dbacon

I hope Larry and I can shed some light on one of the greatest trumpet players and teachers of all time. Just a couple of concepts now, more as time permits.

"Roar Softly!"

He caught me with this right away. I was playing some of his favorite Schlossberg exercises well into the high register, and he wanted me to "roar softly" instead of gunning it out FFFFF. This gives you great control, then volume is easy to add after.

"Single Core Notes!"

He wanted this all over the trumpet, but I was not centered above high G. A scream, no core to the sound. Double A with a single core projects so much better, and is easier to play.

"Have reverence for every note!"

Why play a bad note? Careless, and he would show dissapointment. You did not want to dissapoint this great man.

No careless notes, only careless players.....


He was a student of Schlossberg, Clarke, Maggio, Clyman. Tremendous work ethic. Driving between Studios he would stop and practice Schlossberg to get back some response if he had just laid down several hours of tough playing.

All this with crutches, later a wheel chair.

He gave Dalton Smith one of his chairs when he contracted MS, helped him out towards the end.

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Dave Bacon

dbacon

Uan would tell you that you can't change for the better until you really listen to each and every sound. Find out what your best note is, then make every other note sound just as good. Emulate your best sound. Make every note sound the same, finese your embouchure or your insides....whatever you have to change to get that sound. Listen for fuzz or sizzle or whatever problems there are. You can't change for the better until you hear it.

He'd tell you to use a certain amount of "cushion" or pucker. The longer you can keep this cushion the more the sound has power without sounding forced. Have the throat as open as possible, a "funnel" into the trumpet.

Make every note a prayer, or meditation.

Don't let the horn dictate to you. No limits!

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Dave Bacon

some_blue

Dave,
Thanks for the thought-provoking, memory-inducing post. I had the good fortune to study with Uan for a couple of years around 1985-86. It was a wonderful experience...

Phil

trptbenge

Dave,

Great posts about Uan Rasey. I can understand from the things he told you why he was such a fine player. I remember reading a post somewhere from Karen Stoeber, who took a lesson from him. She was around 15 or 16 at the time and had a wonderful time taking a lesson from him. Really good stuff from one of the greats.

Mike

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It's the sound that makes the difference!

joetriscari

You can't get any better than Uan...As a person or a player!
He was very close to my family, and I was fortunate to take a lesson from him. I started out in his studio warming up...from the other room Uan says to me..." Your uncle Joe wouldn't have liked that..Don't waste any notes..make every note you play sound Beautiful"...that has stuck with me till this day..26 years later.....I got more out of one lesson with Uan than anyone else I have studied with...and i've studied with some great teachers!!!!!
Take care,
Joe Triscari