by Dave Sheetz

    "Gone but still important!"... this most definitely can apply to the passing of Dr. Reinhardt in May of 1989 and of the importance of the work he left behind (or left FORWARD as the above caption implies).

    The following, however, concerns the demise of the publication manuals entitled Donald S. Reinhardt's PIVOT SYSTEM for Trumpet or Trombone, A Complete Manual with Studies, from Elkan-Vogel Co., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a subsidiary of Theodore Pressor publishers, Bryn Mawr, Pa.
    The demand being small, Pressor Publications decided in the early 90's to stop the presses on these valuable editions and will make a copy in the $30 range. Quite a difference from the original $2.50 per copy. (if any of our browsers can locate any manuals still sitting around in the music store shelves or warehouses, this author would certainly welcome this information.)
    So, about the Manuals ... just before Dr. Reinhardt's death, Doug Elliott discussed with Doc his description of The Pivot and of simplifying The Pivot System, thereby eliminating the confusion of so many brass people that mis-interpret Doc's great discovery. Doug reported that Doc wished he had not published certain things originally found in the manuals concerning The Pivot especially the following:

"Pivoting is the transfer of what little pressure there is used in playing from one lip to another. ...the instrument is slightly tilted to get the tone at its most open point."

    In Doc's Encyclopedia of the Pivot System, a Charles Colin publication, with the concept of THE TRACK OF THE INNER EMBOUCHURE, Doc re-defined The Pivot and made a more accurate distinction to enact the most vital maneuver.  The studies in the Manuals have one or two sentence suggestions, affirmations, pitfalls and "mind-sets" after each individual exercise. Somewhat like the Schlossberg approach to building range, flexibility, power, etc. with one notable exception ... the "sub" descriptions of each exercise and a systematic building program; whereas Schlossberg was more of a "random" collection of student lessons categorized and left to an instructor's or one's creative program to select from any given "category", depending on the developmental needs of the performer.
     The purpose of this article is to make everyone aware of the absence of The Pivot System Manuals in today's brass literature and to list the words of Dr. Reinhardt that accompany each exercise. These wonderful guides still are important to all brass performers and not "gone" just because the publications are.

1. Do not allow the tongue to penetrate between the teeth and lips when making an attack. Do not stop or cut the tone by [a] second forward stroke of the tongue....

2. Maintain a good soft tone quality in the lower register by slightly increasing the quantity of the air-stream.

3. [Use] a minimum amount of mouthpiece pressure against the lips, but do not tolerate a pinched nasal tone quality.  Use just enough mouthpiece pressure against the lips to insure a firm lip contact, but use a minimum of pressure at all times.

4. Do not allow a bump or jolt between ... slurred notes. Slightly reduce the mouthpiece pressure as the slur is being executed.

5. The level of the tongue and level of the diaphragm moves up to ascend and down to descend in a slurred passage.

6. Crescendo while ascending and decrescendo while descending, as this is musically and mechanically correct.

7. Frequent rests are just as important as the [exercises] played.

8. Do not allow the mouthpiece to shift or bob its position when playing intervals.

9. Do not attempt drills that cause you to strain or resort to a great deal of mouthpiece pressure.

10. Make ... rest periods longer as ... drills progress in range, and do not continue if the lips show the SLIGHTEST fatigue.

11. Use Diaphragm pressure, not Lip pressure.

12. If a great deal of mouthpiece pressure is necessary on the lips to, produce your upper register, then use the "hands off" policy for all tones above top C (Bb) until you have reached a further stage of development.

13. Do not attempt to ascend beyond your comfortable range.

14. Positively do not over breathe when playing the top-register. 

15. Playing low tones following high tones promotes necessary relaxation mentally and physically.

16. Use the Pivot to ascend or descend, but do not over Pivot.

17. Do not use a vibrato in the early stages of a warm-up routine. When you do use it, use the hand (slide) vibrato, NOT the lip, jaw, head or diaphragm type.

18. Descend by relaxation plus the pivot, rather than by opening the lip formation.

19. Do not practice immediately after eating.

20. Practice without concentration is just a little better than no practice at all.

21. Do not play with the legs crossed; serious physical injury may be the result.

22. Regardless whether you play a wet or a dry lip formation, you must learn to master the feeling of relaxation.

23. Strive to blend ...tone quality in ...different registers.

24. The Pivot must work in conjunction with the mouth corners.

25. Remember that the eventual goal of the Pivot is the lip pucker. Do not smile to ascend.

26. Do not breathe, or raise the mouthpiece pressure during ...rest(s) of one measure between phrases [as this promotes breath control and builds reserves].

27. Familiarize yourself with ALL keys until it becomes as natural to play in one or another.

28. Strive for correct intonation; listen to your own playing as other people do.

29. Do not attempt any drills beyond your register.

30. When the interval increases, the Pivot also increases.

31. Stop short of fatigue, as this builds up playing reserve; but strain will destroy endurance and register.

32. Tenths promote lip contact, equality of tone, intonation, etc.

33. [The high register] must build up over a long period of time; any strain retards progress.

34. When starting [a practice period], always play softly and increase in volume gradually until all phases of dynamics have been covered.

35. Do not play immediately after eating.

36. From the hips up you should have the same slightly arched spine (backward) and should keep the head back whether standing or sitting, as this is the correct brass playing posture.

37. Be careful of your intonation when using false fingerings.

38. Do not over estimate your own endurance.