Problem with slurring

Blaedryn · New Member Joined: 18 May 2018 Posts: 3

Hi, so I'm going into 9th grade band next year. I started playing in 7th grade. Lately I've been having a problem with my slurring. If I slur up two or more same-fingering intervals, C within the staff to G above the staff for example, you can hear the note in between pop out for a second. In the C to G case you'd hear the E for a second. I don't recall having this problem in my first year of playing, it started happening towards the end of my 8th grade year. Any ideas as to what's going on and how to fix it?

Andy Del · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2018 4:46 pm Post subject:

The first thing is most are going to ask you what does you trumpet teacher say? That is because you need one!

We can only guess at what is at play here. It may be that yo are improving as a player, and now you are aware enough to notice you are catching the harmonic in-between C & G. It may be you are developing a habit of not supporting enough as you slur. It may, at a pinch, be equipment related...

It may need some careful practice in lip slurs. Your teacher will know better than us.

cheers

Andy
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Blaedryn · New Member Joined: 18 May 2018 Posts: 3

CJceltics33 · Veteran Member Joined: 24 Aug 2017 Posts: 475

This is a common problem that is remedied like all others: practice! Careful practice will eventually correct this issue. It has been a problem for almost all trumpeters. I know it happens to me occasionally as well. Slurs with skips require some extra thought.

Other technical thoughts: you don’t have to slur, very tenuto may do the job. Alternate fingerings may help as well.

Good luck!

Al Innella · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 2:36 am Post subject:

Try practicing slurring softly with a steady air stream, and concentrate on your tongue levels.Using syllables such as tah-eee when slurring from low to high should help.

Jerry Freedman · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 3:20 am Post subject:

Practice and subdivide. For instance if you practice in half notes, two beats C to two peats G count in your head 1234 1234 G2341234. Be strict with yourself as you can. This is borrowed from Caruso and it helps me avoid the note in the middle and smearing the slur

deleted_user_680e93b · New Member Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0

cheiden · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 7:47 am Post subject:

I think a lot of young players execute these up intervals without really understanding how they do it. Too often they rely on blowing harder and pressing which is counterproductive. Careful practice, while limiting blowing hard and pressing, should allow a player to focus on the proper mechanisms that include small movements of the lip, jaw, and tongue. Sometimes a bit of pivot can help. Once productive techniques start to form you'll be better able to cleanly execute any interval.

FWIW I think the Stamp method does a great job of dialing this in. Obviously going through it with a Stamp trained teacher would be best.
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Blackquill · Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2018 8:24 pm Post subject:

If you can't get a teacher, practice slurred intervals every day. Pages 39 and 40 in the Arban's book, for instance.
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Dayton · Posted: Wed Aug 01, 2018 9:38 am Post subject:

As has been previously noted, the absolutely best thing you can do is to discuss this with your trumpet instructor, and seek advice from him/her.

Do you have the same problem when you slur from low C to middle C (where you inadvertently play the G between them)?

Is the G above middle C a high note for you, or one that you can play comfortably? If it is at the upper end of your range it is not too surprising that you'd hit the partial below it (E) on your way to the G.

Can you comfortably tongue those intervals? For example, can you accurately tongue middle C and then the G above it, or do you still wind up playing an E instead of a G sometimes? Try an exercise like this: tongue C to G three times and then try to slur it the fourth time. Then start on B (to F#) and repeat that sequence.

This should help if the problem is that you don't have a good sense of what the note you are trying to play sounds like, and thus play like you are groping blindly for it.

Good luck!