Click this link for the updated website
Good Practice Habits!
Good musicians work hard to develop their performance skills. It is very important for each student to practice their instrument every day. A lot of good habits and bad habits can be formed at this vital time in your musical education. Take the time and practice correctly.
1. If you make a mistake, go back and fix it.
2. If your tone sounds wrong, go back and fix it.
3. If your tonguing sounds wrong, go back and fix it.
4. If the notes sound wrong, go back and fix it.
The point of the topics listed above is to prevent the students from running through their music and calling it practice. They should work to make it better every time they play. The correct methods are taught and modeled in class, so always refer to Mr. Fox's instructions. A few of the important ideas are listed below, but keep in mind that nothing will assist you more than lots and lots of practice on your own at home.
Flute
To develop the correct lip formation ( embouchure) you must say pooh!" Keep the corners of your mouth firm and pulled back slightly. You should never pucker your lips forward like blowing into a pop bottle. Keep a very tiny hole in the center of your lips and pretend that your are holding a thin straw in that hole. Blow through the pretend straw in the "pooh" formation and direct the air toward your left elbow if your are correctly holding the flute. We have covered that in class as well. If you are doing everything correctly, you should produce a nice sound out of the flute. Of course it isn't as simple as it sounds. There are many variables that may occur, but this should get your starting in the right direction.
Clarinet
Take your index finger and place it flat against your lower lip and chin. This will cause your lower jaw to come forward in order to flatten the chin. Now, with the same finger and the flat jaw, touch your lower lip which should be pulled slightly over the lower teeth. There should only be a sliver of skin over the lower teeth if this is done correctly, and it should feel like a cushion. Next, you may place the clarinet reed and mouthpiece on that cushion. Put your top teeth on top of the mouthpiece and wrap your lips around it. Remember to keep the lower lip cushion and flat chin as you do this. Keep this formation very firm around the mouthpiece and send air into it. A tone should produce. Give this some practice!
Alto Saxophone
Say "Meew!" like a French cow. Place the mouthpiece and reed combination in the mouth and rest the reed on your lower lip. Place your top teeth on top of the mouthpiece and wrap your lips around the mouthpiece like a drawstring trash bag. Send air through the instrument and a decent tone should produce. Practice this and keep the lips firmly wrapped around the mouthpiece.
Trumpet
Say "MMMM" like something tasted very good. Keep that same lip formation with the corners of your mouth anchored back. Blow air through a tiny hold in the center of your lips as if an imaginary straw was present. Keep this same formation and place the mouthpiece on your lips. There should be 2/3 of the mouthpiece on the lower lip and 1/3 on the upper lip. The lower lip will actually create most of the buzzing. Keep the lip formation mentioned above and send air through that imaginary straw. This time, try to buzz your lips firmly together as you blow. This should created a steady buzzing sound. Practice!
Trombone
Say "Oh" and keep this formation. In the "Oh" formation, say "oo!" This is the appropriate lip formation for the trombone and baritone, and sometimes the tuba. Blow air through an imaginary tube in the center of your lips and keep the "Oh-oo" formation. Now place the mouthpiece on your lips. The mouthpiece should feel slightly high on your face due to the size. Send air through the mouthpiece with the "Oh-oo" formation and try to buzz your lips together at the same time. You should come out with a steady buzzing pitch.