Claude Gordon Brass Camp 1990 - Claude Gordon on Wind Control, Lips, and Face with Rich Hofmann

Transcript Summary

Overview

Claude Gordon teaches at the 1990 Brass Camp on using Herbert L. Clarke studies for technique and wind control, proper horn holding and valve action, backward practice methods, mouthpiece placement, the role of the lips and facial muscles, and advanced articulation models. The session emphasizes that wind control and finger technique are interlocked, that the lips only vibrate, and that students must practice systematically rather than rely on theory or appearance.

Key Teaching Points

• Clarke studies must first be learned for notes, fingerings, and accuracy before they become wind control studies.
• Dynamic markings in Clarke are important because they help train the wind to produce power, especially as the line ascends.
• Hold the trumpet firmly and flat in the hand, with the horn straight up and down; avoid awkward hand positions that reduce control.
• The right thumb should stay straight under the leadpipe on the first valve, not bent between valves.
• Valve fingers should lift clearly off the valves and strike firmly for clean technique; keeping fingers resting on the valves leads to mushy technique.
• Alternate fingerings are not “false fingerings”; they are correct fingerings when used in the right musical and technical context.
• Wind control in Clarke is developed through repetitions in one breath, eventually aiming for four repetitions in one breath while keeping the chest up.
• Technique and wind control are connected: without clean finger technique, wind control will suffer.
• Use the “how to practice” method: start at the end of a passage, work backward in small units, and require four correct repetitions before moving on.
• If a note is missed, that repetition does not count; repeating errors means practicing the miss.
• Students should maintain a calm, happy attitude while practicing and avoid getting upset about mistakes.
• For breath control goals, mark progress with pencil and gradually move the mark forward one note at a time.
• Never mark music in ink; use pencil and a good eraser so markings can be changed or removed.
• The lips do not play the brass instrument; they only vibrate.
• Facial muscles grip and hold the lips in place so they can vibrate, but students should not consciously manipulate them.
• As the player ascends, the lips do not need to become tighter; excessive tightness shuts off vibration.
• Claude Gordon strongly discourages mouthpiece buzzing and devices such as the BERP because they do not reproduce normal playing.
• Mouthpiece placement should be high enough to allow lip vibration, with the mouthpiece set up on the upper lip and resting on the lower lip.
• Side-to-side mouthpiece placement may vary depending on teeth and facial structure; slight off-center placement is normal.
• Gordon rejects the idea that the mouthpiece must be exactly centered or placed one-third upper lip and two-thirds lower lip.
• The mouthpiece should be moist; a dry mouthpiece restricts movement and can limit development.
• Students should avoid overusing mirrors and worrying about facial appearance; the body is a moving machine, and natural movement is necessary.
• Advanced articulation practice should include multiple models, not just the written exercise.
• Triple tonguing should be practiced in different models such as TTK, TKT, and KTK so articulation becomes automatic in any musical situation.
• Models in Arban and Saint-Jacome should be practiced thoroughly; the written exercise alone is not enough.

Topics Covered

• Herbert L. Clarke Technical Studies
• Clarke “black book” and “red book” text comments
• Wind control
• Breath control through repetitions in one breath
• Chest up while playing
• Trumpet holding position
• Valve technique and right-hand finger action
• Firm valve striking and high finger lift
• Alternate fingerings
• Correct fingering versus “false fingering”
• Practice method: working backward from the end
• Four correct repetitions
• Using pencil markings for breath-control progress
• Etude preparation and jury preparation
• Clarke etudes, including Etude No. 5
• Lip vibration
• Facial muscles and embouchure function
• Mouthpiece placement
• High mouthpiece placement
• Moist mouthpiece
• Embouchure change and its difficulty
• Avoiding mirror-based playing
• Mouthpiece buzzing criticism
• BERP criticism
• Gold and silver mouthpieces
• Arban triple tonguing
• Articulation models: TTK, TKT, KTK
• Double tonguing used in triplets
• Saint-Jacome articulation models
• Daily Routines and simple low-register models

People and Sources Mentioned

• Claude Gordon
• Herbert L. Clarke
• Rich Hofmann
• Rex
• Dave
• Carl
• Bob O’Donnell
• Don O’Donnell
• Arban
• Saint-Jacome
• Levy
• Liberati
• Méndez
• Irons
• Harry James
• Kyoshi
• Zig Kanstul
• Benge
• Martin
• Burbank
• Byron
• Tom
• Barry
• Paulson number
• Clarke book / Clarke studies
• Clarke Etude No. 5
• Systematic Approach
• Brass Playing book
• Beginner’s book
• Schlossberg book
• Arban book
• Arban seventh cornet solo, page 323
• Saint-Jacome, page 157
• Daily Routines
• BERP
• Bon Ami

Student Practice Applications

• Work through Clarke studies first for accuracy, fingerings, and familiarity before trying to build speed or breath-control goals.
• Practice Clarke studies with a monthly rotation: tongued, K Tongue Modified, double tongued, and slurred, as described by Gordon.
• Use breath-control goals gradually: start with what is possible, then work toward four repetitions in one breath without collapsing the chest.
• Keep the chest up at the end of long phrases instead of scrambling to finish with collapsed air support.
• Mark alternate fingerings carefully and only use them where they help the musical and technical pattern.
• Practice difficult passages backward: begin with the last few notes, repeat them correctly four times, then add earlier notes in small sections.
• Do not count a repetition if there is a mistake; stop reinforcing errors and rebuild the passage correctly.
• Use pencil marks to track breath progress and move the goal forward one note at a time.
• Keep pencils and an eraser in the instrument case for marking parts, fingerings, and practice goals.
• Lift valve fingers high enough to clear the valves and strike firmly for clean, even technique.
• Avoid obsessing over the lips; focus on blowing, sound, finger action, and correct practice habits.
• Do not tighten the lips excessively for high notes; allow the lips to vibrate while the facial muscles support naturally.
• Keep the mouthpiece moist before playing and avoid playing on a dry mouthpiece.
• If mouthpiece placement is severely low or dysfunctional, understand that changing it can take months or longer and requires commitment.
• Do not rely on mirrors to judge embouchure appearance; judge by results, sound, response, and endurance.
• Practice Arban and Saint-Jacome exercises through multiple articulation models, not only the printed version.
• Practice triple tonguing as TTK, TKT, and KTK so all attacks become even and usable in real music.
• Apply the same backward practice method to etudes, solos, school juries, and technical studies.
• Approach tedious practice with concentration and patience, because systematic repetition produces security and reduces performance nervousness.