Clinician's Corner: "38 Days"

Published Nov. 27, 2010
By Tech. Sgt. Jay Heltzer
The USAF Band

JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. -- 38 days without playing my instrument--why did I take that time off? I was diagnosed with a hernia that needed to be repaired. A hernia is a rupture of muscle tissue, typically in the abdomen. In my particular case, it was in three different locations in my abdomen. My surgeon and I aren't entirely sure how I got one, much less three, but this article isn't about prevention. It is about returning to your instrument after an absence and recovering from that time off.

While I was recovering from the surgery, I tended to stay far away from my instrument and all things related to it. I didn't listen to any trombone-oriented music, and I didn't read any trombone-related articles or blogs--it was a trombone blackout. If I couldn't play it, I wanted to ignore it. As a result, I forgot what I sounded like on the instrument. So, once it was time to get back to playing, I immersed myself in bass trombone recordings--solo, orchestral, jazz band and movie soundtracks. I lined up all my heroes and listened intensely. With all those fantastic sounds and players in my head, I was ready to pick up the horn again.

My first step, before I even played or buzzed a note, was to remind myself what a good breath felt like. With 5 1/2 weeks behind me of no playing, I hadn't taken a "trombone breath" in all that time. I define a "trombone breath" as a nice, big, deep breath with good abdominal expansion that will serve the music well. As soon as I took that first trombone breath, my surgery sites painfully zinged back at me, since they haven't been stretched like that in a long time. It was a bit tight, but not impossible. A few more breaths, stretching the muscles, and it was getting easier and more familiar again.

The mouthpiece buzzing that followed was shaky and unfamiliar. Buzzing is the foundation for all of brass playing, and needs to be thick and solid. It took a while to find that wonderful center for which I always strive. The air was flowing, but my lips were not vibrating the way I wanted them to. It took a little time, but once my lip muscles woke up from their long hibernation and came back to life, I was starting to hear my sound again. It was time to put it all together: air, buzzing and brass.

My first note, a second-line B-flat--the very first note I ever played on the instrument way back in 5th grade--started off shakier than trying to ice skate during an earthquake. That was horrible! But, like my teachers before said time and time again, what is the secret to all problems on the instrument? Air. Once my airflow began to reacquaint itself with my trombone, I began walking on familiar ground again. Shaky turned to steady, pinched tone turned into open, flowing sound. I was excited about my return, but there still was work to be done. Knowing I had no muscle tone for playing, and therefore no endurance to sustain a pitch successfully, I decided to try short, articulate notes. Instead of my usual warm-up involving long-tones, I preferred to do scales with short articulated notes--each note like a burst of air and sound to wake up my lips.

I was once discussing with a colleague the findings of a study that are quite appropriate to list here. For an experienced brass player, it takes three full days of no playing for the muscle tone in the embouchure (or the "chops") to reduce down in strength to equal the first day of playing. After three days off, my lips had the muscle tone of a 5th grader on the first day of beginning band--not the technical ability--just the lack of strength. Conversely to that, it takes three days of regular playing after time off to return one's embouchure to full strength. This was proven to me a few days later, with scales, slurs, articulation studies and long tones.

The road back to my regular playing strength only took a few days. After one week, it was almost like I hadn't taken time off. However, the secret to this successful return was a solid foundation before I stopped playing. Make sure you have a well-rounded routine. It is very difficult to return to musical success if you don't have musical success in place. Whether it's for medical reasons, family vacation or a busy school schedule that prevents you from making music, keep your playing and practicing up to the highest level. Your successful return will depend on your status when you stop.

It doesn't matter if it was a weekend, a week, a month or a year. A solid mental image of great sound--combined with great air, a free flowing buzz and a few days of concentrated work--and you will be back in no time!

Click to read a short biography of Tech. Sgt. Jay Heltzer.

For biographical information about other members of The U.S. Air Force Band, please see the Ensembles section of our website.