$1.99 / Non-refundable KING COMPENDIUM of
TRUMPET MISCE NE second edition
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SECOND EDITION, APRIL 2020
This Second Edition contains new and updated material, corrections, minor stylistic changes, a new cover image, and a new format. The layout is now more print-friendly and the document has been formatted in EPUB for use in Apple Books or other e- reader. The new e-book version contains active page links via the Contents page. The new cover of the printed edition, employing innovative digital-micro-encapsulation- transference enhancements, emits a pleasant aroma of allspice and clove when scratched.
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PREFACE by THE AUTHOR
he intent of this Compendium is not to be comprehensive, but rather offer material, new and old, that is profound in its clarity or lacking in its availability. I’ve taken ideas and exercises from proven sources, cited as best as possible, and Talso contributed my own ideas, which I humbly believe can be of help to students.
Those from whom I’ve borrowed: Vincent Cichowicz, Herbert L. Clarke, Max Schlossberg, James Thompson, Allan Dean, Steven Trinkle, Larry Black, Paul Merkelo, Chris Martin, Wynton Marsalis, Denver Dill, Chris Gekker, Christopher Smith, Miles Davis, Gary Malvern, Kevin Lyons, Kobe Bryant, and Mel Brooks.
Many thanks to PressPot Press for their encouragement, as well as their generous advancement of $27, which was crucial in my ability to work quickly and carelessly. Also, special thanks to Wilbur Greaseman for the striking cover art; my life-coach Judith Prune; Avenir Mungbun for the typeface; and my barista Soy Biddlebocks, without whom I could not have copied-and-pasted this material so quickly.
To the student — may this be a lasting source of knowledge and inspiration. Good luck, be patient, optimistic, headstrong, and stop calling me at home!
It’s good to be the King,
Craig King
2 CONTENTS PAGE
DAILY SKILLS PRACTICE 5 NEW!! WARMUP ROUTINE V2 6 “BLACK MAMBA” PRACTICE SCHEDULE 9 MUST KNOW — NICE TO KNOW 10 NEW!! ALSO GOOD TO KNOW 12 INTONATION STATION 13 QUOTES ON TRUMPET & LIFE 14 KING’S PET EXERCISES 17 TUNING PICCOLO 20 GUIDE TO TEACHING BEGINNERS 22 WYNTON’S TWELVE WAYS TO PRACTICE 23 SIX MONTHS IN CHICAGO 24 Q & A WITH CHRIS MARTIN 26 IN THE [RASPY] WORDS OF MILES DAVIS 30 NEW!! KING SECOND WARMUP W/ INTERVAL SLURS 31 CHRIS GEKKER SUMMER PRACTICE ROUTINE 32 NEW!! MORE GEKKER ROUTINES 36 NEW!! GROWING THROUGH THE INTERNET 37 NEW!! +1 ENDURANCE EQUATION 38 NEW!! MOUTHPIECE COMPARISON CHART 41 NEW!! ANATOMY OF THE EMBOUCHURE 42 NEW!! COLOR THE KING 43
4 King ’s DAILY SKILLS PRACTICE College Edition
TONE Breathing/blowing Long tones Air attacks Pedal tones
TECHNIQUE Scales (Arban, Clarke) Arpeggios (Arban) Intervals, octaves (Arban, Schlossberg) Tonguing: single, double, triple (Arban) Flexibility (Irons, Schlossberg) Finger dexterity (Clarke, Arban) Soft playing (Concone, Clarke) Attacks: soft/loud, high/low (Arban, Schlossberg) Lip Trills (Arban)
MUSICALITY Etudes/Solos Sight-reading Ensemble music Transposition (Sachse, Caffarelli) Intonation (pitch drone)
SPECIALIZED Orchestral excerpts Improvisation Piccolo Ornamentation
All of the above skills must be practiced everyday in order to improve at a steady rate and stay in top form. Skills may be combined, for instance, tonguing w/ arpeggios, soft playing w/ sight-reading, etc.
Allow 2 to 3 hours a day for practice of all necessary skills.
5 KingKing WARMUPWarmup Routine ROUTINE v2
Version 2 (1) LIP BUZZ two ocatves below, w/ James Thompson The Buzzing Book recording #1, (2) MOUTHPIECE BUZZ as written. Part gliss 1 (1) LIP BUZZ two octaves below, w/ Buzzing Book #3, (2) MOUTHPIECE, (3) TRUMPET (optional C trpt, lipping down whole step).
gliss
(1) LIP BUZZ two octaves below, w/ Buzzing Book #8, (2) MOUTHPIECE, (3) TRUMPET (preferably on C trumpet, lipping down a whole step).
