July 2015 – Trumpet Blog

It Could Only Happen To A Musician- The Legend of DC

written by Bruce Chidester on July 29, 2015

DC (name omitted for obvious reasons) was a real person and I will not divulge his real name. Any musician from the early days (1960’s to the present) performing in Dallas will know who I am describing and it is with great respect to him that I share these stories. Some I have heard and some I had experienced. I hope you find these life experiences as entertaining as we in the area found them. DC- is the only person in history to be held up over the phone. This story was told to me by a great trumpet player…

Match your Tools to the Job

written by Bruce Chidester on July 27, 2015

Some younger players may have questions about the use of instruments other than their normal Bb trumpet or cornet and for that reason I will try to sort out the many trumpets and their primary use in our trumpet world. Bb trumpet By far the most often purchased and used trumpet in this country is the Bb trumpet. Almost all of the trumpet sheet music written today is for the Bb trumpet (cornet). Seldom do music stores handle any trumpet other than the Bb. The Bb trumpet has an easily recognized sound which tends to be mellow in the low…

The Pros and Cons of Perfect Pitch

written by Bruce Chidester on July 25, 2015

Before we get into the advantages and disadvantages of having perfect pitch, we first need to establish what perfect pitch is. Reprinted from Wikipedia: Absolute pitch (AP), widely referred to as perfect pitch, is a rare auditory phenomenon characterized by the ability of a person to identify or re-create a given musical note without the benefit of a reference tone. AP can be demonstrated via linguistic labeling (“naming” a note), auditory imagery, or sensorimotor responses. For example, an AP possessor can accurately reproduce a heard tone on their musical instrument without “hunting” for the correct pitch. Researchers estimate the occurrence…

The Best $20’s You Will Ever Spend!

written by Bruce Chidester on July 23, 2015

Seldom do we share information between this site and our sister site (thetrumpetblog.com) but we felt that this offering needed to be shared. We have made available more than 44 instructional video trumpet lessons for only $19.97! You need to visit trumpetlessonsonline.com to fully understand the tremendous amount of information available in this offer. Trumpetlessonsonline.com continues to add more videos as more information, solos and etude material become available. Check out our free full-length video lessons in order to see if this would work for you. “No matter if you are a young player or a seasoned veteran; you will…

Man’s Obsession for High Notes

written by Bruce Chidester on July 21, 2015

Why are high notes revered by most humans? Dogs run from them and hide. No matter how these tension building noises are generated, most people stand in amazement at their execution. Even when a vocalist sings the Star Spangled Banner, no one listens until they hear the last note screamed an octave higher. What ever happened to good musical taste? This enamorment for the shrill has a long history. Even during the Baroque era, the trumpet players who were able to traverse the upper range of their instrument were admired and well compensated for this ability. Some would say that…

JULY Special! “All Trumpet Arrangements posted this month are only $5.00 Each

written by Bruce Chidester on July 9, 2015

All arrangements posted this month (7-1-15 through 7-31-15) are priced at $5.00 each. This is a great time to add to your trumpet ensemble and solo library for all arrangements posted this month (July only) are priced at only $5.00 each. All prices are clearly marked. If you select an arrangement which is listed for more than $5.00, it is not part of the July Special. This is a once a year sale, so check us out before the end of the month. http://www.trumpetensemblemusic.com/ Bruce Chidester Branson Trumpet Ensemble

American Pride

written by Bruce Chidester on July 7, 2015

At this time in our history as a country, we have finally come to realize that “the United States is not what it used to be”. I am not saying that it could not, once again, rise to its previous stature in the world, but when one considers our debt, joblessness, loss of homes and businesses, drug problem and lack of respect of our current leaders, one ponders the reasons for this change. A friend of mine sent me this video and I thought it was a very telling example of what is happening in countries outside our boarders. Along…

Times, They Are A Changing

written by Bruce Chidester on July 1, 2015

The year was 1969, in Lewisville, Texas and I was in the middle of a lesson with one of my many brass students. I was notified that I needed to answer a phone call which was very unusual due to the fact that my wife was at work and few knew I was at the high school that day. The voice on the other end of the phone identified himself as Dr. Myron Russell, Department Head of Music at the University of Northern Iowa. Quickly I realized that I was being offered a position as trumpet instructor at his university;…