http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:46:16 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/images/trumpetminer/misc/rss.jpg http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/trumpet-dilemma-50711.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:39:51 GMT I have an old Bach 37 that I've had since I started college in 2005. The silver is wearing in the high trafffic locations and there is some pitting of the silver around the valve casing. The Question is do I get it re-silverplated or should I think of getting a new horn? The bach is a so-so instrument for me, but I want some change. I know that with the bach I could do heavy caps and a new lead pipe for cheaper than a new horn. If you were in my shoes what would you do? ]]> Trumpet Discussion GuitarPlayer05 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/trumpet-dilemma-50711.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/overblowing-50701.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:35:04 GMT I have revently started to record some of my etudes with a semi decent microphone I decided to buy. I have noticed that when I play what I think if... I have revently started to record some of my etudes with a semi decent microphone I decided to buy. I have noticed that when I play what I think if soft I get a cleaner tone. Does that simply mean that I was overblowing my notes. I wasn't getting a blair though it just not clean. ]]> Trumpet Discussion hichez http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/overblowing-50701.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/big-question-50693.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:06:55 GMT this saturday (november 21, 2009) is the region auditions for my region, and well i will be auditioning, but recently, well all this week, my slurs... this saturday (november 21, 2009) is the region auditions for my region, and well i will be auditioning, but recently, well all this week, my slurs and what not to one of the songs havn't been coming out properly. i have been having a really hard time with that. and while i play, within 20-30 minutes, my face feels all tense and tight. i try stretching out by saying the vowels, saying "how now brown cow" and "unique new york" but that still doesnt work...
this is wierd, this has never happened to me before...
what could be causing it?
and what should i do? my auditions are the day after tomorrow!!!! ]]> Trumpet Discussion brendag123 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/big-question-50693.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/broken-embouchure-50689.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:44:20 GMT I been playing for 20+ years , practicing seriously (4-6 hrs a day) for the last 10, I'm an Army band trumpeter. Anyway, I recently got what I believe is referred to as "embouchure overuse" or more specifically, I've come to a point where I can no longer play.

In hindsight, I believe this is the result of long practice days, and not enough rest. Even though I've been on this schedule for a long time with no problems, It's come to a head last week, and I found myself at the point at which I can no longer maintain an embouchure for more than 10-20 seconds. I have no pain, minimal swelling, just weak muscles, unable to maintain an embouchure. This was literally an overnight occurrence.

What is the "conventional" wisdom regarding this condition, as I've found no base of knowledge in the medical community here. Do I just lay off for a while? Go back to "basics"?

I'd like to recover as soon as possible obviously because this is how I make my living, but I am wary of the "too much too soon" approach. I've had vastly varying advice from a number of sources, so I'm interested in advice from people who are teachers, or professionals with first hand knowledge/experience.

Edit: In rereading my post, I've realized I did not relate clearly my specific question. I've read the past threads, particularly the responses by Rowuk. I understand the answer he gives. More specifically, should I start this rededication to better habits and better practice discipline immediately, or would it be more beneficial to take some time completely away from the horn before I do this. ]]> Trumpet Discussion Jarrett http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/broken-embouchure-50689.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/large-bore-vs-small-bore-question-50681.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:28:18 GMT I am not even sure I know enough about this to ask but here goes. Am I correct in thinking that a larger bore trumpet and or cornet is easier to... I am not even sure I know enough about this to ask but here goes.

Am I correct in thinking that a larger bore trumpet and or cornet is easier to play(breath) that a smaller one. The reason I am asking is, I had the opportunity to play a Benge (I don't recall the model) and it was much easier to play than the student horns I had experience with.

I suspect that the size or bore of a specific horn might be more of a personal preference for a player.

Could someone point me in the right direction of a web page/ thread that explains about the size (bore) of trumpets? ]]> Trumpet Discussion ArtM http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/large-bore-vs-small-bore-question-50681.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/notes-50680.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:27:55 GMT Is there any possible way to play lower than a low F#? If so, what what is the fingering? Is there any possible way to play lower than a low F#?
If so, what what is the fingering? ]]> Trumpet Discussion chsbulldog2012 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/notes-50680.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/supporting-composers-50678.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:06:58 GMT I believe that it was the late Dr. Neil Humfeld, former Trombone Professor at the University of Texas at Commerce, who had a requirement that all his... I believe that it was the late Dr. Neil Humfeld, former Trombone Professor at the University of Texas at Commerce, who had a requirement that all his students giving recitals needed to contribute in some way to expanding the repertoire of their instrument. They needed to do an arrangement of something currently not available for that instrumentation or have a composer write a new piece. He was trying to instill in all his students the idea that performers have a responsibility to expand the repertoire for their instrument and to support the contemporary creators of music. As a performer, conductor, educator and composer, I wholeheartedly agree with his philosophy and throughout my career have embraced this practice.

