High Range Methods- Current Approaches

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This posting includes a warning! “What you are about to read and view, can be of help to playing more easily in the upper register. This material includes very reasonable and sensible methods and, if followed carefully, should improve you high notes. Also in this post are examples of extremely high playing and in no way should you try to achieve today what these players have developed through years of practice. Any attempt to duplicate their high notes can and will spit your lip wide open and cause massive bleeding and unmatchable pain and suffering. The author of this blog…

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Which is more important in the development of a student- the teacher or the environment? Part 3

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In the previous post we discussed the advantages of private lessons on a student’s development as well as the contributing factors to the development of the self-motivated student. Self motivated students , as I will discuss will begin to have a profound effect on the players around them. This influence will be the factor which will advance his/her fellow students in their improvement in addition to their private instructor’s help. The question will be this- will this influence have more affect on the other students than the one on one influence the private teach has on the same students? Pier…

Could Meditation Help In Playing the Trumpet? Part 2

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Starting to Meditate Now that you have decided on a mantra to use, we will now begin our crash course in general meditation. I am in no way instructing you to use the Transcendental meditation form for I am not a qualified instructor and to do so would be against my better judgment. What I will share with you is a similar exercise which has been published in magazines and newspapers around the world. This is a very general yet effective exercise which can be used by anyone. 1. Sit comfortably in a chair which is for the time isolated…

Which is more important in the development of a student- the teacher or the environment? Part 2

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The importance of personal contact on a regular basis cannot be over stated for the concentrated time given on a one to one basis is fundamental in the concept of private lessons. During a lesson, the instructor is able to listen, evaluate and make recommendations to the student drawing from the instructor’s personal experience. This one on one environment in most cases builds confidence in the student and the knowledge shared can be of great benefit to the student. Private lessons can be a non-threatening encounter where the students problems are observed, analyzed and through carefully planned assignments, improve the…

Which is more important in the musical development of a student- the teacher or the environment?

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This post has not come easily for I’m not sure that I will be able to articulate my thoughts effectively. The ultimate goal will be to cause thought, evaluation and deep reflection on a very debatable issue which is “Does a student’s improvement depend on the ability of the teacher, or is success more dependent on competition from the student’s environment”? One of the greatest benefits of advanced age coupled with retirement is the fact that one has time to sit back and reflect on issues which are seemingly important to the retiree, even if not as important to his/her…

How to Get Established in a New Area

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After relocating to a new area, whether it be for employment, school, or just to move, we are faced with a similar problem- How do I get established in this new area? For a musician to get established is different from other activities. If you want to play baseball, you visit the cities Recreation Department. If you were active in your local Boy Scouts programs, you make calls to that organization. But where do you go and who do you contact to start playing music with others on your instrument in these new surroundings? To a seasoned veteran, we have…

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Lesson Plans For Those Without An Instructor Part 2- Lesson plans for Younger Players and Comeback Players

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Areas to be developed by younger players and comeback players- Tone and flexibility Valve technique and range exercises Sight reading and etude playing Ensemble playing Always be preparing a new solo The attached material will give you specific exercises to use in order to begin to develop the areas listed above. Lesson Plan II Sight reading and etude playing

Lesson Plans For Those Without An Instructor- Part 1

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We have all had private lessons at some time in our lives and, in most cases, realize the importance of this experience. Unfortunately we are sometimes left to our own schedules or are in an area which does not include competent teachers and for that reason I wanted to address this problem. Studying with a competent teacher is very important if only because you are forced to practice regularly. There is something about going to a lesson ill prepared that makes us practice. We brush our teeth every day, take showers regularly and take our vitamins regularly but when it…

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How Much Should I charge for playing my Trumpet?

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One easy answer would be to charge what your playing is worth. Another would be to charge what people are willing to pay. We all have been approached with this question, “How much do you charge to play your trumpet for us”? In order to establish your true value to a listener, first we have to establish what kind of performance you will be asked to do. Taps- The normal compensation in Branson would be $50.00 but this could vary from nothing to possibly more, depending on the size of the service and the amount in their budget. Church solo-…

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Buying A New/Used Trumpet Is Like Buying A New/Used Car

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You may think this is a strange comparison but the selection of each is very similar as I will try to illustrate. Guidelines when purchasing a new car • Should I buy a new car or a used one? • Do I need a new car? • What do I want to do with my new car? • How much money should I spend? • Where can I get the best deal? • Which manufacture should I look at? • Which model should I try? • What options should I consider? • Should I trade in my old model or…