Double Buzz Survey Results Round 4

If your solution was a mouthpiece, what mouthpiece did the trick?

1 No change in model, just a new one. Both were 7c.

2 had been playing a Warburton for several years and changed to a Wedge as several players in my brass band played them with success. With in 1 week of playing the wedge I developed the double buzz but tried to stay with it for a while to no avail. Went back to my Warburtonand within 2 weeks the double buzz stopped.

3 It never was the mouthpiece.

4 na

5 I do not have the problem with most mouthpieces. Only the largest mouthpieces I ever use (a Bach 1X) causes a double buzz problem and only when I have been playing a lot (3 hours +) every day..

6 A smaller inner diameter because of the less vibration

7 Slightly smaller piece. Reeves 42s to 41s

8 Benge Claude Gordon 1. Was previously using a copy of a Benge CG1 with a Hammond 3 Rim.

9 I was playing a Reeves 42 rim and went a 41 rim

10 Mouthpiece alteration of a double-cup mouthpiece.

11 n/a

12 normally a bigger mouthpiece helps. 1 1/2 bach.

Would you like to add some comments about your double buzz experience?

1 The old mouthpiece wasn't dirty or damaged, so I'm still not sure what was going on. The mouthpiece switch solved it immediately.

2 For me the double buzz was in the staff, specifically for the notes C# up to E. I realized I wasn't using my tongue level correctly and started to use more of the sylable change of "ah" to "eeh" (tongue level change really) when going higher than middle C. This solved the problem.

3 Lucinda Lewis rehab program is described on her website, http://www.embouchures.com and in the books she sells there.

4 It usually happens when I'm okay forte +

5 I get a double buzz when A) I am out of shape and B) When I am very fatigued. When I'm in shape and not too far over-extended, it doesn't happen.

6 For me it was setting too low. I was playing in the low register way too relaxed. I needed to find a balance between 3 things for the solution: Firmer corners, tongue position a bit higher, and abdominal support. Essentially, pretending that I was going to play a middle C got the double buzz on my low C to go away.

7 My double buzz experience has happened in 2 different periods over the last 4 years, about 6 months into my comeback after a 14 year hiatus, and about 8 months ago. The first time occurred during a period in which I was trying different horns, mouthpiece cups, throats and backbores for my new performing experiences. The double buzz seemed to happen mostly when playing Bb trumpet, never while playing C trumpet (same mouthpiece setup). Once I settled into a regular routine of horn and mouthpiece setup, the double buzz just seemed to disappear. The second time was during a period of breaking in a (new to me) Flugelhorn and mouthpiece setup. I used the same rim that I always used but a much deeper cup. The double buzz, once again, seemed to disappear once I got the new piece into my regular routine. I also added sections of the Bai Lin Lip Flexibilities into my daily warm-up and practice routine during the same period and have not experienced the double buzz since.

8 Thanks for doing this!

9 "Killing the feel" of the double buzz was huge. Stopping just short of the place where it usually happened and taking a brief rest before continuing played a large part in erasing this annoyance. My trouble area was (and is if I get careless) F# and G right at the top of the staff. Lots of buzzing (no mouthpiece or horn) between practice and playing sessions also improved my sound by leaps and bounds. I also do the pencil exercise regularly.

10 This was totally cured by doing daily slow legato (dahgahdahgah) multiple tonguing out of Arban at a volume of mf or higher with a rich resonant tone. With frequent rests. No other changes were required. It took about 5 days to fix things forever. Endurance also increased dramatically.

11 I am a come back player. Over time, as my emboucher got stronger the buzz improved (less buzz).

12 For me, the more I worried and tried to dissect it, the worse it became. I used a combination of properly resting while practicing on top of quiet playing

13 Excellent topic for a survey. Double buzzing initially occurred when I came-back in 2015 after 20 or so years not playing. With the soft playing the double buzz started to disappear little by little and after a few months it completely went away. Coincidentally, soft playing routines have always been a part of my daily exercises but more so in recent years since a teacher introduced me to, and helped me with, the BE method. Yes, at first the double buzzing was very frustrating. I did some mouthpiece variations but that had no effect. So in retrospect I am glad I stuck with the soft playing. In the process, the soft playing helped my range and tonality. Hope this helps.

14 I experience double buzzing problems very rarely. The notes that double buzz tend to be low C, middle G and especially middle G#. The double buzz only happens when I am playing a very large mouthpiece (Bach 1X, Schilke 19 or Bach Mt Vernon 1), and only when I have been playing a performing a lot every day (3 or more hours a day).

15 Usually is associated with fatigue and/or overblowing

16 It comes and goes. When I play strong it goes away, but soft and lyrically there it is. Showed up after invisiline straightening.

