Total Pageviews

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Trumpet: Lip Trills (Study One)

   Lip trilling is an excellent exercise for improving flexibility, endurance and range.  And contrary to what some people claim, it is not necessary to deliver a rapid trill to derive benefit from the exercise.
   Start slowly (using a metronome) and add speed evenly as you improve.
   Be patient and do not over-practice.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Trumpet: Hesitancy

   Hesitancy in trumpet playing spawns from uncertainty.  And players experiencing hesitancy tend to pause before attempting a note.  The hesitancy habit is easily formed and can be difficult to break.  So it is wise not to form it.
   This exercise is designed to help the player gain confidence when moving from lower notes to higher notes and back again.  Approach each note with expectation of hitting the note (even if you miss hitting it).  And if need be, confine practice to individual systems.
 
.

Trumpet: Range Exercise


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Trumpet: Study Nine

   This study is octave to octave.  And the lower note helps your ear establish the higher note's pitch.
   Play the exercise as written and use conventional fingering on all notes.  Then repeat the entire study single tongued followed by double tongued.  If the exercise is too arduous, divide it into separate studies.
   Be patient.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Trumpet: Study Eight

   An interval is the distance between two notes.  And for trumpet players the "distance" can be bothersome if they do not know how to bypass pesky harmonics sounding between notes.
   The process takes practice.  And it begins by thinking "Hee" as a burst of air is put through the horn.  Even on the first attempt, the player should notice a difference in the number of harmonics sounded.  But like everything else in trumpet playing it takes practice to perfect.
   Though air is released in a burst, it must remain a controlled burst.  This is where experience comes to play.  And the only way to gain experience is by "doing".
   Start the study slowly.  Add speed as the intervals become easier to play.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Trumpet: Study Seven

   The notes in this study should flow smoothly from one to the next.  Slur beyond (as high as you can) what I have written in the third measure and sustain your high note in the fourth measure.