Use your valve slides.

Using your first and third valve slides will dramatically improve your consistency of performance. If you do not use your slides to properly adjust the length of your instrument when you have more than one valve depressed or when using just intonation, you will have to make physical adjustments in your body in order to play in tune. This adversely affects sound, intonation, and endurance.

Tip:

• Modern brass instruments have valve slides that are (one hopes) the correct length to change the length of the instrument the right amount to lower the pitch by an interval that is in-tune to the open instrument. The common exception to this rule is the third valve slide, because it is almost always used in combination with another valve. On a Bb trumpet, depressing the second valve lowers the pitch of the instrument by a half step to A. The first valve slide, which is the correct length for a Bb trumpet, is now too short. This is why the first valve slide must be extended to play any notes played with the 1-2 combination in tune. It follows that the third valve slide needs to be extended to play any 1-2-3 combination notes in tune. With the 1-2 combination depressed, the Bb trumpet is now a G trumpet, which requires a third slide length equal to that of an instrument pitched in G in order to sound in-tune.

• To master the use of moveable valve slides in a musical way, start by playing slow scales or easy, slow musical lines, while consciously trying not to adjust your body for notes that are out of tune that are played with more than one valve depressed. Then when you are familiar with the intonation pattern for a given scale or tune, practice using your slides to correct the intonation problems as you play. Increase speed to improve technique, and learn your limitations so that you know when you are playing too fast to make adjustment practical.

Proceed to Take a full, relaxed breath >>