In order to play all the following exercises correctly, you must constantly remember the precise gymnastics of the lips. Only exact movements will bring real flexibility, comfort in playing tongueless legato, and elegance.
So let us just recall the most important elements of the "ABC of the trombone"1.
In a natural slur between two notes you must avoid pulling back the corners of the mouth horizontally (sideways) on the higher note (the "smile").
Here is a good test of flexibility: -are lip trills easy?
-do ornaments (mordents, appoggiaturas etc.) sound elegant?
If the answer is no, familiarise yourself with the following principles
- raise the lower lip, pulled in slightly on to the incisors
- feel a pivot at the corners of the mouth
- for wide intervals raise the soft palate or velum, which opens the entry to the throat.
To get a practical example of this movement pronounce the sounds AY - EE*, as EE will make you push your lower jaw forward and up. The effectiveness, fluency and reliability of the trombonist's skill in natural slurs (Le. in flexibility) and in delaying the onset of fatigue depend entirely on following these movements strictly.
Doing the opposite, as uncontrolled instinct urges us to do, may produce a poor result despite great effort.
Guy Destanque
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Ver Extracto ♫ )
