Chapter 2. As natural as breathing
The next day, after school, Alexander saw Papa’s car parked in the driveway. Alexander ran into the house, and left the door open. He was so excited to see the trumpet that Papa was bringing to him.
“Papa, Papa, are you here?”
“Alexander!” His mother scolded. “Close the door behind you.”
Alexander ran back to the door and closed it.
“Where is Papa?”
“I’m right here in the kitchen Alexander.”
Alexander ran to the kitchen, his eyes searching every square inch.
“Where’s the trumpet?”
“Well, Alexander, you asked me to teach you how to play the trumpet. Right?”
“Right.”
“And what is the first lesson in playing trumpet?”
“Breathing and blowing out air.”
“No. The first lesson is to know what the trumpet should sound like.”
“Oh? And what does it sound like?”
“Remember the trumpets you heard yesterday? What did they sound like?”
“Well, you know. They sounded great! They were loud, and, and, loud.”
“You don’t need a trumpet to make loud noise Alexander.”
“I know, but it’s hard to describe the sound of a trumpet.”
“How about, a crystal, clear sound, clean, and neat. Or what about like soft ripples in a pond.”
“Well, yes. I guess that is what it sounds like.”
“Alexander. The difference between playing the trumpet and making noise is knowing what it should sound like. Let’s listen to some trumpet songs.”
After fifteen minutes of listening to solos and ensembles of trumpets playing, Alexander was very eager to get his hands on the trumpet. But Papa cautioned him.
“Alexander, you should listen to these trumpets everyday so that you get the sound of good trumpet playing in your head. Notice how relaxed and easily these trumpeters play?”
“Oh yes. It sounds so easy.”
“And it is. But only after practicing to play the trumpet the right way everyday. Remember, it all begins in your head.”
“Ok. So, where is the trumpet?”
“I will give you the trumpet when you are ready to begin practicing it.”
Alexander’s shoulders sunk down. “No trumpet?”
“Alexander, when you ran into the house, you left the door wide open. Why did you do that?”
“I was excited about seeing the trumpet.”
“But you over looked the door. You weren’t thinking about what your mother has told you many times about closing the door. If you are going to learn how to play the trumpet, you need to listen and remember to apply your lessons. You need to think about what you are doing at all times, otherwise, you will develop bad habits.”
“OK.” Alexander said resigned in disappointment. “I understand.”
“Good. Now show me your breathing drill.”
“What’s a breathing drill?”
“That is what I told you to do last night. Practice being relaxed while breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth with a relaxed jaw and teeth slightly separated.”
Alexander sighed a breath with out-pooched lips.
“Hey. That’s pretty good.”
“ I wasn’t trying to do anything.”
“That’s even better. You were relaxed, took a big breath, and just let it out. Did you notice the air pushing out your lips?”
“Yes.”
“Try again.”
This time Alexander took a big breath, swelled his chest, lifted his shoulders, held it for a minute, and then let out a big stream of air with his cheeks all puffed out.
“That’s a great way to blow up balloons Alexander, but it is not the way to play the trumpet.”
“But you said…”
“I said to relax, breathe softly and slowly. Notice how in normal, relaxed breathing your stomach and lungs move out together. Let that happen even when you take a deep breath. Control the speed of the stream of air with your upper stomach muscles as you blow air through your lips. And don’t puff out your cheeks. Try it again.”
Alexander did much better this time. Papa had him breath in and out twenty times, reminding him to relax.
“Breathing in and out is one continuous motion when you rest. Likewise, breathing, when playing the trumpet, is one continuous motion. You don’t breathe in, hold it, and then breathe out. Just breathe in and out without holding your breath.”
“Am I doing it right?” asked Alexander.
“You are doing very well.”
Lesson 2:
a) Relaxed breathing through relaxed lips with teeth slightly apart.
b) Breathe in through nose and out through lips.
c) Fill lungs with air with a relaxed diaphragm. Do not lift your shoulders.
d) Push air with upper stomach muscles through the center hole between relaxed lips.
e) Practice everyday.
