“OK, so you’ve got an instrument and you’re ready to start!”
“Yes, perhaps you have a cornet like this” (holds up cornet)
“or a trombone like this” (holds up trombone)
“or any other brass instrument, in fact!”
“If you don’t have an instrument yet please contact us to talk about ways you can get one. There is a link to contact details at the bottom of this page”
“But in this lesson, all you need is the mouthpiece, which looks like this” (hold up cornet mouthpiece)
“Or this” (hold up trombone mouthpiece)
“We’re going to start by getting you buzzing!”
“Ooo, buzzing with excitement?”
“Yes, buzzing with excitement hopefully, but more importantly buzzing with your lips!”
“Can you make a buzzing noise like a bee, like this?” (demonstrate buzzing)
“Have a go and see if you can do it!” (pause for a few seconds, show some more buzzing, pause x2)
“Did you make a buzzing noise? Well done if you did, but most people need a bit of practice, so we’re going to show you how we do it”
(at this point please use your own ideas and words on how to make a buzz! What follows is my attempt, which you are welcome to use, or amend. The more different ways of approaching it the better, because one way may work for some but not others)
“Squeeze the corners of your mouth tight with your lips together like this” (demonstrate with close up)
“Blow air through a small hole in the middle of your lips, to make a little explosive ‘p’ sound, like this” (demonstrate)
“Now do the same, but blow a bit harder so that the little ‘p’ sound becomes a buzz, like this” (demonstrate)
“Here’s a different way to do it. Imagine you have a straw in your mouth and you’re blowing bubbles into a milk shake, like this” (demonstrate)
“You can do this with an actual straw if you have one, to see what it feels like” (demonstrate close up of gripping a straw between the lips)
“If you are blowing air but not getting a buzz, try blowing a bit faster, or a bit slower, like this” (demonstrate – the buzzing should disappear and come back as you blow faster/slower/faster etc)
“Or try making the hole a bit smaller, or a bit bigger, like this” (demonstrate with a close up, the buzzing should come and go as the hole is made bigger/smaller)
“Now take the mouthpiece out of your instrument and try buzzing into the mouthpiece” (demonstrate)
“Remember to squeeze the corners of your mouth like this. Don’t puff out your cheeks!” (demonstrate)
“Experiment with your mouthpiece to see what buzzing noises you can make.”
“Can you buzz really loud, like this?” (demonstrate)
“Or really quietly, like this?” (demonstrate)
“Can you buzz high, like this?” (demonstrate)
“Or very low, like this/” (demonstrate)
“Can you make up rhythms, like this?” (demonstrate some simple rhythms)
“Can you play any tunes on your mouthpiece just by buzzing? Here’s one” (demonstrate) “Did you recognise it? You have a go”
“See if you can play any other tunes on your mouthpiece, or make some tunes up”
“Don’t worry if you didn’t manage to buzz right away, or you are finding it tricky. Lot’s of people take time and practice before they get good at it.”
“Yes, do a little practice every now and then, don’t give up. Ask your family or friends if they can buzz and get them to show you how they do it!”
“Even when you get the buzzing going, keep practicing everyday. Lots of brass players practice buzzing without an instrument!”
“So practice your buzzing, and we’ll see you in the next lesson.”
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