trumpet520

I was just wondering if it matters if you start a note by tounging it or just blowing without tounging because i always start it by tounging it. Is there anything wrong with this? or does everyone do it.

Also i was wondering how many people end the note with there tounge. because by habit when ever i play a short note i always end it with my tounge cutting it off. but when i play long notes i always just stop the air or take my mouth off the peice. should i be starting and ending my notes a diffrent way? Just wondering.

thanks in advance

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Sam...

trumpet blower88

Starting the note tounged or not is really a matter of the style of the piece, the articulation, how the rest of the ensemble is doing it, and what the director really wants. Both ways can be right, but they can also be wrong depending on what the music calls for. Just do what comes naturaly in each case and you'll most likely be doing the right thing.

The same can go for the ending, you want to match what the rest of the ensemble is doing, and it depends on the articulaton marking. One of the things I try to emphesize is to cut the note off with a breath. Don't just stop the airflow (either with toung or by taking the mouthpiece off), but release the note with a breath so that you can be sure to get a nice clean cut off (if you're breathing in, it's imposible make a sound come out) and it will fill you up and get you ready for your next quick entrance. However, if a breath dosn't fit in to the music right there, don't do this, but usualy with breath marks, fermatas, endings, ect. this is one of the best ways to do it.

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-David Jacques

Manny Laureano

You're a good teacher, David. Well said on all counts. The most important thing is the style of the music, as you said.

ML