A Mouthpiece Buzzing Routine for Trumpet [Spiral-bound]

Lynn K. Asper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2003

This book describes how to use the new Asper Trumpet Mouthpiece Visualizer as part of a daily mouthpiece buzzing routine. It also describes the use of the Asper Trumpet Mouthpiece Visualizer to properly fit the trumpet mouthpiece! You will learn how to assess the structure of the face and then fit the trumpet mouthpiece accordingly. An essential resource for those players who play heavily on a frequent basis and need to cope with "morning after" embouchure fatigue. The ideal mouthpiece buzzing guide for high school, collegiate and advanced trumpet students and teachers. A unique new trumpet method book that reflects the author's 40 years as an educator and his practical use of educational theories.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A Mouthpiece Buzzing Routine Based Upon Physical Techniques

This book exploring the mouthpiece buzzing routine is an expansion of the trumpet mouthpiece buzzing routine that appears in Mr. Asper’s book A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet. Since that book was published in 1999, he has expanded his ideas on the topic of mouthpiece buzzing.

A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet is based partly upon his belief that, when a part of the body involved in playing the trumpet is not responding properly, change rarely occurs through listening to more literature or ‘playing through the problem’. His experience tells him that the body will likely not correct itself. Sadly, he has seen too many players practice incorrect habits waiting for a day that will never arrive!

His physical approach attempts to avoid intangible concepts by explaining the physical skill to be applied to each area of playing so that the player can learn the correct physical response for every playing situation. Tangible, concrete, and logical, this method can be taught in a step-by-step manner which players find easy to understand and apply.

The physical approach to playing the trumpet is a proactive way to identify barriers to playing improvement and apply specific techniques to overcome those barriers. It is based upon the science of body mechanics, making it possible for the player to see and feel changes as they occur. The player has immediate feedback and does not lose precious time that might have been devoted to practicing bad habits.

From the Author

Why Write a Book on Mouthpiece Buzzing?

During the summer of 2002, I had several conversations with my former trumpet teacher, Boyde Hood, during which he shared his ideas on the subject of mouthpiece buzzing. When I was studying with him in the late 1960’s, we did not do a lot of mouthpiece buzzing. However, in the last several years I have been doing more in this area. During my recent discussions with Boyde, I discovered that he, too, has begun to do more in this area.

During those conversations we discovered that we had both adopted a more comprehensive mouthpiece buzzing routine. Boyde shared his ideas on the subject as well as some of the ideas used by his former teacher, Adolph ‘Bud’ Herseth. We had, in the intervening 33 years, come to many of the same conclusions about the use of mouthpiece buzzing in the daily warm-up.

This book is most effective when a teacher uses it with a student. The teacher then becomes an embouchure analyst. Over time and with practice, the player should become better and better at analyzing their own embouchure, so barriers can be overcome through the use of this book and the techniques described – even when a teacher is not immediately available.

The first section of the book is devoted to defining the technical aspects of mouthpiece buzzing. Figures and photographs are used to reinforce the written descriptions. However, knowing what to play during buzz practice is as important as knowing how to buzz. For this purpose, daily buzzing routines are also covered.

Specific musical examples are located in the Appendices. Various units throughout the book will explain how to use these exercises. Grouping the musical exercises together at the end of the book will eventually make them easier to locate and use during practice. Once the player understands the intent of each exercise, they will not need to flip back and forth through the book to find an exercise.

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 108 pages
• Publisher: WaveSong Press (November 2003)
• ISBN-10: 096688471X
• ISBN-13: 978-0966884715
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #846,626 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to play better? This really helped me., January 16, 2007

By 

David B. Schock (Grand Haven, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Mouthpiece Buzzing Routine for Trumpet (Spiral-bound)

Trumpet playing is something that's consumed all but four years of my life...more than half a century. Professional? No, more like semi-professional. And I faced the same problem every trumpet player will face at some point: it just wasn't working well, easily, pleasurably. Lynn Asper's work came to my attention through the recommendation of another trumpet player, someone I admired and trusted. I also had the great good fortune of living close enough to Lynn so that I could take advantage of some lessons. That's when I came into contact with "A Moutpiece Buzzing Routine for Trumpet" and his earlier work, "A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet." My question was then "Where were you when I started playing so that I could have done it right, right from the start?" Well, a silly question, but the teaching embodied herein is not silly. It's so foundational and so fundamental that it is now a part of my everyday warmup and practice. It might also be a value to yours. The result for me has been better playing, more endurance, better sound, and a highly focused approach to the art. Asper offers a no-nonsense approach, demystifying the science of making good sound in a way that will strengthen and not tear down the embouchure of the player.

Certainly Asper makes and sells mouthpiece vizualizers but there's no reason you can't make your own if you have the tools and skills (maybe something like a Rotozip?). I don't. I bought one and it has become the centerpoint of my warmup. It's a tool that works and allows me to see what I'm doing in a way nothing else does.

I recommend Mr. Asper and his body of work to anyone who wants to seriously study the instrument. His goal is to create better players, happier players, men and women who want to make joyful music all their lives.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars review of Buzzing Routine for Trumpet, January 9, 2007

By 

J. Chew "HDTV Fan" (Anaheim, Ca) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Mouthpiece Buzzing Routine for Trumpet (Spiral-bound)

Not particularly helpful. Need to buy his special buzzing mouthpiece to use the book.