Performing in a musical setting can be a joy and in many cases a frustration. When we are good, we are very, very good and when we are bad, it sucks! Even after months of practice we find ourselves making errors in a performance. This frustrating occurrence can come at any time and at any place in our music and no matter how much time is spent in preparation, a mistake or as described in the terms of a jazz setting, we clammed, scratched, dropped, piffed, bobbled or goofed notes unexpectedly. We all do it and no matter how much…

We have covered the lip, mouthpiece placement, lip tension, aperture size and control, and now it is time to talk about the direction of the air stream. The air begins in the lungs and is forced between the lips which creates vibrations and in turn produces the sound which emanates from the trumpets bell. The direction of the air on this path will affect the tone as well as the decibel and timbre which we are concerned with today. The most efficient path for your air stream would be in a straight line but because of the way we are…

First we must explain to our younger players just what an aperture is and how it affects our trumpet playing. When we speak of an aperture size, we are speaking of the size and shape of the opening between your lips as you produce a note. Some players prefer a small opening while other fine players prefer a large opening. What we will accomplish in this post is explain the difference and the advantages and disadvantages of both. One thing you must understand is that the air must flow between your lips in order for the air to start a…

Now that we have covered the advantages and disadvantages of a mouthpiece placed vertically and horizontally on the embouchure, the next element to deal with is the firmness or looseness of the embouchure itself. Many players place the mouthpiece on their lips and begin blowing, never thinking of the firmness or softness of their lip muscles. And one might ask, “What difference does it make”? The difference can easily be understood by comparing the two different sine curves illustrated below. The top line represents a relaxed embouchure and the lower line is an example of a firm embouchure. Both notes…

The question of mouthpiece placement is an issue of air efficiency. When everything is working efficiently ie. mouthpiece placement, angle of horn, mouthpiece pressure, etc. the sound will indicate this balance. When I say efficient conditions, this is indicated as a big sound. Experienced trumpet players recognize this tone and describe it as “fat”, “well rounded”, “on fire”. To the uninitiated it might be described as a room filling sound. This was illustrated to me at Roosevelt University in downtown Chicago when Mr. Bud Herseth illustrated a musical passage to his room full of excited listeners. When “Bud” blew an…

From time to time, students ask the question “Is my mouthpiece in the correct position”? To their teacher, this is the question most instructors try to avoid. The reason for their reluctance is that to change a student’s mouthpiece position means many unpleasant lessons both for the student as well as their instructor. I will list some of the reasons brass teachers are reluctant to start on this sometimes unpleasant journey. 1. Changing a mouthpiece placement more often than not will entail a sudden loss of what the student is capable of at the time of change. The comfort zone…

Most playing jobs for musicians seem different than regular day jobs non musicians enjoy. Regular jobs require some sort of ridged schedule at the same location. The dress code usually is standardized and the pay checks come at a predetermined time and usually in the same amount. Commercial musicians on the other hand work under different conditions. Commercial musicians might be playing in different locations, receiving differing amounts of payment and dress as the leader suggests. Material covered on a playing job will vary according to the interests of the audience and the hours will be determined by either the…