Page 25 - Embou-Sure Book Series

lems relative to pitch, control, and endurance. If discouraged from the first lesson, the puffed-cheeks syndrome should be very easy to eliminate. Use of a mirror can be a significant aid in helping the student who has been playing for some time and has this problem.
MOUTHPIECE SIZE
Mouthpiece selection is, of course, important for each student as an individual. And though it is true that new student-line trumpets come with a mid-range mouthpiece suitable for the average beginner, real problems often occur when “Johnny” brings in “Uncle Herman’s twenty-year-old trumpet with the su- per-duper, screech-range mouthpiece.” The cup diameter and depth of that highly specialized mouthpiece will directly affect tone, response, etc.
The more shallow the cup, the brighter the tone and the sharper the pitch in the upper range. The larger the cup diameter, the bigger the possible tone. That is not to say, of course, that every player should choose a large mouthpiece;
in fact, beginners should normally begin on a mid-size mouthpiece (e.g. Bach
6 or 7). Regardless of the choice, the teacher should check and even test any questionable mouthpiece. It is, after all, extremely important to ensure the best possible conditions for the beginning student.
INTONATION
Every student can and must play in tune from the very beginning! “Theories” which expound that “learning to blow’’ is the only important aspect in the beginning stages are ridiculous. As soon as a note is introduced, there must be instruction which produces correct tone quality. Since out of tune notes seldom contain proper tone quality, it follows that attention to one cures the other. Note in the following examples the natural tendency of the trumpet to play flat or sharp and with tone quality which is inconsistent with surrounding notes:
#6-LOW D: Natural sharpness & thinness; then corrected. SOUND EXAMPLE #6
(Also true of low C#). Correct both of these with use of the trigger mechanism (or ring) by lengthening third valve tubing and opening throat to more “oh” shape.
#7-TOP SPACE E: Natural flatness; then corrected. SOUND EXAMPLE #7a
In this instance the correction is executed by lipping up the note. Students
will eventually learn how to “lip a note” but initially they fail to recognize the degree of flatness of top space E. (Also true of fourth line D.) Therefore, use this excellent method of making them aware of top space E flatness: Ask each student to play the note with the normal fingering (open) and then produce the same note using first-second-third valve combination.
SOUND EXAMPLE #7b
The immediate result is that the student recognizes just how flat the natural tendency of top space E really is. Though you would not generally ask students to use this alternate fingering, it is a very useful, in-tune possibility. Further- more, it will aid the students in better understanding how to “lip up” a note; when they return to the open E fingering, they will automatically adjust pitch upward.
#8-HIGH A: Pinched sharpness; then corrected.
The high register of the trumpet is not really much out of tune in the sense of natural tendencies, but the tendency of most students is to pinch these notes quite sharp:
SOUND EXAMPLE #8
To aid the student in hearing pitch which is closer, ask him to play a high A using third valve instead of the normal first and second. The pitch will be lower and from a comparative standpoint will encourage him to reduce pinching in an attempt to match pitch. From an ear standpoint, I would recommend mak- ing the student aware of the tone quality difference in the high range as com- pared to the middle range. If the student attempts to match the tone quality of the middle range while playing in the high register, he will automatically play with better intonation.
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