Three Keys to Long Tone Success

I realized that in my last post on the mechanics of playing long tones that I forgot to mention a few key things to remember.  Here they are,  First remember that as your practicing your long tones that you want your sound to be as consistent as possible.  Don't let the pitch go all over the place  you want your sound to be centered.  Try to make it one pure sound.  Also don't add vibrato, this can hide problems that you may have with your tone.  Second,  have smooth transitions between notes.  If you slur make sure that the notes stay centered.  If you tongue make sure that it is a clear clean articulation.  Don't use a breath articulation, slur or tongue only.  Third, remember to take it slowly.  Long tone practice isn't supposed to be done quickly.  There you have it three key things to remember while practicing your long tones.  I know this post is short, but your probably sick of hearing about long tones so I decided to keep it short.  In my next post I'm thinking about discusing a jazz improvisation technique that is great for beginners.  Until then,

Caruso