two ways of playing

trumpetgreece · Regular Member Joined: 20 Mar 2020 Posts: 16

Hi everyone! I can play the trumpet in two different ways and I would like to hear your opinion on which is the right one and why.

First way: I do an mmm with my lips, put the mouthpiece on and then open my lips until half the bottom lip is outside the mouthpiece. In this position the whole upper lip is inside the mouthpiece, half bottom lip is outside the mouthpiece and there is a clear space between the lips.

Second way: I do an mmm with my lips, put the mouthpiece on, allow the lips to relax. In this position both upper and lower lip is inside the mouthpiece(both 'feel' inside the bell of the mouthpiece) and there is no space between the lips, the lips touch.

With both ways I can produce the same notes.

Thanks in advance

Jaw04 · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 2:55 pm Post subject:

Listen to the sound of each way, and go for the better sound. You want your lips to feel inside the mouthpiece, but if you push them together too much it will cut off your sound.
The correct way is probably somewhere in between. There's no 1 way to play, you have to develop it over lots of time striving for the best sound you can make.

HERMOKIWI · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581

It just isn't this simple. The "best" way depends on too many variables applying to you which we cannot measure on a forum like this. Since you can produce notes both ways there is a 50-50 chance any particular response will be incorrect/misleading.

I know you're trying to get answers/direction without incurring the expense and/or time to work with a teacher but the simple truth is that if you want reliable information that applies accurately to you then you need to work with someone who can observe and hear you. We can't. All we can do is give our best guess and our best guess may turn out to be very misleading.
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HERMOKIWI

JayKosta · Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 4:13 pm Post subject:

this youtube video is good -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnCpdzdGAQc

but watch carefully how his lips are formed when actually using a mouthpiece, NOT the way without the mouthpiece.

Jay
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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'.