trumpet

a beginners guide
SHANNON GATELEY
CONTENTS

3- WELCOME

4- DIAGRAM OF THE MODERN TRUMPET

5- A BRIEF HISTORY

6- HOW TO HOLD THE TRUMPET

8- PRODUCING A SOUND

9- USE OF THE TONGUE

10 - POSTURE

11 - STANDING TO PLAY

12 - SITTING TO PLAY

13 - INTRODUCING PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

14 - PERFORMANCE ANXIETY AND THE TRUMPET MANAGING PERFORMANCE

ANXIETY

17 - MANAGING PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

18 - BIBLIOGRAPHY
WELCOME

Thank you for choosing to read this treatise to help you to learn how to
play the trumpet. I hope you find it to be interesting, insightful and
encouraging!

This treatise will cover the parts of playing the trumpet, that are in my
personal belief, the most crucial to playing. It is, of course, impossible to
cover everything and so I will focus on the fundamentals of producing a
sound, holding the trumpet, posture, and performance anxiety. For
further information on aspects of playing not covered here, please
consult alternative channels of information.

3
 DIAGRAM OF THE
MODERN TRUMPET

IMAGE 1

4
A BRIEF HISTORY

The modern trumpet is a member of the brass family, most commonly

found in classical and jazz ensembles. Now used purely for musical
purposes, trumpet-like instruments were utilised historically as signalling
devices during war and/or hunting. These origins can be traced back as
far as 1500BC. It is arguable that the postural habits
of playing in this regimented, militaristic style never
completely left trumpet playing. This will be further
explored later.

IMAGE 2

For the purpose of this treatise, I will briefly outline the musical history of
the trumpet. It is generally believed that the trumpet became used for
more musical purposes in late 1300s, due to improvements to the design
and materials resulting in a more user-friendly instrument. The natural
trumpets of the Middle Ages and Renaissance period lack the valves
associated with modern trumpets, and produce notes from a single
overtone series, requiring a change of crooks (tubing) to achieve other
keys. Throughout the Baroque period, trumpeters began to develop their
higher register (the clarino register), and during this time, numerous
works were composed for the virtuosic trumpeter.

In 1818, increased chromatic freedom was achieved with the keyed

trumpet, although due to its poor sound quality, it had limited success
until the later models of trumpets, that we know today, were developed.
Despite this, it marked a change in trumpet repertoire, with works such as
the Haydn and Hummel Trumpet Concertos exhibiting the virtuosic and IMAGE 3

nimble possibilities of the new instruments.

IMAGE 4

5
HOW TO HOLD A
TRUMPET

1) The majority of the weight of the instrument will be in your left hand. Place your fourth finger in
the ring behind the valves and the thumb in the curved metal rest nearest your mouth.

IMAGE 5 IMAGE 6

2) Curl the rest of the fingers around the valve cases.

IMAGE 7

3) The right hand plays the valves. Place your fifth finger (pinky) in the curved metal rest on the top
of the trumpet and place your ring finger, middle finger and index on the valves. Curve your thumb
under the lead pipe.

IMAGE 8
6
6) Lift the trumpet to your lips, don’t bring your head to the trumpet. This will overstretch the
muscles in the neck.

IMAGE 9

7) The arms should be bent at the elbows at around a 90-degree angle.

8) The wrists should be in a continuous line from the arms

It is important that you do not overly grip the trumpet as this will produce tension in your arms that
could lead to injury.

7
 PRODUCING A
SOUND

Despite the development from signalling horn to virtuosic musical instrument, the basic fundamentals of
playing this trumpet have never radically altered. A sound is produced by doing the following:

1) Hold the large end of the mouthpiece against your lips but don’t put pressure against them.
2) Blow air through nearly closed lips. Have lips in the position that you would to say the letter, ‘M’.
This is called your ‘embouchure’
3) While keeping the air flowing, begin to vibrate the lips. Students are often told to ‘blow a raspberry’.
This is called ‘buzzing’ and will create the sound. When the mouthpiece is placed into the trumpet lead
pipe, a cleaner tone will be produced with practice.
4) Place the mouthpiece against the centre of the lips but don't press on hard. Keep the buzzing going
and a sound will be produced.

IMAGE 10

IMAGE 11
Note changes are achieved in the two following ways:
1) Speeding up the air flow and raising the tongue to the roof of the mouth (this is what period clarino
and natural trumpeters would have had to do)
2) Using various valve combinations.

It is worth noting that each valve combination has a multitude of pitch outcomes. For example, pressing
down valves 1 and 3 while playing will produce at least four different note pitches depending on tongue
position and air speed. This is part of what makes playing a brass instrument particularly challenging.

