise and should be practiced like any model. Do not try to use it immediately when playing. Just practice it as an exercise every day. It will tell you when to use it. Some players start to tongue this way from the very start without knowing it. Others must develop the knack or feel.

In order for the tongue to function easily, it must be very strong, agile and fast. This takes time and practice. It will probably take many months to develop up to the goals that you want. To start, using the tongue as explained, take my book, Tongue Level Exercises, and turn to Exercise 1 on page 8. Repeat each measure many times at a metronome setting that you can stay with. This could be any setting such as J = 52 or J = 92—possibly faster. In the

margin of your book mark down this tempo. Keep practicing over a period of time until this feels easy. When you can stay with the tempo easily, move the metronome up one notch. Mark it in the margin. (Note: one notch only). Now practice this until it becomes easy. Again, move the metronome up one more notch. Mark this tempo in the margin and keep practicing in the same manner. There are times when you think that it will never get faster, but stay with it and it will. By always marking your increased metronome tempo in the margin you will keep track of your progress. The exercise starts on “G” and goes up to 3rd space “C” and back down to low “C”. As you progress you can gradually add notes upwards until you are practicing with the metronome up to high “C”. In Setting up D rills by Herbert L. Clarke, published by Carl Fischer (02282), Group IV is a similar exercise that should be practiced in the same manner. Your goal should be tonguing sixteenth notes at J = 144, for one solid minute in one breath. It took me three years to accomplish this. It takes time and consistency of practice, every day. To build the strength of the tongue, one should spend at least 10 minutes to one-half hour daily, always using the metronome. The books that best serve this goal, besides the two mentioned above are: Clarke’s Technical Studies, Arban, Saint-Jacome, Ernest W illiams and Gatti. These books contain enough exercises to develop the tongue to a high degree of efficiency. Scale studies must also be used. Once you develop a good tongue, five minutes a day will keep you in top shape.

Some of the most prominent books for study: TITLE Tongue Level Exercises Daily Trumpet Routines Physical Approach to Elementary Brass Playing Systematic Approach to Daily Practice 27 Groups of Exercises for Cornet and Trumpet Lip Flexibilities 100 Original Warm-Ups Lip Flexibility on the Trumpet Daily Drills and Technical Studies for Trumpet Arban’s Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet (1982 Edition) Saint-Jacome's Grand Method for Trumpet or Cornet (Complete)

AUTHOR Claude Gordon Claude Gordon

P U B L IS H E R Carl Fischer Carl Fischer

Claude Gordon

Carl Fischer

Claude Gordon

Carl Fischer

Earl D. Irons Charles Colin Charles Colin

Southern Music Co. Charles Colin Charles Colin

Walter M. Smith

Carl Fischer

Max Schlossberg

M. Baron Co.

Carl Fischer

Carl Fischer

iMost of these books are available in both Treble and Bass Clef.

3. WIND CONTROL To control the wind power that you are developing is absolutely essential if you wish to play easily. Brute force can not accomplish this. It does take will power, which is about 90% of developing wind control. This takes time and correct practice.

27

The first time that you work through Herbert L. Clarke’s Technical Studies, you are not working for wind control. You must work on each study with the following models: First, single tongue, then “K” tongue, then double tongue (or triple tongue), and then slur as written. This time, practice just as written and spend one week on each model. Always practice this for accuracy; start with the chest up. Always get a good full sound and do not attempt to play too softly. Playing too softly at first will cause you to pinch and shut off your sound. Remember, keep the lungs full and breathe as often as necessary. It will take about eight months to complete the first eight studies with all of the models. The Etude of each study must be considered part of the study and practiced using the same model as the study. Do not attempt to follow the instructions in the book yet. These instructions are for the advanced development of wind control. Remember, the first time through the book is for accuracy, fingering and wind power. After finishing Technical Studies the first time through, you should be ready to start over again for wind control. Start on the First Study. To play softly you do not stop blowing. You must have a steady pressure of air. It should become a little stronger as you go up. So watch the crescendo markings and practice them. At the same time, watch your tongue movement. Take a big, comfortable breath, chest up, and start lightly, repeating each exercise 4 times, slurred in one breath. Even though playing lightly, always play strong enough to get a good sound. The upper notes, of course, will be a little stronger. With practice, you will be able to play more lightly and gain considerable speed. It is possible to play each of these 16 and more times in one breath, in a whisper all the way to top F. This takes practice, so stay with it. Again, always keep in mind that 1) the air does the work, and 2) the tongue channels the pitch. When you have attained a good amount of progress on the First Study, continue to the Second Study in exactly the same manner as written, in one breath. In the book, this study goes only to third space “C” (Concert B-flat). Continue this study up through Exercise 37—to high “C”. When sufficient progress has been made on the Second Study, continue on to the Third Study in the same way. Lightly as written, in one breath. Be sure to accent (or “Kick”) the top note of each arpeggio as follows:

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At first the top note will, of course, sound louder. In time you will be able to get the “Kick” of the air on the top note without the sound of the accent. However, make sure it sounds until this becomes automatic. (The air does the work.) As soon as sufficient progress is attained, move on to the Fourth Study, then the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Studies, each in exactly the same manner as prescribed. The Etude of each study should be practiced until it can be played with the breathing as marked. After all eight studies are completed, start over with the First Study and work through the book again, this time for more speed and repetitions and even more lightness.

28

4. THE UPS Contrary to popular opinion, THE LIPS DO NOT P L A Y THE HORN. Here is a copy of a letter sent to me by Herbert L. Clarke, after I had written him my problems in 1936.

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245 Prospect Ave. October 2nd 1938

M UNKUPAi. BAND D B T.

H0M SRTL.CLARKS «oetMU-ma

Mr-.Claude Cord ob, G reat'F alls, Hoot. Dear Ur.Gordon:

Tours of the 25th Of Sept. , has been ; rwarded :o . where I am f illin g an engagement « the. Los Angeles County Fair In Pomona, and w ill be-home next Honday. Not belng^ able -to see and ha ar y4u play th * cornet',’ I cannot- advise youwbat to do. But e m Lnulng to day r and as < 1T4P* » by j uthplece slip p in g to the 3 W ll } lower lip , worry about i t , aven i f soe'eYone t e lls y i th th i is wrong. r.i -

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-Z have changed.; ay system in playing oany tines during;ny c a re e r,s t Iving. to improve nys e lf and play e«sl'er, ln s p it* o f opinions o f others.

-The secret o f success is knowing Just UOff to practice« WHE8 and iTHAT, to Improve. ?i t o f a 1 1 , acquire HJffirC iTROL, ij 98% of lad instruoent la s ir iV.Ttoe» to strengthen the SEJSCLE3 of the lip s , by-proper; practtoe. And technic is the oost slMple of a l l , lf,o n e strengthens the muscles end fle x ttlU .tr of fin g e rs. I’ijeJcLIPS 'do not play the cornet. They only act “»--v« ' »rating,uedium , und should not be abused. Never