Lip trills

A lip trill is a type of ornament used on wind instruments . Instead of grabbing the trill with your fingers, it is produced exclusively with the help of the lips .

This technique was mastered with virtuosity by the trumpeters of the baroque period , who only used valveless trumpets.

In later music literature, lip trills are required on brass instruments and on the flute .

Lip trills without an instrument are used by musicians to loosen and warm up the lips.

Examples

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Horn Concerto KV 417, Rondo (bars 44–46 and 142–144 ff.)
• Jack Teagarden

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The term is also used in the Berlin dialect expression with lip trill whistle for 'drink'.