Claude Gordon Brass Camp 1991 - Claude Gordon on The Tongue with Tom Brozene

Transcript Summary

Overview

Claude Gordon teaches a Brass Camp session focused on the role of the tongue in brass playing, using Tom Brozene and other students for demonstrations. Building on the previous day’s discussion of Wind Power and the pedal register, Gordon reviews his core rules: “Air does the work” and “The tongue channels the pitch.” He explains pedal register fingerings, correct tongue position, tongue level, interval training, and the importance of daily disciplined practice. The session strongly connects Gordon’s teaching to Herbert L. Clarke, Arban, Saint-Jacome, Liberati, and other historic brass sources.

Key Teaching Points

• Gordon restates the first rule of brass playing: “Air does the work.”
• The second rule introduced in this session is: “The tongue channels the pitch.”
• Pedal register fingerings on trumpet and trombone should use the same fingerings or slide positions as the low octave; Gordon warns against alternate pedal fingering systems that create confusion.
• The tongue is presented as one of the most misunderstood subjects in brass playing and as essential not only for attacks, but also for pitch, range, sound, and control.
• Gordon teaches that the very tip of the tongue should remain at or against the lower teeth and should not rise above them.
• He distinguishes between the “very tip” of the tongue and the broader front or tip area of the tongue, explaining that the center/front of the tongue may strike while the very tip remains down.
• He rejects the idea of rigid “anchor tongue,” emphasizing that the tongue is never rigid and must remain flexible.
• He explains that syllables change because the tongue moves, using “ah,” “ee,” and “see” as examples.
• He demonstrates that pitch changes on the trumpet depend on tongue movement; when the tongue is locked in one position, the note cannot move up or down properly.
• Gordon states that there is no true “lip trill” in the common sense; he argues that trills are produced by tongue movement and should more accurately be understood as tongue trills.
• He compares brass playing tongue motion to whistling, where pitch changes also depend on tongue position.
• Each note has its own tongue position, and missed notes often occur when the tongue is not in the correct position.
• Intervals train the tongue to find note positions accurately, not merely the lips.
• Gordon emphasizes practicing models in all keys to train the tongue thoroughly.
• The syllable “tee” is recommended, especially as the player ascends; Gordon warns against relying on “too,” which he says came from an incorrect translation from French sources.
• He teaches that playing should occur in the front of the mouth, not with a back-of-the-mouth tongue arch that shuts off the air.
• He shows a medical-style tongue diagram to demonstrate that the front of the tongue can rise while the throat remains open.
• He stresses that double and triple tonguing should also develop forward in the mouth, with the K moving closer to the T through practice.
• Gordon connects ease in range to correct air support, chest position, and tongue position rather than lip squeezing or force.
• He emphasizes concentration, preparation, walking, breathing exercises, sleep, and daily practice as essential parts of becoming a great player.
• He warns students not to believe stories that great players simply take the horn out of the case and play without preparation.
• He encourages students to value long-term disciplined work over convenience or shortcuts.

Topics Covered

• Wind Power
• Pedal register
• Pedal register fingerings
• Low octave fingering in the pedal register
• Trumpet valve fingerings for pedal tones
• Trombone slide positions in the pedal register
• French horn alternate fingerings
• Breathing exercises and walking
• Chest position and wind support
• Rule one: “Air does the work”
• Rule two: “The tongue channels the pitch”
• The tongue in brass playing
• Tongue level
• K Tongue Modified
• The very tip of the tongue
• Tongue position against the lower teeth
• Flexible tongue motion
• Rejection of rigid “anchor tongue” terminology
• Staccato production
• Tongue striking with the center/front of the tongue
• Syllables: ah, ee, see, tee, too
• To-and-fro motion of the tongue
• Front-of-the-mouth tongue arch
• Incorrect back-of-the-mouth tongue arch
• Open throat and tongue motion
• Pitch change by tongue movement
• Interval training
• Models in all keys
• Range development
• High register and double register playing
• Tongue trills as opposed to “lip trills”
• Whistling as an analogy for tongue-controlled pitch
• Double tonguing and triple tonguing
• Daily practice discipline
• Concentration and avoiding missed notes
• Warm-up and preparation before performance
• Trumpet-player routines on the road
• Tone, range, and register control

People and Sources Mentioned

• Claude Gordon
• Tom Brozene
• Jeff Purtle
• Herbert L. Clarke
• Clarke’s Characteristic Studies
• Clarke’s exercises
• Arban
• Arban’s book
• Saint-Jacome
• Saint-Jacome book, including interval studies around page 157
• Liberati
• Liberati’s book
• Irons
• Irons’ 27 Groups of Exercises
• Claude Gordon’s Brass Playing book
• Claude Gordon’s Tongue Level book
• Claude Gordon’s Daily Routines book
• Walter Smith
• Walter Smith book
• Dave Evans
• Bobby O’Donnell
• Carl Leach
• Larry Miller
• Rich Hoffman
• Maynard Ferguson
• Conrad Gozzo
• Doc Severinsen
• Del Staigers
• Bellstedt
• Kryl
• ITG Journal
• Paris Conservatory
• Bandmasters Convention
• Selmer video crew
• Columbia live broadcasts

Student Practice Applications

• Review and memorize Gordon’s two rules: “Air does the work” and “The tongue channels the pitch.”
• Use standard low-octave fingerings when practicing the trumpet pedal register, rather than alternate pedal fingerings that complicate the system.
• Practice breathing exercises and walking consistently, as Gordon assigns, to build wind power and playing stamina.
• Keep the chest up while playing so the wind support remains available and stable.
• Experiment carefully with spoken syllables such as “ah,” “ee,” and “see” to feel how the tongue changes vowel shape while the very tip remains near the lower teeth.
• Practice sensing the very tip of the tongue at the lower teeth, while allowing the front or center of the tongue to move freely for articulation and pitch.
• Avoid making the tongue rigid; the tongue should be flexible and responsive.
• Use “tee” rather than “too” as the guiding syllable, especially when ascending.
• Practice intervals slowly and accurately to train the tongue to find each pitch position.
• When an interval misses, analyze whether the tongue position, air support, or concentration was at fault instead of blaming the lips alone.
• Use Saint-Jacome-style interval work to train the tongue’s ability to move cleanly between notes.
• Practice models in all keys, as Gordon recommends, to make the tongue more reliable across the instrument.
• In lip trill practice, think of the tongue moving rapidly between pitch levels rather than trying to move the lips.
• When working on high notes, avoid squeezing the lips; coordinate wind power, chest position, and correct tongue level.
• Develop double and triple tonguing in the front of the mouth, allowing the K to move forward through long-term practice.
• Do not expect a major technical change, such as correct tongue level, to settle in within only a few days; Gordon’s examples show that it may take months of consistent work.
• Warm up and prepare before playing jobs or performances rather than relying on the myth of playing perfectly straight out of the case.
• Build concentration by marking mistakes, noticing patterns, and reducing careless errors through focused practice.
• Practice every day; Gordon repeatedly stresses that one day of practice followed by several days off will not produce results.
• Study the assigned reading from the Brass Playing book, Tongue Level book, Daily Routines, and related sources exactly as directed, focusing on understanding the concepts rather than rushing ahead.