Introduction

Brass instruments offer a rich palette of sounds and techniques, but mastering advanced techniques requires more than just hitting the right notes. This article serves as a comprehensive guide for intermediate to advanced brass players, focusing on mastering advanced techniques that can elevate your performance to new heights.

Extended Techniques

1. Multiphonics:
   • How to Execute: Start by playing a single note and then hum another note while maintaining the first one. The key is to keep your embouchure stable while humming.
   • Practice Tip: Begin with humming a perfect fifth above the note you’re playing. As you get comfortable, experiment with different intervals.
2. Flutter Tonguing:
   • How to Execute: Roll your ‘R’s as you would in speech while maintaining a steady airflow through the instrument.
   • Practice Tip: Start by practicing this technique on a mid-range note until you can maintain the flutter for at least 4-5 seconds.
3. Circular Breathing:
   • How to Execute: As you play, fill your cheeks with air. When you need to inhale, use your cheeks to push air through the instrument while you quickly inhale through your nose.
   • Practice Tip: Practice this first without the instrument by blowing through a straw into a glass of water, just focusing on the cheek and nose coordination. Keep the bubles coming constantly.

Dynamic Control

1. Pianissimo to Fortissimo:
   • How to Execute: Start by playing a long tone at a moderate volume. Gradually increase the volume to fortissimo and then decrease to pianissimo while keeping the quality of sound.
   • Practice Tip: Use a decrescendo/crescendo exercise over a long tone to improve your control.
2. Dynamic Contrast:
   • How to Execute: Choose a passage in your music where you can insert dynamic contrasts. Practice playing it with exaggerated dynamics to give the music some life and interest.
   • Practice Tip: Record yourself to evaluate if the dynamic changes are effectively conveyed.

Articulation Varieties

1. Staccato:
   • How to Execute: Emphasise the start of the note and cut it off quickly without stopping it with your tongue.
   • Practice Tip: Practice staccato scales to get used to the quick release of notes. Short and detached.
2. Legato:
   • How to Execute: Use your air to connect each note smoothly, avoiding any breaks in sound.
   • Practice Tip: Use slurs in your practice to help create a seamless sound.
3. Marcato:
   • How to Execute: Give the note a strong attack and a full value. This is one of the few situations where you should stop the note with your tongue to give emphasis with a crisp cutoff, especially in jazz.
   • Practice Tip: Think of marcato as a more forceful staccato, but hold the note for its full value.
4. Double and Triple Tonguing:
   • How to Execute: Use a “ta-ka” for double tonguing or “ta-ka-ta” or “ta-ta-ka” syllable pattern to articulate fast passages. Use “da-ga” for a softer double/triple tongue.
   • Practice Tip: Start slow and use a metronome to gradually increase speed.

Tempo and Rhythmic Complexity

1. Complex Rhythms:
   • How to Execute: Break down complex rhythms into smaller parts. Use a metronome to keep time.
   • Practice Tip: Start slow, then gradually increase the tempo as you become more comfortable.
2. Tempo Changes:
   • How to Execute: Practice with a metronome that allows you to program tempo changes.
   • Practice Tip: Work on transitions between different tempos to make them as smooth as possible.

Phrasing and Musicality

1. Rubato:
   • How to Execute: Slightly speed up and slow down within a phrase to add emotional depth.
   • Practice Tip: Practice with a metronome to ensure you’re not straying too far from the original tempo.
2. Expressive Techniques:
   • How to Execute: Use dynamics, articulation, and tempo changes to shape your musical phrases.
   • Practice Tip: Record yourself to evaluate your expressiveness.

Instrument-Specific Techniques

1. Trombone:
   • Slide Techniques: Master quick and smooth slide transitions. Move your slide during tonguing.
   • Practice Tip: Practice different articulations to get comfortable with quick slide movements, especially legato playing.
2. Tuba and Bass Trombone:
   • Breath Control: Focus on diaphragmatic breathing to manage the large volume of air. Project your sound rather than blowing louder. More volume will use more air.
   • Practice Tip: Use long tone exercises to improve your breath control.

Practice Routines

1. Scales and Arpeggios: Incorporate extended techniques into your daily routine.
   • Practice Tip: Use a metronome to keep time and gradually increase speed.
2. Etudes: Choose pieces that focus on the techniques you’re trying to master.
   • Practice Tip: Break down difficult passages and work on them separately.
3. Long Tones: Use these to work on your dynamic control and embouchure.
   • Practice Tip: Focus on keeping a steady pitch and volume throughout the long tone.

