Upstream versus Downstream part II
I have my own take on this issue of upstreaming and downstreaming. To a great extent I agree with the models set forth by Dr. Reinhardt with some minor differences. I do believe that mouthpiece placement determines where the airstream enters the cup of the mouthpiece, and I also believe that a person's dental bite is responsible for the player's horn angle.
When I play, I employ as little movement of the horn as possible. I use the analogy of a car with all the "fancy" gadgets. The more gadgets there are, the greater chance there is that something is bound to go haywire. When I play, I use my jaw to make adjustments to my playing. Similar to the views held by Roy Stevens, I use my jaw as a rudder and resonator. The question I get asked fairly often is, "Do you have a pivot, and if so, how often do you use it?" The answer to this question is as follows: Yes, I have a natural pivot that I use very rarely. I use it when I am making an interval change in the extreme upper register that is greater than a third. I pivot the horn downward, at the same time that my jaw is moving outward and upward. The outward appearance of this manuever is very slight. The average observer might notice the bell of the horn move very slightly downward, if at all. I can play three octave jumps with very little horn movement. I employ; as referred to by Douglass Smith; the Weldon System. My teeth are even on a low f# below the staff, but as I ascend the jaw comes out beyond the upper teeth edges as the horn angle remains neutral. I agree with the Smith article that this system of playing is definately a non-pivot system. The only time a pivot is neccessary is when the interval to be played is an "extreme" one. Some observers have said that I employ the "Super Chops" system, but according to what I have read about the system; ie - lower lip over the top teeth; do not believe that I employ that system of playing.
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An article appeared in September, 1954 issue of the "Instrumentalist" magazine. The article was written by Vincent Malek, and was entitled "Embouchures of Professional Trumpet-Cornet Players". The article as its title implied, was a study comparing 52 expert players/performers of trumpet-cornet. I want to focus on item #3 of the conclusions of the study, and I quote, "Extreme recessions and protrusions of the lower jaw tend to be incompatible with fine performance. Lack of such conditions among the players in the sample strongly suggests this conclusion".
Once again we read some strong statements made from brass pedagogists that could very well be misconstrued by less experienced players. Let us translate item #3.
Because none of the 52 players we sampled played with extremely receeded or protruded jaws, we're going to ASSUME that players that play under those conditions will never be "fine" players.
Now doesn't that sound a bit ridiculous? What ever happened to scientific evaluation, and "control" groups? How can such a hypothesis be made if players with stongly protruded jaws, or strongly receeded jaws were never evaluated? I can rationalize and say that we need to understand that this article was written in 1954, but that rationalization doesn't "hold water". There were many outstanding players in 1954 that had extreme overbites, and underbites.
The point of this article was to raise some issues and questions. Let's start by stating the questions and issues that were raised.
Questions
1-When someone asks what is meant by an upstream player what definition do we use?
2- Do we respond saying that it is a technique?
3- Do we respond saying that it is the way the airstream enters the cup of the mouthpiece?
4 - Is it a tecnique, or is it based on our mouthpiece placement and our dental bite?
Issues/Questions
1- Is there a bias towards the underbite player that exists to this day, or just misinformation?
2-If there is a bias, would you not agree that students are being hurt by this bias?
3-Can you think of teachers/players that are criticized today for having "different" views on trumpet playing?
Keeping in mind that this is not a dissertation, let's try to answer the Questions first.
Based on the articles that I have read, and my own experience; I tend to concur with Dr. Reinhardt's findings, that "Upstreaming and downstreaming" is simply the way the airstream enters the mouthpiece, and is determined by the mouthpiece placement. It can be controlled through horn angle and pivot, but mouthpiece placement makes the final determination on whether a player is an upstreamer or downstreamer. I came to this conclusion while reading the original "Costello" manuscript, in which he states that you need to start his exercises with the trumpet on the left palm, and with a 1/3 top, 2/3 bottom mouthpiece placement. When a student asks me if "upstreaming" is a system, my reply is that it is the direction in which the airstream enters the mouthpiece with some individuals, and it is determined by the placement of their mouthpiece, and their dental bite.
Now, let's address the Issues/Questions that were raised:
1- Is there a bias towards the underbite player that exists to this day, or just misinformation?
The answer to this question would be a resounding "YES". I just read an article three months ago discussing "chin tuck abnormalities amongst underbite players".
2-If there is a bias, would you not agree that students are being hurt by this bias?
There IS a bias, and students are getting hurt by this bias on a continuing basis. There are prominent players that state that they play the Roy Steven's system as downstreamers- How confusing is that statement to a student ? First, The Roy Stevens system is in reality the Costello system, and is based on the foward jaw principal, and blowing the air in an upward direction. I studied with Roy Stevens, and if you did not play with a foward jaw, he would not teach you.
3-Can you think of teachers/players that are criticized today for having "different" views on trumpet playing?
Teachers of differing idealogies wil always be crticized for their views. Ironically it is the teachers and players that are willing to share their "different views", that get criticized most often. I remember attending the NY Brass Conference for Scholarships back in 1974. My father and I had decided to stay for the night concert presentations. We left the hotel to have some dinner before the night presentation. When we returned, we heard some "screaming loud" high notes in the stairwell of the Hotel. It was Jerry Callet standing off to the side in the stairwell giving his philosophy, which at the time he called "Trumpet Yoga". Curious trumpet players were entering the "seldom" used stairwell, (actually I believe it was an emergency fire exit), to see who was playing these super powerful sounds. Jerry would play these deafening sounds while standing on his head! When my father and I left the scene, all we heard was criticism. I remember hearing several prominent trumpet players saying : "The man's crazy!" He ruins more players than he helps" Why don't they kick him out of here" "He's a distraction". I also remember Jerry's challenge. He would offer a large sum of money to anyone that could outlast and out play him. Back in 1974, Jerry Callet was treated as an outcast by many professional players.
When a student comes into my office, I do a diagnosis of how that student plays. I teach according to what "I see". I don't teach a specific "system" of playing. I have students that play as upstreamers, and students that play as downstreamers. I have many outstanding students. I am a dedicated teacher, and I get results. I am not afraid of criticism, and believe me, I receive it in newsgroups and forums all the time.
I published a newsletter five years ago entitled, "Trumpet Talk" (some copies still available). It was a disaster. The majority of my time was spent defending my views. Well, my father started getting very ill, and I decided that it was more important to spend my time with him. I am happy that I made that decision.
One last word: As long as there are people that choose to follow the beat of a different drummer, there will always be those people looking to place stumbling blocks in their path.
If any readers have any specific questions or comments concerning this topic - feel free to e-mail me. I receive e-mails concerning articles that I have written quite often, and I respond promptly upon receiving them. Sincerely,
Wayne
wtrager@msn.com