IMAGE 12 8
 USE OF THE
TONGUE

As with all other wind and brass instruments, the trumpeter must use the tongue to vary articulation. My
preferred approach is to use a ‘dah’ tongue. When about to play a note, bring the tip of the tongue to
the back of the upper teeth and pull it back, as if pronouncing the sound ‘dah’. As noted earlier, the
player is required to heighten the tongue when playing the higher register. In this case, the sound ‘deh’
or ‘dee’ might be pronounced, rather than ‘dah’.

Other trumpeters might recommend using a ‘tuh’ sound, and although also acceptable, it is my opinion
that ‘dah’ produces a rounder, softer sound and is more versatile than a harsh, somewhat aggressive
‘tuh’. Additionally, ‘dah’ promotes an open, relaxed throat which allows for greater breath intake and
less unnecessary tension.

IMAGE 13

9
 POSTURE

As previously noted, it is my personal belief that the trumpet’s history has influenced how we stand and
hold the instrument. The regimented, royal and militaristic style so often associated with trumpet players
is frequently modelled by both novice and professional players. I would like to address the following
areas of posture

1) Standing to play

2) Sitting to play

with the intent of encouraging the most efficient and healthy postural habits in trumpeters.

Essentially with posture, what we are looking for is a balance. This consists of standing or sitting in a way
that permits necessary postural tension, but keeps it to a minimal level. It is important to acknowledge,
however, that it is detrimental to hold the body in a position conceived as balanced. The body constantly
rebalances itself in reaction to movements. It is therefore detrimental to fix one’s muscles in a certain
way. It is perhaps obvious but worth pointing out, that what is balanced for you when holding the trumpet
will not be balanced without. The trumpet is an extra weight added unnaturally in front of you, and your
body's relation with gravity will have to adapt to balance with it.

You will perhaps notice that the following postural suggestions are similar with recurring themes
throughout. This is due to many ideas in this treatise being fundamentals, based on the teachings of
public speaker, Frederick Alexander, who developed the teachings now known as the Alexander
Technique in response to his personal performance issues.

The regimented stance outlined above encourages

an over-arching of the spine. This puts huge
pressure on the natural curvature of the spine,
causing tension in muscles that shouldn’t be so
affected. Over-arching of the spine can also crush
the nerves running up the spinal column and have
detrimental effects on the speed and accuracy of
messages from the brain to muscles; in short, it can
affect your coordination. While perhaps this might
not seem so very serious to trumpeters, who have
only three fingers to move quickly, it must not be
overlooked that both the tongue and diaphragm are
muscles, both essential to trumpet playing, that
require fast and accurate communication with the
brain.

IMAGE 14
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 STANDING TO
PLAY

Trumpeters often have to play standing, whether

this be in rehearsals, practice time or concerts.
While it is common to sit in orchestral contexts, in
jazz ensembles, trumpeters are frequently expected
to stand for long periods of time. Having the
knowledge and understanding of a healthy and
efficient standing posture is therefore crucial.

1) Begin with the feet shoulder width apart

2) Don’t lock your knees and bend them slightly

IMAGE 15 IMAGE 16

3) Centre your hips over your knees. If they are thrown forwards,
your knees will have to tense to maintain balance, and your
diaphragm could be restricted. This would be very detrimental for
efficient breathing and create unnecessary tension. (See images
17/18)

4) Be aware of how your head is

related to your spine: Think of your
head going forward and up. This will
prevent the shortening of neck
muscles, keeping breathing a lot
freer.

IMAGE 19

IMAGE 17 IMAGE 18

5) Be aware of your shoulders: Think of them

widening but don’t force them open

6) Be aware of your spine: Think of it lengthening –

we don’t want a slump or an over arch.

IMAGE 20
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SITTING TO PLAY

As briefly mentioned, trumpeters will often be required to sit during orchestral or ensemble
rehearsals, and you may choose to practice seated. It is perhaps a misconception that sitting will be
easier and less tiring for the player. When sitting for a three-hour rehearsal, however, it is just as
essential to have positive postural habits as it is when standing.

1) Sitting halfway back on the chair, have the feet flat on the ground, with the knees in line with
the hips.

2) Don’t lock your knees or your ankles

3) Roll side to side with your sitting bones firmly

on the seat. This will help you find your balance
and make sure that your weight is distributed
evenly over both your left and right.

IMAGE 21

4) Have your shoulders directly over your pelvis

which should be flat. Don’t let it roll forwards or
backwards, or this will develop an over arch or
slump in the spine.
IMAGE 22

5) Be aware of how your head is related to your spine: Think of your head
going forward and up. This will prevent the shortening of neck muscles,
keeping breathing a lot freer.

