How to Make a Sound
To physically make a sound in the instrument, one must put the mouthpiece against their lips, centered over both of the lips, and blow while putting a small effort into keeping the lips closed. If this is done correctly one should create a buzzing sound in the mouthpiece.
If air cannot escape easily you are pushing your lips together too hard. If the air escapes too easily with no buzz, you aren't pushing them together hard enough.
If air cannot escape easily you are pushing your lips together too hard. If the air escapes too easily with no buzz, you aren't pushing them together hard enough.
Note Fingerings
Refer to the fingering chart page.
Different Partials
On all brass instruments there are countless notes that are all fingered on the same valves. As a consequence many notes are fingered the same as each other and knowledge is required to determine what partial is correct for playing in. Partials would be these different notes fingered the same. An example would be the concert Bb versus the concert F (If you don't know how to translate concert pitches refer to the pitch translation page).
To play different partials you need to know how to adjust your mouth to create the desired pitch. To go to a higher partial you must push the air faster and aim the air a little further in a downward direction. To go to a lower partial you must use more air, aim the air in a direction a little more in a straight forward direction, and buzz with more of the lip surface area.
If you have trouble finding the correct pitch partials can be very helpful. Start on a concert Bb and play up or down every partial to find a note close to the written note, and walk to the note from there (If you don't know which notes are fingered open refer to the fingering chart page).
For example, the correct pitch for a concert E above the staff may be hard to find for some people. To find the pitch one could play a concert Bb, then go up a single partial and know they are at a concert F, then do the same to get to a concert Bb, and then a concert D. They could then go up a single note to the concert E and have the correct pitch.
To play different partials you need to know how to adjust your mouth to create the desired pitch. To go to a higher partial you must push the air faster and aim the air a little further in a downward direction. To go to a lower partial you must use more air, aim the air in a direction a little more in a straight forward direction, and buzz with more of the lip surface area.
If you have trouble finding the correct pitch partials can be very helpful. Start on a concert Bb and play up or down every partial to find a note close to the written note, and walk to the note from there (If you don't know which notes are fingered open refer to the fingering chart page).
For example, the correct pitch for a concert E above the staff may be hard to find for some people. To find the pitch one could play a concert Bb, then go up a single partial and know they are at a concert F, then do the same to get to a concert Bb, and then a concert D. They could then go up a single note to the concert E and have the correct pitch.