john reynolds | artistry in brass

Playing the trumpet is much like running a race. It’s very important to warm up and stretch before the workout! Here’s a simple and quick warm-up I use before I do anything else. This will help to relax the embouchure and center the sound.  Take this melodic fragment and transpose it down by half-steps until you are beginning on pedal C and playing down to double pedal C.  Your chops should feel very relaxed by then.  Don’t play too loud!  Also, as always, remember to inhale a deep relaxed breath, as if you were about to swim under water.  Keep an eye out for my upcoming book of warm-ups and studies!

It’s fun!

Oh, and…

Students with coursework/experience in music performance and music appreciation scored higher on the SAT: students in music performance scored 57 points higher on the verbal and 41 points higher on the math, and students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on the math, than did students with no arts participation. College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers. Princeton, NJ: The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001.

Range?  There are so many ideas out there about developing high range.  Solid high range is the result of a good foundation in the lower register.  Believe it or not, practicing pedal tones daily will help you learn to control your airstream, which is absolutely essential above high C.  Check out my favorite methods for developing range: Louis Maggio and James Stamp.  With daily practice, you too can reach for the elusive double C.