These flexibility excercises and scale patterns make for a great warm-up, making fingers nimble and lips flexible. After finishing with one starting pitch, move up a half-step and repeat. Though the exercise is typically slurred, it can also be played staccato or in various slur-tongue combinations. Increase speed as much as possible while still maintaining evenness of notes and quality of tone, with the goal of playing both repeats of major, minor, and whole tone patterns all in one breath.

 

Playing the Excercises

If you have a limited amount of time available, it's better to practice a bit every day than a whole day once or twice a week. Your practicing will be more efficient if you create a simple and clear training program for example from these exercises. Most of the exercises are written in normal basic register but when you feel your lips or facial muscles ("chops") tired, take a break. Don't use excessive pressure with the mouthpiece and don't force the notes. When these exercises feel easy and you'd like to have more challenge, it's easy to make up more of them and raise the register according to your level.

You will benefit most if you carry out the exercises focused and thorough. Remember to use the metronome, it helps you to play the exercises in tempo (because of the slow tempo of most of the exercises, it's easy to rush) and it trains you to listen while playing (which can be difficult at first). Each section starts easy and gradually gets more advanced.

 

Flexibility & Lip Trill Excercises

The pitch is adjusted with lip position and the speed of air. They control the aperture size between lips, which sets the pitch. You can affect the air speed by raising and lowering the back/center part of your tongue. You can notice this by whistling high and low. Do not raise the tip of your tongue, this prevents the air flowing freely between your teeth.

Playing these exercises will train your lips to adapt to current pitch which helps you to hit the right notes. Slur (no tongue attack, except for the first note) the notes and use the same fingering throughout the whole phrase. Breathe in on the last beat of the last bar of each phrase, do not hold breath. Keep your posture straight yet relaxed. The first exercises are also good for warm-ups.

Remember to use a metronome. (you can use an online version HERE)

(Sound files performed on Trumpet)

Flexibility Excercise #1




Flexibility Excercise #2




Flexibility Excercise #3




Flexibility Excercise #4




Lip Trill Excercise #1




Lip Trill Excercise #2




Lip Trill Excercise #3




Leaps (Intervals) Excercise #1




Leaps (Intervals) Excercise #2




 

F Scale Excercises

The following excercises will help you develop a smooth flowing sound within the staff. Complete these excercises as marked AND slurred. Make up your own variations of the articulation to challenge yourself.

Remember to use the metronome.

F Scale Excercises




Listen Files (arranged for G Bugles)





Excercises written for Trumpet but can be performed on any instrument

as the principles remain the same.