How do I use the 3rd valve slide on my trumpet? What is it for?

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the 3rd valve slide of a trumpet/cornet properly and other useful information about caring for it and breaking it in.
Check out how to use your 1st valve slide in this video: • How and When to Use th...
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[@jstep4146]

I have had to "lap" in a slide from time to time with talcum paste to get it to go smooth. The first thing you need to do is de-grease the slide inside and out with a de-greaser to get the slide grease off, then try it with oil. Usually they are coated with grease and gummy. I have had better luck with silver plated slide tubes getting them to move smooth faster. On a couple of pre-1930's horns, I had to polish the inside tube, then plate the slide tube with silver and then lap them in to get sealed good and smooth running. Sounds like a lot of work but a REALLY nice result on my Holton jazz hound and my 00 horn.

[@ElveyGooch]

Great advice, Victor. Very useful indeed.

[@feodoor2672]

Thank you very much, Victor Haskins

[@MSGrantMusic]

Digging these videos, Victor! Direct, straight-forward and informative.

[@VictorHaskins]

Thank you, brotha! Glad it comes across that way!

[@1PITIFULDUDE]

Great instruction. 💪🎺

[@VictorHaskins]

I'm glad it resonated with you, Mike!

[@pauldavies9360]

Rocking a black matt cornet wow! Very nice

[@VictorHaskins]

yessir! made by Eclipse Trumpets-they make beautiful horns

[@robinbalean958]

Thanks for the info Victor. I'm guilty of neglecting my third valve slide (and I've never even used my first valve slide..). Unless I'm holding a note for a while I tend to just lip down the D and C#. Lately though, I've been trying to use the third valve slide more. What are your thoughts on using slides at faster tempos? Also, what cornet are you playing here? It has a great sound and I love the black finish.

[@VictorHaskins]

You're welcome! I'll be making a tutorial soon on the 1st valve slide, so look out for that. It seems (from several discussions I've had) that neglecting the 3rd valve slide is a common thing for a lot of folks! I always use mine unless there is a particularly fast passage--in that case, it is going by too fast for any bad intonation to register, and as long as I'm really hearing the line (whether it is written or improvised/spontaneously composed), it makes sense to not deal with it. Otherwise, that 3rd valve slide comes out just about every time. My cornet is made by Eclipse Trumpets. I am an artist for the company, and I do enjoy this instrument they've created for me!

[@KharismaBrown]

Nice to see you virtually Victor. This is your old salsa buddy, DiSheka aka Kharisma.

[@VictorHaskins]

Kharisma! Good to hear from you-I hope you’re healthy and prospering

[@JamesThomas-dn6hz]

Great explanation! Thank you! I see people kicking it out in higher ranges as well. Are there higher range notes that are inherently sharp as well?

[@VictorHaskins]

You are welcome! Well, there are notes that are inherently sharp depending on how your horn is built and how your embouchure might interface with the trumpet. When you get high enough on the horn, the partials get closer together and you have more options for alternate fingers, so if you notice you are playing C above the staff and that is sharp at a particular time, you might do better to finger it as first valve instead of open and kick out tuning slide 1 to bring the pitch down.

[@JamesThomas-dn6hz]

@@VictorHaskins that makes sense. So I'll have to work with a tuner to find my specifics. Thanks again!

[@VictorHaskins]

@@JamesThomas-dn6hz you are welcome-one final tip: use your ears, not a tuner! The best way to work on intonation is to try to match a drone-that way you will develop your ability to hear where you need to put the note vs relying on your eyes (since you wouldn’t/shouldn’t be using a tuner during a performance-you gotta be listening and tuning to what’s around you). You can experience an example of this on my guided practice series on long tones here on KZbin. Good luck, and happy practicing!

[@jamesbaxter4936]

Is there a reason that you pull the slide back in after you play a D or C# or could you just keep the slide out for those notes?

[@VictorHaskins]

Great question, James. The reason I make a habit of pulling it back in is because if I was playing actual music (written or improvised), I will no doubt run into some notes that require the use of the third slide, but that require no alteration (Ab, Eb at the bottom of the staff, or maybe even A if I finger it with 3rd valve instead of 1+2). If I were playing some kind of passage where I was only going to encounter a low D and C# and none of the aforementioned notes, then yes, leaving it out would make more sense. However, the slide would still need to be adjusted slightly for each of those notes (D and C#, respectively). The C# is sharper than the D, generally, thus the slide needs to be extended slightly more. So it makes the most sense to simply get in the habit of extending and retracting, much like a jab in boxing (you wouldn't just leave your arm extended).

[@warrenfordham2664]

You are officially my brass guy. I shall have you clinic my brass kids. 5th-8th grades. One.

[@VictorHaskins]

Let’s make it happen, Warren! Btw more educational stuff is on the way soon.

[@The_RetroManiac]

Is there a proper way of holding the trumpet? I've been adjusting the slide ring around, changing the way I hold it, but it still feels uncomfortable.

[@VictorHaskins]

Hey Damon, thanks for your question. I will make a note to myself to create a video addressing this topic in detail. To try to answer your question with text, the trumpet should be balanced 100% on your left index finger (as in, your left thumb isn't actually bearing any weight of the horn). You should then adjust the ring to be wherever is comfortable enough to kick it out far enough to tune down valve combos 13 and 123. You may need to experiment with trying your middle finger OR your ring finger in that ring.

[@footßall]

My 3rd valve slide is like pressurized and I don’t know what to do.

[@VictorHaskins]

What do you mean by “pressurized”?

[@footßall]

@@VictorHaskins It’s making an interesting sound and if you pull it off it makes a pop sound.

[@VictorHaskins]

@@footßall ah, that sounds normal. Make sure it is oiled up well enough. If you haven’t used it much, it will need to be “broken in” by using it. The 3rd valve slide will move freely whenever the 3rd valve is pressed down. Otherwise, it is normal for it to make that popping sound when you pull it out

[@footßall]

@@VictorHaskins By pulling out I meant completely pulling it off but I’m glad it’s normal.

[@VictorHaskins]

@@footßall oh yeah, I knew what you meant-thanks for the clarification!

[@inasmallerscale]

That isn’t a trumpet bro