Top Things To Remember When Playing Trumpets

Trumpets are incredibly appealing instruments. These horns have a very clean, and distinct sound. They are a very important part of many different ensembles, whether playing classical music, jazz or the blues. If you’re in the process of teaching students to play trumpets, there are several important tips that should always be part of your instruction.

Working On The Embouchure

One of the most important parts of playing trumpets is developing a strong and accurate embouchure. Unlike many other horns and wind instruments, trumpets only have three keys. As such, making the right sounds come out of these horns when specific notes must be played will ultimately require a lot of lip strength. This is developed through regular practice. It is not possible to develop all of the necessary muscles and playing skills through studying or will power alone. Your students should be practicing their instruments at least twenty minutes per day, every day – if for no other reason than to develop their embouchure.

Trumpets Require A Lot Of Air

It actually takes a considerable amount of air to produce strong, admirable sounds from these horns. While the tightening and buzzing of the lips will both play roles in determining overall sound quality, gathering enough air into the body and learning how to move this out properly is one of the most critical aspects of playing these horns. One thing that all beginning players should note is that this is rarely best accomplished by puffing up the lungs. Teach new players to identify the location of the diaphragms and to use these muscles proficiently. It may even be a good idea to have your students practice diaphragmatic breathing independently, or without their instruments, so that these individuals have a clear understanding of exactly how this muscle needs to be used.

Good Phrasing Is Essential

Beginning musicians should be made aware of the fact that phrasing is absolutely important when playing their trumpets. Otherwise, these horns can easily drown out all of the other instruments that are part of their ensembles. Your players will need to learn how to soften their tones both gradually and abruptly and how to grow louder according to the demands of the composition. This is known as crescendo and decrescendo respectively. They will also need to know the difference between producing clear, distinct notes and slurring their notes together. This is the technical aspect of playing that some people never seem to get. If you drill these techniques early on, however, your developing musicians will always play composed work exactly as these are intended to sound.