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lonelyangel · 02-16-2004, 03:59 PM

Hi Nick, great to have you posting here. I really like the lessons on your site - very interesting stuff.

I particularly enjoyed the false scales lesson. That is something which i have been doing myself for a while now although not in exactly the same way. I tried your ideas out this afternoon and i liked it - gives me food for thought.

When I am playing the false scales I do it much more slowly and I aim to get as full a trumpet sound as I can on the non resonant notes - so that you come as close to the sound as a regularly fingered scale as possible.

This is an exersize I worked out for myself by experimenting and I find playing in this way to be an excellent work out for stamina and strength and air support. I think I was introduced to these concepts by a player who specialised in natural trumpet where the ability to play full bodied false notes is an essential part of the discipline required for performance. Also you will find in Allen Vizzutti's method that he recommends playing false notes as part of the curriculum for mastering the control over your aperture and lip muscles necessary to play in the upper register.

By the way I totally agree with what you say about trumpet playing being primarily a skill based activity rather than a strength based discipline. However I am pretty sure that you and I are both taking that view from the position of players who do have the luxury of pretty strong chops.
I always emphasise the need for precision and lightness of touch - brain rather than braun as Larry so excellently put it but I think there is a case for devoting some time in building and maintaining a certain degree of strength or muscle tone in the facial muscles. I like to think of a gymnastic physique rather than the muscle bound body of a weight lifter as an analogy.

I haven't yet had time to delve in to your catalogue of original compositions and repertoire performances - but I look forward to doing so later tonight.

All the best. Noel.

02-16-2004, 03:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
lonelyangel Pianissimo User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: London Posts: 196	false scales Hi Nick, great to have you posting here. I really like the lessons on your site - very interesting stuff. I particularly enjoyed the false scales lesson. That is something which i have been doing myself for a while now although not in exactly the same way. I tried your ideas out this afternoon and i liked it - gives me food for thought. When I am playing the false scales I do it much more slowly and I aim to get as full a trumpet sound as I can on the non resonant notes - so that you come as close to the sound as a regularly fingered scale as possible. This is an exersize I worked out for myself by experimenting and I find playing in this way to be an excellent work out for stamina and strength and air support. I think I was introduced to these concepts by a player who specialised in natural trumpet where the ability to play full bodied false notes is an essential part of the discipline required for performance. Also you will find in Allen Vizzutti's method that he recommends playing false notes as part of the curriculum for mastering the control over your aperture and lip muscles necessary to play in the upper register. By the way I totally agree with what you say about trumpet playing being primarily a skill based activity rather than a strength based discipline. However I am pretty sure that you and I are both taking that view from the position of players who do have the luxury of pretty strong chops. I always emphasise the need for precision and lightness of touch - brain rather than braun as Larry so excellently put it but I think there is a case for devoting some time in building and maintaining a certain degree of strength or muscle tone in the facial muscles. I like to think of a gymnastic physique rather than the muscle bound body of a weight lifter as an analogy. I haven't yet had time to delve in to your catalogue of original compositions and repertoire performances - but I look forward to doing so later tonight. All the best. Noel. __________________ Noel Langley - Eclipse Artist noel@eclipsetrumpets.com Eclipse Medium Yellow, scratch gold Eclipse Medium Heavy Red, custom 'Diamond Back' in 24ct gold Eclipse Red Brass Flugel Custom Scherzer piccolo with copper Wedgewood bell, finished in scratch gold Giardinelli 6S, 6M, 6FL Bach 3CW