Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Department of Music
MUU 233
Brass Techniques
Approved by Department: November 4, 2003
Course Description
This course will prepare prospective music educators to be able to teach brass instruments to
beginning school students, and to successfully apply knowledge of brass instruments in the school
instrumental music program in classroom and ensemble settings.
Prerequisites:
None
2 Clock hours, 1 Semester Credit hour
Course Rationale
In an actual teaching position, school instrumental music educators will be expected to teach brass
instruments to beginning students, and to instruct brass players during ensemble and classroom settings,
even if the educator is not a brass player. These goals are accomplished by having the students in this
course learn how to play brass instruments as beginners, by giving them playing experiences, and by giving
them opportunities to teach the class how to play beginning brass instruments.
This course will familiarize the student with the basic playing techniques of the trumpet, horn,
trombone and tuba. Correct fingerings and slide positions, embouchure, articulation, and tone production
will be studied. The student will be expected to play elementary solo and ensemble literature. Common
teaching problems and pedagogical methods will be presented, and the student will experience
opportunities to teach beginning brass instruments.
Course Objectives
The student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate rudimentary playing skills on brass instruments.
2. Play elementary and intermediate level solo and ensemble repertoire for brass.
3.
Teach other students correct playing skills applicable to all brass instruments, including the
harmonic series, breathing technique, basic embouchure principles, and articulation.
4.
Compare and contrast various pedagogical methods, including information dealing with
particular problems encountered in playing and teaching trumpet and horn.
5.
Demonstrate an understanding of solo and pedagogical literature appropriate for different
levels of playing.
6.
Perform basic maintenance and repair on brass instruments and demonstrate an understanding
of how to select instruments and mouthpieces.
Course Outline
I.
Trumpet, Trombone, Horn, Tuba
a. Brief History
b. Cost and practicality
c. Pedagogical Approaches
II.
Physics of Brasses
a. Acoustic considerations
b. Physics of tone production
i. Overtone series
ii. Intonation problems
iii. Valves in combination
III.
Embouchure
a. What a Student Needs to Know
b. Teaching techniques
IV.
Articulation
a. Two primary rules of articulation
b. Articulation (attack) styles (single tongue) staccato
V.
Breathing technique
a. Five points of control
b. Teaching techniques
VI.
Multiple tonguing
a. Double tonguing
b. Triple tonguing
c. “Flutter” tonguing
d. Practice strategies
e. Teaching strategies
VII.
Flexibility
a. "Type 1" and "Type 2"
b. Practice strategies
c. Teaching strategies
d. Tonal center: practice/teaching strategies
VIII.
Vibrato
a. Definition
b. Practice strategies
c. Teaching strategies
IX.
Equipment
a. Trumpets (various keys), Cornet, Flugelhorn
b. Single and Double Horns
c. Tenor and Bass Trombones
d. Tuba, Euphonium, and Baritone
e. Mouthpieces
i. materials & construction
ii. plating
iii. recommended brands and models
X.
Embouchure Problems
a. Causes, consequences and solutions (handouts: Gates)
b. Warm-up and daily routine: purpose and components
XI.
Pedagogical Specific Problems and Solutions (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Tuba)
Assessment
Assessment of each student’s level of accomplishment with reference to the course objectives will be based
upon the following:
1. playing exams
2. exams over written material
3. evaluation of rehearsal technique
4. evaluation of instructional materials prepared by student
5. evaluation of participation
6. evaluation of basic repair technique
7. evaluation of teaching skills
Instructional Resources
Recommended textbook:
Bachelder, Dan, and Norman J. Hunt. Guide To Teaching Brass, 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001
Asper, Lynn and Renee Asper, ed. A Physical Approach to Playing the Trumpet. Hudsonville, MI:
WaveSong Press, 1999.
Bailey, Wayne, Patrick Miles, Alan Siebert and William Stanley. Teaching Brass: A Resource Manual.
Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 1991.
Baines, Anthony. Brass Instruments: Their History and Development, reprint ed. Mineola, NY: Dover
Pub., 1993.
Barclay, Robert. The Art of the Trumpet-Maker: The Materials, Tools, and Techniques of the Seventeenth
and Eighteenth Centuries in Nuremberg (Early Music Series, No 1). Oxford: Clarendon Press,
1996.
Bruser, Madeline. The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heart. New York: Bell
Tower, 1999.
Dudgeon, Ralph T. The Keyed Bugle. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1993.
Farkas, Philip. Art of French Horn Playing. Miami, FL: Summy-Birchard Publications, 1956.
Fasman, Mark J. Brass Bibliography: Sources on the History, Literature, Pedagogy, Performance, and
Acoustics of Brass Instruments. Bloominton, IN: Indiana University Press, 1990.
Fox, Fred. Essentials of Brass Playing. Hialeah, FL: Columbia Pictures Publications, 1982.
Freymuth, Malva. Mental Practice and Imagery for Musicians. Bardon Qld, Australia: Integrated
Musicians Press, 1999.
Green, Don. Audition Success: An Olympic Sports Psychologist Teaches Performing Artists How to Win.
Sebastopol, CA: Promind Music, 1998.
Herbert, Trevor and John Wallace, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Brass Instruments. Cambridge, UK:
Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Hill, Douglas. Collected Thoughts on Teaching and Learning, Creativity and Horn Performance. Miami,
FL: Warner Brothers Publications, 2001.
Humphries, John. The Early Horn: A Practical Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Johnson, Keith. Brass Performance and Pedagogy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001.
Judy, Stephanie. Making Music for the Joy of It: Enhancing Creativity Skills and Musical Confidence.
Los Angeles, CA: J. P. Tarcher, 1990.
Kaslow, David. Living Dangerously With the Horn. Bloomington, IN: Birdalone Books, 1996.
Kleinhammer, Edward. Art of Trombone Playing. Miami, FL: Summy-Birchard Publications, 1963.
Lieberman, Julie Lyonn and W. Donald Cooke. You Are Your Instrument: The Definitive Musician’s
Guide to Practice and Performance, 3rd ed. New York: Huiksi Music, 1992.
Loewy, Steven. Trombone Masters: A History of the Jazz Trombone. Berkeley, CA: Berkeley Hills
Books, 2003.
Lynch, Wendy. Brass (Musical Instruments). Crystal Lake, IL: Heinemann Library, 2001.
Montagu, Jeremy. The French Horn. St Aldate's, Oxford: Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, 1999.
Norris, Richard. The Musician’s Survival Manual: A Guide to Preventing and Treating Injuries in
Instrumentalists. St. Louis, MO: MMB Music, 1993.
Pinksterboer, Hugo,ed. The Rough Guide to Trumpet & Trombone, Flugelhorn & Cornet. New York:
Rough Guides, 2001.
Reynolds, Verne. The Horn Handbook. Portland, OR: Amadeus Press, 1997.
Salmon, Paul G. and Robert G. Meyer. Notes from the Green Room: Coping With Stress and Anxiety in
Musical Performance. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass, 1998.
Schuller, Gunther. Horn Technique, 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992.
Thomas, Roger. Brass (Soundbites). Crystal Lake, IL: Heinemann Library, 2001.
Tuckwell, Barry. Horn. Lexington, MA: Museum of Our National Heritage, 1983.
Whitener, Scott. A Complete Guide to Brass Instruments and Techniques, 2nd ed.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub Co, 1997.
Wiest, Steve. Take the Lead for Trombone: Basic Manual for the Lead Trombonist in a Jazz Ensemble.
Houston, TX: Houston Publishers, 1996.