Teaching and Learning Brass

Final Project
Zane Kazmarski and Lillian Newton
Spring 2020

We affirm that we have upheld the highest principles of honesty and integrity in our academic
work and have not witnessed a violation of the Honor Code- Zane Kazmarski, Lillian Newton
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Table of Contents
Getting Started
Posture …………………………………………………………………………….......….2
Embouchure………………………………………………………………………….........2
Initial Sounds……………………………………………………………………………...3
Out of Case………………………………………………………………………………..3
Trombone
Carriage…………………………………………………………………………………....4
Mouthpiece Placement…………………………………………………………………….4
Articulations……………………………………………………………………………….4
Slide Positions……………………………………………………………………………..5
Maintenance……………………………………………………………………………….5
Slide Positions Chart………………………………………………………………………5
Resources………………………………………………………………………………….6
Trumpet
Carriage……………………………………………………………………………………7
Mouthpiece Placement…………………………………………………………………….7
Articulations……………………………………………………………………………….8
Fingering Chart………………………………………………………………………....…8
Maintenance……………………………………………………………………………….8
Idiosyncrises………………………………………………………………………………9
Resources………………………………………………………………………………….9
French Horn
Carriage…………………………………………………………………………………10
Mouthpiece Placement………………………………………………………………….10
Articulations…………………………………………………………………………….11
Fingering Chart…………………………………………………………………………11
Maintenance…………………………………………………………………………….11
Idiosyncrises…………………………………………………………………………….12
Resources………………………………………………………………………………..12
Euphonium/Tuba
Carriage………………………………………………………………………………….12
Mouthpiece Placement…………………………………………………………………..14
Articulations……………………………………………………………………………..14
Fingering Chart………………………………………………………………………….15
Maintenance……………………………………………………………………………..17
Idiosyncrises……………………………………………………………………………..17
Resources………………………………………………………………………………..17
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Getting Started

Each brass instrument is approached differently overall when learning to play. However,
there are some aspects of playing a brass instrument that are universal and are very important to
achieving a good sound, or any sound at all. These things are: posture, embouchure, and the
efforts to achieve the initial sound.

Posture
Posture is very important when it comes to playing any instrument. Having the correct
posture will allow for better airflow and a better sound from the instrument that will be easier to
attain. The posture for playing any instrument will be the same, with slight differences between
standing and sitting. The only exception to this would be tuba, as a student should never stand
with a concert tuba, they should only stand if they are playing on a sousaphone.

In a concert band setting, students will be sitting more often than standing. Before
playing the instrument, students should be sure to sit with their backs straight and away from the
chair. Slouching will prevent proper breathing. The students’ shoulders should be back, not
hunched forward or raised. Feet should remain flat on the floor. It is also acceptable for students
to tuck feet underneath their chair if it is more comfortable.

If students are standing to play, their posture will not be much different from sitting. The
student should stand straight up and tall, making sure not to slouch or roll shoulders forward.
Their feet should be planted on the floor in a stable way. This will ensure a steady stance and
good posture. Once again, students should never stand with a concert tuba. The instrument is not
made to be played standing up, sousaphone is an alternative for a tuba that is allowable to be
standing while playing.

Embouchure
Forming the proper embouchure will affect the ability to produce sound and the tone
majorly. To form the embouchure, students should begin my saying “M” to get the proper shape.
The students lips should not curve in too much or push out. The lips should be firm across but
loose enough to accommodate the buzz required for each instrument’s mouthpiece. A bigger
mouthpiece will require a looser buzz, therefore the lips will not be as firm across them. The
student should keep the corners firm and pull them towards the mouthpiece without pursing lips
or creating a smile shape. This will help the student to not puff out their cheeks. The embouchure
sets the foundation for playing any brass instrument and is extremely important to the process of
creating sound.
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Initial Sounds
It is important when teaching a beginner student how to play a brass instrument that they
start by trying to make sounds with the mouthpiece first. Before trying to play too much on the
actual instrument, students should practice buzzing with their mouthpiece in order to check their
embouchure and make sure that they are using enough air. This initial first step will allow the
students to experience making noise without the instrument in order to get a proper feel for the
mouthpiece and how to make sounds. Making a ‘M’ shape with the mouth and pretending to spit
out a watermelon seed is a great way to set the student up to begin buzzing. Once this is
comfortable, the student should practice free buzzing. If the student is using too much pressure
on the mouthpiece, they should work on breathing and producing faster air.

