Interval tuning/Hitting the center of the note

This is an exercise I do everyday in my warm-up and frequently have my students do for

a variety of reasons, such as when they are out of tune with themselves, their tuning slide is too
far out, they are reaching for notes, their sound is uneven, or they are consistently chipping notes.
I get out my Tonal Energy app on my iPhone and while plugged into a stereo system, have the
app sound the root and dominant tones for a key. I then play the first Cichowicz long tone study
on the mouthpiece, inserting a glissando between all pitches. I use the mouthpiece first as it is
more natural, as in closer to singing, to create the pitches this way, compared to the trumpet
using the trumpet. I work my way down through all seven keys of the exercise.

Next, I replicate what was just played on the mouthpiece on the trumpet. What I am
listening for, or instructing the student to listen for is interference in the sound waves. The first
obvious flaw is probably moving from so to la as the interval will likely be too wide for the key.
Part of the exercise is to learn to compress the intervals to what they should be since most of us
play them too wide by default. The second is to learn the relationship between the intervals. So to
la is the same, regardless of key. I work my way back up from F# to C, adding a note each time.
My full sequence is as follows:

- Play F# up to do
- Play G to re
- Play A-flat to mi
- Play A to fa
- Play B-flat to so
- Play B to la
- Play C to do (c’’’)
- Play C to mi (e’’’)

Trumpet players usually miss notes on the high side. By first playing the exercise on the
mouthpiece, we can learn how small the intervals really are and how little physical adjustment is
truly needed. Immediate replication on the instrument reinforces this concept of compressing
intervals. By mastering where the intervals need to be, rather than learning specifically where
notes are, we will have greater command of our instruments and be able to always ring the
“sweet spot” on our notes.

Dr. Kyle Millsap

Assistant Professor of Trumpet and Jazz
Texas A&M University-Kingsville