Course Syllabus

Getting Started

For Ryan Darke, a warm-up is about removing his ego and preparing himself for playing the trumpet. To do this, he uses different breathing techniques such as a breathing bag, mouthpiece breathing, and an incentive spirometer as well as exercises to reduce tension such as loose lip flaps.

Long Tones and Slurs

The goal when playing the trumpet is efficiency. Ryan walks us through bends and long tones to show how to get the aperture to be fully responsive. From the bends, Ryan brings us through Irons, Flexus, and Arban exercises to get everything in the face moving how it should.

Articulation and more

Articulation is a crucial part of playing the trumpet. In this lesson, Ryan brings us through some variations on Chris Gekker's one-minute drill, speed exercises, as well as Pandolfi and Cichowicz to center the sound and remove any tension that might have crept in during the warm-up.

Ease and Efficiency

Trumpet players often strive to sound vocal in their playing. Using exercises from Anthony Plog, along with Pierre Thibaud’s “Positives and Negatives,” Ryan breaks down how to bring an efficient and singing quality to your playing.

Response

Sometimes we find ourselves swelling or sneaking into a note when we actually want a crisp, clean attack. To address this issue, Ryan discusses how air should start our notes, and how to get a good response with Stamp Scale Velocity exercises, using a breathing gauge, and more.

Tension

In this lesson, Ryan discusses different tools and strategies he uses to reduce tension in playing the trumpet.

Spread in the Low Register

What do we do when our aperture spreads out for low notes? We don’t want that puffy and flabby sound in the low register. Ryan shares some ways of keeping the aperture in check even when we are tired or have over-manipulated the embouchure.

Upper Register

The upper register is not about strength! Once you reach a certain point, range is about discovering the notes, not about building up to them. In this lesson, Ryan discusses his philosophy on range and how he uses Zauder exercises to build balance in his playing.

Endurance

Using Caruso and Flexus exercises, Ryan demonstrates ways he builds and maintains endurance. Additionally, he also uses etudes as a way to develop endurance by putting a timer on and playing four or five Concones in a row without a break.

Loud Low Playing

Most people tend to ignore low loud playing until it comes up in rehearsal. Using “bows”, Clarke studies, and the first few studies in Smith’s Top Tones, Ryan demonstrates how to build this skill that every trumpet player needs.