This video was recommended to me recently and I had to share it for Don Ellis was one of the most innovative musicians of his time and sadly died much to soon in his life. Read more about Don…. Here
It seems as if there is an endless list of miracle changes which can be made to your trumpet to make it play better and this is just another idea I wanted to test for myself. Some have criticized me for not “using more individuals and instruments” as test units or not doing “blindfold” tests. Some feel that I have not entered enough variables into my testing to make my observations conclusive. To these comments I can only say this; these are my findings and from what I have tested, I feel very confident that I have answered the questions…
With all the new developments in technology, we sometimes forget how things used to be accomplished and for that reason, I thought some of you might be interested in another lost art in the music business. While teaching at our university, I offered music writing manuscript as an elective and enjoyed working with our students in placing musical notation on staff paper which was at that time the only way to get the job done. With the advent of computer software we can now complete the same amount of work in record time with a much more profession product at…
I just got home from a cruise and spent some time visiting with the musicians on the ship. I asked them some questions that some of you may be interested in hearing. The ship was one of the largest and the band was from all over the globe. The instrumentation was two trumpets, one trombone, two saxes, a bass, keyboard, and drums. Every musician was a good reader and the trumpets were very fine solo players. The tenor, who you would expect to be the jazzer, was a little light. The best musician in the band, in my opinion, was…
Before any ugly rumors begin to start circulating around the Blogaspher, I need to make a confession to my readers……I own, and currently playing a TROMBONE! (Thunderous gasps of disbelief were heard throughout the galaxy). Yes, it is true that for Christmas my loving wife gave me my Christmas request, a trombone. Now this is not an average garage sale trombone. This is one of the very popular PBones which come in various colors. Our nod was given to the deep blue variety with hopes I will be able to play the blues in the truest fashion. Trombone is not…
From time to time we have experienced joyous occasions where I felt the need to write something to commemorate the occasion such as the Royal Wedding. Other times I have felt the need to write for less festive occasions such as the National Anthem of Haiti. With mixed emotions this evening I wanted to offer this arrangement in remembrance of the victims and families at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Some may wonder why I chose these numbers to combine and all I can say is I was led to do so. Jesus Loves the Little Children…
The sounds of Christmas can be heard throughout the countryside and nowhere is it more recognizable than at the end of a trumpet when a player has gone wild. This video surfaces regularly every year and for that reason I wanted to be sure everyone shared in this tradition.
We have spent a great deal of time reviewing the Claude Gordan Systematic Approach to Daily practice and from your responses; many have found benefit, including myself. Now I would like to feature another approach to playing in the upper register, and as you will see, it suggests a completely different way about getting the higher notes. For those of you who will find this approach contrary to what The Gordan Method suggested, don’t be confused for each has its own approach to reaching the same goal. Where the Gordan Method instructs you to breathe deep and expand as much…
More and more trumpet players are starting to share their instrumental voice in honor of our country. Why this trend is increasing, who can say, but it is my wish that even more players begin to add their musical voices to the cause. For more information on this phenomenon, check out these other posts on this subject. The Most Important 24 Notes Wanted Buglers Also, if you have additional information to share, please send me your thoughts on this great revival.
In an effort to feature the best trumpet playing in the world, please put your hands together for Les Trompettes de Lyon! Les Trompettes de Lyon is not just your average brass group…but more a stage show that is unabashedly entertaining and humorous. These musicians have progressively let their taste for quirky fun run loose on stage raising the question “are these trumpeters who were taught to act or are they actors who have picked up the trumpet?” The “Trompettes de Lyon” instrumental ensemble was born in 1989 from the meeting of five musicians trained in the academies of music…