How do I change a problem with my air flow when playing trumpet?

Question

I have been off the trumpet for about 3 or 4 years. I recently picked it up again. When I play sometimes, I get air passing out my nose and my mouth at the same time. It makes this interesting noise at the back of my throat, kind of like my tongue is trying to stop air from being released out my nose. Can any other trumpet players help me????

Answer 1

This has happened to me on a number of occasions due to a lack of proper air support through your throat and into the horn. It probably also in due to the fact that you're closing your throat which is a common problem for people who pick up their horns after a long period of time. One way to fix this is to focus your breathing and practicing long tones with only your mouthpiece and not the horn.

Try this excersize: [low] C to D to C again to E to C to F to C to G to C to A (hold for a little bit)to C to G to C to F. focus on putting just enough air to give you a nice rich tone. Once your done with just the mouthpiece, repeat excersize on the trumpet. (You might need a piano or someone to sing the pitches to you) Chromatically go up the scale until either you can't play the notes anymore, or until you feel that you've got a good grasp on the air flow.

The gag reflex is the reflex of you throat closing off from your bodies perception of lack of air. It takes time, but you can learn how to control this reflex (as it is a subconscious reflex) over time and practice. Do a lot of lip slurs or excersizes that require you to use your full breath support. I suspect that you leak air through your nose by the sensation of too much pressure in your throat and neck. Remember breathe deep and have the air flow from your gut, not your neck.

Answer 2

To get a feel for where the muscle is that needs to stop the leakage out the nose, try blowing through your nose only, then, without letting up on the air pressure, make it stop. Once you can feel that, you should be able to seal it up while blowing out through your mouth.

Answer 3

The others who have answered before me have very good points (listen to them).

I think you just have to rebuild your emboucher (sp?) because you're out of practice. I know that when I don't play any of my instruments for a while (particularly the trumpet or the bassoon), my emboucher is pretty out of practice and I have to rebuild it. You're pretty much starting out like a beginner emboucher-wise all over again; you haven't played in so long that you have to completely start over again. Follow the techniques that the person before me said-- they'll help you rebuild it. One of the only things you can do is practice, practice, PRACTICE.

Answer 4

my couz a trumpet player u should practice w/out the trumpet and blow air in ur cheeks and hold it a while keep doing it till the problem stops

Answer 5

try tightening you lips


and if you need more help than that e-mail me I'm in band at school and practice every day