Figure 1. Harmonic series to high C starting on low G (sixth position),
starting on low Bb (second position), and starting on low C (first position)
Jeff's Home Page >> Jeff Helgesen's Clinic Notes >> Alternate Fingerings
There are seven different "positions" on the trumpet, achieved by depressing any/all of the valves in various combinations. As with all brass instruments, one can maintain any given fingering combination and blow upwards through the harmonic series for a given fundamental (the lowest note available for that fingering).
Figure 1. Harmonic series to high C starting on low G (sixth position),
starting on low Bb (second position), and starting on low C (first position)
As one ascends higher into this series, the distance between successive pitches becomes smaller and smaller, eventually breaking down to half steps (and eventually, quarter tones). Even before these intervals get this close together, there occurs some overlap between positions (that is to say, a note appears in the harmonic series for more than one fundamental.
Figure 2. Common notes to high C between sixth, second, and first position.
As each series progresses further and further from the fundamental, the harmonic series from the various positions overlap more and more, until a given note can be played using almost any fingering.
As trumpet players, we utilize a fingering system which is designed to make use of the fingering combination which should produce the most correctly tuned pitch. (For example, we play G below the staff using its "fundamental" position, 1-3; we play G on the staff open, because it's slightly more in tune than sixth position. Sixth position is then considered an "alternate fingering" for G on the staff.)
Of special interest to the jazz trumpet soloist are alternate fingerings which can be used to simplify the execution of certain types of patterns. These include patterns in which articulation of repeated notes is to be avoided, or in which a simpler fingering for one or more notes in the pattern can be used to facilitate more rapid execution and/or increased clarity of the line.
Example 1 demonstrates one of the simplest uses of alternate fingerings in a repetitive context. Through the use of an alternate fingering (3) for the second E in the three-note sequence, we avoid the need to re-articulate this note, and can instead slur the entire pattern.
Example 1. Chromatic upper neighbor pattern.
This pattern would work best in key areas in which E (or Fb) is a chord tone (e.g., Emin, Amin, Cmaj) or F and E are both scalar choices in the key area (e.g., Dmin).
In a similar vein, Example 2 uses a four-position pattern to approach E from a half-step above (F) and a whole step below (D). Rendered in quarter notes, this pattern would naturally be played in two positions (open for E and first valve for D and F).
Since we seek to repeat each note, we can make use of alternate fingerings to avoid the re-articulation issue addressed in Example 1. In this case, we take advantage of the fact that D and F share both the standard (first valve) and an alternate (first and third valve) fingering.
Example 2. Diatonic upper/lower neighbor pattern.
Example 3 illustrates a pattern which surrounds the center tone (G) with its chromatic neighbors above (Ab) and below (F#). While one could formulate a simple 3-note pattern repeating just these three notes (F#-G-Ab), we can subtitute an F for every other Ab (using the same fingering), approaching the core pattern from below.
Example 3. Chromatic upper/lower neighbor pattern.
This is a three-position pattern (2-0-1), which avoids the weak third finger, making it attractive for use at rapid tempos. This pattern could be used most effectively where G is a primary chord tone (e.g., Gmaj, Gmin, Eb, Cmaj, Cmin).
It is interesting to note that this same fingering pattern will also work a minor third below (D#-E-F); as such, a 2-0-1 pattern traversing an interval of a tritone can be constructed (in fact, one of Dizzy Gillespie's trademark patterns is based on such a pattern). Constructing such a pattern is left as an exercise to the reader.
Example 4 illustrates a pattern used by Freddie Hubbard which interpolates two different patterns.
Example 4. Freddie Hubbard pattern.
Alternate fingerings provide the jazz trumpeter with additional tools for creating variety in their solos and fluency when executing difficult passages. Experimentation is the key!
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