Reflections

By Chase Sanborn
Posted May 1, 2007

Playing a brass instrument requires the coordinated use of many different muscles. A mirror can help you learn to use your muscles in the most efficient way.

A full-length mirror is useful for improving your playing posture and revealing bad habits:

Plant your feet firmly on the floor; feel that you are pushing against the floor to expel the air.
Keep your elbows comfortably away from the body, your shoulders down and relaxed, and your chest up.
Let your entire torso expand as you take a breath.
The exhalation should follow the inhalation with no delay. If you breathe in and out naturally, you stay relaxed.
Keep your chin up to open the throat and eliminate a common source of tension.
Picture the sound as a visible beam of light emanating from the horn--the higher you play, the farther the beam projects. High notes are not further up, they are further out!

A close-up mirror can help you discover the most efficient way to form your embouchure:

Listen as you watch your embouchure, and make small adjustments with the lips and with the position of the mouthpiece on the lips.
Search for the embouchure setting that produces the most resonant sound on each note.
Strive to reduce exterior facial movements; adjust the vibrating points within the rim.
Don’t try to copy someone else’s embouchure or operate on a preconceived notion of what is "correct." Whatever produces the best sound is correct for you.

About the Author:

Jazz trumpeter and author Chase Sanborn is based in Toronto, Canada. Chase is a veteran session player who has performed with many top artists including Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Diana Krall. His latest CD, "Perking Up," features Chase in duo and trio settings. A dedicated and celebrated educator, Chase Sanborn’s series of instructional books & DVD’s (Brass Tactics/Jazz Tactics/Tuning Tactics) have garnered worldwide praise for their insightful yet lighthearted and humorous look at the world of music. Chase is currently a member of the Jazz Faculty at the University of Toronto. For more information about Chase Sanborn, visit www.chasesanborn.com.

Reflections

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