Cichowicz - Long Tone Studies

The famous sets of Long Tone Studies that Vincent Cichowicz used with his many outstanding students at Northwestern University are showcased here along with his 1996 article in the Instrumentalist magazine, "Teaching Concepts of Trumpet Playing", forewords by Charles Geyer, Barbara Butler and John Hagstrom, commentaries from over a dozen former students and a biography of his father by Michael Cichowicz. This collector's edition will be a treasured book in your library and one that you will practice from daily.

The famous sets of Long Tone Studies that Vincent Cichowicz used with his many outstanding students at Northwestern University are showcased here along with his 1996 article in the Instrumentalist magazine, "Teaching Concepts of Trumpet Playing", forewords by Charles Geyer, Barbara Butler and John Hagstrom, commentaries from over a dozen former students and a biography of his father by Michael Cichowicz. This collector's edition will be a treasured book in your library and one that you will practice from daily.

Vncent Cichowicz: Long Tone Studies, is an essential resource for all wind and brass players and teachers; not only because it provides the famous long tone studies, but because of the numerous insightful written contributions by some of the greatest players and teachers alive today. To fully comprehend the Cichowicz system, one must start with the Long Tone Studies. After giving it a thorough read, you will understand that the notes on the page are not as important as the goal the exercises are meant to achieve. 

The flow studies contained in this book were a staple of Mr. Cichowicz's teaching. Each lesson he would start with the Long Tone Studies and use them to expand the effortless middle G up and down the register. Once this goal had been achieved, he would move on to the second study from H.L. Clarke's Technical Studies for Trumpet. Again, starting with the same effortless middle G, students would move their fingers rhythmically while mentally singing the passage. If the first release was not effortless, Mr. Cichowicz would stop you immediately, have you exhale, and retake the breath. The concept of playing a single pitch while playing the Clarke studies was equally as important to Mr. Cichowicz as the finger discipline which most of us had used the studies to develop. 

As many contributors to Vincent Cichowicz: Long Tone Studies state, the Clarke studies are a natural extension of the approach he established in his long tone studies. The Clarke studies were used to maintain a positive airflow while working through all of the various keys. They are also very useful in solidifying one's pitch, since the whole step at the beginning, from G to A should be the same distance whether it is B to C# or C to D. It is important to note that Mr. Cichowicz wanted students to listen beyond pitch; instead, focusing on consistency of timbre in the Clarke. He explained that talented students will eventually play with good pitch, as long as they are listening to the colour of the sound. Key to this is developing the left hand as well as the right hand. By moving the slides so that the tube is at the right length, you can play centered with the right timbre, as well as in tune. After the Clarkes, he would move on to the Flow Studies.