Chet Baker sound

Chet Baker sound

Posted on July 27, 2004 by Clint McLauglin

How can I get that airy Jazz trumpet sound?

99 million trumpet players trying to prevent getting air in the tone and I’m posting to 1 who wants it. I must be bored today.

————–

The size of the lip aperture chances in regard to the amount of air that you blow through it. So there are as many aperture settings for middle c as there are dynamic levels. The airy sound can be had with ANY embouchure. Work on playing a note at ff then keeping the lip aperture the same (this takes some thought) back off the amount of air that you are using. If you can keep the same aperture size then using less air will make the air less densely packed and the result will affect your tone. Be careful not to fall below pitch (or too far below). And be aware that this slows down the note spin and lessens the carrying power of your playing.

—-WARNING—- WARNING—-WARNING—-

I know several people who played around with this and lost the big full round sound that they had. It took months of long hard work to get back to where they started. Sometimes WANTING is better than having.

Pops