The Trumpet lesson videos on this page cover a great many topics pertaining to how to play the trumpet like a professional. Many of these trumpet videos were shot during actual trumpet lessons and will include one of my students in it.

Play everything on 1 and only 1 embouchure set.

Mouthpiece buzz to triple c.

Pencil exercise for low to high notes on trumpet.

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In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of tonguing drills, break down the arpeggio tonguing drill, and give you tips on how to practice it.

Why Are Tonguing Drills Important?

Tonguing drills help you get clean articulation on the trumpet. Articulation is key to clear, defined notes whether you’re playing fast passages, melodies, or jazz solos.

Tonguing Drills Benefits:

•           More Precise: Tonguing drills train your tongue to articulate notes cleanly.
•           More Control: These exercises give you control over the speed, strength, and placement of your tonguing.
•           More Flexible: Tonguing drills with arpeggios will give you flexibility across registers.
•           Increased Endurance: Regular practice strengthens the embouchure and tongue muscles, allowing you to maintain clarity for extended periods.

What Is an Arpeggio Tonguing Drill?

An arpeggio tonguing drill is playing arpeggios (broken chords) and tonguing each note clearly and evenly. It’s an articulation exercise with pitch accuracy.

Example Arpeggio (C Major):

•           C Major Arpeggio: C – E – G – C – G – E – C

You can add arpeggios in all keys and extend the range for more challenge.

A favorite of mine is the 1st 2 pages of the Arban interval studies. They are scales but every other note is the 5th of the scale lowered an octave. This makes you play intervals from a 4th up to 1.5-octave leaps. If you expand the scales to 2 octaves then you have big 2.5 octave leaps. I even do some exercises playing the low note down an extra octave for 3.5-octave leaps.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Arpeggio Tonguing Drill

1. Start with Long Tones

Before you start tonguing drills, warm up with long tones to get your air flowing and embouchure strong. Focus on a full tone.

2. Slur Arpeggios

Play arpeggios without tonguing, just smooth air. This will help you get used to the intervals and keep your tone even.

3. Add Light Tonguing

Once comfortable, play the arpeggios with light tonguing on each note. Use the syllable “ta” or “da” for a crisp but soft articulation.

•           Focus on clarity between notes.
•           Don’t over-tongue, which will make it sound harsh or choppy.

4. Gradually Increase Speed

Start slow and speed up as you get more articulate. Staying on time can be achieved by using a metronome.

•           Slow: Articulate each note.
•           Medium: Clarity.
•           Fast: Go for it, but accuracy over speed.

5. Expand to All Keys

Try transposing the arpeggios to different keys. Start with major, then minor, diminished, and augmented.

6. Practice Multiple Registers

Practice arpeggios in different registers to develop range and flexibility. For example:

•           Middle register (C4 – E4 – G4 – C5)
•           Lower register (G3 – B3 – D4 – G4)
•           Upper register (E4 – G4 – C5 – E5)

7. Try Dynamics

Add dynamics to your arpeggio tonguing exercise to control and expression.

•           Crescendo: Start soft and get louder as you go up.
•           Diminuendo: Start loud and get softer as you go down.

8. Combine Articulations

Try different articulations for a more advanced exercise. For example:

•           Tongue the first and slur the rest.
•           Staccato and legato alternate.

Tips for Effective Practice

1. Airflow
   Keep the airflow steady while tonguing. Airflow should control the sound, the tongue is just a valve to articulate the notes. 
2. Relax Your Tongue
   Don’t tense your tongue or mouth. A relaxed tongue means smoother articulation and more endurance. 
3. Metronome
   Using a metronome to practice will help you maintain rhythm and tempo. 
4. Record Yourself
   Recording yourself will help you determine what needs improvement, uneven articulation, or tone. 
5. Be Slow
   It takes time to master. Focus on slow and deliberate practice to build muscle memory and confidence. 

Conclusion

The arpeggio tonguing exercise is a great exercise to improve your articulation, flexibility, and tone on the trumpet. By practicing this exercise regularly you will have more control over your tonguing and more confidence to play more advanced passages.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, do this exercise and you will level up your trumpet playing and be on your way to mastery.

