We have all been through the agonizing, embarrassing and in some rare instances, exhilarating experience of auditions. The days and weeks of preparation for those few moments auditioning seem insufficient once you have played your heart out in front of a judge, band director or conductor. Thoughts run through your…
These posts are written by: Bruce Chidester
The Continuing Evolution of the Trumpet Embouchure
In the beginning there was the smile. I was first introduced to the smile embouchure by my first cornet teacher, Mr.Earl E. Youngdahl in Moline, Illinois when I was in fourth grade. The lesson went something like this- “Mr. Youngdahl, how can I play the high notes”? His response went…
Danger ! Danger- Do Not Use………..
Slide Creams are all alike…..Right? No About a month ago I noticed that my flugle horn’s tuning slide was working a little hard and because I had just lubricated my trombone slide with some Yamaha Slide Cream, I thought it wise to lubricate my flugle horn’s tuning slide before I…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #6
Secrets to Improve Sight Reading Why are some people able to sight read much faster than others? Is it a natural occurrence or are there extenuating conditions which make some read much faster than others? To understand this inconsistency, we need to isolate the elements needed for rapid sight-reading. Elements…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #5
Stiff Chops If you have been off your instrument for any length of time, stiff chops is not something you will be facing for extended rest periods will solve any stiff chop problems you might run into. Stiff or inflexible lip muscles are usually attributed to over practicing and under…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #4
Endurance- noun 1. the fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardships, etc. 2. the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions; stamina 3. lasting quality; duration 4. something endured, as a hardship; trial. Of the four definitions listed above, I…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #3
Finger Flexibility Exercises Clean breaks between notes require fast and coordinated valve action and for that reason you should practice finger or valve exercises daily. I have included a few exercises which will help increase this area of your performance. Playing fast material will hide many fingering faults where slow…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #2
Range Developing your high range is not something that you can substantially increase in three days but getting back to a “useable” range is possible. When I say a usable range I am speaking of notes up to and including high C which is the normal upper register for most…
How to Start to Get Back in Shape in 3 Days- Part #1
Notice the word “start”. To get back to your full potential after lying off an extended amount of time is something that will take more than three days but starting to get back in shape is where we all find ourselves from time to time. In most cases we are…
#1 Trumpet Blog for 2018
thetrumpetblog.com was selected as the Top Trumpet Blog and Website To Follow in 2018 I would like to thank all of our supporters who have been following our site for the past eight years. It seems only yesterday that we started and this week we were honored by being chosen…