B.E.R.P. for Brass Instruments

Description In 1986, Los Angeles Philharmonic trumpeter Mario Guarneri developed the Buzz Extension and Resistance Piece (B.E.R.P.) for brass instruments—a dynamic advancement in brass pedagogy. The creation of the BERP grew out of the concept of mouthpiece buzzing which has been used for many years as a teaching technique for brass players. One of the leading proponents of buzzing the mouthpiece was James Stamp. He asked his students to add some resistance to the mouthpiece when buzzing by placing their little finger over the end. By learning to blow into resistance, which in fact happens when you play the instrument, you become more aware of the undesirable creation of resistance in your body, and thus avoid it by using proper breath support. He also asked his students to finger the valves of their instruments while buzzing the mouthpiece, to create an awareness of the connection between the fingers and the brainís perception of pitch. By putting the two ideas together—buzzing agains