Technology in Trumpet Playing – Page 4

Using Technology to Improve Your Trumpet Playing- Using a Metronome

written by Bruce Chidester on December 22, 2019

A Metronome is defined as “an instrument of the devil which speed up in difficult passages and slows down in easy passages”. To prove my point, try playing the last page of W. Brandt Concertpiece # 1 with a metronome and you will realize how much a metronome can increase in tempo. And on the other hand, play Lil Darlin’ by Neil Hefty and observes that after only eight measures, the same time keeper has slowed down. Interesting phenomenon isn’t it? Keeping a steady tempo has always been a challenge to musicians and solving this problem requires patience and regular…

How to Develop Perfect Pitch in 5 Steps

written by Bruce Chidester on May 10, 2019

As I stated before, the ability to develop Perfect Pitch is highly unlikely if you expect to be perfect all the time. Even those with Perfect Pitch have off days as I indicated in the previous post. Extenuating factors will affect your consistency but be assured, with practice; you should be able to improve dramatically. I wandered through the maze of claims this morning in search of the perfect routine to be using and found many sites which promised instant success on your road to Perfect Pitch. If they claim to have the “easy” answer to success, click out of…

Ear Training Through Meditation Background Music- Part 1

written by Bruce Chidester on February 6, 2019

As a Transcendental Meditation practitioner, I ran across something very helpful while trying to improve your musical ear training. Hearing, recognizing and duplicating a pitch on your instrument is what we will be demonstrating. Step 1. Bring up this YouTube site-tep 1.

The Battle of the Plastics

written by Bruce Chidester on December 28, 2018

From time to time new innovations crop up which, according to their inventers/designers, will revolutionize all trumpet playing. In a few cases, we are benefited by these improvements but in most cases the new ideas fall way short from their advertised benefits. Case in point is the continuing push for plastic trumpets. I have been performing on one such innovation for several years. When the PBone first came out, my wife surprised me with one for Christmas. After many Dixieland jobs and constant work to improve the less than adequate slide, I finally became satisfied with the “pretend plastic trombone”.…

Have You Ever Considered Playing A Medium Bore Trumpet/Cornet?

written by Bruce Chidester on December 21, 2018

Now that is a question that I am sure you have never been asked! Most selections of bore size are limited to either large bore or extra-large bore and an option of a small bore or even a medium bore never enters the picture. Here is a quote from the Bundy instrument manufacture ring company. “The Bundy trumpet’s large bore makes it easy for a beginner to blow”. And here is a quote from the well-known music store Musicians Friend. “For new, and especially young players, a horn with a small bore is more appropriate because the small bore makes…

“Clocking” Your Mouthpiece Part #2

written by Bruce Chidester on November 17, 2018

Some may remember my first post (How to place your mouthpiece in your horn) which was written to disprove a practice which stresses the importance of placing your mouthpiece in the proper position to benefit your consistency in playing. This practice is called “Clocking” and the reference to positioning your mouthpiece in the best rotation in your mouthpiece receiver turn out to be true. What I started out to disprove, I ended up totally agreeing with. The reason for this second post on the same subject is again to verify the importance of the correct rotation of your mouthpiece in…

Danger ! Danger- Do Not Use………..

written by Bruce Chidester on June 17, 2018

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 put my equipment away. Bad decision. When I tuned with our organist for a church service this morning, I found that the tuning slide in my recently lubricated flugle horn could not be budged. No matter what I did, I could not move the slide. When I got home, I…

Revisiting Room Sound Insulation Ideas

written by Bruce Chidester on March 6, 2018

From time to time we receive material from our readers which needs to be included on our site and this issue includes a fine example of contributing thoughts and helpful information from our good friend Bailey Chauner from Seattle, Washington. In previous posts we have addressed the importance of sound insulating your practice area in order to make life more pleasant for your family and neighbors. I think you will find Bailey’s ideas to be very helpful and for that reason we have included his contribution today. The Science of Soundproofing: Simple Tips for the Trumpeter’s Home Whether you’re a…

5 Areas Where Most Trumpet Players Go Wrong- #3 Tonguing

written by Bruce Chidester on February 12, 2018

The tongue servers more than one function when playing a brass instrument as indicated below- The tongue acts as a valve to open and control the air flow from the lunges to the lips. The tongue affects the final tone quality or timbre of the sound of the instrument. The tongue, through raising and lowering in the mouth cavity controls the velocity of the exiting air stream which affects the various ranges one performs in. The tongue facilitates rearticulating of rapidly tongued notes. The tongue can affect styling changes such as recognizable jazz articulation. The tongue is the only part…

Using Meditation To Advance Your Chordal Recognition Ability.

written by Bruce Chidester on December 20, 2017

Have you ever wanted to improve your ability to recognize notes within a chord? be able to hear a chord and distinguish its name and function? spend some quality time relaxing in an easy chair? block out the noise, stress and commotion of your daily lives? leave the noise and tension of the world around you and visit a more stress free environment with nothing but slow moving thoughts of pleasant places? If you vote for the affirmative on any or all of these conditions, I have just the place for you to visit.