nplotts1

If you have a piano at hand (elec. Keyboard can work as well). Play a Bb, and then Buzz it (You will be buzzing a C) Work on getting that in tune, trying not to use any pressure. I started on Middle C and went down to the G and Up to C so far, and I play MUCH better in tune now than I ever used to.

A good exercize from the SACHS Book is set Quarter note=60, Free Buzz (lips only, no mpc) on C quarter note, quart Rest, quart not, quart rest, whole note. Then, do it with your mouthpiece, paying really close attention to staying in tune. (Use a tuner if you want, I do), Then, without taking your mouth away from the mouthpiece, put it carefully into the horn, trying not to disturb you embouchure and play it. This will work your muscle memory to that when You play a C your lips go there on command and you only have to change it a little bit to match the ensemble.

After you get C nice and in tune (remember, take your time) Move to D (C on Piano) and do the exercise again, making sure to stay in tune on mpc BEFORE moving onto your horn. Then do the next note, you can go up or down the scale, Whole tone or chromatically. The object is to get your lips to memorize the subtle differences in notes and to just go there on cue without having to adjust to hit the center of the pitch.

My instructor tell me not to spend more than 5 minutes of a practice session doing this, and no more than 10 minutes a day. ( I sometimes do a little more if I am consistently missing out of tune on a pitch.

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Georgia Southern University Music Ed. Major

Equipment
- Getzen 300 Series Bb
- ZeuS Guarnarius Polished Copper Bb - Wick 3C, GP
- 1918 Conn New Wonder Cornet Bb/A
- NYTC Stage 1 California C Silver

Vulgano Brother

Yeah, if the tone is ugly enough, nobody notices the intonation.

As it was pointed out earlier, we are faced with two problems. One is that the trumpet is not perfectly in tune with itself, and the other is that the tuning of a note changes by chord function. If that 20 cent flat d is the third in a B minor chord, we have to "lip it up" 34/100 of a semitone (20 cents for the d, and 14 cents for the chord function); this is farther than the trumpet may be safely "lipped," and we are just begging for a split note!

Oops, sorry, but I feel a mini-rant coming on------- WHY IS IT THAT SO FEW PEOPLE USE THE FIRST AND THRID SLIDES, SLIDES THAT HAVE HAD EXTRA RINGS OR SADDLES ATTACHED AND LAPPED FOR EASY ACTION? IT IS LIKE NOT USING THE FRONT SIGHT WHEN SHOOTING A GUN--INNOCENT BYSTANDERS (listeners) WILL BE HURT!

Sorry.....pant.....pant, but hey guys, let's use slides and alternate fingerings to play in tune. That is what they are there for.

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www.letsbuildhope.org

rowuk

In theory the guitar is also tuned to the same out of tune scale as a piano..................

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Patric_Bernard

plus guitar players dont get girls like trumpet players wearing ruffled shirts..

Haha Vulgano, I was actually thinking about alternate fingerings while I was at school... then you just said it and i was like oh... thats it haha.. Thanks everyone for some really good ideas

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bagmangood

or that moutpieceless trumpet... that would solve our problems

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Bach 180S-37
Bach C180-239 w/ Akwright tuning bell conversion
Monette B2S3&C2S3, Bach 7DW

JustinSmith

That is funny, definitely the quote of the week.

I think more ear training and sight singing is the best way to learn how to play in tune. the more developed your ear is, the easier it will be on the trumpet.

I also agree that practicing with drones is a great way to develop your sense of pitch. You have to learn the sound of the intervals. Most people that are uncomfortable with dissonant intervals tend to push them further apart.

Walter White has a nice CD of long tones with accompaniment. You can use the cd to work on the relationships and sound of intervals. They are also fun to improvise on.

CD Baby: WALTER WHITE: Walter White Long-tone Accompaniment

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Justin J. Smith

When people believe in boundaries, they become part of them.......Don Cherry