Buzz to Brilliance

Adrian Griffin is Adjunct Professor of Trumpet, University of Texas - San Antonio, Performer in the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and contributor to The Instrumentalist magazine

• THIS SECTION INTRODUCES THE PARTS OF THE TRUMPET AND THEIR BASIC ASSEMBLY. LEARN HOW TO BREAK IN AND OIL YOUR VALVES, GREASE YOUR SLIDES, AND CARE FOR YOUR NEW TRUMPET; THE BEST TRUMPETERS LOOK AS GOOD AS THEY SOUND, AND FOR A REASON; YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO SET YOUR EMBOUCHURE, WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO MAKE SURE IT IS CORRECT, AND HOW TO ADJUST YOUR EMBOUCHURE TO FIT YOUR PARTICULAR LIP AND TEETH CHARACTERISTICS; WHAT TO EXPECT AS YOU START PLAYING THE TRUMPET, FROM LEARNING THE NOTES TO EMPTYING YOUR WATER KEYS; YOU'VE BEEN BREATHING FOR YEARS, BUT BLOWING INTO A TRUMPET ADDS A NEW CHALLENGE. PLAYING TRUMPET WILL TAKE YOUR BREATHING INTO A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION!; TRUMPETERS ARE FAMOUS FOR THEIR FEATS OF ARTICULATION. LEARN THIS SKILL CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME, SO YOUR PLAYING IS CRISP AND CLEAN AT ANY SPEED; SET UP A SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE WITH AN INTELLIGENT WARM-UP, THEN PREPARE FOR THE NEXT PRACTICE WITH A GOOD WARM-DOWN; THE KEY TO SUCCESS LIES IN HOW WELL YOU PRACTICE, NOT JUST HOW MUCH. LEARN TO SET GOALS, FOCUS ON DIFFICULT PARTS, AND REFINE YOUR LISTENING; EXTENDING YOUR RANGE REQUIRES BUILDING EXCELLENT EMBOUCHURE STRENGTH AND CONTROL; ADVANCED PLAYERS TRAIN THEIR EARS AND LIPS TO PRODUCE THE FINEST NUANCES OF SOUND AND PITCH; AS A MORE ADVANCED PLAYER, YOU MAY BE READY FOR A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL TRUMPET AND MOUTHPIECE. THIS CHAPTER WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE; THESE TIPS WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE TRANSITION TO BRACES WITH MINIMAL DISCOMFORT AND ADJUSTMENT; READING UNFAMILIAR MUSIC IS A SKILL THAT MUST BE DEVELOPED LIKE ANY OTHER. LEARN THE TRICKS OF SUCCESSFUL SIGHTREADING; THE KEY TO SUCCESS UNDER PRESSURE IS GOOD PREPARATION, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. SEASONED PERFORMERS HAVE COMMAND ON STAGE BECAUSE THEY HAVE COMMAND IN THE PRACTICE ROOM!; YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO KNOW WHAT GOES INTO THIS EXCITING EXPERIENCE! SOME THINGS TO EXPECT AS YOU START YOUR FIRST SEASON; DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLEANING YOUR TRUMPET, HAVING IT REPAIRED, AND GIVING IT AN ACID BATH TO REMOVE HEAVY BUILD-UP INSIDE THE TUBING; KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE AIMING FOR WILL KEEP YOU INSPIRED AND HELP YOU FIND THE WAY TO GET THERE; ADDITIONAL RESOURCES; GLOSSARY; [APPENDIX 1] FAMOUS TRUMPETERS EVERY STUDENT SHOULD KNOW; [APPENDIX 2] PRACTICE SHEET; [APPENDIX 3] BEGINNING PRACTICE SCHEDULE; [APPENDIX 4] INTERMEDIATE PRACTICE SCHEDULE; [APPENDIX 5] TRUMPET & CORNET FINGERING CHART; [APPENDIX 6] MOUTHPIECE COMPARISON CHART; [APPENDIX 7] TRANSPOSITION CHART; <1> EXERCISES AND TECHNIQUE BUILDERS; [EXERCISE 1] BREATH CONTROL; [EXERCISE 2] ENDURANCE; [EXERCISE 3] COUNTING BEATS; [EXERCISE 4] METRONOME PRACTICE DRILLS; [EXERCISE 5] EVER-EXPANDING BUZZ; [EXERCISE 6] LONG TONES; [EXERCISE 7] EXTREME DYNAMICS; [EXERCISE 8] LIP BENDS; [EXERCISE 9] LIP SLURS; [EXERCISE 10] ARPEGGIO FLEXIBILITY STUDY; [EXERCISE 11] EIGHT ON, TWO OFF; [EXERCISE 12] ARTICULATION STUDIES; [EXERCISE 13] ARTICULATION VARIATIONS; [EXERCISE 14] NO SPLIT NOTES; [EXERCISE 15] ACCURACY PRACTICE; [EXERCISE 16] TONGUE & FINGER COORDINATION; [EXERCISE 17] STAMP'S WARM-UP; [EXERCISE 18] DEVELOPING HIGH RANGE; [EXERCISE 19] PEDAL TONES; [EXERCISE 20] FINGER BUSTERS; [EXERCISE 21] ONE-OCTAVE SCALES; [EXERCISE 22] TWO-OCTAVE SCALES

As a private trumpet instructor and public school band director of over 30 years, I am happy to see a book that is up-to-date on all aspects of playing the trumpet and fresh in its approach to trumpet instruction. Every aspiring young trumpet player with an eagerness to learn more about their instrument and music-making skills needs this book.