General Concepts
Developing a characteristic sound
Key concept is to know what a characteristic sound is. Give students references. All the great teaching in the world will not help a young trumpeter's tone develop if they don't know what it should sound like. Some great references include:
The Trumpet Safar"e"
- Sound
- Articulation
- Flexibility
- Agility
- Range
- Endurance
Sound (foundational)
- Sing (hear and match the pitch)
- Conversational Breathing (OH and Hot Pizza)
- Mouthpiece Buzzing
Articulation (foundational)
- Spitting a seed with the tip of the tongue
- TOO (When you see TU in Arban's book, remember he was French)
- Single tongue (foundations)
- Double tongue (advancing)
- Triple tongue (advancing)
Flexibility (foundational)
- Ease in moving from note to note
- Slurs on same harmonic
- Arpeggios tongued and slurred
- Ascending and descending tongued and slurred
Agility (advancing)
Firm, rhythmic, and articulate fingers
Range (advancing)
High notes, low notes, and all those in between
Endurance (advancing)
Ease and efficiency as a result of minimal tension
Trouble shooting and diagnosis
Meta 3
- Starting Notes (coordination of air, lip vibration, and tongue)
- Sustaining Notes (air speed)
- Ending Notes (releasing the sound with a vowel sound)
The Big Five
- Ear
- Air
- Embouchure
- Tongue
- Fingers
Equipment Recommendations
Lots of options here, but these will be a great start.
Bb Trumpet for Beginners (school or rental)
Bb Trumpet for Advanced (first purchase)
Mouthpiece Recommendations
- Bach 7C - Yamaha 11C4 (standard)
- Bach 5C - Yamaha 13C4 (fuller lips)
- Bach 10 1/2C - Yamaha 6A4 (thinner lips)