hey all,

well i'm Laura, and i'm a trumpet player. i'm 15, and i've been playing for 3 years. i'm in my school senior band, and stage band, and i also play in my town band. and i really want to be an awesome player!!!
i was just wondering if any one has any good tips for improving my tone, or range? (except practice) so if any one had any good excersises, please send 'em my way;
lauralou1591@hotmail.com

cheers.

- Laura

hi laura i increased my range dramatically by doing 15 minuets of "smiling exercises" everyday its hard to describe but imagine your saying "eeeeeeeee" as you stretch out you face as if your smiling
you may look rather strange but it really helps
also try working through things like "arban cornet method" which is pages and pages of ridiculous exercises that challenge pitching and range ............ and for some reason is rather heavy aswell

hope this helped
jak

ps with the "smiles" speak to your music teacher/lecturer as they'll know what im going on about as you dont want to do it wrong and screw up your emboshure(sp?)

thankyou for taking the time to reply to me. i've recently learnt a new excersise similar to yours. you get a pencil and form your embrouchere, then you put the pencil in your mouth and hold it out straight using your cheek muscles. do it until it has hurt for 30 seconds or so, then slowly build up your muscles until you can eventually do it using your mouth piece (which is HEAVY!).
so try that one you guys, it's worked for me, and i think it came from our Uni guy Bill Broughton

no problem thats sounds similar i may try it myself cheers
jak