How to Play Triplet Notes on the Trumpet

Triplet notes are a type of musical rhythmic notation where three notes are placed into the space of an even number of beats (usually one or two). Playing triplets creates certain challenges that are shared by all instruments, but when playing triplets on the trumpet, there are additional factors to be considered involving articulation and tone.

Things You'll Need

• Trumpet
• Metronome

Instructions

1. Learn how to feel and tap triplets correctly. If you're used to the sound of waltz time, think of each triplet as a small portion of a waltz feel. Otherwise, familiarize yourself with triplet by listening to them; get recordings, ask an experienced musician friend to play some for you, or purchase a metronome that plays triplet subdivisions.

2. Practice moderate-speed triplets. Set your metronome to roughly 100 beats per minute in 2/4 or 4/4 time and play triplets with a standard, "ta, ta, ta," tonguing. Keep your air stream consistent in order to support your tongue and keep the sound steady.

3. Master the appropriate tonguing for fast triplets. When the music gets too fast for standard (single) tonguing, play triplets with a "triple tongue" pattern. If you've ever done double-tonguing, this is similar, except instead of saying "ta, ka, ta, ka," your tongue forms the syllables "ta, ka, ta" for each triplet. Use this pattern for notes that repeat, move across a partial without a valve change, or any notes that need a hard articulation.

4. Subdivide for slow triplets. Slow triplets are easy to tongue, but difficult to count. As the beat gets slower, it's difficult to have an intuitive sense of the three pattern. Instead, count a pattern of six that's twice as fast and tongue every other note: ONE, two, THREE, four FIVE, six.