Playing tips for brass instruments

• Take a deep breath and project the air forward and straight through the instrument. Don't let up on the air, keep it moving!
• When playing, try to always think and hear sound rather than just note names and fingerings or slide positions. In other words, "think like a singer".
• Listen to great players on your instrument and do your best to emulate their sound and phrasing.
• Run through difficult spots in the music at least 3 times correctly at a very slow tempo and fix those mistakes! This will really pay off later.
• If you are having difficulty and are getting extremely frustrated, put the horn down and come back to it later. Playing music should be an enjoyable experience.
  

Written by Ron Barrow (brass instructor)