Trumpet: Valve Fingers

   The importance of finger position on finger buttons is left to individual discretion.  Some players keep their fingers linear while other players curl their fingers to make button contact with fingertips or pads.  And then there are those players who advise lifting the fingers off the buttons and return them to the buttons smartly to literally smack the valves closed.  Each to their own.  So long as finger movement on the valves is coordinated with tongue movement in the mouth, it is thought to make little difference as to how the player closes the valves.

   But there are exceptions.  In my experience I found a single positive for smacking valves closed: slurring.  It can make for crisper sounding notes.  Lifting fingers off finger buttons to make forced contact with buttons does two things.  First, it creates tension in the lifted fingers.  Second, removing fingers from the buttons only to re-establish button contact takes time.  This creates an interesting situation when the player is zipping through a staccato.

   Opposite to lifting fingers is keeping too much pressure on the buttons to slow valve movement.  Or, in a worse case scenario, not allowing the valves to open completely or in time.  Either has a deleterious effect on playing by disrupting coordination of finger and tongue movement.

   Another potential problem occurs when the player approaches finger buttons from an angle.  This exerts side pressure on pistons and can slow their movement inside valve casings.  And if the pistons are not well-oiled, side pressure can cause the valves to be sluggish or to stick.

   Like most aspects of trumpet playing, finger position is habit.  It is whatever the player is use to and feels comfortable doing.  But if the fingers and the tongue seem out of sync (chronically) finger position on finger buttons deserves a second look.