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…

“Trumpets In Concert” – Have A Very Mellow Christmas

written by Bruce Chidester

Christmas is just around the corner and to put you all in a very mellow mood, I wanted to share with you a very musical trumpet ensemble called “Trumpets In Concert” Gernot Kahofer, Manuel Lichtenwöhrer, Leonhard Leeb – Trumpets Bernhard Macheiner – Keyboards, Organ Thomas Mair – Percussion Read more…

Playing a Musical Is Like Going Every Day To The Office

written by Bruce Chidester

Most playing jobs for musicians seem different than regular day jobs non musicians enjoy. Regular jobs require some sort of ridged schedule at the same location. The dress code usually is standardized and the pay checks come at a predetermined time and usually in the same amount. Commercial musicians on…

Generation Esmeralda featuring Jimmy Goings

written by Bruce Chidester

From time to time I run across a musician or a band that I think should have extra recognition and today’s post features one such group. Information taken from their Web Site. Generation Esmeralda featuring Jimmy Goings is the current incarnation of the group Santa Esmeralda featuring Jimmy Goings. The…

Learn to Bag IT!

written by Bruce Chidester

In an earlier post, (The Perfect “Free” Mute Bag) I mentioned the benefits of a beautiful bag which could be used to protect your metal mutes. The bag comes from Crown Royal & Company and can be secured free of charge from anyone involved with the sale or distribution of…

Another Update from The Dark Side

written by Bruce Chidester

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…

Which is the Best Trumpet Stand?

written by Bruce Chidester

Eventually all trumpet player will be faced with the realization that they need a trumpet stand. Whether its use will be in the practice room, the recording studio or the recital stage, the need for a stand will have to be faced. Fortunately the cost will not be too expensive.…

A Little Off Topic, But Well Worth Your Time

written by Bruce Chidester

Check this site out and feel better all day…. Off Topic

RainX For Problem Valves

written by Bruce Chidester

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…

Till Brönner – Absolutely Brilliant!

written by Bruce Chidester

The name Till Brönner might not be on every trumpet players list of great jazz musicians, but it should. The first time I listened to this gifted musician, I was amazed by the deep background of his styling. Many times I thought I was listening to Miles, other times I…

Do You Ever Get Tired of Practicing?

written by Bruce Chidester

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…