A Little Off Topic, But Well Worth Your Time
Check this site out and feel better all day…. Off Topic
RainX For Problem Valves
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!
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?
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…
Tracks Or No Tracks? That Is A Question
Have you ever been to a live show and wondered if the music was actually live or were you listening to a recording and the musicians were only pretending to play? I am constantly asked this question and it brings up a very heated discussion each time. Lip sinking and…
Arban Trumpet Method – What is it?
Joseph Jean Baptist Laurent Arban (28 February 1825 – 9 April 1889) was a cornetist, conductor, pedagogue and the first famed virtuoso of the cornet à piston or valved cornet. He was influenced by Niccolò Paganini’s virtuosic technique on the violin and in an (arguably successful) attempt to “prove” the…
Ragtime- “Swing or Straight”?
To most people, the question of how one should play the rhythms in Ragtime music seldom comes to mind. In my case, I know how it should be played but have doubts that it truly needs to be played correctly. To address this dilemma, I will explain the differences and…
Have You Tuned Your Mutes Lately?
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…
Are Spitballs in Your Future?
This product has been around for decades and unfortunately, most players do not know much about them. Spitballs are cheap, easy to use and effective in cleaning brass instruments. When these little projectiles first hit the store shelves, the members of our brass quintet (the University of Northern Iowa Faculty…
How to Bridge the Gap Between Single Tonguing and Double Tonguing
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…