[Dixielandjazz] trumpet health question

[Custode at aol.com]

Your student is most likely experiencing neck pain due to tension in his  
left arm and neck.  He is probably struggling visibly while playing,  especially 
when trying to produce notes above his comfort level.  
 
Here are my suggestions:
 
1) Have him practice lip buzzing, without the horn and mouthpiece.   This 
involves producing a steady series of tones with just the lips, eventually  
buzzing a scale over the span of an octave.
 
2) Next, practice mouthpiece buzzing using the same concept.  It is  
important to hold the mouthpiece at the end, which minimizes pressure on the  lips.
 
It is important in both instances to keep the arms, neck and throat relaxed  
with no visible tension.  When your student masters these techniques, he  
should be able to play the instrument with the same relaxed approached.
 
Finally, the whole approach to playing high notes should be redirected to  
playing "higher tones."  This is a concept where the player is focused on  
producing tones that are higher musically, not higher physically.  To be  exact, 
the notes are not high above the clients brow, but instead are further  out in 
front of the bell of the horn.  In order to produce the higher  tones, the 
player needs to push the air out of the end of the  instrument "faster and 
farther" than the lower tones.  Admittedly, it  is more of a conceptual way of 
playing that will take time to develop.  But  once mastered, it will expand the 
useful range of the trumpet player on a more  relaxed and musical basis.
 
Hope this helps,  
 
Lewis D.  Custode, Jr., CLU, ChFC
_LDC  Advisory Services_ (http://www.myfinancialpro.net/custode)