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RE: physics & desire + a bit on the anti contest thread

Nigel Stobbs wrote:

"I've been reacquainting myself with the joys of the upper Bb register in
recent days.....

I seem to remember when I was a nipper a grizzled old Soprano player
suggesting that one ought to suspend one's cornet from a rafter, make
contact with the instrument by using the lips only, then  try producing
decent notes with the minimal amount of lip pressure which the laws of
physics will allow.  This was supposed to encourage that delicacy of lip
pressure necessary to play the upper register consistently without lip
destruction.

Was he having me on??"

He certainly wasn't, it was one of the techniques my trumpet teacher showed 
me when I said I wanted to swap to a non pressure embrochure (it didn't pan 
out too well so I gave up on the idea). Another thing I was told which 
helps build up the lip muscles esp. in the upper register is lay on your 
back and play long scales going upwards whilst using a cup mute (preferably 
one of the adjustable kind as it adds even more resistance).

HTH

Various people have made comments on whether we should or shouldn't have 
contests so I thought that I'd chip in with my penneth.
Alec wrote:

"I have an even better idea.  Abolish all contests.  They stifle 
creativity;
they prove absolutely nothing, because any adjudication in a brass band
contest is necessarily subjective; they have restricted the repertoire; 
they
have restricted the instrumentation; they have hindered brass bands in
gaining respectability and credibility as a musical medium;  in 99% of 
cases
they cost the competing band money"

Ok, lets compare this to something like the ABRSM instrumental grading 
scheme
There's only one examiner in the room - he/she must biased then!
There's a set list of pieces you have to choose from - most restrictive
If you count the cost of all the lessons and your instrument and the cost 
of the actual exam then you're well out of pocket.
Maybe you should abolish these as well as you don't get any money back for 
passing them!

"they are of absolutely no interest or consequence to anyone outside of 
those directly or closely linked with brass bands; in short, contests have 
held brass bands back from the day they were invented. They are utterly 
futile."

I believe this is a matter of media coverage. When I played in Youth 
Orchestra we were invited to play at the RAH for the schools proms after 
performing in the National Music for Youth Festival and Anglia News 
followed us around for the day. They only did a 5 minute expose in the end 
but it brought us into the spotlight and for the rest of the year all our 
concerts were practically sold out. Now if a similar thing were to happen 
in the banding world .......


Richard

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