42. Problems, Technical, Physical, Mouthpiece
Greetings, MetalHeads,
In this chapter, I want to be honest with you: there are times when a new mouthpiece is not the solution. And I won't be able to help you.
Each problem can have several causes, and we are going to analyze them today, right here, at Romera Brass ACADEMY.
When a musician consults me, it's because they think the problem lies with the mouthpiece.
But when we analyze it, other causes might emerge that are not related to the mouthpiece.
Most of the difficulties you might encounter while playing your instrument can be grouped into three main categories:
• Technical problems
• Physical problems
• Mouthpiece problems
Or you may not have any of the above, and the mouthpiece is simply not aligned with your playing style.
Analyzing and understanding where you stand is crucial before considering changing your mouthpiece or seeking quick fixes.
Let me give you an example to help you understand these three cases.
Imagine you're having trouble with your articulation, and it feels slow.
That same symptom could easily stem from any of the three categories we've discussed.
Technical problem
In some cases, the problem is purely technical: your tongue is slow, and fast articulation simply isn't for you, always falling short of the required speed.
The solution here is clear: technical work, specific exercises, gradually training the tongue, and progressively increasing the tempo.
Another technical problem I've seen more than once, related to articulation, which has surprised me greatly, is the following:
some musicians, with each articulation, give small diaphragm pushes.
If you articulate with diaphragm pushes, you have a limit: you'll never be able to go fast, and your articulation will always be heavy and slow.
This is also a technical problem, and if it happens to you, you'll need to correct it.
We've seen two cases that are technical problems, and now we move on to a physical problem.
Physical problem with articulation
For example, having a misaligned tooth in the front.
In this case, the tongue cannot completely block the airflow when articulating, because it hits that misplaced tooth first.
This causes physical interferences that prevent clean and fluid articulation.
Here, the options are clear, though perhaps more difficult to resolve:
either that physical problem with the misplaced tooth is corrected, or, if not possible, you have to work with special care to learn to live with that limitation.
I've seen musicians with very badly positioned teeth who still have excellent articulation. So, keep your spirits up.
And finally
You have no technical problems.
You have no physical problems.
You practice articulation every day with the metronome:
ta, ta, ta… ta-ta… ta-ta-ta…
and still, you can't achieve clean and fast articulation.
In these cases, it's usually a very clear symptom that the mouthpiece is not balanced with the air you're expelling.
It's almost certain that some part of the mouthpiece—in the throat or the backbore—is too open or too closed for the amount of air you use.
And here, indeed, the mouthpiece becomes a key part of the problem.
In summary
Many musicians tell me they have problems with articulation, with the high register, with the low register…
And all they do is buy mouthpiece after mouthpiece, thinking that one day they will find the magic mouthpiece that will solve their problem.
(In these cases, don't worry… I can sell you all the mouthpieces you want).
But jokes aside, don't fall into this trap.
If you have a problem, the first thing you should do is analyze where it's coming from.
And as you've seen in this chapter, the cause is usually one of these three points:
• a technical problem,
• a physical problem,
• or a mouthpiece that is not balanced with your playing style.
So, if you have a problem, analyze it from various points of view, realistically and with an open mind.
And if the problem really is the mouthpiece, then yes, I can help you.
I am Toni Romera and I await your questions and comments.
Greetings and much music.