meloktaLearning goal
Controls their breath to play long and short sounds on purpose, and plays rhythms made of quarter and half notes in tempo.
Topic
Trumpet players are great at using their breath. Sometimes a long sound, sometimes a tiny ‘too’!
Prior knowledge
Can play C, E and G.
Teacher note
For a long sound the air button is held down; for a short sound it is let go straight away. On a real trumpet each new note is started with the tongue, saying ‘too’; letting go of the button and pressing it again for a repeated note stands for this. Say ‘too–too–too–tooo’ together as a class first.
Lesson steps
- LONG sound: use slow air and hold C until the bar is full.
- SHORT sound: play G and let go straight away. ‘Too!’
- Listen! Long or short? Play it the way you heard it.
- Listen to four clicks, then one ‘too’ on every beat: G.
- Ta ta ta-a: hold the half note for two beats.