Buzzing in low register

[Savio]

How do you do it? In pedal register ?
Leif

[Burgerbob]

I don't.

[Doug Elliott]

I know a few people who can and do, but it's very difficult to buzz low in a way that relates to the way you should play that range.

It's very easy to buzz those notes in a way that doesn't relate - I recommend not doing that because it trains the wrong muscles and the wrong sensations.

[StefanHaller]

I have the suspicion that Leif was talking about mouthpiece buzzing, but Doug about free buzzing?

[Basbasun]

Well, I can buzz both mpc buzz and free buzzing in the low range in a way that is as close to trombone playing as possible. I can buzz pedaltones and walk in to the horn and out still buzzing. All buzzing is different from playing the horn though, free buzzing is different from mpc buzzing, mpc is different from playing. There are many fine brass players who don't buzz, there are some good players buzzing all over the place.
How I do it? It is very difficult to describe Leif, I have to think about a way to explane, but really, it is very close to the way I do play, I feel it is the same face muscles, and lots of air! The face muscles surounding the mouth must hold the lips in place.

[MAliesch]

I find that I CAN buzz in the lower registers all the way down to pedals on the mouthpiece in a way that relates to the horn, although it's still different from the way I play the horn. It's not a very pleasant sound down low. The mouthpiece has it's own resonances and resistance points. Partially covering the end of the shank with your finger helps to produce the resistance that you might need to buzz those notes in a useful way.

It can be useful as a calisthenics exercise, and also to help your ear get the pitches.

Freebuzzing below middle Bb feels VERY different to buzzing on the mouthpiece or horn for me. I'm not sure that it's even useful, and I only try this once every couple of months. The air required is tremendous; just a few notes in a row has me lightheaded.

You want to keep a compact buzz, and really try to concentrate on the aperture working towards efficiency. I do an exercise starting with a quarter note on middle Bb, followed by 4 quarters rest for controlled breathing. Repeat that for 4 times on the same pitch then move down a half step, increasing the rest interval as you get lower.

Then forget about buzzing, drink some water, and go back to real practice. You don't want to mess up your horn playing practicing fart noises.

Here's Ronald Wilkins doing some mouthpiece buzzing that seems to work for him. Keep in mind he's on a bass mouthpiece here, and pay attention to the sound: you can really hear his lips as he goes lower. Later in the first video he does it without the mouthpiece, but holds his fingers on his corners for stability.

[Mv2541]

How do you do it? In pedal register ?
Leif

I'm sure it has to do with being a downstream player, but pulling the mouthpiece away from the bottom lip is the way I buzz down there. I think in the copy of Joe's warm up he mentioned doing the same thing. It is not really related much to how I play except in terms of pitch and I think air speed. I doubt sound would come out the horn if I started to take my bottom lip too far off the rim.

[harrisonreed]

Holy backlit, Batman!!

He sounds so good, but is also a master of stealth technology!

[Savio]

Holy backlit, Batman!!

He sounds so good, but is also a master of stealth technology!

Batman finally plays the trombone?

Thanks for all answers!
I tried what Ron Wilkins did, and surprise, I could glissando from middle register down to pedal F. I had to make the mouthpiece pressure less and less as I go down. But no way I can play a melody there. Surprise I can buzz rather high but not like the video from Ron. It feels good as warm up to make glissando down.

Leif

[Pre59]

Now, Mr Wilkins and Mr lindberg having a discussion about the pros and cons of mp buzzing would be a video I'd like to see.

[trombonedemon]

I would imagine buzzing is better then not having anything at all, at some points its counterproductive b/c you really need the reality of the horn and the breaking of partials for the brain to conclude what to do. When is it most productive? For me, when you have done a lot playing and it would normally take a while to loosen the muscles up... Its completely personal Lindberg says nay, Alessi says yay. Listen to your heart is my 2 cents.

Playing the actual notes by playing the sounds on the horn can't be beat....Only we know what our chops feel though, etc......

One of the professors that I've used study with was a constant free buzzer and mouthpiece buzzing advocate but he was a tenor trombonist and very much jazz performer not unlike the trombonist mentioned above. I would love to hear from a symphony bass trombonist on the subject.

Would someone warmup any different if they had symphony gig vs. a jazz performance?

The articulations are different in the two genres, so why not warmup differently?

I'm interested on how or if he would change playing a "classical" genre.

[shider]

I would love to hear from a symphony bass trombonist on the subject.

Would someone warmup any different if they had symphony gig vs. a jazz performance?

The articulations are different in the two genres, so why not warmup differently?

I'm interested on how or if he would change playing a "classical" genre.

Brian Hecht has a vodeo on YouTube-Video, talking about Buzzing and warming up... It's on his private Channel and he has some other very interesting videos up on that!