Out of Case
Though the cases of each instrument are of varying shapes and sizes, the way they open
is generally very similar. There will most likely be latches around the opening. It is important
that the case is facing so that all latches open upwards. If the student opens the latches
downwards, the case will open upside down. It is also very important the students make sure the
latches are fully closed when they put their instruments away. This is to ensure that the
instrument does not get damaged.

Each case should include: the instrument, a mouthpiece, and valve/slide oil. A trombone
case will also include the slide. To assemble instruments, the student should remove it from the
case and place the mouthpiece in the mouthpiece receiver. The student should give a quarter turn
to the mouthpiece with a little bit of pressure to make sure the mouthpiece is attached properly.
Students should never strike the mouthpiece with the palm of their hand while it is in the
instrument. If they do, the mouthpiece can get stuck in the lead pipe and will require a
mouthpiece puller to remove.

For trombone, extra assembly will be needed. The slide should be removed from the case
and placed on the ground with the taller end on the left. Then, the bell should be removed from
the case and the small opening near the braces on the bell should be placed on the taller end of
the slide at a ninety-degree angle facing outwards. If there is a screw, it should be tightened to
keep the bell in place.
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Trombone

Carriage
Trombone is one of the more unique brass instruments in that it is the only brass
instrument that does not have valves, but instead just has a slide. Instead of placing the right
hand around different valve buttons, the right hand is positioned around the main slide. The
thumb, pointer finger, and middle finger on the right hand should grasp the bottom brace on the
slide. The pointer finger on the left hand should wrap around the mouthpiece receiver.

Mouthpiece Placement
For trombone, the mouthpiece should be placed directly in the center of the lips. The
proper mouthpiece ratio is 50/50 between the top and lower lips.

Articulations
Articulations on trombone are the same as each of the other brass instruments. “Ti” will
give a separated/staccato articulation, ‘Ta’ is a middle of the road normal articulation, and ‘Do’ is
a connected/legato articulation. However, there is also a slur articulation since the slide positions
can change so dramatically between notes. This articulation is “Loo” or “Thoo” and can achieve
a sound that does not sound disconnected with practice.
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Slide Positions
★ First position: Slide is all the way in.
★ Second Position: The slide brace is halfway between positions 1 and 3.
★ Third Position: Slide brace is just inside the bell.
★ Fourth Position: The end of the slide is just past the bell.
★ Fifth Position: Between 4th and 6th.
★ Sixth Position: Slide is a comfortable arms length away.
★ Seventh Position: Slide is stretched just past an arms length.

Maintenance
In order to properly maintain your instrument, you should oil the slide daily/every time
you play. Use slide oil, do not use slide grease as grease will make the slide move slower. Grease
can be applied to the main tuning slide if this is needed for the instrument, however that should
only be done on an as needed basis.

Slide Positions Chart

The following chart was found on sites.psu.edu/mrjensenunitplan/conductor-guide/.

Conductor Guide. Retrieved from https://sites.psu.edu/mrjensenunitplan/conductor-guide/

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Resources
Some good resources for trombone information are:
● Trombone.org
● Trombone.net
● Complete Guide to Brass: Instruments and Technique by Scott Whitener
Schirmer (3rd ed.) 2007.
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Trumpet

Carriage
Trumpet is the smallest of the brass instruments that are covered in this document. Proper
hand placement is relatively easy for this. The left hand thumb should rest in the thumb saddle
directly behind the first valve casing. The index and middle finger should wrap around the other
side of the valve casing and the ring finger should go into the third valve tuning slide ring. The
pinky should be held parallel to the instrument. The weight of the instrument should
predominantly rest in this hand. The right hand should make a curved “C” shape. The thumb
should be placed between the first and second valve casing and the index, pointer, and ring finger
should be placed on top of the three valves. The pinky should rest on top of the hook, not inside
of it. If the finger is placed inside, the tendency is to pull the instrument towards the face which
will add unnecessary pressure to the face.

Mouthpiece Placement
The mouthpiece placement for trumpet is the same as trombone. The mouthpiece should
be directly in the center of the lips, a 50/50 ratio between top and bottom.
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Articulations
To articulate, students should mimic saying different syllables to temporarily stop the
airflow into the instrument. “Ti” will give a separated/staccato articulation, ‘Ta’ is a middle of
the road normal articulation, and ‘Do’ is a connected/legato articulation. There is no slur
articulation for trumpet.