I was exposed to the value of commissioning projects during my undergraduate years at Ithaca College where Kappa Gamma Psi, the music fraternity to which I belonged, annually commissioned a composer to write a piece to be performed by some of the students at its spring recital. It was a very exciting time for us, knowing that we were contributing to the growth of the literature and working directly with the creator of the music.

When I began teaching public school in Bath, N.Y., I wanted to experiment with the idea of commissioning as applied to elementary band. In 1967, I decided to approach Elie Siegmeister, whom I met at Ithaca College when he was commissioned by Kappa Gamma Psi and with whom I later studied. When I first approached him with the idea of writing for elementary band, he was intrigued, as he had never before been commissioned to write for young performers. We requested a five-minute piece for which he would supply score and parts and attend a rehearsal and the concert. This meant driving 500 miles round trip plus the cost of motel rooms, all for a fee of $250! The resulting piece, "Ballad for Band", was an excellent addition to the intermediate level band repertoire. The students were inspired to perform at an increased level of musicianship and developed a sense of understanding for a more modern musical language.

When I began my career as a university professor, I created a unique project as part of my twentieth century music class. Each member of the class contributed $10 to a fund used to commission a composer to write a piece for the instrumentation of the class. The class was involved in selecting the composer, contacting him or her, writing grants for additional funds, writing a letter of agreement, and rehearsing and performing the piece. My wife and I also commissioned and premiered about a dozen works written for us to perform at the close of our faculty recitals.

Today I am mostly involved from the composer and arranger end. How many times as performers or conductors have we wished we could contact the composer and as him/her what they intended? We can’t do that with composers who are no longer living, but we can do that with composers who are alive! The process of working closely with composers enables us to understand the composer’s intentions and grow in our ability to interpret music. In addition, having a composer attend a rehearsal and performance and talk to the performers and audience gives everyone involved a further understanding of the cycle of music, from creator to interpreter to listener.

Hopefully by now I have interested you in working closely with a composer whether by commissioning a new piece, or by giving and existing piece its premiere or additional performances. The next question you may have is “How to I go about finding a composer to work with?” One of the places to start is with composer organizations such as:

American Composers Forum American Composers Forum
National Association of Composers, USA National Association of Composers, USA (NACUSA)
Center for Promotion of Contemporary Composers The Center for the Promotion of Contemporary Composers
American Music Center American Music Center
Society of Composers Society of Composers, Inc.

These organizations have links to where you can sample the composer’s works and find contact information.

Another way of having performers and composers come in contact with each other is for news groups and list serves to fully embrace composers as part of their membership. The orchestralist for example has this as part of their description, “ORCHESTRALIST is an international forum for conductors, composers, players, and their colleagues in the orchestra business. Discussion on Orchestralist ranges over a variety of topics of interest to orchestra professionals. Those encouraged to participate include: (1) conductors of professional, college or community orchestras that perform standard repertory (including choral-orchestral music and opera); (2) musicians who play in such orchestras; (3) composers who write music for such orchestras. Also invited to participate are publishers, administrators, board members, scholars, patrons, and artists-in-training.” Too many lists have a policy of no commercial advertising or self-promotion. With the state of the publishing industry concentrating only on items that sell well, many composers are making their music available via the internet. The prices they charge are just trying to cover their expenses and they cannot afford commercial advertising rates. Often, news groups serve as the only means of informing performers of the availability of their music. It would be nice if all news groups welcomed composers in the manner that the orchestralist does so that performers and composers can easily communicate with each other.

