1. LOVE WHAT YOU DO OR STOP DOING IT:
In America, we lavish upon ourselves the right to make all kinds of choices. And it just so happens that we're free to make these choices for ourselves. No one can or should tell us where our gifts lie when we're capable and free to do so for ourselves. So if we don't love working at a goal with all our hearts, excepting the moments when nothing fits or works right - but that's another topic really, then we should endeavor to seek out that special something which makes us glow with satisfaction. Those of us in fields like music and art need to seek out ways of helping others reach the same or higher levels of success we experience. Love yourself, love others, and cultivate relationships which encourage these qualities in yourself and others. What we "do" is not necessarily who we are, yet who we are needs to shine through what we do. So love who you are and what you do. It makes a difference in the world for your light to shine brightly. 1. TAKE CARE TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TRY: Taking a little extra time BEFORE attempting a passage to think how you want it to sound is like adding hot sauce to your favorite dish. It will spice up your whole practice hour by setting those brain cells on fire. Use that most powerful tool in your toolkit: your brain! Use it first and use it often.
2. USE A CUP MUTE TO EXTEND LOWER REGISTER: Push into the extra resistance the mute provides while bending the pitch downward from the center of the lips. Extending the lower register helps extension in the upper register, but can be frustrating when it won't work. Don't give up, try a few times each day until more buzz is attained. Incremental progress is actually more long lasting anyway, so take heart and enjoy the process. 3. USE ONLY THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT NEEDED - NO MORE, NO LESS: Focus on keeping a balance of free full air, lip "grip", and tongue placement, in other words, on proper form. You may have heard of keeping your form if you play tennis, or if you're a runner, or if you engage in any other sport or fitness regimen like yoga. So there's a proper posture or alignment which provides the best conditions for great playing. In the case of trumpet playing, avoid over-emphasis on any one of the three components of air, lip grip/buzz, and articulation. Surprisingly, the tongue can also be a a reservoir of unneeded tension, especially in the upper register. We need it to slightly elevate in the upper register to increase air pressure inside the mouth, but we don't need the tongue to become stiff. Stiffness creates a poor quality articulation as well as slow articulation speed, and contributes to cracked pitches. |
GlendaI'm a trumpet player and music teacher aiming in this blog to help other Trumpeters, Music Enthusiasts, Music Educators, and aspiring professionals reach their highest potential in life through the study and cultivation of musical skills. Music Education
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