The "Three Compressions" by Trumpeter Charlie Porter

[@roseklacey]

Wow. I'm a high school student, and I've just started taking private lessons this year. My teacher is incredible, and combining what you're saying with what she has told me is making everything come together. I just pulled out my trumpet and hit a C above the staff for probably the second time in my life, and it felt almost easy. This video has been a huge help, thank you so much.

[@gpetrowitsch]

I've been playing the trumpet for more than 45 years now, and I always had a lot of problems with endurance and high notes (after playing for some minutes). I've been at so many teachers, with little success. Now - after not playing for a year for health reasons - when I'm doing what you're saying in your 3 videos (this one, the straight line approach and the one about forming an embochure) I'm getting more control, more endurance and more ease in playing right away. I think I just need to practice this a little bit and I will achieve in weeks what I didn't achieve in the 45 years ago. Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@Andrew-op9se]

Second attempt at picking up the trumpet, a few days in. Everything I've read so far said that range comes with time and patience -- but I felt like I was trying way too hard and getting nowhere. I didn't want to treat trumpet like weight lifting - and I was REALLY straining to hit D on the staff. Found your videos and within 10mins I've removed almost all my stress and gotten over the top of the staff. Now I can actually find some tunes in the real book to start reading through. Your analogies are awesome. Especially the soup/whistling. From a piano teacher to a trumpet teacher, thank you so much.

[@rudycahulogan3082]

Movies

[@jamarilee5162]

sorry to be so offtopic but does anyone know of a trick to log back into an Instagram account? I was dumb lost the login password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me!

[@noeljude19]

@Jamari Lee instablaster :)

[@jamarilee5162]

@Noel Jude thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Takes a while so I will reply here later with my results.

[@jamarilee5162]

@Noel Jude it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you saved my ass :D

[@tonymarieiii2444]

Hi, from Eastern North Carolina. I'm 61, and just started playing trumpet again after 40+ years I wish these video's were around back in the 70's! Thank you for taking the time to teach us.

[@boxmaker20]

Been playing for 35 years. I hope you are somehow repayed for the sharing of your knowledge. If only more teachers would try to simplify their approach as you do. You helped me with embochure formation problems that nobody has been able to capture the scope of. This was in two videos. I saw instant changes in my playing during the same practice session when I started trying your ideas on "cooling soup". And, now, breathing. THANK YOU!

[@JazzyJonas]

Great teachers are rare; so are great players. Charlie, being both, is really an anomaly.

[@tunguy2205]

You are am unbelievable teacher!!!! I cannot believe that you put so much effort into helping total strangers to play the trumpet.I learned a lot

[@Lasalas777]

tunguy se llama gratuidad, querido, amor desinteresado en la humanidad.

[@Dynamic1312]

Charlie you're the best trumpet teacher on KZbin. Please get call to making videos. Just one a month teaching us your methods.

[@acsolares2]

Charlie is a really gifted teacher.....smart fella...thanks for the teaching....I know these are not easy to put together!

[@xtrackdayx]

Yes! I'm 53 and started playing trumpet 5 months ago. 2/3 thru this and you broke me of 2 bad habits. You rock.

[@amalbush4075]

I love your videos. I started playing the trompet with 58 and your videos are very helpful. Thank you so much.

[@fredolob3436]

12 years later, crazy how those words and the way you tell are crucials and make things easier. Always concentrated on 1st and 2nd compression and not that much on the 3rd. 1st time I realise how connected those 3 compressions are. After all that years thank you again Mr Porter.

[@BrassBro-Science-ys7sg]

But they aren't. Neither the tongue nor the lips can "compress" the air. We do manipulate the lips to control pitch, but air pressure is created by the exhalation effort ONLY !

[@jamessingleton4856]

Absolutely brilliant. The best instructional video I've seen on ANY instrument!

[@DappsJames]

Dude this is Ace! I can't thank you enough. I'm 28 and 15 years ago I picked up a Cornet, 14 years ago I put it down. August '12 I started a 7 pc jazz band in the UK, I've always sung to a high standard but instantly I wanted, trepidaciously, to play cornet again. Your videos have shown me (in a week!) precisely the things my year 7 teacher never told me I needed to know in a year. Next week I pick up my new (to me anyway!) Antoine Courtois 106XLR Chambord II... You're the Don!

