Claude Gordon Brass Camp 1991 - Claude Gordon on Wind Power with Carl Leach

Transcript Summary

Overview

Claude Gordon teaches a Brass Camp session on Wind Power with demonstrations by Carl Leach. The class focuses on breathing, posture, endurance, free vibration, and the correct use of pedal tones within Gordon’s Systematic Approach. Gordon emphasizes that the air does the work, the chest must stay up, and students must train consistently without strain.

Key Teaching Points

• Claude Gordon frames practice around three questions: how to practice, what to practice, and when to practice.
• He teaches that the seven natural items of brass playing must be developed correctly by habit so the player is not consciously thinking about mechanics while performing.
• Wind Power is presented as the foundation of brass playing, range, endurance, sound, and ease.
• Gordon repeatedly states: “The air does the work” and “The air saves the lip.”
• He rejects common “stomach” and “diaphragm” concepts of brass breathing, saying the stomach does not blow and the air goes only into the lungs.
• He teaches that the lungs function like bellows and that the chest must stay up at all times.
• According to Gordon, if the chest is up, the player cannot breathe wrong.
• Good posture is described as shoulders back, chest up, and relaxed rather than tense.
• When sitting, Gordon instructs students to sit on the edge of the chair with feet flat and chest up.
• Breathing exercises should be done daily, preferably outside while walking around the block.
• The walking breathing exercise begins with five steps breathing in through the nose, five steps holding, five steps exhaling through the mouth, and five steps empty, all while keeping the chest up.
• Students are told to progress monthly from five-step cycles to six, seven, eight, nine, and ten, then later begin again while jogging.
• Gordon says the breathing exercises may be more useful as a warm-up than simply trying to warm up on the horn.
• He warns students not to become dependent on a long warm-up because professional situations may require immediate playing.
• Endurance is connected to Wind Power rather than lip strength alone.
• A good tone is defined as a free vibration, not as something created by changing mouthpieces.
• Gordon cautions against changing mouthpieces as a solution for sound, endurance, or range problems.
• He says elementary students should first develop free vibration and Wind Power before worrying too much about tone.
• In Systematic Approach, Gordon says Lesson One should be ignored and explains that he no longer believes in long tones because they can stiffen the player.
• He explains that the half notes in the book are visual and that students must read and follow the directions carefully.
• In the breathing and holding exercises, the chest stays up while the player holds until out of air, then gives an extra push to build strength.
• Rest periods must be observed; the horn should come off the mouth between exercises.
• Gordon’s motto is “Train. Don’t strain.” Students should practice to train, not to become exhausted.
• Short rests and intelligent pacing allow a player to practice without tearing down the body or embouchure.
• Pedal tones are important but are not a cure-all; they must be done correctly.
• The pedal register on trumpet begins at F below low F-sharp.
• For pedal F through D-flat, Gordon describes the notes as feeling similar and says the player should not make a psychological issue out of them.
• For pedal C down, Gordon says the feel changes and the notes tend to be very flat at first.
• He instructs students not to force pedal C and lower notes into tune too soon; they are calisthenics and may take years to develop into tune.
• Pedals should be played without manipulating the lips; the jaw may drop naturally for depth, but students should not overdo it.
• When ascending, Gordon compares brass playing to an airplane or car going uphill: more power is needed as the player climbs.
• Students should never blast, but also should not play softer than they can produce a sure sound.
• Gordon emphasizes maintaining a full, centered, free-vibrating sound into the upper register.
• After high-register work, descending arpeggios into the pedal register help remove facial tension before putting the horn down.

Topics Covered

• Wind Power
• Breathing for brass playing
• Chest up posture
• Lungs as bellows
• Air does the work
• Air saves the lip
• Range and endurance
• Walking breathing exercises
• Five-step, six-step, seven-step, eight-step, nine-step, and ten-step breathing cycles
• Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth for exercise control
• Posture while standing, walking, and sitting
• Professional readiness without dependence on warm-up
• Free vibration as the basis of good tone
• Mouthpiece changes and their risks
• Systematic Approach
• Lesson One and long tones
• Half-note notation as visual instruction
• Resting between exercises
• Train, don’t strain
• Pedal register
• Pedal F, E, E-flat, D, and D-flat
• Pedal C and lower pedal tones
• Pedal tone intonation development
• Jaw drop in pedal tones
• Saint-Jacome pedal tone reference
• Ascending arpeggios
• Crescendo support
• Upper register support
• Maintaining sound quality in high range
• Descending into pedals to release tension
• Application classes

People and Sources Mentioned

• Claude Gordon
• Carl Leach
• Herbert L. Clarke
• Conrad Gozzo
• Pete Candoli
• Dr. Larry Miller
• Don Lavoie
• Ruth
• Liberati
• Levy
• Sousa
• Lud Gluskin
• Orson Welles
• Boba
• Tom
• Brad
• Greg
• Kenny
• Scott
• Mary
• Susan
• Lorraine
• Mike Balsam
• Systematic Approach
• Brass Playing
• Saint-Jacome
• Moby Dick
• Palladium
• Sunset Boulevard
• Florentine Gardens
• Flamingo
• Columbia

Student Practice Applications

• Begin daily work by checking posture: shoulders back, chest up, body relaxed.
• Keep the chest up while breathing in, holding, exhaling, and remaining empty of air.
• Practice the walking breathing exercise outside: five steps in, five steps hold, five steps out, five steps empty, with the chest never dropping.
• Stay on each breathing step level for an extended period before progressing; Gordon recommends a month at five steps before moving to six.
• Use breathing exercises as part of daily conditioning, not just as an occasional warm-up.
• Develop the habit of chest-up posture throughout the day while walking, sitting, speaking, and playing.
• When sitting to play, sit forward on the chair with feet flat and the chest up.
• Do not rely on stomach pushing or diaphragm imagery; think of filling the lungs and using the body like bellows.
• When playing exercises, keep the horn off the mouth during written rests and let the body recover.
• Avoid practicing until exhaustion; use frequent short rests and stop before strain takes over.
• Approach range development by adding support as the line ascends, like giving more power to climb a hill.
• Maintain a free vibration in every register rather than pinching, squeezing, or forcing the sound.
• Do not change mouthpieces as a quick fix for tone, range, or endurance problems.
• Use Systematic Approach carefully and read the written directions, especially the Wind Power section assigned in the session.
• When working on pedal tones, do not manipulate the lips or try to make the low pedal C and lower notes perfectly in tune at first.
• Treat low pedal work as a calisthenic that gradually develops coordination, relaxation, and control.
• After demanding high-register work, descend into the pedal register several times to help release facial tension.
• Remember Gordon’s practice principle: train, don’t strain.