Another Update from The Dark Side

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I need to again give my readers an update as to the values of playing on a trombone mouthpiece at the end of each day. If you are reading this information for the first time on the value of trombone mouthpiece playing as a benefit to trumpet playing, I will quickly fill you in. In my first post on this topic (Has Your Faithful Blogster Turned To The Dark Side) I was interested in the value, if any of finishing the day by playing on a trombone mouthpiece to quickly relax the trumpet embouchure. My second post (Update From The…

RainX For Problem Valves

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Some time in every trumpet players life they will run into valves which do not function as they should. They may go down but at times will not come back up. Here is a solution to the problem which I have tried and most recently been reminded. I’m starting to play a new show in Branson and I decided last week to switch to a different trumpet than I have been currently using. For our Branson Trumpet Ensemble concerts, I prefer my Bobby Shew horn but decided to get a little more edge for the new show and brought out…

Do You Ever Get Tired of Practicing?

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In order to answer this question, we must first ask an even more basic question. Why do we practice? This has an easy answer for most of us want to improve and we know that this is possible only through regular practice. If this is true, then why do we get tired of doing what helps us to become better musicians? Being older than dust has made me aware of many important truths in life and one is the fact that I want to play well for myself as well as for those listening to me perform. I have proven to…

Have You Tuned Your Mutes Lately?

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Seldom does this question come up in trumpet circles. But it should. Most players buy a mute, play with it (when ever required) and the rest of the time the mute lays either in your case, mute bag or on a shelf in the closet. Little attention is given to these heroes of darkened silence. I will try to share some information in this post on how to better respect and perform with your trumpet mutes. General maintenance of straight and cup mutes Every band hall has a store room. In every store room are Humes & Berg mutes discarded…

How to Bridge the Gap Between Single Tonguing and Double Tonguing

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We have all run into this situation- The notes are too fast to single tongue and too slow to double tongue. This situation is usually referred to as “the gap”. Normally players find that it is very difficult to effectively speed up their single tonguing when in fact they should learn to more effectively control a slower double tonguing pattern. Trying to increase single tonguing speed tends to create tension and stiffness in your tonguing technique which is detrimental for increasing speed while, on the other hand, slowing down your double tonguing technique will create more relaxation in the tongue…

Lip (tongue) Trill

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Download exercise sheet- Lip-tongue trill Download audio instructions- Lip Trill Because of the nature of this topic, it required recorded examples in order for the reader to better understand the exercises. I have listed the most important instructions for each of the eight lines on your exercise page but most of your information will be better explained on the recording. Explanation of goals for each of the following lines- A- Center your pitch on the false fingered Ab and slowly relax your embouchure to slide into the F# with the same fingering. B- Lower the Ab and strive to play…

Vibrato

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Download exercise sheet Trumpet Vibrato Basics I mentioned in my previous post that I feel the best vibrato for trumpet playing is the hand vibrato. Some of the reasons I feel strongly about this form of vibrato over other techniques are- 1.      It does not interfere with the basic sound of the note. 2.      It is easier to control. 3.      It can be turned on and off much easier than other methods. 4.      Even though it might not be the best technique for other brass instruments, in my opinion, it is the best technique for the trumpet. There are many…

Do I have to go to college to learn to be a good trumpet player?

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Many times people ask, “Is it is necessary to go to a college or a university in order to learn to be a good trumpet player”? I will try to explore as many reasons why a college education can help you become a better player as well as point out alternative ways to accomplish the same goal. Let’s first look at some areas where we can begin to reach our objective. “I have just graduated from high school and I want to be a professional trumpet player, what do I have to do next”? 1. Military service Now that you…

Help! Emergency Trumpet Repair Tips

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Disasters and near disasters seem to always happen at the worst times and for that reason, I thought I would share some quick fixes for occasions such as these. Your second valve will not go down Have you ever had this happen? The count off begins “ONE, TWO, ONE TWO THREE FOUR”. And you discover your second valve won’t go down! It has happened to me and it is not a pretty sight. After the panic has subsided, you look down the page to see when you can rest and get it working again. Panic again! You have no rests…

Understanding and Developing the Two Sides of Trumpet Playing – Part III

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I am not trying to make excuses for trumpet players when I say the trumpet is a very unique instrument with characteristics not found in other instruments. You might find the following statements supportive of these observations. Brass players are the only instrumentalists expected to produce the music with their lips. Reed players buy new reeds. String players replace strings, percussionists, etc. Trumpet players most often are playing the melody which everyone recognizes. Tubas play on beats one and three and horns play on beats two and four. Trombone players are usually lost, asleep or looking for something to eat. Many…