Trumpet – Very Slow to Very Fast Playing to Refine Technique (Musicians)(Psychology)(Pain)(Strain)(Injuries)(Posture)(Alexander Technique)(Albuquerque)

May 13, 2012 / Ethan Kind /

This ebook, An Alexander Technique Approach to Trumpet Technique, is published on this website in a PDF format. It is very detailed and practical, and it will give you the physical tools you need to take the limits off of your ability to create the accurate trumpet technique you want without sacrificing your body.
This ebook is also for sale on all AMAZON websites in a KINDLE format.
Located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. (MOVEMENT THERAPY)

Is playing a trumpet piece very slowly, below tempo, a form of making mistakes? This is what many trumpet players believe, and most trumpet players believe mistakes should be avoided at all costs. I’ve found that almost all trumpet players believe that a mistake made is a mistake learned. This is the central belief of trumpet players that makes for fear based playing. “Thou shalt avoid mistakes at all costs!”

I do not believe a mistake made, and recognized as such as it is being played is a wrong note learned, unless this is believed. What we believe, true or not, is self-fulfilling. In other words, if you believe every mistake made is learned, you will make that same mistake over and over again to prove you are right. Humans love to be right!

So, if you accept that a missed note on the trumpet recognized is not a mistake learned, then slow practice is not playing a whole piece wrong.

What is the physical difference between playing a trumpet slowly and quickly? I ask a trumpet player to play a two octave scale and to do so very slowly, and to pay close attention to the diaphragm and support. I ask him to really experience how little torso muscle it takes to create support as he sustains the playing of each note in the scale very slowly, ascending and descending nonstop. As he continues to play the scale, I ask him to gradually pick up the tempo, continuing to pay close attention to how the torso support changes or doesn’t change. I ask him to get faster and faster until she is going as fast as she can.

I then stop him, and ask him if he was able to feel the place where “slow” playing became “fast” playing, and what the difference is. When he says no, then we do this a few more times, seeing if he can figure out the difference between the two. So far, no trumpet player has come up with the answer on his own.

Here is the answer. At a certain tempo, as he speeds up, as the trumpet player continues to get faster and faster, he may increase the tension of the torso’s support. This isn’t necessary. So, you want to consciously do the minimum necessary with the torso musculature with high dynamic for support, whether you’re playing very slow or very fast.

When it comes to the right hand fingers playing the valves, remain in contact with the valves and move your fingers reflexively. This means that if you move your fingers as quickly as your reflexes will allow, you get a much cleaner note change, whether you’re playing a very slow passage or a very fast passage.

If your trumpet technique does break down, then what are you doing wrong? You may discover your technique has flaws in it that even flowing fingers and the right amount of support can’t solve, so you need to troubleshoot your trumpet technique by yourself, with a trumpet teacher, with an Alexander Technique teacher or all three.

So, perform with love and an accurate sense of what it really takes to physically play the trumpet, and who knows how good you’ll become.

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An Alexander Technique Approach to Trumpet Technique

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Ethan Kind

AUTHOR, TRAINER "When you change old habitual movement patterns with the Alexander Technique, whether in playing a musical instrument, running, weightlifting, walking, or typing at a computer, you create an ease of body use that moves you consistently into the zone." - Ethan Kind Ethan Kind writes and is published extensively on all of the above activities. He teaches musicians, athletes, and computer operators how to stop hurting themselves, by showing them how to use their bodies with ease and coordination. He brings a unique perspective to his work, having been a musician and athlete all of his life. After training for three years at the American Center for the Alexander Technique (New York, NY), Ethan received Professional Certification credentials.

2 Comments

  1. Young Ho on March 30, 2014 at 12:47 am

    I heard on radio Wynton Marselis playing an extremely fast music on his trumpet for 5-7 minutes. I play flute and I can tell that there is NO time to take breath in between any of the notes that he played from start to finish. The only two possibilities that I can think of as to how he can do this are:
    1) He takes such a long and deep breath in that can last 5-7 minutes (which is much harder to do than to hold the breath for 5-7 minutes like some deep sea diving world record holders); 2) He is somehow able to take breath in thru his nose while at the same time blow the air out thru his mouth.
    So, what is his secret? How can he play the trumpet with extremely fast(est) notes from start to finish for 5-7 minutes without any time for breath in between? Thank you.



    • ethankind on March 30, 2014 at 12:15 pm

      Here is a link to how he does it and how to learn to do it. It’s called circular breathing, which is the ability to take in air as you expel air simultaneously. http://www.didgeproject.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139&Itemid=99
      How you do what you do is central to the Alexander Technique. This means that as you learn a new trumpet technique, you don’t lock your neck and compromise your posture. Anyone can learn something new and compromise their posture and trumpet technique and cause pain. It is learning something new from the beginning AND taking care of yourself that makes the Alexander Technique so unique.



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