Adam Ideas, From Karl Sievers.

[dbacon]

1. The imagination is the driving force behind music making. Hearing the
desired result vividly in your imagination will activate whatever physical
activity it takes to make that sound.

2. Every day and every repetition causes a more dependable result.
Inconsistency eventually vanishes as the body makes a habit out of the most
efficient way if finds to get the imagined result.

3. Most physical problems are air problems. When the air and the imagination
are working, the embouchure, tongue, etc. can settle into balance. If the
air never flows steadily the rest of your system will also be in a constant
state of adjustment and compensation.

4. Physical and psychological tension are the trumpeter's greatest foes.

5. A trumpet player needs to be involved with every note they play in an
energetic way-both physically and mentally. It takes a lot of energy to play
well. It shouldn't take a lot of force. If it does you are fighting against
yourself and/or the instrument.

6. We don't want our body to fight the physics and acoustics of the trumpet.
Those natural laws don't change. Therefore, we have to change our approach.

7. Unnecessary tension comes when the body is working against itself.
Isometric tension is created by opposing muscle groups which are at war.

8. Start the day by playing on the leadpipe/mouthpiece combination. Use
plenty of air and try to get the most steady and resonant sound you can. On
most Bb trumpets the concert Eb is the natural resonant pitch of the
leadpipe.

9. After you have set up the air flow and warmed up the embouchure (without
creating undue embouchure tension), transfer that approach to the trumpet.

10. Start with long tones or slowly moving flow studies with smaller
intervals. Every single thing you play all day is a tone study!

11. Establish a relaxed but energized airflow and a rich, resonant tone on
every note from the very first note.

12. Start in the middle register and gradually expand up and down
alternating higher/lower/higher/lower, etc.

13. Carry the beauty of sound and the free flow of energized breath into all
the other contexts: expand register, expand dynamics, go through all the
various articulations, lyrical playing, etc.

14. At all times remember to imagine a beautiful sound. Keep your attention
on that sound. Keep your energy up but never tense. Move that energized air
through your sound. Stay calm and mentally focused...never anxious.

15. Never get angry with yourself and never try to go so fast that anxiety
is created. If you do those things you are actually practicing being anxious
and upset when playing. Of course that is how you will feel emotionally when
you play if that is how you have practiced. Relax. It is supposed to be fun.
We don't work music. We play music.

[Trptmaster]

Great Post. Thanks for that info

[B5toLawler]

I've been taking lessons from Paul Butcher for a little over a month. He is teaching the Adams approach. This is a whole new ball game for me. But I am seeing progress. My problem is patience, every once in a while the light goes on and progress is made. However, old habits are hard to overcome. Especially when I need to play the old way for a performance because I have to hit the notes. Is there a way to balance practice and performance while learning the new method? I'm not frustrated, I just want the new method to work now! Of course this is part of the Adams method, it's almost a spiritual harmony between you and the horn, or in other words, let the horn do the work. Or as in golf, relax and let the club do the work. Does anyone have suggestions on how to relax and let the air flow? Or are there any routines to help?

Thanks,
Dan

[dbacon]

I sure don't have the answers, but here's a couple of possibilities.

Great trumpet playing comes from.....NOT doing a bunch of things!

Keep the corners firm, even teeth, less pressure on the upperlip, get the pinky out of the octave key, close the aperture, tongue on the gumline, open the aperture, teeth apart, open the throat, close the teeth, pick up the laundry...

When you can turn all that physical function over to the subconsious where the wiring can handle it you have a chance. Direct all the complexity with the correct commands. One of my favorites comes from Don Jacoby. High notes are just farther away. G in front of the bell, octave up is a foot out, high C across the room, high G out to the parking lot, Double C over to the next building etc. Helps me move air faster and I can use mental imagery to do complex physical function with simple instruction.

I also end up using LESS PRESSURE!!

And I can remember to pick up my laundry with the remaining brain capacity......

Another thought about habits.

You can't break bad habits, you just substitute new ones.

That comes from Arnold Jacobs. He gave me that in a lesson and it's helped me everyday since!

Program the habits you want with those Adam practice routines (Schlossberg, Arban, Clarke...solid gold stuff) and....LISTEN!!

You can hear an awful lot just by listening....


Dave Bacon

[Horn of Praise]

Hi Dave,

Yep. Too much thinking can bring everything to a
"screeching halt". The embouchure will find its way...naturally.

Be well.

[Nonsense Eliminator]

B5 --

One of the hardest things to do is get past the "whatever it takes" approach to playing the trumpet, particularly if that's been kind-of-sort-of working for you. Every time you play a note on the trumpet, you send a message to your subconscious: "This is how we make this particular sound." Your subconscious is stupid. It doesn't know the difference between the "right way" and the "wrong way". So every time you do it right, you're teaching yourself to do it right. And every time you do it wrong, you're teaching yourself to do it wrong -- that is, you're making yourself into a worse trumpet player.

The only way to avoid counterproductive playing or practicing is to ALWAYS stay focussed on playing properly, i.e. producing "THE" sound. You probably think that there are times when you "need" to cheat. Chances are, you're wrong. If you can do it wrong, you can do it right. You just need to convince yourself of that. Do not ALLOW yourself to do it wrong. Do it right, or fail totally. You will probably be surprised by how often you succeed.

[dbacon]

That's an excellent post, THANKS! Your opinion will be highly valued here. This adds an interesting twist to a very important thought process.

[Horn of Praise]

I am glad that NE brought up the issue of "sound" and the "subconscious". I had been practicing at work (after work) all summer because the building I work in is approximately 3,000 square feet and the acoustics are very good. I love the feedback I get. I was improving and playing well (for me).

I tried playing in the basement of my townhouse about a half-dozen times because 1) the neighbors didn't mind, and 2) I was able to come home earlier.

Well, playing in the much smaller and acoustically poor basement had me "messed up" in no time flat. I quickly found myself reverting back to old habits because my subconscious/conscious/ears were "not happy" with what was going on.

This recent experience made me wonder how I ever made any headway in practice rooms as a kid. Maybe I just didn't know any better.

Good thread!