air flow

Consistency of air flow is vital to legato and staccato playing alike. Your abdominal muscles and ribs should remain engaged the entire time you are playing. To understand this, try fingering a legato phrase while hissing like a snake as loudly as possible. Then, return to the phrase playing it normally. You will discover that, when you return to regular playing, your sound is freer and richer than before. Another exercise that my students enjoy involves a wine cork. First, finger the notes of a phrase while hissing with the cork in your mouth between your cheek and teeth. Then, play the phrase normally without the cork. You will find another dimension of freedom, because you have stretched and relaxed the muscles of the cheek, allowing for the requisite cushion of air, while ensuring that air flow is consistent and your breathing mechanism is engaged. For staccato passages, the same principle applies. Though the sound stops between notes during staccato passages, the feeling of consistent air flow remains. It is similar to quickly running your hand through the a stream of water as it emits from a garden hose. As with the garden-hose water to the hand, the air continues only broken by the brief interruption of the tongue.

You can alter your color palate by aiming your airflow in various directions. Aiming at an angle toward the crown produces the most complex air and sound wave movement, and the richest tone. Aiming toward the foot joint creates a medium complexity, and aiming straight across results in the simplest color. All are important colors, and you should explore them the possibilities.