Resources
Articles
25 Practice Tips for Brass Players - Some people credit natural talent to how a student progresses on his/her instrument. Ambition and practice efficiency are also important elements to consider. Some students can practice for just fifteen minutes and make just as much, or more, progress than other students who practice for an hour; efficiency is the key!
Five Ways to Improve Your Tone Quality - Originally written for a summer band camp. Most of the students did not have a daily routine, have never did breathing exercises, and have never heard a professional perform on their instrument. Just following these tips for a few weeks should show some noticeable, and positive, changes.
Recommended Materials for Brass Instruments - Originally made for the Fundamentals of Trombone class at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. When band directors, primarily percussion and woodwind specialists, have to purchase brass equipment and materials they are sometimes unsure of what to buy. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a good start.
Exercises (Trombone and Euphonium)
Buzzing Exercise (Trombone and Euphonium) - Great exercise from Megumi Kanda (Principal Trombone of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra). It incorporates free-buzzing and mouthpiece buzzing.
Legato Exercise (Trombone and Euphonium) - An exercise for students who are working on legato for the first time. Many method books do not hit this area hard enough. Mastering the keys of legato early in one's playing career will prevent problems down the road.
Lip Slur Exercise #1 (Trombone and Euphonium) - This exercise is part of the Remington warm-up routine. This exercise is great for working on flexibility, and for working on getting comfortable from the F below the staff to the F above the staff.
Range Expansion #1 (Trombone and Euphonium)- These slurring exercises are especially helpful for middle school students who are trying to get a solid high F. This exercise will also help with endurance and flexibility.
Range Expansion #2 (Trombone and Euphonium) - This is another set of slurring exercises, but are directed towards students who are working on the high Bb. This exercise will be most useful to advanced high school players. This exercise will also help with endurance and flexibility.
Exercises (Trumpet)
Range Expansion #1 (Trumpet) - These slurring exercises are especially helpful for middle school students, usually 2nd and 3rd year players, who are trying to get a solid G above the staff. This exercise will also help with endurance, flexibility, and tone. This is basically a Remington warm-up transposed for trumpet.
Trumpet Warm-up #1 (Trumpet) - A first "warm-up" for trumpet players. This warm-up includes mouthpiece buzzing, long tones, lip slurs, and articulations. This warm-up only takes a few minutes, and will prevent young students from becoming bored.