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Annie · 04-28-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadleck

Section players are VERY important, and in many cases can make or break a lead player. There is a (often ignored) art to playing second, third and fourth trumpet!

TK

AMEN!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark935

Second can sometimes play almost as loud as the lead or 1st music but the third and forth are felt more than heard.

I play so softly on the forth part; I barely hear myself.

This doesn't apply to tutti sections but still, nobody plays over the first part.

And you're right, it ain't all that much fun at times.

All you do is wait for a solo and hope that it, the solo, makes the hours of playing harmonic intervals all worthwhile.

That's my take.

I'm curious to know why and where the idea that you'd "barely speak" on a fourth part would come from - and of what situation would that arise. It almost sounds like a classical approach, but even then the lower parts need to come out a bit to balance with first in that genre. I always learned that the lower parts need to be loud so the first can comfortably rest on top - and it seems like the majority here are in the same boat.

I've learned that through being both a section player and a lead player - I've only had a short experience, but I've had a great education. I go to a small school, but will soon graduate - I was lucky to have the teachers I had there. Nothing like being taught by the freelancing jazz pros - it's a totally different take than the cats that strictly teach for a living and do little playing. I hope when I'm a teacher I can follow their lead.