Aperture penetration is peculiar to wind instruments and is the origin of their sound. The successful penetration of the aperture has a significant bearing on the emission of sound and its quality. Apertures are the narrow opening of the instrument through which the energised wind is directed, that is, mouthpiece, double reed, single reed etc. This opening has a resistance due to the shape of the entry passage and so requires energised wind for penetration. Perhaps you witnessed the curious beginner who picks up the trumpet and attempts to produce a sound. What we see is the somewhat humorous sight of a red face, bulging eyes and not a sound coming from the trumpet. Based on the evidence, perhaps it is appropriate to make the claim for the penetration of apertures as a skill and not a rudimentary process.

The lower body muscles are responsible for supplying the energy to the wind, which services the instrument’s aperture. On the way to the aperture, the energised wind encounters another muscle, the tongue, which has the means of articulation for the separation of notes, slowly or rapidly. Slurred sounds (smooth and connected) and articulated sounds (separated and detached) need to be energised somewhat differently from each other. Slurring requires the appropriately energised air stream to be directed to the aperture. However, articulation, tenuto or staccato, is achieved with the tongue muscle causing an impediment in the energized air stream before it enters the aperture. Articulation requires the tongue to be raised from the bottom of the mouth, in order to momentarily indent the energised air stream. The tongue action will be down and up to bring about a dent and release of the energised wind into the aperture for clean penetration. Only the tip of the tongue is involved in this methodology and not the whole tongue, which begins in the throat. Rapidity of articulation requires the use of the tip of the tongue only. The tongue impedes and then releases; it does not become involved in attempting to add energy to the wind for penetration. Activity of this nature will create sound failures, breathiness and pre-noise. There will also likely be distortion and lack of rapidity (speed).

We can now enumerate the features of articulation free from distortions, pre-noise and slowness.

• – Energise the wind with the lower body muscles into a vibrant air stream.
  • – Direct the air stream to the tip of the elevated tongue, receive and release with the tongue moving down to release and up for the next articulation if required.

The skill in aperture penetration is embodied in the receive and release from the tip of the tongue. On the point of release, a judicious use of back pressure on the energised air stream can service the penetration. Back pressure on the air stream is measured prior to release into the aperture. Experimentation is the main learning method for achieving the appropriate back pressure articulations for each sound.

To sum up: the skill for aperture penetration is air stream containing muscle-generated energy directly to the aperture. For articulation, tenuto or staccato, the energised air stream is directed to the tip of the elevated tongue for back pressure when required, and released into the aperture for penetration and sound emission. The tongue action is down and up. Most of the energised air stream and tongue back pressures can be simulated away from the instrument.

2024