Prescriptions (Don't OD!)
Circular Breathing
- This technique is not only extremely beneficial as a diagnostic and therapeutical
tool but also as an addition to your arsenal of musical possibilities.
- Before trying this on the trumpet, do three preparatory exercises:
1) Fill your mouth and cheeks with water and push a stream of water out
using your tongue and cheek muscles.
2) Do the same thing while breathing in through your nose.
3) Use air instead of water.
- Be aware that playing with puffed cheeks demands increased lip compression.
- Always remember to relax your abdominal muscles when taking a breath.
- The lips require blood circulation in order to vibrate. If you overdo circular
breathing, particularly in the beginning stages, blood circulation might be
hampered.
Didgeridoo
- The didgeridoo is the predecessor of the modern trumpet, discovered a
couple of thousand years ago.
- Using very slow lip vibrations (compared to the modern trumpet), playing
the didgeridoo is great for embouchure relaxation after a tiresome workout.
- In order to make it work, the tongue has to be very forward in the mouth.
- Circular breathing on the didgeridoo requires way more air quantity than
on the modern trumpet.
- Don't OD, otherwise you might have trouble going back to the faster
modern trumpet lip vibrations.
Double Pedal Tones
- Practicing double pedal tones is helpful in many ways: softening the
center, increasing the ability to vibrate, improving the ability to seal the lips,
preparing to incorporate a more rolled-out lower lip in the chops setting
when playing in the low register, learning to be flexible with the lower jaw
opening, etc.
Do them moderately (approximately 5 minutes per day).
Flageolets
- The siblings of the pedal tones and the oral cavity tones, flageolets help
fine tune the upper lip for very high frequency production.
- They are produced without support from the abdominal muscles.
- Flageolets are generated by switching to an embouchure setting that
incorporates only the upper lip in the mouthpiece. Don't do more than
approximately 1-2 minutes per day.
Free Buzzing
- Free buzzing without the mouthpiece requires the lips to be considerably
closer together to create the vibration than when playing the instrument.
Some authors suggest, that -- contrary to popular belief -- the vibrating
surfaces of the lips do not touch while playing the trumpet. The surfaces
vibrate concurrently but separately. Bottom line: The buzz is beneficial in
the warm-up procedure and as a tool for building and preserving strength
in one's embouchure corners, but should not be mistaken as similar to the
vibrations needed when playing the trumpet. Use wisely.
Lip Bends
- Lip bends are done by holding a note, lipping down to the note half a step
lower (or more) without changing fingerings, then returning to the original
pitch. You can also lip up, which is even more demanding.
- Be aware though that the tongue and the lips work hand in hand here.
- This method, used by trumpet players during the baroque period to play
melodies on their valveless instruments, forces you to overcome the
physics of the overtone series. You not only gain more lip flexibility doing
this but will increase tongue strength, too. Beware: Tiresome; don't OD!
Mouthpiece Buzzing
- Mouthpiece buzzing benefits from being done with "The Berp" attached to
your instrument in order to maintain the natural angle that you use when
playing.
- Do slow glissandos up and down, and make sure to produce continuous,
smooth tongue movements.
- Using breath attacks instead of tongue attacks helps develop lip
responsiveness.
- Lip vibration is supported by the feedback of the instrument while playing.
This means that mouthpiece buzzing is more demanding than regular
playing and might make the lips stiff when overdone.
Oral Cavity Tones
- Practicing oral cavity tones is beneficial for circular breathing and
increases not only the general effectiveness of your embouchure but also
your air supply sensibilities.
- They are produced without support from the abdominal muscles.
- Oral cavity tones are generated by pressing air out of the oral cavity with
the tongue. Don't do more than approximately 2-3 minutes per day.
Whistling
- Whistling is great for improving independence of tongue movements, and
it's a good diagnostic tool when having problems with the throat opening.
- Practice slow glissandos and tongue trills. This is tiresome; use wisely.
