December 2012 – Trumpet Blog

Technology in Trumpet Playing- New Section Added to List

written by Bruce Chidester on December 30, 2012

This past week I realized that I have posted many articles dealing Technology in Trumpet Playing. Due to this enlarging area of interest, I decided to offer a new section in our index and combine these related postings into a new section called Technology in Trumpet Playing in order to make this material more readily available to our readers. Below I have included these postings and hope this will make it easier for those interested in the technology side of trumpet playing easier to access. See What Your Tonguing Looks Like What is Really Happening in Your Body When You…

See What Your Tonguing Looks Like

written by Bruce Chidester on December 25, 2012

Often we are told to listen to our sounds and evaluate our progress. As I demonstrated on an earlier post we were able to see what our tone looks like through recording software. The same is true when trying to improve other areas of our playing, and in this case we will look at single tonguing and multiple tonguing through the eyes of the recording program Audacity. As in our other visual studies, we will be using the free software program Audacity. which can be downloaded at this site. To understand what is happening when you tongue a note, we…

Remembering Sandy Hook Elementary School

written by Bruce Chidester on December 21, 2012

From time to time we have experienced joyous occasions where I felt the need to write something to commemorate the occasion such as the Royal Wedding. Other times I have felt the need to write for less festive occasions such as the National Anthem of Haiti. With mixed emotions this evening I wanted to offer this arrangement in remembrance of the victims and families at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Some may wonder why I chose these numbers to combine and all I can say is I was led to do so. Jesus Loves the Little Children…

Merry Christmas or “Get Your Bell Out of Here”

written by Bruce Chidester on December 16, 2012

The sounds of Christmas can be heard throughout the countryside and nowhere is it more recognizable than at the end of a trumpet when a player has gone wild. This video surfaces regularly every year and for that reason I wanted to be sure everyone shared in this tradition.

A Different Approach to Breathing

written by Bruce Chidester on December 13, 2012

We have spent a great deal of time reviewing the Claude Gordan Systematic Approach to Daily practice and from your responses; many have found benefit, including myself. Now I would like to feature another approach to playing in the upper register, and as you will see, it suggests a completely different way about getting the higher notes. For those of you who will find this approach contrary to what The Gordan Method suggested, don’t be confused for each has its own approach to reaching the same goal. Where the Gordan Method instructs you to breathe deep and expand as much…

Is Patriotism Growing In Our Country?

written by Bruce Chidester on December 5, 2012

More and more trumpet players are starting to share their instrumental voice in honor of our country. Why this trend is increasing, who can say, but it is my wish that even more players begin to add their musical voices to the cause. For more information on this phenomenon, check out these other posts on this subject. The Most Important 24 Notes Wanted Buglers Also, if you have additional information to share, please send me your thoughts on this great revival.