trumpet520

Whats the best way to build up a loud,slightly edgey, sustaining sound?

bilboinsa

Just a guess, but would it be practicing loud, slightly edgey, sustained tones? Seriously, just hold the notes while making the volume go up, then down...up, then down...

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Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2
Kanstul 1525
1927 Conn 22B New York Symphony

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

eisprl

It's funny

I always thought I could play loud until about 3rd or 4th year University. Our director for the Symphonic band and Jazz Band at the time was David Bourque from Toronto symphony Orch. Being the lead trumpet player for both these groups he always harped on me to play louder, louder LOUDER!!! I'll admit there were a few times that he would get so angry I gave up and tried to play as loudly as I could (I chucked the nice sound, intonation etc out the window just in spite). All he could say was "not loud enough" (all the while the saxes are looking at me with blood coming out their ears as if to say "Please sir, no more!"

There was another occasion when I played a solo in Wagner's Gatterdammerung (The Funeral march ) with Symphony Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. Bernhard Ghuller (sp?) was the director and I tried my "loud" tactic (i.e. thinking of our Band director) when he wasn't pleased with the volume. He looked at us and said "I don't zink you undershtand vat fortissimo is" (only this time it was the poor double reed guys looking back at me with those puppy dog eyes).

In regards to your question I guess I don't know how to play loud (but those around me sure think differently )
Eric

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Eric Sproul
Practice is like filling a leaky bucket

Bb: Yamaha Xeno 8335
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W Scott

The way to get the 'loud' sound is to get the horn too ring. You need a resonant sound where the notes are 'in the sweet spot' and the trumpet rings. Derek Reaban has posted a number of excellent posts on this topic. Reading those will help, but if you can find a really good, symphony player that will help even more.

I was looking at Bilibinosas tag line and had to laugh. I just played a concert with the Reno Pops and we did 'Lord of the Rings, Excerpts from Symphony #1'. One of those excerpts was the famous little hobbit tune, that is so much fun to play. The other excerpt was the majestic, main theme at the end of the piece that starts at 'F' and goes to 'FFF'----and two of us trumpets took on a fifty piece orchestra and had no problem being heard!

Bill

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Gabriel is NOT a woodwind player!

rowuk

Please do not mix up "loud" with "full".
The problem of playing loudly in a large wind ensemble is much different than in a symphony orchestra (in a band there are many more instruments with "similar" overtone structures - this masks the sound of the individual). Of course it is possible to cut through by developing a laser-like tone. That is relatively easy to accomplish - shallow mouthpiece and a big band style sound concept. Your band leader will not be happy with that for very long! The "full" sound regardless of volume will still require cooperation from the band. If 15 trumpet players are blowing their a??es off, you can be the strongest player and still not be completely on top. Like WScott suggests, do a search on Dereks' posts. He explains this phenomenon very well. Regardless of age and playing level, I recommend having a good teacher/mentor to help you through times like this. Have them listen to the band. Maybe you need to develop certain skills, maybe your band leader needs a suggestion or two.

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

bilboinsa

Bill:
I have seen the symphonic version of Shore's score twice at the Houston Symphony and absolutely loved it--especially when the full chorus was engaged.

Back on topic:
Rowuk makes a good point--why and where do you need to be "louder"? While watching Bruce Leigh at the DFW Trumpetfest last week, he pointed out that he could not "overblow" on his new horn, the Teatro. I can't remember ever trying to overblow, so I really couldn't identify with what he was referring to, but he did mention that at some point, the "sound" begins to "separate" when you overblow. I think my pitch would suffer before I started to separate--maybe I'll go try it?

__________________
Doug Walsdorf

Schilke B2
Kanstul 1525
1927 Conn 22B New York Symphony

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."