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Pops The Trumpet Cop, trumpet cartoon videos answer serious trumpet questions. A great series for young or young at heart players.

Trumpet cartoon videos are a great way to get students attention and still teach meaningful lessons. Even my adult students love the trumpet cartoon videos and have learned from them.

Why take lessons with Pops.

Trumpet teaching is often 200 years behind times.

Use your embouchure tools in the right order.

Procrastination is our enemy.

Filming Lip Vibrations.

Why is there air in my sound?

Anchor Tonguing

Endurance and arch/anchor tonguing

About Resonance and mouthpiece buzzing (the aperture tunnel)

Why talent and desire don’t mean much

Pops the Trumpet Cop Videos

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There are 3 types of triple tonguing.

The TTK in the Arban book, TKT, and KTK (alternating ) in the James Burke “New Directions in Tonguing ” book, and the rolling Ta Da Ga taught in Jacoby’s book “Jake’s Method”. I included all 3 types when I wrote my book.

TTK – TTK , TKT-KTK , & Ta Da Ga are different concepts of tongue useage. These are 3 prevalent triple tonguing concepts.Whereas changing Tu Tu Ku into Ta Ta Ka , or Da Da Ga , or Di Di Gi is merely using different syllables. These 4 examples all fall under the Arban TTK .

For the Burke double-triple they would be Tu Ku Tu – Ku Tu Ku, Ta Ka Ta – Ka Ta Ka, Da Ga Da – Ga Da Ga and Di Gi Di – Gi Di Gi.
These represent lighter syllables and are quicker to use. The shorter the tongue has to move the faster the tonguing can be. I wrote them in order from heavest – slowest to lightest – quickest. The stroke involving the forward part of the tongue is Tu, Ta, Ti, Da and Di.
The stroke that involves the middle of the tongue is Ku, Ka, Ki, Ga and Gi.

There is No tongue stroke that should ever use the back of the tongue.

The rolling tongue needs to be Ta Da Ga – Ta Da Ga or Ti Di Gi.

So while there are 3 concepts there are alternate syllables to adjust for style of sound or speed.

The alternate syllables work on double tonguing as well Tu Ku , Ta Ka, Da Ga or Di Gi.

To work on speeding up tonguing skills use softer syllables like ta da or di. Also work with a metronome. Start at 1/16 notes @ 1/4 == 60 beats per minute. Every 15 – 20 seconds speed up 10 beats per minute. Make a note of the problem speeds and work on these. Do this with single, double and triple tonguing .

Pops

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There are a couple of possible things going on here. when we are having problems with Trumpet Articulation.

Physical:

Improper chop setting (too tense creates a seal that will not let air out).
Not timing the elements of the attack together (breath, tongue, air support, air flow).
Sensation (the student does not yet feel the note but relies on sound to make the proper pitch.) A drill combining sight singing and playing can help here.

Mental:

Nerves (I’ve seen people who were so concerned about being wrong that they could not play a scale in front of another person.) This is a tough one and takes a great deal of time.
Being unsure (A sensation drill can solve this.)

Timing:

This is a pretty big reason why trumpet players miss the first note of phrases. We get a mismatch between setting the embouchure, taking a breath and tonguing the note. Taping your foot to the beat is the 1st step to fixing this. The next step is setting and breathing 1/2 a beat before we play. Practice tap your foot and on the upbeat of 4 put the mouthpiece to your lips, take a breath and play 1 note. Working on this timing will be a huge help to your playing especially in a concert or band setting.

Both physical and mental:

This is most likely the case here. Work on the sensation drill and on setting up drills. Play a note remove the horn from the lips. Then reset the embouchure and play a note. This can be used to play hundreds of initial attacks and will lead to more confidence.

Working on your Trumpet Articulation is a huge part of playing well.

Pops

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Start at a speed that you do well. Try to play slightly faster every day. The goal is under 1 minute 152 beats a minute.

Arpeggio Tonguing Drill

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