Bad Sounding Low Notes

Many trumpet players are too tense in both the face and their air to play low notes well. So they have Bad Sounding Low Notes.

I like to sigh haaaaa or daaaaa to tongue a low note. Sigh like when your are tired or trying to whisper.

Use the relaxed air stream to play the notes below Low C. Too much breath support makes it difficult to play those low notes well. Also keep low tongue levels and I actually roll the lips out very slightly. (I mean very very slightly.)

The lip aperture adjusts for both range and volume. Work on long tones include long crescendos and decrescendos. You know the stuff at the front of the Schlossberg. That teaches real aperture control.

I also like lip buzzing really low to help learn to vibrate well for low notes..

Lastly keep your higher Lip Setpoint (TM) even when playing low notes. If a player allows themself to lose that higher set then then need to break the mouthpiece seal to reset to play high.

Here is how I play pedal tones. I first play my 1 and only 1 Lip Setpoint (TM) which for me is G on top of the staff. I then play an arpeggio or scale down to the pedals. I breathe through my nose to keep my set and play a pedal exercise. I then play my G on top of the staff Lip Setpoint (TM) and play an arpeggio up at least 1 octave and usually 2. This way I learn to play the full range of the trumpet on one set.

Pops