Over time, we build muscle memory so that we can create precise notes on demand, be they high, low, loud, quiet, long or short sounds. It is by BREATHING and then BLOWING that we create this buzz.

With a slower buzzing, we create low pitched notes. The faster the buzzing, the higher in pitch the note goes. Remember, we need vibrations and we create these by blowing air through our lips, using the muscles around our mouth to keep our lips close together. If you just blow through the instrument, you may be surprised that nothing happens. Originating from the French term ‘to put to the mouth’, the embouchure in the musical sense is the word we use to describe the way we use our mouth, facial muscles and also the tongue to create a sound on wind or brass instrument. There are many buzzing exercises which build strength in our embouchure. To play consecutive sounds, we breathe, then blow continuously, using the ‘Dahh’ tongue movement to start each sound.

Blowing different length streams of air creates different length vibrations which control the length of each note. This is also called the front of the note. This releases the air, creating an ‘on switch’ to start our buzzing cleanly. Inside the mouth, our tongue works exactly as it does when we say the word ‘Daaaaaah’. To begin our buzz, we firstly breathe and then blow with our lips kept together by our mouth muscles. We ‘buzz’ our lips into the cup shaped mouthpiece which connects us to the Tuba. It still works in the same way as the smaller brass cousins so we need to put vibrations through our Tubas in order to create a sound. The Tuba is the largest of all the instruments which make up the brass family.

DRUMS & PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT | ARTISTS & COMPOSERSīefore even playing the instrument seriously, we need to understand how to make a sound.

DRUMS & PERCUSSION INSTRUMENT | BEGINNER’S GUIDE.

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E flat major scale tuba