The trumpet is probably the most laborious musical instrument. In fact, one can see the effort and focus the player puts in when trumpeting. The following tips should help an amateur get off to a smooth start with learning how to play trumpet.
Blowing Air
Blow air via the horn before starting to play the trumpet. This is done to warm the instrument up and determine the right embouchure.
If the blowing results in nothing but a meek resonating sound, check your blowing technique. Perhaps, a valve could have been incorrectly aligned. Grab the button’s top and spin the valve lightly till it stops – this must remedy the issue. If the problem stays, get it professionally repaired.
Breathing, Body and Lip Position
Breathing through the nose is easier and could lead to warmer air, but for generating air faster and in huge amounts, mouth-breathing is the best technique.
When playing the trumpet, ensure your back is erect and the feet flat to the ground. Moreover, before beginning with the session, do the breathing from the belly and not the chest.
If you need a higher pitch note, do not tighten the lips – firm up the corners instead. Tightening the lips will only lead to increased muscle tension. Your success rate will go up if the lips’ corners are firmed up and the side muscles used for supporting the vibrating lips.
If you think your lips are going to bleed, or if there are any torn lip pieces within your mouth, quit playing immediately. Continuing to play with a damaged lip could lead to further and more serious damage.
Advanced Stages
Once you’re familiar with the basics of trumpet playing and have moved up to the advanced stages, you’ll probably realize that playing the higher notes won’t be easy right away or as soon as you take out your trumpet. The reason being your lips need some time to warm up.
For warming the lips without causing any major or permanent damage to them, start with the lower notes. Once you’ve warmed up the lips with these notes, moving to the higher notes should not be an issue. Also, don’t practice buzzing as it’s not a great habit to develop.
Private Classes
If you’re extremely particular about harnessing and enhancing your trumpet-playing skills, private lessons could be of great assistance. Investing in these classes are certainly worth the time and money if you’re committed to the art and considering a career in the field.
When finding a teacher, don’t take your pick with price as the major criteria. Look into the skills, knowledge, experience and patience of the teacher.
