Weedyweidenthal

Hey all. My friend and I are arranging a tribute to maynard ferguson medley for our marching band. We will hopefully perform it next season. the songs include Gonna' Fly Now or Maria (from west side story), Macarthur Park, Birdland, and Hey Jude. I have started arranging Birdland and I have a good ammount completed but it's sounding plain. I realized how hard it will be to arrange this without any of the chord changes or music already written out for me. (i'm doing everything by ear) if anybody has any sheet music to these songs or scores or anything could you please send them to me at sk8rdude1990@aol.com
thank you very much!

Rick Chartrand

Hey that sounds as though its gonna be a blast! I have no sheet music to share but do have a few suggestions after 15+ years of playing.

Since you are gonna be doing Maynard which is the high note king I suggest you buy a very small cup mouthpiece for the performance so the high notes will be easier for you to reach. I use a Holton Heim #2 (10c) and it works wonders for me, and the mouthpiece is only $30 to $50 depending where you get it.

Additionally a few years ago I used a program with some friends that allowed you to play a keyboard and have the music completly transcribed to your computer screen. The program was called CAKEWALK and was very cool. Additionally I just recently discovered a thing called a Digital Trumpet. It is a midi interface trumpet that you hook up to your computer. I think you can see what I'm getting at here. Get yourself Cakewalk and the digital trumpet and all you have to do is play and everything will be transcribed to the screen! The trumpet is available at
http://www.patchmanmusic.com/mdt.html

Good luck. Hope this helps

___________________
Work hard for what you want, and you’ll get it

Equipment
Martin Committee Trumpet, T3467RE
Holton Heim # 2 Mouthpiece

Rick AKA Trumpet Man

Weedyweidenthal

hmm that's interesting. a digital trumpet... that has potential. i usually use a bach 1 1-2c mouthpiece for my jazz and marching. i can get double c strong on it and i use a bach 1b for concert band. i can't use shallow mouthpieces it makes me mad when i try to play them and i can't do it. my lips are too big and i bottom out. or i can play a schilke 14a4a but i over blow it most of the time. but thanks for the advice! i was expecting people to say how maynard has bad tone and nobody will want to see or hear his music on a football field. lol

Rick Chartrand

Hey Weedyweidenthal

Ya I thought youd like the digital trumpet. You use almost the same mouthpiece I use. I use a Bach 1c as my normal mouthpiece and get to about a double high C. I get about 2hours of endurance with the Bach 1c which I found frustrating. About a year ago I got myself the Heim #2 (10c) and use the two mouthpieces for different gigs. The Heim gives me a HUGE endurance of 4 to 5 hours!!! Which I love.

Someone on here said that you either have hard lips or soft lips. Hard lips being that you can not alternate between two extreme sizes. And soft lips (which I have) that allow you to more easily go from one size to another without to much hassle.

Well anyway try and check out Cakewalk and maybe rent a digital trumpet if you can. Good luck with your project my friend. It sounds like so much fun!!!
___________________
Work hard for what you want, and you’ll get it

Equipment
Martin Committee Trumpet, T3467RE
Holton Heim # 2 Mouthpiece

Rick AKA Trumpet Man