[@dannygough7785]

Massive respect to you Charlie Porter - you are so generous with your sharing of your knowledge. I can't imagine how many players - young and old - you are positively affecting with such truthful explanations. Me included. It's awesome what you're doing up here mate - keep uploading and give yourself a big pat on the back for using your amazing talent to help others on their trumpet journey! It must be the Folgers...:)

[@rolfspuler1056]

These videos are by FAR the most comprehensive embouchure advice I have ever seen. Even most of the great players are not good teachers when it comes to that topic as they are not aware themselves what they are doing exactly with their lips and muscles.

[@maximecassady7918]

I just started playing for the first time. My trumpet made 4 weeks to get shipped to my home. During those 4 weeks I watched your video and practiced embouchure and buzz. I was surprised how quickly I could make ok sounds once I got the trumpet. I took one lesson and the teacher was surprised by my technique and by my sound. Thank you for taking the time to talk about the tongue, the lips and the mouth hahah

[@salmaveli]

I play percussion and training to become a teacher. Picked up the trumpet maybe 8 months ago. I just applied what I learned in this video and I'm telling you IT WORKS! I needed help from a teacher and I got it.

[@jimbojambo1234]

Thank you so much! This is one of the most helpful and insightful videos I have ever watched on trumpet playing. You explain the concepts really well and most importantly, simply! As a fellow trumpet player who has been struggling with range and endurance, this has helped so much and I couldn't of asked for a better explanation. Thanks Charlie

[@jbialek81]

Absolutely brilliant! After 9 weeks of learning I realised that I was using the wrong compression...not using the tongue and way too much mouthpiece pressure! I was straining for an E on the staff now I'm hitting an A over the staff with less effort. Thank you!!!

[@CrashBoomBangarang]

I watched this video and the 'Straight Line Approach" and I am amazed to say that the higher notes started popping out immediately as I started to apply theses principles...and with such ease. I played the trumpet in high school and have picked it up almost 25 years later hoping to find something online to give me direction. I looked at a couple of other videos, but Charlie's approach is just so uncomplicated and intuitive. Thanks again Charlie...your'e a good man.

[@gustavonevescoelho5826]

Hey, man! I NEED to say that you are a great teacher and that you are helping me a lot. I started taking trumpet lessons where I live, in Porto Alegre, South of Brazil, last year, when I was 27 years old, and it was really hard to start to make music - mainly, I think, because the trumpet is the first musical instrument I have ever seriouslly tried to play; and, of course, it is not an easy instrument. I gave up lessons after six months, because my teacher wasn't quite helping me - actually, I realised that lessons would only really start when I had some insights on embouchure and on what you called "the tree compressions". Your videos helped me a lot to grasp those and other things and now, after a year, I'm finally starting to reach what I (at least) consider some enjoyable results. Jazz is my greatest passion, so those results are really important to me. If I'm going to New York some day, it would be a pleasure to take a lesson with you. Anyway, I'll take a look in your website to check if there is some way I can give you a contribution for your work, probably by buying some of your products or CD's - I really think you deserve it. Once again, thanks a lot!

[@lawnboyfreak]

This video reminds me of a more in depth explanation of a Jon Faddis video I watched where he explained playing a low note (can't remember maybe a low A) keeping that lip setting a playing an A above the staff, then play the low A to make sure you still have that lip setting. Charlie has gone deeper here to explain the lip setting stays the same just the appature changes. Great video! I like how you break everything down. Wish I had this information 25 years ago when I started playing.

[@jeffelmore7543]

great explanation Charlie. Your videos have held me correct years of incorrect playing. The difference is amazing. Thanks.

[@PaulKelly88]

Charlie, this was fantastic! Many thanks. You took a lot of ideas that I've used for years as an opera singer and expressed them beautifully for the trumpet. (I'm an amateur trumpet player, have been for years, and have a few students that I teach.) You've used analogies that I had not heard or used before, though and these are going to be immensely helpful to me, so many thanks again. The 'E' tongue position is one I guess I've always used instinctively but understanding that it's actually making the air move faster really opens up doors! It's also an understanding that I can now pass on to my voice students, too. I'm so pleased to have found your videos.

[@dennisweston4763]

Charlie, sent you some bucks on Kickstarter for the new album. I’m a 75 year old come-back trumpeter and almost starting over. I’m so grateful for your instructional videos. Hope to meet you someday. Thank you sooooo much.

[@Johnflugelhorn]

Trumpet artists like you contribute much to understanding the path needed to move to play trumpet in a musical way.

[@jamesfox9922]

I don't even play the trumpet.... I just found a mouthpiece...I decided to look up this video and within the first and second lesson I could make quite a few different notes and squeals.... This guy is a great teacher...

[@federicoarzeno738]

Thanks a lot from Argentina, this concepts are really change my way to play. Salú!

