Graded Exercises for Trumpet and Other Valved Brass Instruments: And Other Valved Brass Instruments

Warm-ups, technical exercises and studies are an essential part of all brass players' training for building stamina as well as establishing technique. Graded Exercises and Studies for Trumpet and Other Valved Brass Instruments is a tried and tested collection that presents core material for every stage of technical development:

* Forming a correct and secure embouchure
* Tonguing technique and developing staccato and legato work
* Fingering practice and agility
* Tone development and mouthpiece work.

This book is suitable for players within a year of starting, presenting the basics in bite-sized exercises and consolidating through a series of studies. It works up progressively and imaginatively to more advanced techniques and provides a series of ideal warm-ups for players whatever their level.

In the foreword Phil Lawrence says his aim has been to provide the essentials for a solid technique from the earliest stages, covering all the basics in one concise set of warm ups, exercises and studies. I think therein is the strength of this book, in that all exercises to do this are contained in a book where you don't have to waste time skipping over page after page to find the essential study or exercise you need to keep your playing on track. There are 63 exercises, all designed for a set purpose such as warm ups, slurs, embouchure, agility tonguing, fingering and sound. I particularly like the attention given to articulation/tonguing which I believe many such study books tend to neglect and as we all know is so important. In this book there are exercises explaining the differences between and how to improve staccato articulation or legato articulation, semi-staccato, semi-legato etc. In the real world of playing we meet all aspects of note production depending on the type of music we play and it is good to find a book meeting this challenge. This book is very clear and well laid out and, as it states, it is a fundamental tool for us all; pupils, teachers, advanced students and professionals. The Brass Herald, December 2012