Pitch Center and Body Use

To fully appreciate the value of Monette mouthpieces, it is important to be aware of how we experience the pitch center of the equipment we play and to understand how this influences our ability to stay aligned and open in performance. In this section, we will present an overview of how body use in brass performance relates to pitch center when using both conventional equipment and Monette equipment.

Releasing counterproductive tension and muscle memory from years of playing conventional equipment is usually the most challenging aspect of fully realizing the advantages Monette equipment offers. There are several common ways stress and tension may manifest in someone, regardless of whether the person is a musician. Unfortunately, most common patterns of poor use are reinforced in brass players when they use conventional equipment. The longer someone has played on equipment that necessitates compensation by the player, the more inefficient and potentially unhealthy body use the player learns.

Players who do not pivot much when playing will usually tighten the neck and upper chest even more in order to play in tune in the upper register. The tighter the upper body, neck, and head, the higher one plays on the pitch center, and the easier it is to manipulate notes in tune. Eventually the player holds this tension in the body, playing high on the pitch in all registers. Some players eventually become so tight that their careers are reduced by years or even decades.

Body Use When Standing

		Playing high on the pitch. When the hips are forward and the body is arched in this way, the hips are blocked, and the player cuts off the torso from the legs and feet. The muscle tension in the legs and torso caused by this misalignment greatly inhibits one’s ability to take in a full relaxed breath.
		Playing down into the center of the pitch. Notice the center of the ear is over the center of the shoulder, which is over the waist, which is over the ankle. With this alignment, the skeletal structure can hold up most of the body weight, allowing the player to stay more open and breathe much more freely. This allows the player to play with their entire body In Hatha Yoga, this is called “Mountain Pose.”

Demonstration: Opening the Hips as You Play

	Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. Move your hips backward and forward, and notice the change in weight distribution. When the hips are forward, the body weight is up on the balls of the feet and/or the toes. When the hips are back, the body weight is more on the heels.
	Find the position where your body weight is evenly distributed front to back and side to side on your feet. Then unlock your knees. This is the most efficient and aligned way to stand. This simple shift in how one stands may make you feel like you are falling forward slightly compared to how you are used to standing. You may also be uncomfortable standing with your feet parallel rather than splayed. If, however, you concentrate on your feet, legs, and breath with this new approach, you will notice you feel more solid and grounded as you stand, and your breath will be much more open and free.
	Try playing and holding an easy G in the staff standing the way you are used to standing, and then play the same note and hold it with the improved use and more open hip alignment outlined above. You will notice the pitch will drop, you can breathe fuller and more effortlessly, and you will imimediately produce a more open, connected sound.

Demonstration: Pivot and Pitch Center

	Play a G in the staff and, while keeping the instrument at a constant angle to the floor, slowly lower the head an inch or two. The pitch will always drop. Then, playing the same G in the staff and keeping the instrument at a constant angle to the floor, raise the head. The pitch will always go up.
	Next, play a two-octave open arpeggio on your old mouthpiece while looking in a mirror. Notice head and shoulder movement. Then try to play the same arpeggio, still watching yourself in the mirror, keeping the chest and throat open, without tightening the upper body or pivoting your head. The sound produced and the resistance over the two octaves will be more even and comfortable. However the arpeggio will be noticeably out-of tune, with the octaves compressed.
	Finally, try a Monette mouthpiece of a comfortable size that is made for the key of instrument you are playing, and play the same arpeggio. Look in the mirror as you play, and try not to tighten or adjust the body as you change registers. You will notice dramatically improved intonation and timbral con-sistency, as long as you do not adjust!

	Octave C's in tune using conventional mouthpiece Low C C in the staff High C   Octave C's in tune using Monette constant-pitch-center mouthpiece Low C C in the staff High C

Body Use When Sitting

	Playing high on the pitch. The head is forward of the spine, and the back of the neck is compressed. This blocks the throat, inhibiting the breath and killing the natural resonance of the player. Also note the feet splayed and legs extended, which blocks the hips—closing off even more of one’s body and forcing them even higher above optimum pitch center in their body.
	Playing down into the center of the pitch—open, aligned, and centered. The head is over the spine, and the back of the neck is extended, allowing the throat to stay open. The feet are parallel, and the lower legs are vertical, allowing the hips to open. Most world-class players play “with the entire body,” and you can hear it in their sounds.

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