Exercise 5

 Click Exercise for Printable Version

Exercise 5 is designed to get you to play with the same tone color in all ranges.

The first note must be brick shaped with no hints (tightening, going sharp or flat) before you slam the air straight ahead to hit the sffz note. Play with a little separation but not short notes. Whatever you do do not stop the notes with your tongue!

Exercise 5 is an aiming exercise. Our goal is to play with as little mouth motion as possible. We know it is working when the notes have the same tone color all the way through the ranges.

We use the sffz note as a template for the other notes. It needs to sound vastly different than the note before it. Blast that sucker!

To play Exercise 5

• Tongue the first note cleanly and make it as brick shaped as possible
• Slur down using a blast of air, as if someone punched you in the stomach
• Make the sffz note LOUD. Hit it hard
• Try to play the subsequent notes by aiming in the same place as the sffz note

It will be difficult at first to play the sffz notes going up. This is normal and shouldn't worry you. Even if the note is fuzzy or weak or even if it doesn't speak that's ok but note where you aimed at it and play the notes going up in the same place, aiming at the target and pushing from Place #6 every time.

Soon enough you will find that your high range has the same bright sound as your midrange and your control over your low range will increase.

This exercise was inspired by the Til Eulenspiegel solo.