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Tone Centering for Trumpet

If a player gets into the habit of playing constantly above center by pulling out the tuning
slide too far, he will not have enough leeway to adjust the fifth harmonic higher above
center in order to play in tune; also the sixth harmonic, which is already too sharp, will be

pinched still higher and therefore too sharp. Such a player will be constantly in trouble with
his intonation.
– Vincent Bach, The Problem of Tuning Correctly, 1959

Does this sound familiar? High school and college for variance in tone and volume than the changing pitch
trumpet players commonly show up to rehearsal with level. Notice how the sound gets duller and loses resonance
tuning slides pulled out abnormally far to compensate for as the pitch rises to press against the slot’s upper wall.
playing above center. Their high Gs are still unbearably Moving back the other direction, the sound gets louder
sharp, and they often resort to using alternate fingerings and fuller as it gets lower before finally becoming unstable
on top-space Es. The tone quality is thin, edgy and and “blatty” in the lowest parts of the slot. Explore the
lacking in resonance. Pulling the slide may help some full range of sounds listening for the pitch level where the
with intonation, but ultimately this only enables incorrect sound has the most resonance. This will be a clear sound
playing. Correcting the problem at the source is a much with both highs and lows, and it should sound noticeably
better solution. louder than other parts of the note. Most players find this
spot is somewhat lower than expected—almost flirting
Tune the Tone with instability. Once resonant tone is achieved, check it
Finding the center of the sound requires careful attention with the tuner and adjust the slide accordingly. Tune this
to the fundamentals of tone production discussed above. tone (not the out-of-center tone), and learn to play in
Once the air and embouchure are working together this area of the sound in all registers. This is the tone the
efficiently, the next step is to find the frequency that causes trumpet was designed to make. Playing in this way allows
the sound to resonate properly. This is the “sweet spot” the air and buzz to work in harmony with the laws of
where the tone seems to come alive sounding richer and acoustics in the trumpet. Along with sounding better, the
louder on its own. Begin with an easy note in the middle improved efficiency helps with range and endurance, and
register: 2nd line G. Slowly bend the pitch up and down since the buzz is now focused in a larger area of the note-
through the various parts of the note-slot listening more slot, accuracy will also improve.

Randy Adams is Professor of Trumpet at Sam Houston State University where he has taught since 1993. He served as Houston Symphony Orchestra
Interim Trumpet for the 2001-2002 season and has been a member of the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra since 1983. SHSU trumpet students have
placed in the top five in the National Trumpet Competition’s Trumpet Ensemble division, two SHSU students have played Lead Trumpet in the Disney
College All-Star Band and graduates have gone on to play Lead Trumpet in the UNT 1:00 Lab Band and sub with the Houston, Dallas and Pittsburgh
Symphonies.

Bandmasters Review • June 2019 27 Texas Bandmasters Association