Fingering Chart

Maintenance
In order to properly maintain the instrument, valves should be oiled regularly. Slide
grease can be applied to the main tuning slide if it is beginning to move more freely, however
slide grease should not be used on the first and third valve tuning slides. To oil the instrument,
depress the first and third valves, then pull out the respective tuning slides. Place oil on the
exposed slide and push them back in, making sure to keep the valves depressed. To oil the
valves, unscrew them and pull them out one at a time, exposing the inside of the valve. Put oil on
the exposed part to lubricate it then replace it in the valve casing. Tighten the screw then turn the
top clockwise until it stops to make sure that the valve is in the right place.
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Idiosyncrises
On the trumpet, there are some tendency notes that will be either sharp or flat. For some,
there is a compensation that will work to fix the tuning issues. The low D and C# in the trumpet’s
range have a tendency to be sharp. To adjust the tuning, students should always kick out the third
tuning slide. The D, Eb, and E at the top of the treble clef staff have a tendency to be flat. There
is no compensation for these notes, but students can work to bend the pitch upwards over time.

Another thing to note with trumpets is that the angle of the instrument is not something
that needs to be corrected. The trumpet should be angled in a way that is comfortable to the
student and is often based on the bone structure in the student’s face. If a student has an overbite
it is more likely that they will angle the instrument down slightly. If the student has an underbite
it is more likely that they will angle the instrument up slightly.

As the student progresses in playing, they will need to change mouthpieces to

accommodate an improved range and tone. Students should begin on a Bach 7C mouthpiece.
They should continue to use this mouthpiece until they can comfortably play up to a C above the
treble clef staff. Once they are comfortable in that range, they should be switched to a Bach 5C
mouthpiece. If, after two weeks, the sound does not improve, the student should change back to
the 7C mouthpiece. Once the student reaches high school, it is acceptable to have them switch to
a Bach 3C. Just as with the first change, if the sound does not improve within two weeks, they
should revert back to their 5C mouthpiece. Any other changes MUST be done with a
professional.

Resources
Some good resources for trumpet are:
● Trumpetguild.org
● Trumpetherald.com
● Complete Guide to Brass: Instruments and Technique by Scott Whitener
Schirmer (3rd ed.) 2007.
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French Horn

Carriage
To hold a horn properly, the weight of the instrument should be balanced between both
hands. A good trick to get the proper right hand shape is to place the right hand on the back of
your head in order to form a cupped shape with your hand. Stick the right hand into the bell with
the fleshy part between the thumb and pointer finger touching the side of the bell. This
instrument is the only one of the valved brass instruments that uses the left hand on the valves.
The left hand thumb should rest in the thumb saddle on a single F horn. If the instrument is a
double horn, the thumb will rest on the trigger. The pointer, middle,and ring fingers should be
placed on their respective keys and the pinkie should rest under the pinkie ring.

Mouthpiece Placement
Proper mouthpiece placement for horn is ⅔ on the upper lip and ⅓ on the lower lip.
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Articulations
To articulate, students should mimic saying different syllables to temporarily stop the
airflow into the instrument. “Ti” will give a separated/staccato articulation, ‘Ta’ is a middle of
the road normal articulation, and ‘Do’ is a connected/legato articulation. There is no slur
articulation for horn.

Fingering Chart
The finger combinations for horn change depending on if it is a single or double horn.

Maintenance
As with the other brass instruments, the valves and slides on horn will need to be oiled.
To oil the slides, depress the valves and remove the slides from the instrument. Put oil on the
exposed slides then return them to the instrument with the valves depressed once again. The
longest slide goes closest to the bell while the shortest is in the middle.

Some horns will have a string system on the valves. In this case, there will be a reason to
need to re-string them at some point. Here is a guide to restringing these horns.

How to Re-String a Horn Valve

All horns will either have the lever arm extensions below the rotor screw (see column A) or
above it (see column B), depending on the rotor. Follow the diagrams appropriately.

1. Begin with a string that is cut to approximately between 5.5 to 6 inches in length
(available here). Tie a double knot at one end, then pass it through the hole as shown.
2. Take the free end of the string partially around the rotor screw (counterclockwise for A,
clockwise for B), having loosened the stop-arm screw to accommodate the string.
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3. Pass the string (clockwise for A, counterclockwise for B) under the stop-arm screw, and
adjust the position of the lever to approximate height desired. Tighten the stop-arm screw
temporarily.
4. Carry the string (counterclockwise for A, clockwise for B) around the rotor screw,
threading it through end-hole of the lever arm extension.
5. Hold the stop-arm screw against the stop (as shown by arrow) and wind string clockwise
around the end screw when taut. Tighten the end screw. The lever height may be finely
adjusted by loosening the stop-arm screw and then re-tightening as needed. The end
screw may then need a slight adjustment to take up any slack.