[@SarahRaye96]

I'm 16 and I'm terrible about "lip curling" and pressing the trumpet against my teeth when trying to play in the upper register. Helpful video! I am trying to break my bad habits before they get too permanent...

[@SpliceCraftTeria]

My teacher's been bugging me to watch this for a few months now, glad I finally decided to watch it.

[@kingarthur6814]

thank you so much Charlie for your videos ,I've learnt a lot ,my breathing range,articulation has improved,straining is no more.God bless you from Zimbabwe

[@dominicscalfaro]

Thanks Charlie, studying the mechanics behind trumpet playing is just as deep and involved as trying to learn how to golf. Ha . There is so much to take in.

[@mikebrands8297]

Really enjoying the instruction videos. Used to play a lot but developed some bad habits i.e. too much pressure......now trying to re-train myself.....keep it up :-)

[@cardic504]

Thank You for being so appealing, confident, thoughtful and thorough.

[@mancolon2697]

Thanks for your master class, very generous on your part, and a great teacher!

[@johnsparacino4681]

Hi Charlie, I'm 59 years old and have been playing trumpet for about 5 years now, practicing everyday and had multiple problems with pivoting, range, chops tiring out easily and just trying to figure out the proper embouchure and placement. Since watching your videos (all of them) it's as you say there will be no limitations. I struggled for awhile but once passing the 66 days I am set with placement, range (hitting double high c) and am able to practice consistently without any problems. Stamina is great. It's going to take some more work but I feel so much better and confident about my playing. You are as many have said a great teacher. You are greatly appreciated.

[@johnsparacino4681]

Forgot to mention I also take private lessons and have a great trumpet teacher, his name is Eric Bolvin.

[@jfrako]

You are the best trumpet teacher!!! Thanks a lot.

[@TerryLeeCanada]

Charlie, after all these years of self learning (never had a lesson), I am so delighted to understand and know what your are teaching is 100% right~! Such a wonderful and clear explanation, thank you~!

[@Blackdesperado91]

I am 28 yr old who picked up the horn for the first time and as my first instrument. Thank you so much man. One month in and am slowly getting that C scale consistent. Appreciate all the clarity and concepts you provide on your channel. Upward and onward.

[@olivoribl]

Thank you very much Maestro Porter for sharing your knowledge with the brass community. Your explanations are very helpful and comprehensive even for foreign students. Best regards from Spain

[@immunael]

O.M.G!! Now I get it! Thank you! Charlie Porter, you are a gift from the heavens!... P.S. I love the bit where you go look for your visualizer! :)

[@robertdarcy2168]

Always Instructive We are so fortunate to to be able to learn from prevous musician mistakes. A Most Appreciative Raptor Rob 👌

[@adamscotera2378]

You're a good presenter and explainer and I have to say you improve those skills a lot over the next 8 years!

[@ultramanxk7]

Even one more like counts, here you go, great class Mr Charlie Porter.

[@wayneworthy2672]

Well made video. Explanations are very easy to understand; the well thought out illustrations helped me to visualize the functions of the three compressions, and your personal performance helped me to see how to put them all together. I am a trombonist and I had the ability to play high notes when I was younger. Your video helped me to identify what I am doing wrong. Thanks for sharing. Will give it a try and let you know how it works out. Also: Nice Cap!

[@ceylonin]

Thanx for the lesson, Charlie, very illuminating

[@Maktheblade]

Charlie, thank you so much man. I was rolling my lips in like you showed, and I didn't even realise I was doing it. Now that I'm conscious of it I hope my higher range will improve. Thanks a lot for making these vids mate, they are of immeasurable help to newbies like myself.

[@muzikaleziel]

thank you for sharing all of your knowledge. i have been playing for 23 years now and it is always good to revisit the basics and proper techniques. i find when i hit a hard patch, i learn that it may be my breathing, position, and embouchure. thank you for helping me realize that my overbite required some special attention, my sound is much fuller now. thank you also for helping me to focus on my breathing in a different way than i was taught many years ago! i really enjoy your videos!

[@salmaveli]

Just discovered this channel, SO HELPFUL. I love your teaching style.

[@1973PedroLopes]

Hi, Charlie! I'm a beginner trumpeter and I love your videos. Thanks!

