Trumpet: The Tongue

   It is easy for trumpet players to focus attention on their lips in regard to trumpet playing.  After all the lips are the only part of the face to make contact with the instrument.  And too, vibration of the lips is what starts the sound wave into action.  So there is no denying lips have an important role in trumpet playing.  But it is just that: a role.  And it is a role that would be totally useless if not for channeled air.
   Tongue movement is what channels air.  As the tongue arches, space between the tongue surface and the roof of the mouth decreases.  This causes the airstream to narrow.  And as the airstream narrows, its speed increases.  But increase in airstream speed is not left entirely to tongue arch.
   Tongue arch creates resistance.  And the higher the tongue arches, the greater the resistance.  And the greater the resistance, the more forceful air must be expelled from the lungs to overcome the resistance.  End result?  Airstream speed is further increased prior to passing through the lip aperture and into the mouthpiece.
   Without the tongue channeling the airstream, lip compression alone will not make for a reliable upper register.  It cannot.  Air is what makes lips vibrate.  Not lip compression.
   Lip compression versus airstream speed confuses some trumpeters.  That is because they focus their attention on tightening their lips rather than moving the air between them.  Relying on lip compression reduces endurance and prevents the player from building an impressive upper register.
   Importance of the tongue does not end with the production of high notes.  Far from it.  It is the tongue which controls pitch and enables the instrument to speak (articulation).  But in addition to tongue movement, is the importance of what the player thinks simultaneous to tongue movement (often referred to as "syllable singing").
   To single tongue, the player thinks "Tee" to ascend and "Taw" to descend.  This creates two types of airstreams.  "Tee" narrows the airstream (faster)  and "Taw" widens the airstream (slower).
   To double tongue, the player thinks "Tee-Kee" and "Taw-Kaw".  And it is here players can encounter problems in pitch and evenness in note production.  The explanation for these difficulties has to do with use of the "K" which is further explained by the back of the tongue being used to produce "K" and the front of the tongue being used to produce "T".
   A solution to both problems is derived from developing the back of the tongue to perform as reliably as the front of the tongue.  But over-emphasis is generally the "solution" many unknowing players resort to.  And it is a solution they are not long in determining that emphasizing the "K" simply compounds the problem(s) by causing inaccurate pitch placement and thick tongue movement.
   To triple tongue, the player thinks "Tee-Tee-Kee" and "Taw-Taw-Kaw".
   The benefit of double and triple tonguing is realized when the player gives equal emphasis to both the "T" and the "K" (light and fast).  But for players having persistent problems with either form of tonguing, they should use a metronome and start slowly in an easy register.
   To slur, the player thinks "Eee" and "Aw".  And in the case of lip slurs, the notes should move with absolute ease.
   To lip trill, the player thinks "Taw-Eee-Aw-Eee".  Effective lip trilling is done by motion of the tongue; not the lips.
   To play intervals, the player thinks "Taw-Hee" and "Tee-Aw".  The "Hee" gives a burst of air and prevents harmonics from sounding between notes regardless of how many octaves are involved.
   Tonguing complications arise when the player attempts to advance too rapidly or uses too much mouthpiece pressure or both.  The solution?  Close the embouchure, tongue behind the upper teeth, direct the lips towards the mouthpiece, supply sufficient air, use a metronome and be patient.  It will come together in time.