Daily Trumpet Routines, Lesson 37-G, Model 3
Inverted Minor 7th Arpeggios – Form 3
Claude Gordon, Daily Trumpet Routines (Carl Fischer, 1971), 139-143.
Click here for the ENTIRE lesson plan (routine).
Things to remember when you practice
- 5 times 10 breathing exercise before you begin
- Practice each model for 3 days
- Breathe when necessary (not on last note)
- Push out ALL the air on last note – until shaking
- Add the upper octave where it’s comfortable
- Rest as long as you play (finger and sing through each line)
- BIG BREATH – CHEST UP – SHOULDERS BACK (NOT UP)
- WATCH THE TONGUE
- LIFT FINGERS HIGH – STRIKE THE VALVES HARD
This video shows how developing trumpet players at my level should practice this type of arpeggio exercise, or tongue level study, according to Claude Gordon and my teacher, Bruce Haag. The mistakes you’ll hear are ones common to developing trumpeters and will diminish over time, as I naturally discover the knack of trumpet playing. (see my notes on the videos)
Things to remember when you practice
- With arms relaxed at your side, turn your palms forward
- Shoulders will move back but not up
- Inhale through the nose (preferred) or mouth quickly
- Exhale all the air without changing your posture
- Create some resistance by pursing your lips on the exhale
- STAY RELAXED – you don’t want to reinforce tension
- Pay attention to the muscles that are working
This kind of breathing exercise is described in many of Claude Gordon’s books, namely Brass Playing Is No Harder Than Deep Breathing.
Bruce Haag is a certified Claude Gordon instructor, and the practice routines he assigns serve to set goals for progress and to help the student understand exactly what is causing the progress.
“It is only about one-tenth talent and nine-tenths hard work.”— Claude Gordon
Related posts:
OK, for all of you who were wondering, “what do breathing exercises sound like when your nose is stuffy?”, here’s a great example
If it had been any stuffier, I would have made other plans…