Problem: Article: Hold the small mouthpiece to the middle of your lips. Now, press your lips firmly against it, inhale deeply, and blow out through it. Keep the corners of your lips tight and leave the center loose. Blow hard enough that you feel your lips vibrate and hear a blowing sound. Make a small hole in the center of your lips as you blow air. Don't puff your cheeks out when playingthis will make you short of breath quickly, and your note will sound rough and spluttered. High pitches are created by faster lip vibrations, which are created by tightening your lips as you blow. To tighten your lips, pull back the corners of your mouth to make them more firm as you play higher. Your jaw should raise naturally and the air you're blowing should move in a more downward motion. The final sound should be a "tee." Make sure that you stay relaxed when playing higher notes and blow faster air through the instrument. Don't make any weird faces that would cause tension in the sound. It will feel natural to press against the mouthpiece for higher notesresist this temptation, as it will lead to problems later. Low pitched notes are created by slower lip vibrations, which are accomplished by loosening the center of your lips and dropping your jaw. However, the air still needs to remain fairly fast and steady. To maintain a good quality sound, you'll need to exhale more air than you do with higher pitched notes. Keep in mind that trombonesespecially bass trombones or tenor trombones with trigger attachmentsneed a lot more air to play a well-supported note because of all the extra tubing. When you first start playing the lower register, it may be very challenging. To do well, increasing your lung capacity is the key. Drop your jaw and part your lips slightly to achieve a rounder, brassier sound. Always remember that playing "openly" does not mean loosening your lips. The first position is when the slide is almost all the way in. The second position is a little more than halfway between 1st and 3rd. Again, this position will vary, but the higher the note, the higher the slide tends to need to be. The third position is slightly after the bell, but will vary depending on the register in which the note is played. Make sure you don't slam the slide in when returning to the first position. The fourth position is located just past the bell, and the fifth position is located a little past the fourth position. The sixth position is almost all the way outnear the seventh positionand the seventh position is all the way out On most trombones, there is a lip or marking where the seventh position is. The positions may vary slightly depending on the type of trombone you play.
Summary: Blow through the mouthpiece using an "o" shape with your lips. Play higher pitched "tee" notes by tightening your lips. Play lower pitched "tay" notes by loosening your lips. Blow harder and more "openly" to play louder. Learn the first 3 positions on the slide. Practice the remaining four positions on the slide.

Problem: Article: If you know you're at risk for a disease, you are much more likely to pay attention to its symptoms. This is especially important with hypothyroidism because the thyroid gland affects the entire body, making symptomatic identification alone difficultblood tests are required to confirm it. Women are more likely to develop it, as are people over age 60. You are also more likely to develop hypothyroidism if you have one of the following conditions: Have delivered a baby (or been pregnant) in the last six months Have previously experienced problems with the thyroid gland Have another autoimmune disease (lupus, type 1 diabetes, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.) Have had the thyroid gland removed Have received radiation to the thyroid, chest, or neck Have the female genetic disorder Turner syndrome Thyroid diseases runs in your family Have received surgery to correct a thyroid problem Hard stools or trouble pushing stools out (constipation) can indicate hypothyroidism because when your body doesn't get enough thyroid hormone, its processes start slowing down, including digestion. As hypothyroidism progresses, you may notice an increased sensitivity to cold temperatures wherever you are located. This is due to the body's processes slowing down from lack of thyroid hormone. You may also continue to feel tired and lethargic as hypothyroidism progresses because the lack of thyroid hormone causes your metabolism to slow down. Hypothyroidism can also cause sleep apnea and anemia, both of which cause fatigue. In females, the decrease in thyroid hormone causes irregular periods and can lead to a reduction or impairment of fertility, the ability to get pregnant. It can also cause periods with really heavy flow. Many men with untreated hypothyroidism experience decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and delayed ejaculation. If you're suffering from a combination of these problems, you should go to your doctor to get tested for hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can cause brittle nails, or cause fingernails to split from the nail bed through the nail plate. Brittle nails are an irritating, discouraging result of body systems slowing down as hypothyroidism begins to affect the body. Hypothyroidism can also cause dry, brittle hair and hair loss. Feeling weak goes hand-in-hand with feeling fatigued and lethargic, which are a result of the body's systems slowing down as it gets low (or no) levels of the thyroid hormone. Feeling weak means that you experience reduced strength in various muscle groups. Although a pallid complexion alone does not indicate that you have hypothyroidism, paleness combined with general dry skin is a symptom of hypothyroidism. If you have to repeatedly apply moisturizing creams, be aware that this can be a result of a bigger problem within your body. You may also sweat less if you have hypothyroidism. Abnormal or rapid weight gain can indicate hypothyroidism because hormone fluctuation or a decrease of hormonese.g., lack of thyroid hormonecauses unintentional or unexplained weight gain. You can start to experience pain in your joints and muscles as the body is affected by reduction in thyroid hormone. This pain often translates as stiffness and tenderness in the muscles and stiffness and swelling, or general pain, in your joints. Women suffering from hypothyroidism after delivering a baby can be misdiagnosed as having baby blues or postpartum depression because some of the symptoms are the samemoodiness and depression. A woman within 6 months of being pregnant or having a baby should see a doctor about hypothyroidism if they suspect they are developing post partum depression, or if fatigue and lethargy don't disappear within a few months. Hypothyroidism can also cause a "mental fogginess."
Summary:
Recognize your risk of getting hypothyroidism. Watch for constipation. Measure your sensitivity to cold. Notice if you feel fatigued. Look for irregular periods (if you're a girl). Look out for sex-related problems (if you're a man). Watch for brittle fingernails. Notice if you feel weak. Watch for a pale or dry complexion. Pay attention to weight gain. Stay vigilant about joint or muscle pain. Be aware of feelings of sadness.