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…
Which Trumpet should I buy?
If you are a beginning student and are interested in starting trumpet/cornet, your music teacher will be able to guide you in this area. Usually your first instrument will be rented which gives you the opportunity to find out if you want to continue. If you have been renting and…
Lead Trumpet Players
No explanations is need for this entertaining animation. The question would be, “How many of your trumpet playing friends remind you of the lead player”?
Update From The Dark Side
This is another update from the DARK SIDE. For those unfamiliar with my use of this term I will explain. This past Christmas my wife gave me an unusual gift for a trumpet player… a trombone. It wasn’t that she dislikes my trumpet playing for she has far less desire…
What You Should Know Before Buying A Flugelhorn
To many people, the flugelhorn is a unique and interesting instrument. It looks bigger than a trumpet and in some ways it is bigger. It is heavier and has a larger bell. But when stretched out to its full length, a Bb flugelhorn is exactly the same length as a…
Guidelines When Including a Trumpet In Your Wedding Ceremony
In order for the wedding planner, bride, mother of the bride and/or musicians to save time, important terms and their definitions which will be used are listed below and should be helpful to lessen the potential of any misunderstanding. Terms used when discussing music concerns for a wedding- Music- Any…
Curry Sound Sleeve Mouthpiece Tone Intensifier – Review
(The following is taken from their home page) Standard Sound Sleeve is best for all-around work, balanced to give the right amount of slot-lock and sound centering qualities. Sound Sleeve “Y” model fits slightly higher up on the shank to accommodate the longer Yamaha andBenge trumpet receivers. Lead Sleeve is designed for…
Classical Musician and Jazz Musician – What’s The Difference?
My Observations You might think that this is a joke, something like- “There is no difference, neither one can make a living”. But that would be silly. My discussion is geared more towards the intellectuals among us. Those who ponder the real meaning of questions such as “How am I…
Product Review – Yamaha PM7 Silent Brass System Pickup Mute
Created by Yamaha’s wind instrument design team, the PM7 Silent Brass pickup mute is made of lightweight plastic, with a unique rubber sealer to hold it securely in the bell. When used with the Silent Brass system, it has none of that stuffy restricted feeling of conventional practice mutes. In fact, it…
Opening The 42nd Annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Festival
Some jobs are taken for the money, some are taken for the prestige and still others are played only because they are fun and that’s what the past week was all about. A very good friend invited me to play with his Dixieland band at the opening of the Bix…
Improved Long Tones- Part III
Now that the dust has settled and we have heard from a reasonable number of readers about the importance of Long tones, I think it is time to review our material as I see it. My original statements regarding the three elements of long tones- 1.Boring, 2. Adds to stiffness,…