trumpetlessonsonline.com and Claude Gordon- All you need to become a professional trumpet player! Part 2

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Now let’s start first with the Claude Gordon method. Why is this method so helpful when learning to actually play your trumpet? I will list some of its features and discuss the advantages of this total “Systematic Approach to Daily Practice”. Systematic Approach to Daily Practice is complete by itself! Many methods cover a few areas of trumpet playing and leave out other areas which need to be addressed. Mr. Gordon, on page 5 begins with an attitude about your playing and has covered many physical as well as mental topics you need to know. Systematic Approach to Daily Practice…

trumpetlessonsonline.com and Claude Gordon- All you need to become a professional trumpet player! Part 1

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So many try to complicate life with new ideas and “all you need to know” sites. And some may have value while most turn out to be less than helpful. So why do I think the combination of my trumpetlessonsonline.com is any better than the others you might ask? Well I will tell you….. After playing and teaching trumpet for over seven decades, you’ve got to learn something! I have tried many concepts, methods, tricks, routines, patterns and methods which have been interesting and sometimes helpful to my trumpet career. But after a considerable amount of contemplation, I was able…

How To Form Your Own Trumpet Ensemble

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The first question might be, “Why would you want to form your own trumpet ensemble”? That is a great question and some days I wonder myself. But with all the work and time spent on the ensemble, I still enjoy the group. Our quartet, the Branson Trumpet Ensemble, has been performing for over eight years and the enjoyment and excitement is still there. Fortunately I am working with three great players and the time we spend rehearsing and performing is one of the most enjoyable activities I have had while living in Branson, other than a few very big bass…

Simplifying the Trumpet Embouchure- Part 5 What you need to practice to build strong chops.

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Long Tones! Some may find this too simplistic and some may find me too arrogant. There are many benefits to being old; one is the lack of concern with criticism. The reason I have been so narrow focused in my conclusion is that focusing your embouchure muscles in an isometric condition is a fast way of developing strength in your trumpet playing embouchure. Long tones do exactly that! For decades I have used and taught a very simple (sometimes boring) warmup exercise which focused on the embouchure muscle development through isometric muscle application. This long tone warmup was used up…

The Endless Search for Perfection

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We all face challenges each day. Some are brought on by our jobs, our life styles and in some cases are self-imposed as this post will reveal. Today completes our Spring season with a new musical in town called “All Hands On Deck”. I would consider this the most enjoyable show I have played in Branson for the music is well written, the actors/ entertainers are top rate professionals and plot is very patriotic. In my “never ending” and “never succeeding” quest for perfection, I began making notes of my performances to see how accurate my playing could be. After…

To Plunge Or Not To Plunge, That Was The Question…

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What looks good on a score sometimes does not work as well as one might anticipate as this situation illustrates. I ran into a challenge recently which made me look for a nontraditional solution. On one of my parts was the example below- At first glance, I thought it to be a challenge but not a problem. Then I tried playing it. When using my ever trusty new plunger, the high C’s tended to “break” and I was having a difficult time getting all of the DuWahs to sound the same. Even after practicing, it didn’t seem to be improving…

Packing Your Essentials For A Job

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Some gigs require your horn and a mouthpiece while others require planning and forethought. My present job has special requirements which I will address in this post. The “All Hands on Deck Show” is all-new to Branson, fresh off a national tour. Themed as an All-American 1942 Roadshow, audiences are treated to singing, dancing, a 9-piece orchestra, funny skits, and 42 of the greatest American songs ever written. Celebrate the American way of life, and honor our veterans who have made it all possible at this patriotic Branson show. Some of the extra equipment in this show are the following…

Using Technology to Improve Your Trumpet Playing- Using an oscilloscope

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Visualizing Your Sound Many times I am asked , “Who do you think has the best trumpet sound?” Some would say Clifford Brown, some would offer the name Maurice André, Bud Herseth or “Bix” Beiderbecke. Everyone has an opinion but the real question should be, “Why do they have the sound we strive for”? Some say the secret to a good tone quality lies in the equipment used and some believe that the resonating chamber in each person is the reason. Whatever the reason and whoever you are speaking of, one thing is a known fact, through technology, we can…

The Trumpet Player’s Octave Key

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Have you ever watched enviously as woodwind players sail up and down through their wide range by only depressing their octave key? With the slightest movement of the thumb of their left hand, clarinet players are able to jump octaves with ease and sax players effortlessly negotiate eight and sixteen note intervals with no additional effort while we brass players continue to struggle to perform the same skips. Well fellow tube buzzers, there is hope. We will also soar with the eagles for we now have an octave key and we should use it proudly. It is located just below…

Brass Players Obsession for “The Sound” Part 3- What Does A Full, Rich Sound Look Like?

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When trying to describe a tone produced by any vibratory agent, one needs to graphically represent its elements in a way everyone can see and compare. To do this, I will record three different trumpet pitches and compared each as it is represented on a computer screen. As some of you may already know, I am a strong advocate for a simple and inexpensive (free) program called Audacity. It is with this software that I have record our examples and if you do not already have Audacity on your computer, why are you waiting? 1. Our first examples will illustrate…