Idiosyncrises
French horn is commonly seen as a double horn. On the double horn, there will be a
thumb trigger that will open extra tubing and will cause the horn to sound in the key of Bb. The
trigger on this horn should be used at and above the middle line G# on a treble clef staff. Because
of the extra tubing, this instrument will be larger and weightier than the single horn.

Something unique to horn is playing stopped horn. Stopped horn gives the horn a
different timbre and raises the pitch being played by a half-step. Because of this, the fingerings
must be adjusted. To do this, students must use the fingerings for the note a half-step below the
note they want to play. To play stopped horn, students should curve the hand in the bell more and
bend the wrist to stop the air from escaping the bell. This should create resistance as the
instrument is played and more air will need to be used to produce the same quality sound.

Resources
Some good resources for horn are:
● www.hornmatters.com
● Complete Guide to Brass: Instruments and Technique by Scott Whitener
Schirmer (3rd ed.) 2007.
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Euphonium/Tuba

Carriage
For both tuba and euphonium, the carriage is almost identical. The left hand should be
wrapped around tubing in front of or on the bottom of the instrument and held up to the face, not
resting on the lap. If the euphonium/tuba has a compensating fourth valve on the side of the
instrument, it should be played with the index finger. The instrument is tucked between the arm
and the body, like you’re hugging it. If it is a horizontal valve instrument, the left hand will
balance the instrument on the left side. The right hand should have the pointer, middle, and ring
fingertips placed on the first, second, and third valves, respectively. The pinky finger should be
placed on the fourth valve if there is one next to the third valve. The thumb will be wrapped
around the thumb ring, the hook next to the first valve. For horizontal valves, the right hand will
be placed on the valve buttons from the front.

Euphonium

Tuba
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Mouthpiece Placement
The mouthpiece for both instruments should be placed either 50/50 top and bottom lip, or
60% top lip, 40% bottom lip.

Euphonium

Tuba

Articulations
To articulate, students should mimic saying different syllables to temporarily stop the
airflow into the instrument. “Ti” will give a separated/staccato articulation, ‘Ta’ is a middle of
the road normal articulation, and ‘Do’ is a connected/legato articulation.
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Fingering Chart
The fingerings for baritone/euphonium.
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Fingering chart for Bb Tuba.

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Maintenance
In order to properly maintain the instrument, valves should be oiled regularly. To oil the
instrument valves, depress the first and third valves, then pull out the respective tuning slides.
Place oil on the exposed slide and push them back in, making sure to keep the valves depressed.
To oil the valves, unscrew them and pull them out one at a time, exposing the inside of the valve.
Put oil on the exposed part to lubricate it then replace it in the valve casing. Tighten the screw
then turn the top clockwise until it stops to make sure that the valve is in the right place. If it is a
rotary valve instrument, unscrew the valve caps and place a drop of oil onto the raised center,
then replace the valve caps.

Idiosyncrises
Some tubas and euphoniums come with Fourth Valve Compensation. This would replace
fingerings 1-3 and 1-2-3. The purpose of the compensating fourth valve is to allow alternate
fingerings to fix natural intonation issues. For the tuba, it also extends the lower register. There
are also a few differences between baritone and euphonium. The baritone tubing is cylindrical,
giving it a brighter sound with less weight and typically has three valves. The euphonium tubing
is conical, giving it a darker, weightier sound and it can typically have three OR four valves.

Another common difference that can be found among these instruments is that some can
be Rotary valves while others can be Piston valves. The differences between these two can have
some effect on the playing of the instrument. The Rotary valves create a smoother transition
between each note and produce a broader, mellower sound. The Piston valves create cleaner and
more definite movement between each note

Resources
● International Tuba Euphonium Association: https://www.iteaonline.org/index.php
● The Art of Tuba and Euphonium by Harvery Phillips and William Winkle
● The Brass Player’s Cookbook: Creative Recipes for a Successful Performance by
Kenneth Amis
● The Breathing Gym by Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan
● A Complete Guide to Brass by Scott Whitener
● Just For Brass: www.justforbrass.com