Thanks Jay

written by on

The name Jay Daversa is not a well known name to the younger players but to the professional trumpet circle, he is very well known and respected; not only as a player but also a gifted arranger and composer. To the working musicians in Branson, the name Jay refers to one of our own and knowing and visiting with him is always a pleasure. His playing is always at the top of professionalism but few have much background in his musical life which extends from his teen age years to the present. To give you a small taste of where…

Why Should I Extend My Third Slide On Low D?

written by on

Band directors are constantly asking their students to adjust their instruments on out of tune notes and unfortunately many students are unaware of the need. I will try to first identify the most difficult notes and suggest some exercises which will help students know exactly how much adjustment needs to be made. What notes are the most out of tune and why? All instruments with three valves face the same problem. Because of the length and acoustics of our instruments, there will be some notes or partials which will not be in tune. If you begin on the lowest open…

Gap Or No gap? That Is The Distance.

written by on

To most players, the depth that the trumpet mouthpiece extends into the mouthpiece receiver means nothing. To some, it is imperative that the distance be calculated and established. To some, the controversy has never come up. We will try to first explain what is meant by the gap, then how it affects the trumpets playing characteristics and finally show how you can make the necessary adjustment in order to possibly change your instruments playing characteristics. What is meant by the term gap? The term gap refers to the distance from the end of the trumpet mouthpiece to the beginning of…

Long Tones- 10 Reason To Do Them

written by on

We all understand what long tones are. They’re long tones! But did you ever wonder why they are recommended and what benefits we can gain from this tedious practice? 10 benefits of long tones- 1. Long tones help develop strength- by sustaining a note for an extended period of time, the muscles in the embouchure are forced to sustain their current position and thus improve the strength of those muscles. 2. Long tones give you the opportunity to listen to your sound- by listening to your sound; there is a natural tendency to improve on what you are listening to.…

15 Reasons Why the Trumpet is The Most Difficult Instrument to play

written by on

Some may question the validity of this statement but those that do most often are wrong. I will list my reasons and give a light hearted account of why this is the case. 1. Trumpets most often play the melody so everyone knows if we play the wrong notes. Unlike the Bassoon, which plays notes that only Canada geese can hear, the trumpet is expected to play every note the way it was intended. 2. Trumpets are loud. When was the last time a conductor requested that a triangle player play louder? 3. Trumpets are pointed directly towards the listener.…

Why Do Trumpet Players Pass Out? Part II

written by on

Five possible causes of passing out with similar conditions to playing and releasing extended high notes on a trumpet. Material taken from Wikapedia.com 1. Syncope (faint) is a sudden fall of blood pressure resulting in loss of consciousness. 2. Valsalva maneuver or Valsalva manoeuvre. The Valsalva maneuver is performed by attempting to exhale against a closed airway. This can be done by keeping the mouth closed and pinching the nose while trying to breath out. This maneuver greatly increases pressures inside the chest cavity – which stimulates the vagus nerve and increases vagal tone. 3. Orthostatic hypotension, also known as…

Why Do Trumpet Players Pass Out? Part I

written by on

No, this is not a joke for if you have ever had it happen to you, you will agree that it is a possibility. The high range exercises which I and several of my friends are practicing at this time may find us in a possible situation which should be addressed at this time. Most often the dizziness and possible blackout comes shortly after releasing a sustained high note and is seldom present when performing in the middle and low range of the instrument. Some players are more susceptible to this condition than others. Also, those performing in the upper…

Bent Mouthpieces- Good or Bad? Part 2

written by on

I felt it was only fair to share others musicians views on this subject and to do so I visited the Internet to collect these thoughts on the advantages and disadvantages of bending a mouthpiece. Some responses agree with me and some do not. It is not my job to argue with anyone on their experience in this area or in any area but just as Fox News advertises, this is a fair and balanced report. Please consider the source for not everything on the internet can be accurate, including my views. Related comments from the Internet on bent mouthpieces…

Finding the Correct Mouthpiece Placement

written by on

When first starting out as trumpet players we have to locate the correct position for our mouthpiece. This sounds simple enough but after teaching for more years than I care to remember, this decision is more important than most people realize. The exact location can be determined by luck, comfort, or even the set up of your teeth, lips and jaw position. What I will describe here is a very easy way to get started as a beginner and may also be used as a guide to see if you, as a seasoned veteran, have been doing it correctly or…

How to Play in Tune

written by on

Before we get to the “How Do I’s”, I need to address a few questions which are seldom asked but are equally important: Why is it important to play in tune? Playing “out of tune hurts”. It doesn’t hurt the player but it certainly hurts the listener. If you watch television programs such as “American Idol” or “So You Think You’ve Got Talent” or some equally popular show, you have experienced the horror of amateur singers trying to make it big. When they land on an out of tune note for any length of time, we all seem to have…