Take a full, relaxed breath.

Air is the fuel brass players use to make music. The more efficient, open, and complete you breathe, the more complete your sound will be and the less you will have to work when playing.

Tips:

• Charles Schlueter has said many times that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of air used when playing and the amount of effort needed to effectively make music. More air = less work, and less air = more work!

One of the easiest ways to better utilize your lung capacity and breath easier is to simply align your body, thus eliminating most of the tension that constricts the breath. One of the best trumpet lessons for using Monette equipment effectively is a beginning Hatha Yoga class usually costing between $5 and $10. The science of Yoga is a more than 3,000-year-old practice of making your body more aligned and resonant, a major key to improved performance in any field. Ask for “Mountain Pose” or “Corpse Pose” for starters, and don’t be shy about asking for one-on-one help. This practice will immediately help to make your breath more effortless and complete.

Proceed to Look out into the room as you play >>