How to Play in Tune

written by Bruce Chidester on April 29, 2024

Before we get to the “How Do I’s”, I need to address a few questions which are seldom asked but are equally important: Why is it important to play in tune? Playing “out of tune hurts”. It doesn’t hurt the player but it certainly hurts the listener. If you watch television programs such as “American Idol” or “So You Think You’ve Got Talent” or some equally popular show, you have experienced the horror of amateur singers trying to make it big. When they land on an out of tune note for any length of time, we all seem to have…

Sleep apnea – What they don’t tell you! (Part 7)

written by Bruce Chidester

Short but helpful suggestions: Handling the hose- To keep from being strangled to death with your hose, run it from your machine over the back of the headboard and down to your pillow. In this way it is controlled and you will not fight it all night as you move…

Sleep apnea – What they don’t tell you! (Part 6)

written by Bruce Chidester

Do you have to use your machine every night? NO! Knowing that involuntary habits can actually be retrained made me wonder if the Bipap/Cpap therapy is something that needs to be continued indefinitely. My answer to that question (in my case) is an emphatic No! I began my test to…

Sleep apnea – What they don’t tell you! (Part 5)

written by Bruce Chidester

#1 Complaint- Dry mouth After visiting with other sufferers of Sleep Apnea, the most consistent complaint seemed to be dry mouth. The dryness in my mouth each morning was so severe that I eventually developed a lesion in the back of my throat which progressed into a serious problem. After…

Transcriptions and Record copies Made Easier

written by Bruce Chidester

We have had a few questions about an easier way to transcribe solos and copy arrangements off recordings and I will share a few tips which will make this laborious and time consuming process a little easier. Start with our old friend Audacity or any other recording program which is…

The struggling Cornet

written by Bruce Chidester

The suppression experienced by our lowly cornet has been present for many, many years as indicated by this famous letter from Herbert L. Clark, sent to Elden L.Benge dated January 13, 1921. Additional cornet enthusiasts have drug their feet in supporting the modern trumpet as stated by cornet enthusiast professor…

Practice- What?

written by Bruce Chidester

As I mentioned in our previous post, several areas need to be addressed during your daily practice sessions. Download- 60 Minute Practice Routine Warm-up Your warm-up will begin your lip development and I strongly recommend that the first portion should be done on the mouthpiece alone. I have included a…

Practice- When?

written by Bruce Chidester

What difference does it make when you practice? That is a very good question for little has been written on this subject. I will share some of my feelings on this in hopes that you can gain some insight into the affects of practicing at various times throughout the day.…

Practice- Why

written by Bruce Chidester

• Why do we practice? We practice to get better. • Why do we have to practice? We don’t but if we didn’t we would not be pleased with our performances. • Why are we concerned about our performances? We are motivated by pride, or fear of embarrassment. Some people…

Practice- Why, When and What?

written by Bruce Chidester

One of the most distasteful and laborious chores I endure each day is practice. Whether you play a trumpet, trombone or the kazoo, we are all faced with this task if we want to improve or even retain what abilities we have. If you have ever been out for sports,…

Trumpeter Rolf Smedvig Dies Suddenly- Another loss to the trumpet world

written by Bruce Chidester

The name Rolf Smedvig may not be on many peoples lips but his reputation among trumpet players is well known. Flamboyant, at times self-centered and overly confident were characteristics we all saw in him. His talents as a great trumpet player were also well known and envied by most of…

The Many Faces Of Swing

written by Bruce Chidester

Some swing, some try to swing and some cannot swing. Commercial musicians dread the thought of having a “Legit” musician in their section just as orchestral musicians shudder at the thought of having a “Jazzer” join their section. Each ensemble is capable of executing the proper articulation and emphasis with…

So, You want to learn how to Circular Breath?

written by Bruce Chidester

This video was sent to me by one of our wonderful readers and I had to share it with you because of the segment on circular breathing (4:30). There may come a time in a performance when the phrase is longer than your air supply and having the ability to…

Beverly Sills – 1977- “Let the Bright Seraphim” w/Doc Severinsen

written by Bruce Chidester

I wanted to share this you you only because the possibility of having these two great musicians together is extremely rare and it also demonstrates that a “Jazzer” can sometimes step up to the occasion when called upon. As you can see, Doc realized the situation he was in and…