[@tjgus7458]

Thank you so much again for these videos you uploaded 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🎶 You helped me a lot to break my bad habits that made me suffer for over a decade! Please publish a book besides PDF so that other non-English speakers can have these AMAZING teaching of yours! I bet they will buy definitely👏🏻👍🏻👏🏻👍🏻

[@JesusSanchez-ul1qq]

This was just amazing, I'm so glad to have found this information. Thanks a lot for making it free

[@franciscocastro7933]

Muy didáctico este video, con una dicción muy clara y comprensible en un 95% aún para mí que no soy angloparlante. Sus explicaciones son intuitivas, claras y directas. No tengo la trompeta todavía,sólo la boquilla, pero creo que el sonido saldrá en cuanto la compre. Gracias Charlie... you are the best!!

[@mikepollock7612]

always great explanations thank you Charlie Porter. I'm a Cichowicz student from 25 yrs ago and he would often say "simple, but not easy" in terms of the damands of the trumpet. I do not think he understood as well as you do some of the not-so-obvious problems we face as brass players. He had few problems playing, always played well, and many teachers are the same, not so helpful to everyone. You are very thorough, careful and creative in your descriptions, and wow--love your playing. thanx

[@carlisleoneal2426]

Charlie very nice to meet you .. I've been digesting your video information for a few month now over and over .. And I must say .You a are bsolutely correct in your approach to playing instrument and principles of teaching .. Though I consider myself as a decent trumpet player and can play in the high register.. I always knew that some of habits were not taking me where I wanted to go .. I've been practicing your techniques and can see vast improvement. My confidence to playing all over the instrument is at a much higher level and I'm staying in the high register with much greater comfort . Thanks Man

[@saccover]

You are a true teacher! Your advice is so effective! Thank you. )) You solved a lot of problems associated with mastering the technique of playing this amazing instrument with the help of 2 video clips !!!)))

[@ricaard]

Thank you for laying it out in such a way!

[@andrewdevall4438]

Thanks Charlie! I'm 16 and had my braces removed a few weeks ago and I'm still trying to settle in again. Last year I made all state band and now I'm having to really just work on fundamentals such as this. These videos have helped me simplify things and clear up all the confusion so that I can remember how to really play again!

[@alelesantana]

i play the guitar, and i thinking on getting a trumpet... and you have been very helpful to understand the world of trumpets techiques.. thanks!

[@Xplosiw]

Amazing. I'm jst starting out with trumpets and this was literally the best explanation ever!

[@sennystevens117]

Like many others in the US, I was enthusiastic about the trumpet as a child, and did rather well in my junior high school, but I hit some walls and gave up the instrument. One of those walls was difficulty in playing high notes. I *now* know that my main problem was that I was trying to reach those notes by pressing the trumpet against my teeth. I never hurt my lips, but I did actually make my incisors loose. (Fortunately, this was a temporary problem.) Thank you very much, Mr. Porter!

[@Trombateer]

Charlie, Thanks for your time in putting this together. I have been playing for over 40 years but because of an accident that severely injured my chops, I have been working on different ways to get my skills back. There are things you cover here that I haven't really thought about throughout my career and as I rebuild and adjust to a different embouchure set, I am finding this video very useful.

[@Baumi2511]

that was an excellent explanation of how the trumpet-playing works!

[@joska9744]

This video helps me very much! Thanks you!

[@CornetBlues]

I subscribed and I love all these tips they are really helping me improve little by little 👏👏🎶🎶

[@chuckthenugget]

This checks out almost 100% with what my teacher has been telling me for the past couple years. Watching this video was very useful for me to kind of confirm that I'm going about things the right way. Only difference is that his throat expands to that of a bullfrog, but that's because he has a Maynard Ferguson tribute show that he runs often, he's a ridiculous screamer!

[@johnogasi2425]

Thenks alot brother. Now i'm able to play C and F major scales easily. God bless you.

[@paulensor3920]

Really enjoying your videos. Have only been playing a couple of weeks and started slightly later in life. Your videos have really helped explain how to play and have helped me progress much quicker than I expected. Really clear explanations. Best instructional videos I have found. Thank you!

[@Francesco9063]

thanks, Charlie, for all your advices and directions... God bless you

[@blindblackpianist]

Those frames are doing it for me; remind me of Dizzy in the 60s, but not quite as big. Thanks for the videos!

[@ginaargureer]

I agree. Simply the best explanation on how it all works!

[@sabakuno90]

Came to improve my trumpet playing - picked up gardening instead. Nice analogies, thanks Charlie.

[@boroboyDP]

Most helpful Thanks Charlie

[@CharliePorter]

Hey John, 1. I don't really think about the chest, but I suppose it stays up in a relaxed kind of way...I'm just sure not to raise the shoulders. 2. I try no to put the pinky in the ring...can lead to decreased valve technique and turn into an octave key!!

