The use of pedal tones is like eating Chinese food; you either love it or hate it. I’m not sure who should be given credit for the use of pedal tones but my guess would be that it had something to do with playing the Circus. If you have ever played the circus, and I am speaking of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey circus, you know what I am talking about. I’m sure that there are trumpet players around who enjoyed the experience and I am also confident that those players also enjoy have a root canal done on them during a lightening storm. The after affects of such an experience will teach one the fine art of flapping ones lips or as you will see, playing pedal tones.
What are pedal tones and what do they do for you?
Pedal tones are the notes below the usual low register of the trumpet which would begin on our written low F, one-half step below our normal low range. In order to produce this lower half step, all you have to do is relax your embouchure to the required note. Once you have a good F (and can this even be possible?), continue down to the next half step below. Continue lowering your notes until you are unable to go lower. With a little experimenting and a little less mouthpiece pressure, you will suddenly produce a whole new world of strange vibrations which, if continued too long, will begin to make your nose itch. Yes I said that your nose will itch. The reason for this is that your lips are vibrating at such a slow speed and your lips are relaxed to such an extreme that your whole face will begin to feel this relaxed condition. This extreme relaxation of your facial muscles is the reason we practice pedal tones. Pedal tones not only relax facial muscles but also super charge the meat with added oxygen for a more rapid recovery from tired embouchure muscles. After an extended time playing pedal tones, you feel as if you had just received injections of collagen in your lips.
How can pedal tones improve playing high notes?
There are many theories on why pedal tones help increase our high register. Some players feel the added oxygen is the reason. Some feel that by having puffed the lips up with the pedal tones, more meat is under the mouthpiece and consequently you have an added cushion of embouchure to work with and some believe that you play in more of a pucker position under the mouthpiece. Whatever the reason, those who practice the use of pedal tones, all agree that pedal tones do help with upper register performance.
What method books utilize pedal tones in their material?
No one is sure who was the first to promote in print the pedal tone concept but two of the earliest could have been the Roger Spalding Double High C in 37 Weeks method and the Claude Gordon Systematic Approach to Daily Practice method. Another important method around the same time and possibly the predecessor to the first two might have been the Carmine Caruso method.
I have practiced out of both the 37 Weeks and the Systematic Daily Practice methods and was pleased with my increase in the upper register. I would recommend either but for the reason that the Claude Gordon book is a complete practice routine, including additional material (Clarke’s Technical Study book, and lip flexibility books), I would get the Gordon Method for it’s complete approach to your development.
Claude studied with Louis Maggio, who introduced him to pedal tones. There is a rumor going around that Arban experimented with them; David Hickman has a copy of Arban’s later work which was never published.
Interesting.
I believe Maggio was the one that damaged his lip in a car accident and used pedal tones to speed up the recovery.
Does that sound accurate to you?
I work on pedal tones as a regular part of routine. Their impact on development of the upper register is stunning. Most noticeable, if you meditate on the process is how relaxed the embouchure can be above the staff from the 14th partial upwards.
Pedal tones also improve tone, flexibility and blood circulation which ain’t bad either.