How to Go Up & Down in Pitches on a Trumpet

The trumpet uses valves to help create chromatic pitches.

Sound on a trumpet primarily is produced with the lips and not the actual instrument. By removing the mouthpiece from the instrument, it is possible to play a complete melody without the use of the trumpet. Taking this a step further, you can remove the mouthpiece and buzz pitches with your lips. By pressing your lips together tighter, you can create a high sound. Relaxing your lips creates a lower sound. Going up and down on the trumpet is a simple process that takes practice.

Things You'll Need

• Trumpet
• Piano

Instructions

1. Take the mouthpiece out of the trumpet. Use the mouthpiece to play individual pitches because it is easier to blow through a mouthpiece than the entire trumpet.

2. Play the middle C on a piano. Look at the sets of two and three black keys. The white key to the left of the set of two black keys is C. To find middle C, look for the set that is closest to the middle of the piano.

3. Buzz through your mouthpiece, and increase or decrease the tension in your lips until you can match the sound of the piano.

4. Move up the white keys on the piano, starting on middle C. Match each pitch with the mouthpiece by increasing the tension and creating a faster buzz and higher pitch.

5. Play up the octave until you hit the next C right before the set of double black keys. Once you hit the top pitch, go down the scale and buzz on the mouthpiece.

6. Place the mouthpiece in your trumpet. Do not press any valves, and play a C. Increase or decrease tension on the lips until you match the pitch with middle C on the piano.

7. Play a major scale by pressing down on the three valves of the trumpet. Depress the valves in this order: open, one and three, one and two, one, open, one and two, two and open. Once you get to the top note, move in the opposite direction to go down the scale.