SPECIAL REPORT FOR TRUMPET PLAYERS

How To Increase Endurance The Easy Way

By Mark Hendricks
http://MPHmusic.com

ROUND ONE
Here's a simple way to increase endurance, develop tone and musical playing, all at the same time.
1. get your Arban's book out (if you need one, get one here: Arbans Book for Trumpet)
2. turn to page 191 (or close to that) for the 150 Classic and Popular Melodies section
3. the first time through all of the melodies you are only going to play 4 measures at a time (or until the first place
you can take a breath). Then you're going to rest for that same amount of time, sing the phrase back as musically
as you can, actually sing it and get the air flowing out of you, just like you were playing it.
4. Then play the next four bar phrase, rest for the same amount of time as it took you to play it by singing it, then
continue like this to the end of the song.
5. Now sing through the entire song with no rests, you can finger your valves while you sing.
You have just rested as much as you have played and you have rested again by singing the whole song
through while fingering the notes.
Be sure to play with the most beautiful tone you can play, focus on your air support and the flow of
continuous air through the phrases, and also follow the dynamic markings and articulations that are
written.
6. Then go to the second song on the page and do the same as above.
7. Then play the next song on the page and do the same as above.
Play one full page like this, there are usually 3 or 4 songs per page.
So on the first day, play page 191 like this. If your chops ever feel like they are folding, you are done for the day of
playing these. If your tone becomes weak or fuzzy, you are done for the day of playing these. The idea is that you
should actually feel fresh at the end of this endurance building, if not then you are playing too long of a phase and
not resting enough during your practice session.
On day two... start with page 191 as above, rest five minutes then do page 192 as above.
On day three... start with page 192 as above, rest five minutes then do page 193 as above.
On day four, start with page 193 as above, rest five minutes then do page 194 as above.

And so on each day (two page per day, staggered like I've mentioned) until you've played all of the 150 songs. If
any of them are too difficult to just read and play musically, repeat those pages for a few days until you can play
them easily before moving ahead.

ROUND TWO
Once you get through all 150 songs, go back to page 191 and now play 8 bar phrases, rest 8 bars, sing the whole
song, play the next song in 8 bar phrases, rest 8 bars, sing the whole song, etc. ... then the 2nd day do two pages
like this and follow the 2 page pattern as stated above.

ROUND THREE
After you get through all 150 playing 8 bar phrases, most likely will be able to play the complete song this time
around, if not then practice 12 bar or 16 bar phrases as you do all 150, two pages per day, like above.
Once you can do the complete song, then rest for the same amount of time it took to play the song (singing and
fingering the notes will help this resting time), and then do the next song... two staggered pages per day.

FOR SERIOUS PLAYERS ONLY

After completing all of the above:
Transpose the songs up one whole step, using the patterns above, two pages a day.
Then transpose all up a major third.
Then transpose all up a perfect fourth.
Then transpose all up a perfect fifth.
Then transpose all up an octave, with plenty of rest between phrases.
If at any time you lack good tone, or feel your chops folding.... this means you need to play shorter phrases and
rest longer.
All of this does take a little discipline, but the payoff will be more endurance, more tone, more musicality, more
range, and more enjoyment in playing the trumpet.
Remember... focus on tone, musicality, and air flow.

Give it a try, it works!

To answer a few questions that come up frequently...
Why does this work so well?
By actually playing music and playing musically, you really work your chops in all ways (air flow, tone,
intervals up and down, attacks, releases, slurs, sudden and gradual dynamic changes, and on and on...)
rather than just brute force calisthenic exercises. And it really does get you to rest as much as you play.

For most players who are trying to increase endurance, the "play 15 minutes and rest 15 minutes" doesn't
work because they're completely shot after the 15 minutes. So breaking it down to real small chunks of 4
bar phrases played with the 4 bars of rest between, then resting the whole length of the piece works
better many times for them.
And having a disciplined method of working through those 150 melodies gives us some direction of
knowing what to do each day. We must be our own task master :-)
Should you do this first thing in the day?
This is not to be your warmup - do your daily warmup and get to this after you've done some other
practicing in all areas. You can use the play, rest, play, rest idea when doing all of that too.
This seem like a lot of work, isnt there an easier way?
Remember, there is no short cut. This is an easy way to do it, it gets results and it's not hard to do, thus...
the easy way.
Your chops will actually feel good after playing and they will have a chance at developing real strength
where it really counts.... musicality (plus tone, endurance, range, etc too).
Once again, this is really easy, it's not hard. It just takes some discipline. And the results are well worth it.
What if I still get worn out doing this?
If playing 4 measures and resting 4 measures is too much, then start with playing 2 measures and resting
2 measures - just substitute 2 in place of 4 in the instructions.
Will this help my sight reading of music?
Yes, this also helps sight reading of music.
Should I be concerned about how I sound when doing this?
YES! You should always be aware of how you sound.
Your sound is what the rest of us hear and know you by.
When practicing be sure to make each note "excellent". Don't let yourself accept bobbled notes or
*approximaturas". This way of practicing lets you apply all of the things we practice, but putting it into a
music framework. (note: * "approximaturas" equals "clams and clunkers" and its a little play on the real
musical word... appoggiatura (otherwise known as a grace note approximaturas, however are not
graceful ... nor desired )
Can this work with other melodies instead of those 150 Arbans melodies?
Yes, it will work with any melodies. Just make sure they are written and you play them as written. The
power is in making your chops work as the music dictates. By actually playing music and playing musically,
you really work your chops in all ways (air flow, tone, intervals up and down, attacks, releases, slurs,
sudden and gradual dynamic changes, and on and on...) rather than just brute force calisthenic exercises.

If you have questions or comments, or would simply like to share your progress with me after implementing this
into your daily practice, send an email to me at: mark@mphmusic.com

Theres lots more stuff for you at:

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Give It The 3rd Finger

101 Trumpet Studies For Making
Your 3rd Finger Work Right
And Your Tongue And Chops Too
Plus 12 Etudes and 12 Duets That
Target Your 3rd Finger
by Mark Hendricks

Yes, you make give this Special Report to your friends, students, and colleagues.

2013 Mark Hendricks