17 I am currently experiencing a buzz while doing self-directed practice out of the Claude Gordon Systematic Approach book. I made it to lesson 8 before stopping to tackle this buzz. I experience no buzz below or above the high C partial. It only happened on A above the staff to High C. In addition to changing the mouthpiece rim, I focused on rollling my bottom lip in more in the affected register. Seems like the different mouthpiece rim broke my muscle memory enough to make a difference. The double buzz is dimishing with practice, and i actually experienced a further increase in my high range to above Double High C with a more rolled in setting.

18 It happened to me after a lot of high and loud playing. A gentle warm up the next day or two alleviated the problem. Still happens occasionally, but soft and gentle playing resolves the issue.

19 My issue with double buzz seems to occur when I am not focused on hearing the pitch and "singing" in the horn. In other words, if I'm guessing at where the note is I'm more likely to have problems. Slow lyrical warm ups and singing helped me greatly.

20 It still lingers, but when I play strong and fill up the horn it goes away. I played lead on a production Annie outdoors. Played strong-not problem. Played a couple of big band gigs-no problem. Played a church gig and it was a problem. Played softer to blend. I haven't played for a while because of surgery. It will be interesting to see what happens when I get going again.

21 A combination of gentle playing, mouthpiece work, and not reinforcing the behavior (stop playing and reset when experiencing double buzz) helped resolve the problem.

22 I was always plagued with embouchure problems. The double buzz was absolutely a symptom of it. It occured around Ab to B in the staff. When I changed my embouchure to a more forward jaw and focusing strenght more to the corners of the mouth, everything locked into place. Consequently, also the double buzz vanished!

23 Just happens when I'm totally fried!

24 Typically caused by fatigue, rest and focused soft playing help.

25 For me the double buzz is caused by a sympathetic vibration of the vocal cords caused by a tight throat. My throat would tighten as I ascended and due to my lack of support/tense breathing/bad tongue position. The tightening happened subconsciously as a counter to the increased resistance of playing in the upper. The problem was solved not by thinking "play with an open throat" but by retraining the body's fundamental habits it has when playing ie. correct use of air support, relaxed breathing, free release of the air when starting a note and correct use of tongue position among others.

26 Not sure what cured it but I think what cured it was the long tone exercise I saw on the site. Basically starting on "C" on staff hold for 30 seconds/rest for 30 seconds continue down to low F# . Takes about 20 minutes to accomplish.

27 it seems to happen intermittently. I would deduce it is when I practice when tired.

28 Mostly occurs when tired and/or using significant pressure. Getting a loose, free, sound is the best cure

29 Changes in mouthpiece, dental structure, and embouchure have all impacted how much or how little I fight the double buzz. I believe dental issues are most responsible. Soft playing has always helped me.

30 My lips protrude into the cup and the shoulder of the second cup was causing a buzz when I got tired. Having the cup cut down into a more conventional shape solved the problem.

31 I'm the creator of this survey. What finally worked for me was returning to the strengthening exercises I had been given long ago, but was no longer doing completely, or consistently. Two octaves of long tones, starting at G in the middle of the staff then up a step, then down a step from the G, then up 2 steps, then down 2 steps, until the last two tones are lowest G and G atop the staff. Most important is an air attack, start pp and increase to ff or fff, then back down to pp until running out of air. Getting loud is not for learning to play loud, but rather to strengthen the lips, like lifting a heavier weight. Then lip slurs. the first few are simple and progress chromatically down through all the fingerings. Then some slurs that go one interval higher each time. The first tops out at G above the staff, and the 5th one is the same pattern but ascends to E above the staff. I do this every day and it has mostly subdued the buzz. There was marked improvement after 2 weeks. It's tiring, so if you're working on a part you need to perform, work on that part first and do these long tones and slurs after you've worked on your performance practicing. My chops have gotten much stronger, and in addition to kicking the buzz out of the buzz, I have less tendency for one side of my embouchure to weaken and leak when tired or strained. It's just good old fashioned strength training.

32 Double buzz is a difficult issue and not easy to correct.

33 Find your placement of tension. Replace Tension with freedom.

34 I did leadpipe buzzing

35 Just lip slurs and range exercises, 2 hours daily.

36 One exercise that helped a lot was what we called the "half mouthpiece" exercise. You pick up the horn with one hand and hold the mouthpiece a little out of the horn and play, and the pitches buzzed on the mp should match what is coming out the end of the horn. It can also be done by putting a straightened paperclip partially into the leadpipe, then putting the mp in so the mp isn't in all the way. Just so you can hear if your mouthpiece buzz matches the pitch you're slotting into on the horn. Worked wonders for me!

37 Firmed up lower lip

38 play pedal tones (2 octave below normal C) play gently also helps. need patience, if double buzz pesists, put the horn down and rest :)