[@tomoyukihoshino1742]

absolutely brilliant explanation! Thank you very much!!! 👍👏

[@mysterioustrumpet1062]

The idea of thinking of the air stream has helped me SO. MUCH. Thank you!

[@Monkonesenzatesta]

The doughnut effet was exactly the way I was using for lip slurs. Till I saw this video which is a precious source of information. Thank you very much indeed Charlie for sharing this!

[@bfpbula1070]

you are the best trumpet teacher..thank you very much Sir.. ..

[@philharrisonphotographyvid2558]

Brilliant video and best explanation on KZbin. Thanks 👍🏻

[@BrassBro-Science-ys7sg]

How exactly? There is ONE way to increase the air pressure and that is by the exhalation action. There are in fact not three compressions. Only one.

[@olienvideo]

Gracias por compartir tan amablemente estos maravillosas y didácticas ideas y consejos. Thank you

[@jfink2000]

Super tutorial! I was able to get up another half octave just by tweaking my tongue position. I played trumpet in high school and am just getting back into it 20 years later. My most recent wind instrument has been harmonica where it is important to keep a very large mouth cavity. To push my tongue forward was counter-intuitive to me!

[@andresmejia7800]

Hello friend, thank you very much for the explanation in the video, he was able to understand poque I had problems in the sound when playing trumpet, with what he explained he changed a 100% how to play, now the sound flows calm, nice, stable , I no longer have problems with retention, thank you very much for sharing what you know, and for explaining it so clearly, greetings from colombia

[@MrMichaelboi]

Yoooo Mr.Porter i appreciate it so much man... This feeling is the one where you learned a big breakthrough and you just feel on top of the world and you caused it sir. Thank you so much!!! I am forever grateful.

[@AI4Church]

Charlie you are a legend for sharing all this. So cool. I have been a smile style playing and attempting to learn the whole new method. This makes so much sense. Thank you!!!! :)

[@JakeWyattMcNeil]

Thanks a lot man your videos are extremely helpful. You explain it perfectly

[@RomanMoris]

Hi Charlie, you're awesome! Thank you very much for your lessons, they're so helpful. Please go on with them! )

[@ademeren6659]

you are amazing. You speak so much sense. Thanks you have helped me find the problem i have had for two years now. :)

[@stephenpeppin5537]

Thank you for the instruction, especially to not press hard on mouthpiece and how to develop a good embouchure it has helped a lot!

[@edwardrodriguez9077]

great information Charlie, thank you so much it does truly work.

[@ianalexander1096]

Awesome! Your making this so simple

[@micahboynton]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@mayapunkful]

OMG, you help me a lot, thank you very much.

[@gerardocisneros795]

I was like, hey, where Charlie go?? then realized it's him, just shaved and 8 yrs younger :D

[@sadnessinside123]

He has been on hiatus for 11 months. Hope newer videos will be uploaded soon. He does great work.

[@JazzLovers1]

Charlie is the number one, when Dave Monette write an example how to stand to play a trumpet, hi said, “watch Wynton Marsalis, Charlie Porter…”, i mean it’s a great satisfaction be mentioned next to the guru of modern trumpet by Mr.Monette in person, crazy Charlie!!!

[@mattrod613]

24:12 just explained all of my current throat tension and breathing problems in what I've been practicing the past year and a half. A year and a half ago, I made a huge immediate leap in my playing by figuring out you had to have your lips vertically aligned and not horizontally (none of my teachers thought to share that tid bit for 3 years). I then played with a very rolled in, closed aperture for several months, and my higher notes were were small and often made me dizzy. THEN, I looked into the maggio method and tried to open my aperture, which ended up turning my embouchure into an absurd pucker. THEN, I did drum corps. now, I've been practicing double tonguing for a few months for my solo and wind ensemble music. No wonder I'm still figuring out how not to grip the air with my throat!

[@mattrod613]

Why does it seem like most all trumpet teachers are hurting students rather than helping them? No one ever brings up the stuff that actually helps and makes sense besides a few like yourself

[@allenstaley]

This an excellent beginner straight forward approach to learning to play the trumpet!

[@jazzycrescendo9465]

Thanks for the tip! I never realized it before, but my braces forced me to keep the same setting, so I was able to keep playing higher and higher, and that's why without my braces, I'm struggling with this now. So thanks!

[@m34nb34n]

Again, helping me start out in ah good way, your the best dude

[@checher.4532]

Thank you for your time, tutorials and knowledge. I was asked who was my teacher I quickly said Charlie Porter..lol. "Many Blessings And Well Wishes."