Conclusion

Mastering advanced techniques is a journey that requires dedication, focused practice, and a deep understanding of your instrument. By incorporating these techniques into your practice routine, you’ll not only improve your technical skills but also unlock new dimensions of musical expression.

Links

• Basic Techniques for Brass Players
• Psychological Benefits of Playing Brass Instruments
• Brass Instrument Wikipedia
• International Trumpet Guild

Brass Playing FAQ

Extended Techniques

1. What is multiphonics and how do I execute it on a brass instrument?

Multiphonics is an advanced technique that produces multiple notes simultaneously on a brass instrument. To execute multiphonics, begin by playing a single, clear note. While maintaining the embouchure for this note, try to hum a different note at the same time. The key is to keep your embouchure as stable as possible while humming. Start by humming a perfect fifth above the note you’re playing, as this interval tends to be the easiest to produce. As you become more comfortable, you can experiment with different intervals and combinations.

2. How can I learn circular breathing?

Circular breathing is a technique that allows brass players to produce a continuous tone without any breaks for inhalation.

To learn circular breathing, practice first without your instrument. Try blowing through a straw into a glass of water. While blowing, fill your cheeks with air. When you need to inhale, use your cheeks to continue pushing air out through the straw while simultaneously taking a quick inhalation through your nose. The goal is to keep a constant stream of bubbles in the water. Once you are comfortable with this, you can start practicing on your instrument.

Articulation

3. What is the difference between legato and staccato articulation?

Legato and staccato are two contrasting articulation techniques that affect how notes are connected in a musical phrase:

• Legato is characterized by smooth and connected notes, creating a flowing sound. When playing legato, you want to use your air to connect each note smoothly, avoiding any noticeable breaks in the sound.
• Staccato is the opposite of legato. It involves emphasizing the beginning of the note and then quickly cutting it off, creating a short, detached, and punctuated sound.

4. What is double and triple tonguing, and how can I improve my technique?

Double and triple tonguing are advanced articulation techniques used to achieve fast and clean repetitions of notes:

• Double tonguing employs a “ta-ka” syllable pattern, where “ta” represents the tongue striking the reed or mouthpiece, and “ka” simulates the tongue moving back down.
• Triple tonguing uses either a “ta-ka-ta” or “ta-ta-ka” syllable pattern for even faster articulations.

To improve your double or triple tonguing, start practicing slowly with a metronome. Focus on maintaining a clear and consistent syllable pattern while gradually increasing the tempo as you become more comfortable. For a softer articulation, particularly in lyrical passages, use “da-ga” instead.

Dynamics

5. How can I achieve a wider dynamic range in my playing?

Developing a wide dynamic range allows for greater expressiveness and control over your sound.

To expand your dynamic range, start by practicing long tones at a moderate volume. Gradually increase the volume to fortissimo (as loud as possible), and then decrease to pianissimo (as softly as possible) while maintaining a consistent and clear tone throughout. Use a decrescendo/crescendo exercise over a long tone to refine your control over volume changes.

Practice

6. How can scales and arpeggios help me improve my brass playing?

Scales and arpeggios are fundamental exercises that strengthen your fingers, improve your intonation, and enhance your overall technique. Incorporating extended techniques like multiphonics, flutter tonguing, or articulation variations into your scale and arpeggio practice can help you develop greater control and proficiency in these areas.

Instrument Specific Techniques

7. What are some essential slide techniques for trombone players?

Trombone players must master quick and smooth slide transitions for accurate intonation and seamless playing. One essential technique is to synchronize slide movements with tonguing. This means starting the slide movement slightly before you tongue the next note, especially when playing legato passages. This ensures a seamless connection between notes and eliminates any “bumps” or hesitations in the sound.

8. What should tuba and bass trombone players focus on for breath control?

Tuba and bass trombone players require significant breath control due to the large volume of air needed to produce sound. Focus on diaphragmatic breathing, which involves engaging your diaphragm muscle to draw in large amounts of air. Project your sound outward rather than simply trying to blow harder. Excessive tension or forcing the air will lead to fatigue and a strained sound. Regular long tone exercises are excellent for developing breath control.