Trumpet Quote For Today

"Playing the trumpet is hard because it is so easy."

Charles Schleuter

Perfect Example of The Low Breath

From master high note artist Jim Manley. In 10 minutes he changed my playing world upside down, or more appropriately, right side up.

Trumpet And Music

It has been two days of posting and I have yet to discuss and real exercise for the trumpet. I want to make one more point before we even begin. Besides my two golden rules, there is one other thing to always keep in mind during your trumpet studies: remember that your goal is to make music. Trumpet pedagogy, maybe more than any other instrument, tends to revolve more on the physical aspects than musical aspects. Compare the number of trumpet method books in existence with the number of major trumpet works.

Matthias Hoefs of the German Brass explained to me that his teaching approach is based mostly on music (90% of practice) and very little on exercises (10%). He also stresses that a similar ratio should be used regarding tough practice (10%) and effortless practice(90%). It is good to push yourself at times, but more often than not, pushing to hard leads to tension, frustration, forced playing, poor tone and lack of musicality. Considering many of these traits are common amongst trumpeters, I would say many of us should back off. Trumpet playing is not weightlifting, nor is it running a marathon (unless you get called for a Latin gig). Gradual progress over years will lead to effortless playing as demonstrated by Mr. Hoefs himself and others like Wynton Marsalis, Hakan Hardenberger, and Maurice Andre.

Spend time on scales, lip slurs, tonguing exercises and finger studies, but spend more time on melodic etudes and actual songs. Even better - look for melodic etudes and songs that incorporate the skills you wish to work on. During the course of this blog, I will try to highlight pieces that achieve this.

Trumpet Quote For Today

“Life is something like a trumpet. If you don't put anything in, you won't get anything out.”

William Christopher Handy

The 2 Golden Rules

There are two rules that are fundamental to trumpet playing:

1. The Low Breath - Stick your finger about an inch below your belly button (if you have one). Push your finger outward with your belly, perpendicular to your body. You should feel your guts shift. Combine this with dropping your jaw (thus opening your mouth) and for a while this will be the only way you must breathe.
2. High Notes = Fast Air (smaller volume)/Low Notes = Slow Air(larger volume) - Don't confuse air speed and volume of air! The simplest way to execute this is to imagine a target (bullseye, candle, etc.); the closer the target to you, the lower the note and vice versa.
   

While there is certainly more to playing the trumpet than these two rules, the internalization of these two things will eliminate or prevent bad habits. I will expand on these later.

Trumpet Quote For Today

"A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence."

Leopold Stokowski

Trumpet and Creativity: A Dose of Reality

My first post will have less to do with actual trumpet playing, but more about playing the trumpet for a living. As someone who has been playing professionally for 15 years and who's father has been playing for 40 years, I give you this advice: practice, and have a backup plan.

As a trumpet teacher I am part trumpet pedagogue, part Tony Robbins. I have many students who want to make a career out of performance and it is always a dilemma what to tell them. Do I tell them to go for it knowing that even if they are talented and work hard, they have a better chance at being elected for a senate seat than making a decent, above poverty level living in performance?

The answer to my question became clearer when I read Hugh McLeod's manifesto - How To Be Creative.This is a must read for anyone thinking of a music career, or any creative minded person for that matter. Put down the trumpet, don't practice for the rest of the day and meditate on what he has to say....then write and thank me. :)