Trumpet Teacher / Colchester, Essex / timcurd.co.uk

Mouthpiece Buzzing for Trumpet

Here I discuss all the ins and outs of mouthpiece buzzing for the trumpet Done properly, mouthpiece buzzing can greatly improve your range and sound on the trumpet while helping you discover a more efficient technique.

Why Buzz on the Mouthpiece

How the Buzz Is Formed

It's worth noting how the buzz is formed so we can use this to our advantage. The air passes over the tongue and then through a small passage in the lips called the aperture, the resistance that this creates helps to form the buzz. Playing with the mouthpiece alone will have less resistance than playing it combined with the trumpet.

The danger is that during mouthpiece buzzing alone, you will compensate by closing your aperture to match the resistance that you are used to when playing the trumpet. In small doses, mouthpiece buzzing is beneficial; however, if practiced to excess this could lead to unnecessarily added lip resistance.

The Benefits of Using a BERP

This is why using a device such as the "BERP" can really benefit you while practicing your lip buzzing. The "BERP" attaches to the lead pipe of the trumpet and adds air resistance to the mouthpiece which helps to mimic the air resistance that the trumpet would have added while you hold the trumpet in its regular position.

The Warburton Buzzard and the Best Brass Micro Mute attaches to the mouthpiece and does the same thing by adding resistance to the blow of the mouthpiece.

Buzzing Exercises

I have written four buzzing exercises which you can practice in the videos below. All of my exercises feature sliding a glissando between the notes. I believe that this sliding buzzing approach helps you to find your most efficient technique as you have a smooth approach to each note and it helps you to find each note's optimum position.

The sliding effect is also useful for the lip muscles to develop neurological muscle strength as the brain learns to discover their movement. Think of each exercise as a long note and use your aperture and tongue level to gradually change the pitch. Make sure you take a deep relaxed breath and try to keep a steady flow of air throughout the exercises resisting the temptation to “blow harder” to go higher. Instead, focus on a steady flow that is supported by your abdominal muscles.

Buzzing Exercise Videos

Part 1: Buzz n' Slide / The Notes: C G
Part 2: Reggae Buzz/The Notes: C G C
Part 3: Buzz Chill / The Notes: C G C E
Part 4: Fanfare For The Common Buzz / The Notes: C G C E G

Buzzing for Warm-Ups

These exercises can be used as warm-ups and are good to do at the beginning of your practice session. They can be deceptively tiring so I have made sure that each video has plenty of rest through the use of call and response. I personally like to use these exercises as part of my “rest days,” especially the first two exercises. Rest days are important for trumpet players to recuperate their strength.

Doing a light warm-up and then stopping can help speed up the recovery process more so than not playing at all. These lip buzzing exercises are especially good if you are recovering from a lip strain or injury as the movement can help to loosen the muscles up.

My Buzzing Videos

I recorded the following four videos without a resistance tool (a BERP) as most people won't have one. The resistance that a BERP gives you makes these exercises a lot easier especially with the longer phrases.

Part 1: Buzz n' Slide / Part 2: Reggae Buzz

Part 3: Buzz Chill

Part 4: Fanfare for the Common Buzz

More Buzzing Books

Other common trumpet books and exercises that feature lip buzzing are The Buzzing Book by James Thompson and Warm-Ups and Studies by James Stamp.