Lastly, many performers are concerned about the finances of working with composers and commissioning works. In an ideal world, all artists would be paid what they are worth. But in the real world, composers are often more anxious to get a performance of their music than to earn a lot of money. To help with linking performers with composers, there are several grants available:

Meet The Composer Met Life Creative Connections Grants MetLife Creative Connections | Meet The Composer
American Composer’s Forum Encore Grants American Composers Forum
Co-op Press Fund Grants for Performers Co-op Press Grant Programs

I apologize for the length of this post, but I hope that I have convinced the performer and conductor members of this group, no matter your level of accomplishment, to seek out and work with a composer of your choice. You will be creating an invaluable educational experience and adding to the repertoire. It is a win-win situation for all involved.

Dr. Sy Brandon
Professor Emeritus
Millersville University of PA ]]> Trumpet Discussion cooppress http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/supporting-composers-50678.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/how-trumpet-player-works-software-50677.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:04:12 GMT I finally read most of the "how a trumpet works" thread, though I started to gloss over the stuff about amplifiers, impedence, and gap. What interests me most is the "Backoffice" or "Software" end of things, which were touched upon briefly.

Beginning with our "Generator" - the lungs - some would refer to as a bellows type of configuration. This would include abdominal muscles, back muscles, the chest cavity, etc. How the lungs can produce wind energy, and what the player can voluntarily control - posture, chest up, full breath etc.

Moving on to how posture affect the air column coming through the throat (I belive Rowak indicated that it does/can).

The throat itself, I am thinking of "Ha" and "Ho" breath sounds.

Then oral cavity and tongue arch, how this affects air speed etc.

Finally, the lips/aperature and mouthpiece combination, vertical pressure pushing the top lip against the bottom lip, radial pressure - an inward pressure toward the aperture, and horizontal pressure pressure of the mouthpiece against the lips.

Those better versed than I will probably have some changes to this list - possible additions or subtractions in case I missed something or have put something in that should really be part of something else.

Let me give you a little background for what I am thinking about, though I'd rather not limit this to this particular scenario - or start another air speed thread:
- I know I can produce an emmense amount of air pressure - far more than the chops can handle - enough that if I just blow throught he horn it'll whistle; there is no way that amount of air pressure would be required (at least I don't think so).
- I know that when I am rested I can produce notes above high C with relative ease - with relatively little effort.
- When I become tired, it gets harder to produce higher notes - If I push harder with air, I might just overpower my chops - I am assuming that the combination of vertical/radial pressure is failing due to fatigue, so the "natural" response is to add horizontal pressure - and this works - to a point.
- Yet, I can feel at the point where nothing is working, and my teacher can coach me to again produce notes that I'm otherwise missing - not necessarily to the full extent of my range when fresh, but still.
- That being the case, there must be inefficiencies that creep in even though the engine can produce more than enough air/air pressure. Moreover, self analysis at the time of failure seems to make things worse - hence I am assuming some sort of tension - restricting air flow? Restricting the free buzz of the lips? Whatever.

So, you probably get where I am going with this - There are a bunch of factors - which I have tried to outline above. If I'm breaking one of those pieces when I play, well you get the idea.

What do you think, is this a worthy topic? ]]> Trumpet Discussion jdostie http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/how-trumpet-player-works-software-50677.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/my-symphonic-band-questions-50672.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:49:52 GMT Hey guys I had a quick question about a possible aperature problem that could happen. Well, my teacher moved me over to the valve trombone... Hey guys I had a quick question about a possible aperature problem that could happen.

Well, my teacher moved me over to the valve trombone for symphonic band because we were short. I was one of the better trumpets in our class, I was wondering why she would do this?

Also can playing on the trombone mouthpeice mess up my trumpet aperature? I go to play my trumpet after it and its quality decreases tremendously, but my range is helped. ]]> Trumpet Discussion Tpetjunkie http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/my-symphonic-band-questions-50672.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/bryan-davis-profiled-trumpetplayerprofiles-com-50661.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:53:59 GMT Bryan Davis new profile page is now live at Trumpet Player Profiles featuring Lead, Jazz, and Freelance Professional Trumpet Players... Bryan Davis new profile page is now live at
Trumpet Player Profiles featuring Lead, Jazz, and Freelance Professional Trumpet Players :thumbsup: ]]> Trumpet Discussion RustoleusMaximus http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/bryan-davis-profiled-trumpetplayerprofiles-com-50661.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/practicing-quiet-pencil-excercise-50658.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:01:27 GMT When practicing quietly, is this absolutely all practice? I'm talking about even long tones, warm-ups, slurs, run-throughs, ect. Of course I also want to keep some of the dynamics when practicing songs though right? just keeping it all very quiet?

