How to Play a Low F in Tune

Not often, but enough to learn this trick, we are asked to play a low F. Usually it is required by someone who knows nothing about our instrument or acceptable orchestration practices. Or, in the case recently, where I arranged a number which required the first trumpet to exceed what I considered a reasonable high range and I decided to lower the key to solve the problem. Unfortunately by lowering the key it placed the lowest note in the fourth trumpet part down to a low F. Not being one to change the F to one an octave above, which would be the easiest solution, I decided to keep the F and included a trick which I learned from the master trumpet designer, Renold Schilke many years ago.

Seldom are we required to play a low F and in my lifetime I can only remember two occasions. The first was in the third cornet part in the Ringling Brothers Barnum Baily Circus in Dallas, Texas and the other was in a Symphony long time forgotten. But if you ever have to play a low F without lipping it down, here is how you do it.

Extending our third slide will give you a solid low F when fingered 1-2-3 but by extending the third slide to get the note, you will throw off all other notes using third valve. As an example I have included the trumpet part which has the alternate fingerings which I mentioned earlier.

In the fourth trumpet part of my arrangement of Les Pecheurs de Perles by Bizet, I needed a low F. To get this note as you can see, I suggested that the player use the indicated alternate fingering. In measure 17, the first note is a normal low D (1-3) followed by an E. Notice the alternate fingering on the D. The player was instructed to extend the third slide in measure 16 which meant that with the slide extended, the normal fingering in the next measure would lower the D to a Db and hence the suggested alternate fingering of 2-3 (Eb), which would be lowered now to the D.

Normal fingering is used through measures 18 and 19 then, in measure 20, we have another D followed by our low F. With the slide already out to play the D, the low F uses the usual fingering of low F# but with the slide still extended, it brings the note down to a low F. Measure 21 continues the alternate fingering with the extended third slide but when we are to play measure 23 we have a problem. The Eb cannot be played with a normal fingering (23) with the slide still extended for it will play a D. So………I instructed the player to play the E with the third valve (alternate fingering for the note E) and with the third slide already extended, the slide brings the note down to the Eb we are after.

Does this sound a little confusing? Sure it does but practicing these alternate fingerings will give you a solid low F rather than a funky, “lipped down” and out of tune F with 1-2-3 fingerings. Try it a few times to get used to the concept and I think you will agree that with a little practice, the concept works. It has for many symphony players around the world and you might enjoy the challenge.

Download example here- Les Pecheurs de Perles- Trumpet 4

Speaking of a challenge, I remember one concert with our faculty brass quintet when I challenged myself to use alternate fingerings on every note in our program. If you want a challenge to your mind, try that on a live concert!