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Re: Long tones

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-10-23 22:42

The usefulness of "long tones" IMO is in checking on and developing your basic tone quality and level of control without the complicating influence that finger motion can have.

I tend to agree with Paul that "any time you are NOT tonguing, you are technically doing 'long tones.'" In fact, to go even further, any time you're playing continuously, even if you're articulating, you're placing mostly the same stresses on the muscles that form your embouchure, so that correct, efficient playing of almost any sort will have the same benefit of building endurance. So I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if playing long tones has failed to improve your endurance. You're tiring quickly because somewhere in your way of producing a tone you're working too hard. Two most likely reasons, already suggested, are playing out of habit with too much exertion (unnecessary tension or pressure) or playing on too resistant equipment, causing overexertion.

I don't think it matters much whether you're playing long tones or rhythmic scales or literature (without a lot of rests in it). If you're working too hard to produce the sound, you're going to tire. You need to find the source of the fatigue.

Karl

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