If I am getting to the point where I'm starting to loose notes from playing too quietly, should I play a little bit louder untill I can go that quiet or push myself to go for that quiet point now?

One last thing regarding the pencil excercise. I'm trying to work my way up to a full size pencil with this, but also found that I can get more of a "burn" in the corners of my lips by just tightening it as much as I can and holding it there, about a minute, and then relaxing. Is this good or bad for lip development? I tried to make it sort of mimic what the pencil excercise would do only without the pencil since my lips aren't ready for the full size one yet.

*Edit*- How do you work towrds an open throat while playing higher? It feels like tightening my throat is changing something with the air that lets me get my range and I can't figure out how to play without it. I can get that open throat easily with excercises away from the trumpet but can't apply it to my upper register. ]]> Trumpet Discussion john7401 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/practicing-quiet-pencil-excercise-50658.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/spanish-language-trumpet-method-50656.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:29:37 GMT Hi Everyone, Today I was asked if I could recommend a trumpet method for an adult who is an absolute beginner. It might be helpful to the person... Hi Everyone,

Today I was asked if I could recommend a trumpet method for an adult who is an absolute beginner. It might be helpful to the person asking if the the text was in the Spanish language as English is his second language.

I am not a trumpet teacher and it has been decades since I learned to play so I do not know what is popular and in print.

What are your recommendations for books/DVDs in either Spanish or English?

Thanks ]]> Trumpet Discussion 36393 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/spanish-language-trumpet-method-50656.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/rocky-mountain-trumpet-fest-highlights-2009-a-50654.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:06:49 GMT Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2679/4113075836_baf8ccbf41.jpg The image above shows Anthony Delgado, a Music Education major from Western...
The image above shows Anthony Delgado, a Music Education major from Western State College (Colorado) receiving a new Getzen Proteus trumpet from Harold Stone of Getzen. Assoc. Professor Dan Kuehn is holding the case as Anthony inspects his new tool.

The trumpet was awarded in memory of Jason Hill, son of Dan and Karen Hill. Dan was a recent graduate of Colorado State University and had played in the CSU big band and was active in theater, while majoring in finance and economics, graduating with honors. He passed in his sleep due to juvenile diabetes, which Karen told us he'd struggled with for years.

Also on stage are some of the great artists featured at our Saturday concert, Trent Austin, Brad Goode and Al Hood (Chase Sandborn is out of camera range).

The organizers of this year's Rocky Mountain Trumpet Fest, Dan Kuehn, Bill Spickler and myself would like to thank the Hills, Harold Stone and Getzen for this generous gift.

Congratulations to Anthony.

I'll add some more highlights to this thread as I get some time to post. The event was a great success this year, despite about 8" of snow on Saturday night. I'll give more details soon.

Dave Stephens ]]> Trumpet Discussion dcstep http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/rocky-mountain-trumpet-fest-highlights-2009-a-50654.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/music-50649.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:50:54 GMT im saving up for a bach stradivarius but i am running out of music for my current trumpet. i am very good at transcribing (wiriting down music) so... im saving up for a bach stradivarius but i am running out of music for my current trumpet. i am very good at transcribing (wiriting down music) so could anybody suggest some good trumpet solos. (plz dont sugest carnival of venice) ]]> Trumpet Discussion bartman007 http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/music-50649.html http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/playing-quietly-technique-question-50638.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:27:46 GMT My son (five years old) recently started practicing playing very softly. I believe that I have read here at TM that this is a good way to build your... My son (five years old) recently started practicing playing very softly. I believe that I have read here at TM that this is a good way to build your playing ability??

He is amazing me the way he is controlling his volume, however, when he is playing quietly, most of the notes sound very airy unlike when he plays at a normal volume and sounds good. He thinks it is quite hysterical to go from super quiet to wake up the neighborhood loud just to be sure he is the center of attention, the little stinker! :-)

At this point, I am keeping a pretty hands off approach and just letting him play and have fun. He continues to be self-motivated and improving. But I also don't want to foster bad habits by being too laid back. Is the airy tone something that will likely work itself out? ]]> Trumpet Discussion samsplace http://www.TrumpetMaster.com/vb/f131/playing-quietly-technique-question-50638.html