Texas Bandmasters Association
Bandmasters Review • December 2013
21
Developing Advanced Performance
Techniques for Trumpet/High Brass
Tim Andersen
I am a proponent of mouthpiece
buzzing and lip vibrating/buzzing
or free buzzing as an avenue to
develop higher-level skills in
high school players. Develop the
mouthpiece buzzing technique
first. It is imperative that students
be closely monitored so they
don’t develop a tight or unnatural
embouchure when working with
these techniques. Keep the face
looking natural. Students shouldn’t
look different than their normal
face when attempting to lip buzz
or mouthpiece buzz. Trumpet and
horn players should start buzzing
lower pitches. F3-Bb3 is a good
place to start. Teachers should
model the buzz for the student.
The buzz needs to be full and
resonant. The use of a tuner that
provides a pitch is a necessity.
Tonal Energy Tuner is my preferred
practice partner.
Note Bending
Many young players have issues
with playing above the center of
the pitch. Note bending exercises
are a wonderful way for the student
to center a pitch in the resonant
spot. This exercise can be further
developed to create a beautiful
vibrato.
1. Starting on concert F, play
the descending half step to concert
E and back up. This is done for
pitch memory.
2. Buzz the interval on the
mouthpiece while working with a
tuner to maintain accurate pitch.
The buzz should not be loud. Mezzo
piano–mezzo forte is desirable
when buzzing the mouthpiece.
3. On the instrument, bend the
F down to the E and back up. It
is necessary to keep the muscle
memory and oral shape from the
mouthpiece buzz, and apply it to
the note bend on the instrument.
Listen critically for the resonant
center of the tone on the concert F.
Bend the note slowly down to the
concert E. As you do, listen for the
resonant spot on the F in case you
started above center. Bend the pitch
slowly up to the F, listening for the
resonant center of the pitch. Don’t
go past that point.
4. Play the interval on the
instrument using correct fingerings.
Remember the “feel” of bending the
note and repeat that when playing
the interval on the instrument.
5. Continue the exercise down
chromatically. E-Eb-E, Eb-D-Eb, etc.
Once the minor second is
developed, continue the exercise to
the major second and minor third.
Strive for the best tone quality on
each tone when bending. With
practice, the bent notes can be
played with a sound that is very
similar to the sound of the correctly
fingered pitch.*
After the note bending exercise
is developed, the student can bend
pitches above and below the center,
listening for the point when the
note resonates and sounds louder.
See graphic below.
Vibrato
The note-bending technique
is an incredibly useful exercise
for developing not only tone but
lip vibrato as well. The exercise
maximizes the lip manipulation.
Students can retain the muscle
memory as they strive to minimize
the lip movement and increase the
speed of the manipulation as they
move toward a successful, musical
vibrato.*
*Access the handout for this exercise at
www.texasbandmasters.org.
Select Resources/Publication Achives and then select
Convention Handouts in the upper left corner. Scroll down to the 2013 handout by Tim Andersen.
Center
of pitch
Bend the note up
Bend the note down
THE RESONANT POINT