brianscriver.com                                                            home

GR and Brian Scriver now offering Commercial / Lead Trumpet Clinic!

This informative masterclass covers everything you need to know to become a successful commercial trumpet player.  Emphasizing the lead trumpeter, this clinic deals with attitude, sound, equipment, technique, exercises, section playing, section player responsibilities, getting gigs, and keeping gigs, as well as many other aspects of this type of playing. 

This masterclass uses Powerpoint as well as musical "hands on" exercises that the class will work on and perform as a section.  These specific exercises are designed so the students work out musical problems and work together as a section.

Contact us for more information. Find out what "Primal Grip ™, Bottom Lip, Blow from the tip" really means.

"Brian gave an outstanding presentation on many important aspects of trumpet playing that was full of great advice, practical application,  and a lot of fun. His incredible grasp of the horn—not to mention his  stellar playing—was very impressive. Along with demonstrating his  astonishing high range, he covered the basics of air and breath  support in a way that was easily understood by all. Brian is a warm  and friendly professional who has a clear passion for the trumpet.  After the clinic he was surrounded by eager students with questions  and advice that he freely and expertly gave. I give Brian my highest  recommendation for an appearance—your students will come away much  richer."

John Irish - Associate Professor of Music at Angelo State  University, San Angelo, Texas

GR's Three Basic Rules for Brass Playing

•1. The lips must be supple and free to vibrate without unnatural impingement or manipulation. Cushion is required.

•2. You need a constant supply of uninterrupted air flow that is supported. The air column must be free from impingement and manipulation.

•3. There must be a match between the player, horn, and mouthpiece. If one changes the others must be able to accommodate the change or be changed as well.

That sounds simple! Now let's get this happening.

Here is a fantastic exercise to get #1 and #2 working well for you; Leadpipe Buzzing.

This exercise has worked very well for many players from beginner to pro. Leadpipe Buzzing should be done at the start of your practice session.

Leadpipe Buzzing Exercise

 The purpose of Leadpipe Buzzing is to set up the pressure or standing wave in the leadpipe in a relaxed approach and without manipulation in the chops, air column, or body. The reason that we use the leadpipe is to eliminate valves and the trumpet sound. It allows us to move the sub-conscious to the conscious level and concentrate on how we produce the sound. The goal is to get a vibrant sound that starts quickly with a breath attack.

The set up is important. Keep taking the mouthpiece off the lips after each breath. We need to learn good habits when putting the horn to the chops. Using a mirror in the beginning will help if you are a comeback player of have made a change. 
 

Develop a set up sequence for beginning the note. Something like this:
1. Posture: Are you erect with a good head position? 
2. Place the mouthpiece on the lips and take a breath in a natural way. 
3. Form the aperture and set up the support before moving the air. 
4. Keep the aperture focused and mouthpiece pressure to a minimum so the lips are able to vibrate freely.

The Exercise

1.  Insert mouthpiece into receiver.

2. Remove tuning slide.

3. Very softly and with a breath attack, play an F, first space. It does not have to be exactly on pitch, just play somewhere around there where it centers best for you. I do this for 5 minutes. Very softly, breath attacks. Horn off the face between notes.

It gets a bit boring so after a minute or two when my chops start to loosen up, I will bend the pitch down a half tone and then back up to the F. This relaxes the chops and also helps you center the note.

4. After 5 minutes my chops and air feel good so I take it to the next level. Breath attack, softly the F again but this time when the note centers, do a soft rip up the 9th to the G on top of the staff. Try to go from the center of the first pitch to the center of teh second pitch without hitting notes in between the two. Don't get overly loud. If the chops are too tense, this will not work. If there is any undue chop manipulation, this will not work. If the air stream is being manipulated, it will sound strained. This may take me one or two tries to get loosened up and feeling decent. Once again, I do this for 5 minutes. I will then play the F, bend the pitch down and up, rip to the G, bend it down and up, and slide back down to the F again. I think it is important to center that lower note again to keep the chops relaxed.

5. 5 minutes have passed and it is on to the next level. Same as above, start on the F, rip to the G, then rip up to the D above high C.  If things are not right, it won't work.

6. 5 more minutes of that then same as above but add the G above high C. I only do this 5 or 6 times till it feels full and relaxed. After that I will take it to the B and if it feels real good, to the D. I will not push this exercise too far as I want to keep a relaxed and focused feel to my chops before I go on to the rest of my practice routine.

There is no real need to play those really high notes. Don't rush the exercise. Don't cheat yourself. You may take a good month or so just to get the first G to sound and feel good.

This exercise will teach you to play with a correct efficient set up without having to get all messed up with embouchure styles etc. Basically if the notes are strained, you are doing it incorrectly. Let your ears do the work and relax.   The chops should get accustomed to YOUR correct setting.