Blowing Out

Playing is an extension of breathing.

When blowing out, most young trombonists either...
(1) Don't use enough air, or
(2) Blow with an air stream that is too forced
(or both )

When buzzing and playing ..... BLOW FREELY!
Let the air flow past your lips just a cello bow glides past the string, setting it in vibration.

Try this: "Blowing-In" the Notes

Blow air gently through your mouthpiece. Then, bring your lips together so they start buzzing. IMPORTANT: keep the air flowing, don't pinch off the air flow. If you have an incentive spirometer, make sure the ball stays elevated.
This technique isn't correct with respect to embouchur formation but it helps many players see how they tend to pinch as they start a note.

Try this: Experiencing pressure vs. volume

The air you blow can be defined through its pressure and volume. Try saying "sssssssss" very loudly. When doing this, you experience air under high pressure but with low volume. Try hanging a kleenex in front of your mouth while doing this. It didn't move much, did it?
Try blowing warm, moist air as though you were fogging up a window (or warming up your hands on a cold day). Now you are experiencing air with low pressure and high volume.

Lower notes require lower pressure and higher volume. Higher notes require higher pressure and less volume.

Most trombonists use too much air pressure and too little air volume for the note they are playing.

You are probably playing your high F with air pressure and volume that is more appropriate for a high B-flat. In other words, you're working too hard!

Try this: Point of resonance

Try blowing across the open end of a straight mute. Or, try blowing across the opening of a large jug. What kind of air makes it vibrate best? Lots of warm, relaxed air. If you blow with fast, intense air, you don't get more sound, just more junk in the sound. The mute has a point of resonance - a point where the air volume and pressure are just right to make it vibrate fully.
Your embouchure is no different. For any given note, there is a natural point of resonance where you get the most efficient buzz. As you buzz your mouthpiece and play your trombone, seek the point of resonance for each note.

Try this: Pinwheels

Try buzzing your mouthpiece while pointing it at a pinwheel. Can you make the pinwheel spin as you buzz? When you get it right, you'll feel like a lot of air is flowing out without any "pushing" or "forcing." You'll also hear feel like you are losing air rapidly. If a pinwheel isn't handy, try holding a kleenex suspended a few inches in front of your mouthpiece. You can even use the back of your hand. This free flowing air should help you to achieve a full, resonant buzz.
For an unusual pinwheel exercise, try carefully removing the outer slide and playing through only the inner slide. The notes won't be as centered - don't worry about that. Try "playing" a low G (it should work on most inner slides). Have someone hold that pinwheel out in front of the inner slide as you play. Once you can make it spin with lots of free-blowing air, put the outer slide back on and play a low G. Is your sound more full?

Try this: Incentive spirometer

Besides pinwheels and tissue paper, you might wish to purchase an incentive spirometer (commonly sold under the brand name Insprx). Instead of breathing in through the spirometer, turn it upside down, insert the mouthpiece and try buzzing into it. Can you make the ball rise as play? This device is especially useful for buzzing articulated passages. Can you make the little ball "jump" with each articulation?

 Too often, the tongue is the enemy of good air flow. Don't think of starting notes with the tongue. Think of the air blowing the tongue out of the way to start a note.

Here are a few wonderful sayings that help with this concept:

• Get right to the "ah" of "tah."
• Not Tah, but tAH
• Get the air right in front of the note.
• From the world of choral singing, here's another: Put the syllable on the downbeat.

Try This: Breath Attacks

Try beginning notes without the tongue. By using breath attacks and relying solely on the air to start the note, you have to become more efficient delivering the air to the embouchure. This is especially useful during warm-ups.

Try This: Silent blowing

Try practicing a passage using silent blowing. In other words, move your slide and blow air through the horn, but don't produce any tones (keeps your lips apart to achieve this). Let your air reflect the music you are playing. For example, blow faster air for higher notes and "bigger" air for louder notes. Keep the air absolutely smooth for legato passages.

This practice technique is excellent for a variety of uses:

1. It sharpens mental focus on the music,
2. It can be used when the embouchure is fatigued and needs a rest
3. It can reveal bad habits with air flow during legato passages and
4. It can be used for "hallway practice" right before walking into an audition.

To avoid the "thudding" sound (helicopter effect) that results from using normal articulation with silent blowing, you may wish to experiment with tonguing a bit higher and farther back in the roof of the mouth. Use this altered style of tonguing only for silent blowing practice, not for actual performance (see also gliss practice).