Bowling Green State University

ScholarWorks@BGSU
Honors Projects

Honors College

Fall 2012

A Guide for the Aspiring High School Trumpet

Player
Lily Szymanski

Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects

Repository Citation
Szymanski, Lily, "A Guide for the Aspiring High School Trumpet Player" (2012). Honors Projects. Paper 72.

This Student Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors College at ScholarWorks@BGSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in
Honors Projects by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@BGSU.

A Guide for the

Aspiring High
School Trumpet
Player

By Lily Szymanski

Table of Contents
Foreward..3
..3
I.

Lip Slurs
Irons, pg. 5....4
....4
Schlossberg, pg. 5
5.5
.5
Schlossberg, pg. 18
18..6
..6
II.
Tone Development
Irons, pg. 56
6
Schlossberg, pg. 2
2.7
.7
Arban, pg.
g. 242
2427
7
Cichowicz Flow Studies
Studies8
8
III. Finger Coordination
Clarke, pg. 8-9
9.9
.9
Vizzuti, pg. 66....11
IV. Intervals
Williams, pg. 86
86
12
Arban, pg. 13-14
14..12
..12
V.
Articulation
..13
Dalby, pg. 19..13
Goldman, pg. 43
43...14
...14
VI. Multiple Tonguing
Arban, pg. 155..15
Arban, pg. 175..16
VII. Scales...17
...17
VIII. Higher Range
.18

Additional Resources
19

-2-

FOREWARD
This book is a compilation of exercises from the sources listed on page
18. It is not my intention for this book to be a substitute for these other
sources, rather, it is my hope that students would find some of these exercises
of use to them and seek out the method books where these exercises are
drawn from. The exercises chosen for this book are only a starting point for
the student to begin a practice routine and develop his or her trumpet playing.
The exercises in this book will not seem helpful for the student unless the
student practices them with consistent and intelligent practice. With hard
work and dedication, students will experience positive results in their playing.

-3-

I.

Lip Slurs

The tongue should raise and lower to achieve greater flexibility practicing the
lip slurs. For more flexibility exercises see Earl D. Irons book Twenty-Seven
Groups of Exercises for Cornet and Trumpet.
Irons, pg. 5

-4-

Schlossberg, pg. 5

-5-

Schlossberg, pg. 18
If there is difficulty getting the higher notes, start with the bottom line.

II.

Tone Development

Irons, pg. 5
Tone should remain constant throughout the crescendo. Practice this exercise
with a tuner on different notes.

-6-

Schlossberg, pg. 2
This exercise can be practiced with a tuner. After descending a half step and
returning to the starting pitch, the pitch should be played with a good,
consistent tone.

Arban, pg. 242

Practicing simple melodies can also encourage tone development. More
melodies can be found in Arbans Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet,
pg. 191-245.

-7-

Vincent Cichowicz Flow Studies, from Brian Shooks Basic Tone Production on
the Trumpet
As ones range develops, notes can be added to continue ascending on this
exercise. Practice to get a consistent tone on the lower notes before
attempting to ascend up to the C on the last exercise. This exercise can be
transposed to different keys.

-8-

III.

Finger Coordination

Clarke, pg. 8
Begin practicing slowly then speed up the tempo.

-9-

Clarke, pg. 9

-10-

Vizzuti, pg. 66

-11-

IV.

Intervals

Williams, pg. 86
Focus on playing the upper notes of the intervals without strain. This exercise can be
transposed to other keys.

Arban, pg. 13
The top note of each exercise should be played consistently without strain.

-12-

Arban, pg. 14
For additional interval studies, see Arbans Complete Conservatory Method
for Trumpet, pgs. 13-14.

V.

Articulation

Dalbay, pg. 19

-13-

Dalby, pg 19

Goldman, pg. 43
Strive for consistent articulation throughout the entire register.

-14-

VI. Multiple Tonguing

Arban, pg. 155
Practice at a slow tempo single tonguing first, then speed up the tempo to
triple tonguing with the articulation sounding the same.

-15-

Arban, pg. 175

-16-

VII. Scales
The 12 major scales should be practiced with a metronome, maintaining a
steady tempo and quality tone.

-17-

VIII. Higher Range

To improve ones higher range, one must practice playing in the upper
register. I included no exercises in this section, because all of the exercises
above could be extended to include upper register playing. For example, one
could take the Clarke study up an octave, extend the lip slur exercises up to
more partials, or ascend higher in the flow study. The major scales could also
be practiced in 2 octaves to get playing in the higher register. Ones higher
range will improve by playing to extreme ends of the register, both the upper
and lower register.

-18-

Works Cited
Arban, J.B. Arbans Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet. New, NY: Carl
Fischer, 1982. Print.
Clarke, H.L. H.L. Clarke: Technical Studies for the Cornet. New York, NY: C. Fischer, 1934.
Print.
Dalby, Cleon E. Trumpet Problems. Belwin Publishing Company. Print.
Goldman, Edwin Franko. Foundation to Cornet or Trumpet Playing: An Elementary
Method. New York, NY: Carl Fischer, 1914. Print.
Irons, Earl D. Twenty- Seven Groups of Exercises for Cornet and Trumpet. San
Antonio, Texas: Southern Music Co., 1952. Print.
Schlossberg, Max. Daily Drills and Technical Studies for Cornet and Trumpet. San
Antonio, Texas: Southern Music Co., 1952. Print.
Shook, Brian A. Basic Tone Production on the Trumpet. Brian A. Shook, 2011. Web. 20
Nov. 2012. <http://www.brianshook.com/resources/Basic-Tone-Production.pdf>.
Vizzutti, Allen. The Allen Vizzutti Trumpet Method: Book 1 Technical Studies. Alfred
Publishing Company, 1991. Print.
Williams, Ernest. The Ernest S. Williams Modern Method for Trumpet or Cornet.
Saugerties, NY: The Ernest Williams School of Music. Print.

-19-