1.Become a great musician, this will teach you the qualities of sound and expression needed to play easily and beautifully.

2.While learning to play, you must be a persistent student as well as a patient teacher for yourself.

3.Brass playing is "buzzing beautlful sounds easily".If you focus on this, your playing will continually improve and you will prevent and solve any playing problems.

4.To build a stronger mental focus, always follow through and finish any exercise or passage you begin, especially if you encounter difficulties.

5.Embouchure or lip-setting is best thought of as no setting. This means that as your lips and face are when not playing, that is how they should feel while playing. Especially inside the mouthpiece, the lips should remain completely relaxed, thus giving you the the most easy, efficient and natural buzz. When it feels as if you are only blowing air, that is when your lips are working the best.

6.The necessary air support comes from the upward thrust of the diaphragm into your chest when blowing air through the lips. You could think of and feel this as punches of air hitting the buzz.

7.The buzz spot on the lips should be as small and effortless as possible, allowing your embouchure to remain unchanged over your entire range.

8.Blowing faster air for higher notes and more air for lower notes, will allow your lips to buzz any sound easily.

9.The lips will roll slightly in toward your teeth in order for the lips to buzz higher, and slightly away to buzz lower pitches. Instead of opening or relaxing lips for low notes, try pulling the mouthpiece slightly away while adding more air. This will help your lips roll out while leaving the embouchure unchanged.

10.When you place the mouthpiece on your lips, keep your face in the most natural and easy position, and bring the mouthpiece into your lips. Put what pressure that is needed on your bottom lip, since the top lip will swell when pushed on, thus making buzzing much more difficult.

11.The increasing air speed you blow as you go higher, is the only physical effort necessary while playing. Any other feelings of tension, tightening, or effort are unnecessary, counter productive and habit forming.

12.Playing extremely soft passages in an effortless manner, even while failing to produce all the sounds, will make the buzz spot smaller and more efficient. This will rehabilitate tired lips and change a poor playing day into a good day.

    These tips should give you some excellent ideas on how to improve your brass playing.If you would like to order a remote lesson, or would like to arrange a clinic at your school or camp, click on PRODUCTS page.