Doc Reinhardt, Teele excercises, a foggy memory

[bigbandbone]

I've been working the Teele excercises since right after COVID19 hit. I've definitely been making progress. My "shift" point has dropped from pedal Bb down to pedal F. This makes a lot of things easier to play! But I'm struggleing with volume and length of notes.

Then I had a foggy memory of my lessons with Doc back in the mid '70's.

If my foggy memory is correct, Doc was a big proponent of "filling your lungs from the bottom to the top". Does anyone else remember that?

I vividly remember him picking up that 8H that was always laying there, watching his pot belly start to protrude as he inhaled, and then snapping back in when he would nail a high Bb.

I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now as I work the Teele excercises. Wow! It's like putting a super charger on a small block Chevy! Much more volume and longer duration of notes. I think it has to do with velocity of the air stream.

If anyone else who took lessons from him remembers this please chime in and let me know if I'm remembering correctly!

Back then I was a tenor player, now just bass.

[Bonearzt]

I've always known to fill from the bottom.

[Doug Elliott]

You are remembering correctly.
In the 10 years I studied with him, I heard him play that 8H four times. He had the biggest sound I think I've every heard, and he only played a few times a year. He kept in shape just by talking about it constantly in lessons.

[Basbasun]

Yes the corona break giv us time to go deep in some exersices like PT. All teachers I had (quite a few) say breath from the bottom to the top. Also the "third day" scale exercise is good to do, I use all major scales and melodic and harmonic minor too, so far. It does take some time, right? Must been a big experienc to study with Reinhardt, I only meet three players who did. well I did work together with players who apperently studied with DR, but we did not talk about things like that then.

[ArbanRubank]

I've never met the man nor have I ever seen him play - but I am pretty sure he used a Reinhardt embouchure.

[Doug Elliott]

I've never met the man nor have I ever seen him play - but I am pretty sure he used a Reinhardt embouchure.

I have no idea what that's supposed to mean.

[jthomas105]

I have never understood what Tim says.

[Basbasun]

" But I'm struggleing with volume and length of notes." Yes we all are. One thing, many students I played with too big apperture between the lips. The lips has to be able to meet. Try to keep the lips very close together. I hope this a good tip for you, if not, ditch it.

[tbonesullivan]

For bass trombone players, especially ones coming from tenor, using too much air is a major problem. Many also are playing with mouthpieces that may be too big or too open from them.

I've been playing tuba on and off for a while now, and I have found it improved my bass trombone note length capabilities, as I have learned to "slow down" my air, while still keeping the lips vibrating. In the end it's the vibrations that make the instrument resonate and make noise. It's not how much air you pump into it.