Mastering the Trumpet High Range - Part 8 Efficient Air - Howard Summers

Cannonball educator and performer Howard Summers talks about mastering the trumpet high range. Cannonball Musical Instruments
cannonballmusic.com

[@darryljones9208]

Howard, arching the tongue to attempt to increase "air speed" has ONLY an attenuation effect on the air "speed" everywhere else in the system INCLUDING the air flow velocity through the lip aperture.
To put another way:
Arching the tongue does NOT increase the air flow velocity ANYWHERE else in the system. Including through the lip aperture.
It also attenuates air flow through the system and the air pressure bearing on the lip aperture. (because of viscous effects, see Poisulle's law)
The arch is NOT a substitute for exhalation air pressure. And it had ZERO direct effect on the pitch played. ONLY the lip posture controls pitch. Air pressure controls dynamics.
It is ONLY related to embouchure control efforts , and articulation.

[@howwies]

Please see previous post and refer to the equations provided in Fletcher's The Physics of Musical Instruments. Air speed is one of the factors he includes in his formula, and it is squared (nonlinear effect of frequency).
The volume of air (the word you are using is flow) is definitely attenuated by the arched tongue. The SPEED of the air going into the aperture is higher, which is the goal.

[@darryljones9208]

@@howwies flow is the correct term. Volume is flow x time. Flow is volume ÷ time.
And simple flow mechanics apply. Narrowing the oral paths DOES NOT increase the air flow velocity through the aperture.

[@howardsummers9733]

@@darryljones9208 Correct. We're not looking for volume of air though. We're looking specifically for speed.
If air had no mass, you would be correct, and the air speed immediately before the aperture would be completely useless to affect the speed of the air in the aperture. However in practical application we see this affects the frequency significantly. Play a double G (one octave above the staff) then drop your tongue slightly, and the pitch drops significantly (in most cases you'll drop to the next partial). The air speed is manipulated immediately before the aperture, and that momentum is carried into the aperture.
If you create a venturi at the end of a hose, the water speeds up at that point. As it leaves the end of the venturi, it maintains most of its speed and shoots significantly farther (compared with a hose with same input pressure and no venturi). The greater momentum (mass*VELOCITY) carries it further. If there were no mass, the absence of the compression (from the venturi) would instantly slow down the water. This is not what is observed.
This is the reason why we see increased turbulence immediately after a venturi in the middle of a tube.
This is not a new concept.
Here's Allen Vizzutti explaining the concept of arched tongue to increase air speed for high notes. Check out 2:50 ua-cam.com/video/NtAceD_M_Ho/v-deo.html
Here's Bobby Shew mentioning his use of tongue. It's a tangential reference, but he describes it in an identical manner as Allen Vizzutti at 1:22:39 ua-cam.com/video/r5MiWAi4Ggw/v-deo.html
Check out this video of horn playing in an MRI. ua-cam.com/video/MWcOwgWsPHA/v-deo.html It's a beautiful example of several ways we use the tongue to affect air speed. From about 1:50-1:56 you can see the tongue arch higher and further forward - exactly as I describe in my video.
At 1:20(ish) there's a different technique for the low notes - she arches the back of the tongue and opens up closer to the aperture. This is similar to a "kink" in the hose that restricts air upstream, then the larger opening near the aperture serves to slow the air. When she goes to the 4th partial (the higher note), she opens up the restriction in the back, but keeps the front open. This removes the restriction and speeds up the air.
You can see differences from the articulated exercise vs slurred even though she's playing the same notes. This speaks to other factors that influence the end pitch (i.e. rigidity of the lip, lip angle, and lip proximity). So, manipulation of air speed inside the mouth is only one tool, but it's essential.

[@darryljones9208]

@@howardsummers9733 the velocity of air flow inside the mouth is irrelevant to pitch played. If one were to increase the pressure by exhalation effort the tone will be louder. There is also more air flow and a relative increase in flow velocity as well. How then dose one play dynamics on a contant pitch?
The lip tension 100 percent controls the pitch played. Air flow velocity varies with dynamics on a constant pitch. That includes through the aperture and through the oral space.
BTW please learn the difference between air volume and air flow. They are not the same thing.