This is an area too often ignored by trumpet players especially. I had a really rude awakening when I spent a month touring with a German orchestra. I had always considered my self a player with great dynamic range. Then I got in this orchestra. Granted, it was sort of a chamber orchestra size and the conductor was obsessed with what he called their, "World Famous Pianissimo," but I had no idea what soft really was. We're talkin' whisper volume...and sometimes that was too loud. Here I was in a situation being asked to play 90% of everything at a dynamic I never even realized was possible, and my job depended on it. (I later quit the job, but that's a different story and there are different reasons for that). But what was interesting was that the principal trumpet, named Ioannis Kerempetsos, from Athens, was all over it. This guy could play everything (LITERALLY) at a softer dynamic than I could whisper it, and sound clean with core and resonance. That's virtuosity. Then a little burst of air and his sound would liven up like nobody's business. Basically, this experience opened my eyes a great deal, and since then have focused probably 75% of my practice time on playing at absurdly soft dynamics. Jim Thompson, Malcolm McNabb, Edward Carroll, and Jens Lindemann, and Roy Poper, the various teachers I've had over the years are all in complete agreement with this as well. Malcolm almost never practices above pp. This is one of the most "in-control" players ever, considering his career has hinged on his ability to sight read everything and NEVER miss. What does that say about the benefits of soft practice? EVERYTHING. I'm sold...
Dan
www.danielrosenboom.com www.plotzmusic.com [/b]