Flexibility - the 'necessary' actions

JayKosta

Flexibility is an important part of being able to play well, and 'flexibility exercises' are usually found in method books, videos, etc. But less discussed are the 'skills' and 'actions' that are needed to achieve good 'playing flexibility'.

These are my initial thoughts about those skills and actions.

Basically, flexibility means being able to quickly and accurately move among notes of different pitch, and especially different ranges.

A key part of this is having good control of lips and embouchure so the changes and adjustments can be made with minimum physical movement, and with good control so the desired note can be sounded correctly, and on-time.

Ideally, those changes come about unconsciously by seeing the written note, imagining the pitch, using correct fingering, and making the appropriate embouchure and air adjustments.

A critical issue is being able to make those embouchure and air adjustments quickly. A large part of this is the ability to make small 'tweaks' in adjustment, and to avoid needing large (slow) physical changes. Doing slow long-tone practice is a good way to learn the adjustments for the various notes, but that can lead to excessive 'rigidity' in the setting for each note (and range).
AFTER you have learned to correctly play the various notes, it is important to learn how to reduce the amount of physical movement so the time to 'get set' for the next note is short.

If anyone can give me links or references to good instructional / teaching material about this, I'd appreciate it.
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Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'.

rhatheway · Posted: Wed May 15, 2024 3:08 pm Post subject:

Jay, as probably one of the newest members here on TH I don't really feel I'm qualified to give you advice, but...

The "Arban Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet" (which is what I've been using this past year as I've been working on getting my chops back) has exercises that cover just about anything you might want to learn. There's a great section on slurring and legato playing (>20 pages of exercises), which covers a lot of what (I think) you're asking about, and has exercises in different key signatures and meters, from slow to fast, which are definitely useful in developing the flexibility you talked about (it's helping me anyway).

https://www.amazon.com/Fischer-Complete-Conservatory-Method-Trumpet/dp/B017X3KDJY/ref=asc_df_B017X3KDJY
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Richard H
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Working on getting my chops back...

“Without music, life would be a mistake” ― Friedrich Nietzsche

1958 Conn Director 14A
1968 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1977 Reynolds Medalist CR-58

stuartissimo · Posted: Wed May 15, 2024 8:51 pm Post subject:

I found this video by Alex ‘Trumpet Brain’ a good starting point. It discusses some basics on how he thinks these exercises can be approached efficiently.
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1975 Olds Recording trumpet
1997 Getzen 700SP trumpet
1955 Olds Super cornet
1939 Buescher 280 flugelhorn
AR Resonance mouthpieces

JayKosta · Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 3:18 am Post subject:

cantabile · Posted: Thu May 16, 2024 6:24 pm Post subject:

I really like the flexibilities (Lip Slurs) in Michael Sachs' Daily Fundamentals For The Trumpet. They are well graduated from lower to higher register, with variations and musicality.
Many of his exercises in various sections of the book also develop warm, full airflow as well as the focus technique. His tutorial text in each section is well-explained for learning.