fnchdrms87

I posted similar thread about this on trumpet herald. In order to play different styles of music (jazz, classical, lead etc.) what kind of material do you find you need to practice? In order to play these different styles, do you approach arban, clarke, charlier, stamp, and other trumpet methods the same way? How do you practice and adjust for different tonal approachs to each style? For example, I wouldn't expect someone to expect to play with the same sound as lead trumpet in a jazz band as they would for sitting in a symphony brass section or even the same tonal approach a jazz setting. How do you tackle this difficult scenario?

kadleck

A good question.

Practice: Obviously the basics (tounging, slurs, etc...) are necessary for any trumpet related stuff. For improvisation, I might use the Aebersold play along CD's to work on my harmonic ideas and time. For lead playing, I use the Colin Advanced Lip Flex. book to work on the upper register. For classical playing, I work out of the books you mentioned (Arban, Clarke, Charlier, etc...) and try to play some excerpts.

Basically, I like to listen and try to imitate great players. Find great recordings of orchestral works and listen closely to how the trumpet players phrase and try to copy their sound. Transcribe a Tom Harrell solo (just an example) to learn about his harmonic approach to improvisation. Listen to Snooky Young play with the Basie band to check out phrasing, style, sound, etc...

In order to be a "jack of all trades, master of none", I do change my equipment. (I do not advocate this for everyone.) For me, there is no way to play "April in Paris" and "Shostakovich 5" on the same mouthpiece. One (or both) will suffer. My opinion (worth less than 2 cents) - a lead sound should have enough highs to cut through a band, while an orchestral sound should have some more broadness to the core.

Hope this was somewhat helpful.

Tony

trumpetdoc

I would like to contribute my humble opinion to this discussion. As a player who has performed professionally in the symphonic setting, chamber music (primarily brass quintet), lead in big bands and broadway shows for the past 30 years, as well as teaching privately and as a college professor, I would like to add these points:

1. It is much more difficult to work professionally in diverse fields than it was years ago. There are so many great players that specialize out there. It is difficult enough to compete for opportunities if you focus on one or two things and become great at them. It is even more difficult to divide your time amoungst many endeavors. There was a time when New York was filled with players that could play anything, do it all. I think that this had to do with the fact that there was a thriving recording business and if you were a jack of all trades you were very valuable to contractors. In addition, the level of demands placed on trumpet players have increased. When I got onto the business, everyone said "If you want to be a lead player, all you need is a consistent, in tune high F." Now it seems that eveyone can play a high F and a lead player needs at least a good solid A. The same can be said for the orchestral field. Used to be you had to know the standard literature: Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, Pictures, Petrouchka, etc. Very few players ever played the Brandenberg. Now you are expected to be able to sit down (in the freelance world) and play any Bach including the Brandenberg, L' Histoire, Wozzeck, any Mahler or Strauss. In other words, things that used to be considered difficult are now considered standard. Even Wynton would stop playing jazz when he did a lot of his classical performance/recording.

2. But having said all this, there are still players like Tony who can play anything and sound great. I believe that there two essential ingredients to being successfull in this and Tony hit on both.

First, we produce the sound that we have in our head. So it is important to develop a clear sound concept through listening. If you want to be great in multiple styles, then you have to have multiple sound concpts that you can tap into. Trumpet chops are trumpet chops. It's the sound and stylistic concepts that vary. So be a voracious listener and obsorb concept.

Second, like any craftsman, "use the right tool for the job". Don't be afraid to have several mouthpieces and/or horns. Find the equipment that will aid and allow you to produce those concepts that you have in your mind. There's a great video floating around of Rick Baptist using a piccolo playing lead on the sound track of Superman which sounds like great C trumpet playing.

Trumpet playing is simple, it's just hard to do. Basically it's moving the air which vibrates the lips and then add the correct style of tonging. Playing music is difficult to do well and requires clear, deep seated musical concepts. So listen to all the Vacchiano, Herseth, Maurice Andre, Snooky, Maynard, Doc, Miles, Clifford, Chet Baker, Louis, and Tony that you can get your hands on. That's what guys like Malcolm McNab and Rick Baptist do.

wilcox96

I agree with all of this...however, from an "outside NY" perspective, the desire to work as much as possible almost requires one to be a jack of all. (fooling most of the people, most of the time). I certainly understand the "specialist" concept...and there sure are some great ones out there.

I enjoy the variety, though. Still, the "playing the trumpet" part is just that. Fundamentals, regardless of the genre. From there...listening and emulating styles/sounds.. huge. With all the varying things I may play, I show up to some things (especially a classical/orchestral setting) and spend the first bit (as I'm playing) listening to the sounds of those around me to "remember" where the heck I'm at and what I need to sound like. hahah. (uh...could you tone down that trumpet for this nice, lyrical passage??).. Oh yeah...okay, switch mindset.

Tony is the chameleon...er...man...

ecarroll

Hi,

I'll add the quick Los Angeles perspective here.

It's impossible to make any sort of living in LA without being facile in numerous styles. My best students at CalArts over the past few years have been equally at home playing symphonic literature, chamber music, new music, freely improvising, playing in Latin Bands (huge in LA as you can well imagine), playing over changes, and understanding a wide variety of styles (including world musics).

Some get called to play with the LAPhil, the occasional studio date, record their own music, tour with the Industrial Jazz Group, etc. all within the same week. Take a look at Daniel Rosenboom, Extreme Trumpet for the 21st Century: UPCOMING EVENTS for an idea of what I'm talking about.

How do they practice? By concentrating on their fundamentals and paying close attention to every detail when preparing.

Best,
EC