6) Be aware of your shoulders: Think of them

widening but don’t force them open
IMAGE 23

7) Be aware of your spine: Think of it lengthening –

we don’t want a slump or an over arch.

IMAGE 24
12
 INTRODUCING
PERFORMANCE
ANXIETY

At some point in your trumpet playing journey, you may find yourself in a performance situation.
Learning to deal with high pressure performance scenarios is important when learning how to play
the trumpet. In my opinion, however, it is rarely considered in instrumental lessons. Any high-
pressure scenario, whether playing a solo, participating in a sports match, public speaking or being
interviewed, will result in the body initiating the fight or flight response. This presents itself in a myriad
of ways, but most common are the following symptoms:

1) Racing pulse

2) Rapid, shallow breathing

3) Dry mouth

4) Shaking of knees, hands, lips and voice

5) Sweaty and/or cold hands

6) Nausea/stomach complaints

These symptoms, whilst unpleasant are the result of the body’s natural response to a perceived
threat, whether real or not. We call it performance anxiety. There are methods of coping with and
even utilising these symptoms to ensure that the performance isn’t adversely affected. In the next few
pages of this treatise, I will outline how performance anxiety can be managed, specifically in relation
to trumpet playing.

IMAGE 25

13
 PERFORMANCE
ANXIETY AND THE
TRUMPET

The symptoms of performance anxiety perhaps most detrimental to trumpet playing are the following:

1) Dry mouth
2) Shaking
3) Shallow breathing

Dry mouth

The lips need to be slightly moistened in order for optimal lip vibrations and sound production. If the
mouth is dry, it will be increasingly difficult to keep the lips moist. In addition to this, the tongue
heavily determines the articulation that is produced, and a dry mouth will inhibit how quickly and
freely the tongue can move.

There are many options for overcoming dry mouth. One suggestion is to take water on stage. As long
as it’s appearance and consumption is discreet enough to not impact a performance, there isn’t in my
opinion, any reason against this. Other suggestions are to gently bite down on the sides of the
tongue, activating the production of saliva. Perhaps a little more unusual but none-the-less, effective,
is the suggestion to lick a finger and gently rub it on the bump behind the ear. The science behind it is
that a saliva gland is triggered from there.

For more preventative measures, the National Health Service (NHS) website offers easily accessible
1
advice such as the following:
- Drink lots of water - dry mouth is very commonly caused by dehydration, which can also cause
headaches and dizziness.
Avoid caffeinated, alcoholic or fizzy drinks
Avoid overly acidic, spicy, salty or sugary foods
Don’t smoke (this is a definite for trumpet players! We need healthy lungs!)

IMAGE 26

Add a heading

IMAGE 27 IMAGE 28 IMAGE 29 IMAGE 30

IMAGE 31 IMAGE 32 IMAGE 34

IMAGE 33
1 NHS, Dry Mouth, [wesbite], https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dry-mouth/, (accessed 2 March 2019).

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Shaking

Detrimental for any performer, the effects of trembling can be audible as well as visual. If the lips or
hands are shaking, it is difficult to keep the trumpet still on the lips. This makes producing a clear,
consistent tone more challenging. It can also result in inappropriate, overly quick and/or loud vibrato.
If the knees are shaking, the body will have to work harder to remain balanced, potentially resulting
in undesirable tension.

healthline.com suggests that guiding your body back into a relaxed state is the best method of
2
reducing and alleviating shaking. Easier said than done, right? Certain techniques can be employed
to help this:

Progressive muscle relaxation consists of contracting and then releasing different muscle groups.
This conscious decision to relax the muscles can help stop the trembling. This can also be done
discreetly on stage if need be.

IMAGE 35

Perhaps less stage friendly are yoga poses. These are excellent for the run up to a performance, in
a warm-up room, for example. Movements such as ‘child’s pose’ and ‘sunrise salutations’ are known
for being particularly successful in regulating breathing, bringing the body back into a relaxed state
and reducing shaking.

SUNRISE
SALUTATIONS

CHILD'S POSE

IMAGE 36

IMAGE 37
2 K. Watson, Anxiety Shaking: What Causes It?, [wesbite], 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-shaking#How-to-stop-shaking, (accessed 2 March 2019).

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Shallow and rapid breathing

Breathing is imperative when playing the trumpet. Without blowing air down the instrument, there won’t
be a production of sound. Shallow and rapid breathing can result in running out of air too quickly. This
can produce a thin, raspy tone and/or the need to interrupt a phrase to take a breath. This ‘gasping’,
shallow emergency breath intake can cause dizziness/light-headedness, which could produce yet more
anxiety and so the cycle repeats itself.

