A relaxed playing style [Brass technique][Part I]

Part I

(The Gumby Principle)

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"Playing the trumpet is very easy. Learning to play easy is very hard." (A quote heard recently at a Jim Thompson clinic.) When we play a musical instrument, it is our job to make it sound easy. When we practice, it is our goal to make it feel, well, if not easy, at least easier.

Our Bodies Are Our Instrument

Our bodies are responsible for much of the sound that results from the length of brass tubing we attach to our faces. We must produce the essential vibrations with our lips, and the tone of the instrument is strongly influenced by each person's unique set of physical characteristics and playing …