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Re: Blowing terminology

Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2008-09-18 16:06

Arnoldstang wrote:

>> It appears to me that it is generally true (ie more frequently true) that teachers separate the two terms "Blow" and "Support(the technique). We just "Blow" and add support as though it were icing on the cake. Mr Pay uses the term "Blow" to include the technique of support. When we blow we are doing it with proper support technique.>>

I thought about waiting to see whether others might want to answer Arn (BTW do you prefer to be called Arn, Arnoldstang or John?), but decided to do it myself one more time. (My time 'off':-) ends soon.)

Well, after all that, Arn has it the wrong way round in describing how it is for me.

What I say, to start with, is that EVERYONE agrees that blowing properly has to be done from low down. Raising and lowering the chest is frowned on by all teachers. So, let's agree the convention that the word 'blowing' means, 'blowing from low down'. (You can also say that that is 'blowing from the diaphragm' -- and some books do -- because the diaphragm goes down when you breathe in, and is pushed up when you blow. But that doesn't mean you blow WITH the diaphragm, because the diaphragm can't push upwards, only downwards.)

>> Mr Pay uses the term "Blow" to include the technique of support.>>

No, exactly not. See the whole of the first post in 'Keepers/Support':

http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=20&i=714&t=714

'Support' occurs when we blow in a special way, namely against diaphragm resistance. The more diaphragm resistance, the more support.

I'll try one last time. Suppost I'm a sign painter, painting someone's name above their shop. I stencil the letters, and then start filling them in, painting normally. I don't need to be too precise about the filling in -- I can use fairly crude brushstrokes.

But when I come to paint the EDGES of the letters, I have to be more careful.

Suppose I'm right-handed. I rest my left elbow on something, and SUPPORT my painting hand with my left arm, by holding my right wrist with my left hand. Now I'm painting WITH SUPPORT, using the combination of the push of my right hand towards the sign and the opposite push of my left hand away from the sign. It gives me better control, you see.

Painting with support is a special case of painting, just as blowing with support is a special case of blowing.

I don't know what other teachers say about 'Blow' and 'Support'. No teacher of mine ever explained it to me. None of the books I read were any help to me either; so I found myself confused about the matter, and avoided the subject for the most part in my own teaching.

But I thought about it for many years.

I remember noticing one day around 1970 in the orchestra that I could play quietly even while seeming to make the same effort as when I was playing loudly; but I didn't make any connection with the idea of support until many years later. I did use the technique of 'large effort in piano' from time to time, though. It seemed to me to create a more intense piano, that was all.

The penny finally dropped in the middle of my giving a lesson to someone in the mid-80s in Italy. Someone had told me that there were no sensory nerves in the diaphragm, and it suddenly struck me to try 'the magic diminuendo' for myself. I was so amazed at the result that I taught ALL the lessons in that session of a few days on 'il diminuendo magico', learning the relevant Italian words from my students.

>> It would seem then that the following scenario could take place at a Tony Pay lesson. 1. Student plays 2. Mr Pay says "blow more" 3. Student plays louder 4. Mr Pay says "not louder" 5. Gives student his 3 note exercise That's it for now.>>

Judging by OUR exchanges, it might take a bit more than that:-(

But in a way, you're right. Once you catch on to the idea that your diaphragm (or, rather, the part of your brain that controls your diaphragm -- probably the cerebellum, no?) can learn by itself, then all that's necessary is to repeat, noticing what's going on, until you hear that it does what you want. All this explanation becomes redundant.

It explains the 'mystery' in such a way that you can forget about it -- until you have to explain it to someone else, that is;-)

Tony

Post Edited (2008-09-18 16:23)

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Author

Date

Blowing terminology new

Arnoldstang

2008-09-18 15:10

Re: Blowing terminology new

Tony Pay

2008-09-18 16:06