Don't confuse a sharp inner rim shape with having better stacatto.

 

Greetings Metaheads

Don't confuse a sharp inner rim shape with having better staccatto.

 

In the previous video number 33 of Romera Brass ACADEMY, we saw the three basic shapes of the rim. Rounded, semi-flat.  and those who have a sharp inner shape

In this video, I want to talk about the last one, but not about the rim, rather the confusion I see in many musicians with this type of rim.

Let me explain

Some musicians ask me for the inner shape of the sharp rim to have more or better precision in the staccatto.

I already warn you that this is a mistake, the precision of the staccatto is not found in the rim.

 

let's start.

 

These videos are designed for advanced level musicians.

 

If you don't have the staccatto clear or precise, normally or almost certain that the mouthpiece you're using, the airflow in the area of the throat or backbore, or both are either too open or too closed, in other words, they are not balanced with your way of playing and blowing air.

 

Imagine that you have several beats of silence... and you have to enter with a precise stacatto ta, ta, ta ta ta.

If, for example, the mouthpiece you play has an air passage too large for you.

"Sometimes the note may fail you and this makes you feel uneasy."

 

"And it's easy to think that with the sharp inner rim you'll have more precision, you feel more secure. If this helps you, I’m not saying it’s bad, as it can help you be more focused, but in many cases, it’s more mental than effective."

Since it is actually a false feeling.

 

Yes, the rim can give you more or less comfort, it can give you some security, but not a good sound. To have a good sound, the most important thing is to have the throat and the backbore balanced to your way of playing, to the speed and volume of the air you blow.

 

When we don't have these parts well balanced and we don't know it, what do we seek?? security in the rim and especially in the sharp inner rim, but since it is a false security, we want it to almost cut us and we tighten more than necessary, in a way, when we feel the pressure of the rim it makes us more focused.

I put the mouthpiece on my lip, feel the pressure from inside the rim, and performed the staccatto.

As I mentioned, this is not the best.

When this happens to you, you need to consult a specialist to balance the part of the throat and your backbore to your shape, speed, and volume of the air you blow.

 

When you achieve this balance, you will be able to relax a little and stop tightening and digging the rim into your lip.

It's already super complicated to play a metal instrument, and on top of that, you end up hurting your lip and getting even more tired.

 

In this chapter we have seen, 

The false belief that if we play with a sharp inner rim, we will have a better sound. But in fact, to have a good sound, you need to balance the throat and the backbore to your way of playing and blowing air.

"If you want to expand on why it is so important to balance the throat and backbore to your way of playing, you can see chapter number 19 where I talk about the acoustic phenomenon of sound reflection."

 

"We will delve a little deeper in upcoming chapters of Romera Brass ACADEMY", because the precision of the staccatto is found in the area of the throat and the backbore.

 

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I am Toni Romera and I look forward to your questions and comments.