How to Play Lip Trills on the Trumpet
Lip trills are an important technique to help the flexibility of the lips. They require years of practice to master, and are difficult for beginners to play. It is important to start with simple, slow exercises, and gradually move through more difficult ones with daily practice.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
Mouthpiece Buzzing
-
1
Remove the mouthpiece from the case and hold it against the lips.
-
2
Take a deep breath, and begin buzzing at a low pitch.
-
-
3
Gradually narrow the opening in the lips while simultaneously increasing airflow, so the pitch becomes steadily higher. It should sound like a siren.
-
4
Reverse the process, bringing the pitch back down as low as possible. Repeat the cycle a few times until the lips are warmed up.
Lip Slur Exercises
-
5
Take a deep breath and play a middle G.
-
6
Using the same increase of airflow used in the buzzing exercise, push the pitch up to a C. Do not tongue the note.
-
7
Return down to the G, then down to a C (below the staff) and back to the middle G.
-
8
Repeat this exercise, moving down chromatically. For example, once you return to middle G, press down the second valve for F sharp, and repeat the pattern keeping the second valve down. Then down to F, then E, and so on, until you reach C#.
-
9
Practice the exercises daily, using a metronome to keep the rhythm constant. As flexibility improves, extend the exercises. For example, start at middle G, move up to C, then up to E before coming back down.
The Lip Trill
-
10
The above steps are important precursors to learning a lip trill. To start practicing the lip trill, slowly alternate between two notes on the same figuring, such as an E moving up to the G above the staff. Use the diaphragm to increase airflow for the higher note, while also narrowing the space between the lips.
-
11
Go slowly and use a metronome to keep the pace constant. It is more important in the beginning to keep the trill steady than to move fast.
-
12
Slowly increase the speed of the metronome over time, practicing trills on every fingering combination.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Practice lip slurs and trills every day, but for no more than 20 minutes or so. They tire the lips easily. Controlling the tongue can also help. The tip of the tongue should move closer to the teeth when moving upward in a lip slur or trill. Try practicing slurs without the mouthpiece or trumpet. Simply form the mouth in the shape used for playing. Control the airstream and observe what the tongue, lips and diaphragm are doing as the pitch of the air changes.