Otherwise known as hyperventilation, shallow breathing usually manifests as people breathing in the
upper lungs, not using the whole lung. Perhaps the way to control and solve this most effectively is
3
through conscious breathing exercises. Try the following, suggested by anxieties.com:

1) Take a long, slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs, then your upper lungs

2) Hold your breath to the count of three.

3) Exhale slowly through pursed lips, while you relax the muscles in your face, jaw, shoulders, and
stomach.

Not only will this technique help to control hyperventilation, but it will also slow a rapid heartbeat.
Another technique is one developed by Alexander Technique founder, Frederick Matthias Alexander.
He suggests his procedure ‘The Whispered “Ah”’ to help gain control of the breath. The procedure is as
4
follows, according to The Alexander Technique for Musicians:

1) Raise the soft palette

2) Allow the tongue to rest on the top of the lower

teeth

3) Brighten your eyes as you release the jaw

4) Let the air out vocalizing a very soft ‘ah’

5) Close your mouth and wait for air to go in your nose

before doing another one.

This should help to level out the breathing, relieve the

shallow breath intake and reduce a racing heart rate.

IMAGE 38

3 Anxieties.com, STEP 4: Practice Your Breathing Skills, [website], https://www.anxieties.com/57/panic-step4#.XIgS8i2cbjA, (accessed 5 March 2019).
4 J. Kleinman and P. Buckoke, The Alexander Technique for Musicians, Meuthen Drama, 2013, p.101.

16
 MANAGING
PERFORMANCE
ANXIETY

There are many methods for managing and coping with the symptoms of performance anxiety, but it is
important to note that performance anxiety should not (and cannot, in some cases) be completely
eradicated. It is a normal reaction to stressful situations, and absolute elimination could result in under-
arousal and a lower-standard performance.The adrenaline secreted during fight or flight has been
proven to increase energy and improve muscle strength, both of which are advantageous during a
5
performance. Other suggestions for managing performance anxiety are as follow:

Beta Blockers

Having personally never utilised them, I feel that it would be awry to have a preference either for or
against them. It feels to me that they might be used perhaps as a last resort, when all other more
‘natural’ solutions have failed. I say this simply because I do not particularly welcome the idea of
introducing a substance that decreases the activity of the heart by blocking actions of hormones, such
as adrenaline. Whilst this may be my personal preference, I do not agree with, what in my opinion is
an erroneous notion, that the use of beta blockers is in some way, ‘cheating’. It is ultimately up to the
performer to decide what method of performance anxiety
management is the best for them, and it is not for
anybody else to comment or judge. That being said,
I would strongly advise consulting a medical
professional when deliberating the use
of beta blockers.

Managing mental chatter IMAGE 39

Taking from Alexanders teachings again, mental chatter (that little voice in your head) is something
that can have a negative effect on a performance. The constant self-criticism can result in more
performance anxiety and low mood/confidence, as well as distracting from the task at hand. It is
important to ‘perform in the now’, not to ruminate on past mistakes, or upcoming tricky passages. To
manage these intrusive thoughts, the performer can replace them with
positive affirmations, telling themselves what has gone well. In the
Alexander Technique, this would be called inhibiting a thought and
choosing the direction of turning it into something positive.

IMAGE 40
5 B. Paige, '“Performance Adrenaline”:The Effects of Endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine, and Adrenaline On the Performing Singer', PhD Thesis, Arizona State University: 2015, p.20.
6 4 J.Kleinman and P. Buckoke, The Alexander Technique for Musicians, Meuthen Drama, 2013, p. 72-73.

17
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anxieties.com, STEP 4: Practice Your Breathing Skills, [website],
https://www.anxieties.com/57/panic-step4#.XIgS8i2cbjA, (accessed 5 March 2019).

Kleinman, K and P. Buckoke, The Alexander Technique for Musicians, Meuthen Drama, 2013.

NHS, Dry Mouth, [wesbite], https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dry-mouth/, (accessed 2 March 2019).

Paige, B., '“Performance Adrenaline”:The Effects of Endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine, and Adrenaline
On the Performing Singer', PhD Thesis, Arizona State University: 2015.

Watson, K., Anxiety Shaking: What Causes It?, [wesbite], 2018,

https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-shaking#How-to-stop-shaking, (accessed 2 March
2019).

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IMAGE 3: https://www.baroquetrumpet.com/products/egger-natural-trumpet
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IMAGE 36:https://www.sweat.com/blogs/fitness/5-yoga-poses-for-dealing-with-lifes-struggles
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guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIyTb7QVt-
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