PLAY w/ tuning drone on last note; every-other bar, alternating odd/even days Part 2 6 etc.
2 7 Relaxed and free Refresher
Part 3 Clarke Study of the day, w/ metronome. Part 4 1 min single-tonguing for speed, 1 min triple-tonguing, w/ metronome. Part 5 Scales, arpeggios, intervals, isolated attacks ad libitum, w/ tuning drone. ______
To ensure appropriate rest, this warmup is to be played with an interval timer, such as Seconds Pro:
1 min PLAY / 30 sec REST 2 min PLAY / 1 min REST 3 min PLAY / 1.5 min REST 4 min PLAY / 2 min REST 5 min PLAY / 2.5 min REST 6 min PLAY / 3 min REST 7 min PLAY / 3.5 min REST (optional) 8 min PLAY / warmdown
This concludes the King Warmup Routine v2. Your next practice sessions should include specific technique development and music practice. Remember, a warmup should be a warmup, it's purpose to prepare you to play. Beware of crossing the line from warmup to workout! Always focus on good posture in order to breathe and blow most efficiently. Relaxed breath in, relaxed blow out. Yawn and sigh. ______
There are countless warmup routines available to the student. Any routine if done consistently and mindfully will yield results. This particular routine was inspired by former Atlanta Symphony players James Thompson, Larry Black, and Kevin Lyons, and San Diego principal trumpet Christopher Smith.
WARNING: If your lips are tired or sore, play softly and gently and consider skipping a practice session or two in order to recover. (Treat with Advil, cold water, Arnica gel, and rest.) Listen to your chops, nothing good will come from abusing them. Though, at the same time, don't baby your chops. Challenge them, but rest often and stop before it's too late. Intense practice sessions require more recovery time, and don't overdo it!
3 8 KING’S PROPOSED BLACK MAMBA PRACTICE SCHEDULE for College Students
WEEKDAY 7/8/9am: Morning Warmup Routine (30-45 min)
Exercise/Breakfast/Class/Study
11am/12/1pm: Midday Practice Session (20-30 min: skills/deficiencies)
Class/Study/Lunch/Coffee
2/3/4pm: Afternoon Practice Session (30 min: music)
Ensembles/Study/Dinner/Socialize
8/9/10pm: Night Practice Session (30-45 min: music, skills refinement)
Study/Relax/Entertainment/Sleep
WEEKEND Coffee/Breakfast/Religion
9/10/11am: Morning Warmup Routine (30-45 min)
Hiking/Reading/Picnic/Study/Relax/Socialize/Coffee
2/3/4pm: Lazy Afternoon Practice Session (30-45 min: technique/music)
Dinner/Socialize/Entertainment/Study
7/8/9pm: (Saturday) “Black Mamba” Practice Session (24+ min: duets, whatever, you win) 7/8/9pm: (Sunday) Prep-for-Week Practice Session (30-45 min: music/skills/refinement)
Tea/Relax/Sleep
9 MUST KNOW NICE TO KNOW by Allan Dean
METHOD/TECHNICAL STUDIES Arban Complete Method Nagel Rhythmic Studies Clarke Technical Studies Nagel Trumpet Studies Schlossberg Daily Drills Colin Lip Flexibilities Nagel Speed Studies
ETUDES Brandt Orchestral Etudes Tomasi 6 Etudes Smith Top Tones Gates Odd Meter Etudes Bitsch 20 Etudes Plog 16 Contemporary Etudes Falk 20 Atonal Etudes Reynolds 48 Etudes Bach-Piper Well Tempered Player Vannetelbosch 20 Etudes Werner 40 Studies Boutry 12 Etudes de Virtuosité Concone Lyrical Studies Wurm 40 Studies Longinotti Studies in Classical and Modern Styles
TRANSPOSITION Caffarelli 100 Melodious Studies Hering Orchestra Trumpeter Sachse 100 Etudes Broiles Have Trumpet…Will Transpose Bordogni-Porret 24 Vocalises for Transposition
PICCOLO Hickman Piccolo Trumpet Big Book Webster Method for Piccolo Trumpet Andre 12 Etudes in Baroque Style
CHAMBER PIECES Stravinsky Soldier’s Tale Zwilich Concerto (Trpt and 5 Inst.) Stravinsky Octet (both parts) Varese Octandre Shostakovich Piano Concerto Hindemith Septet Copland Quiet City Bach Cantata 51 Handel Let the Bright Seraphim Barber Capricorn Concerto Martin Concerto for 7 Instruments Saint-Saens Septet d’Indy Suite in Olden Style Wolpe Piece for Trumpet and 7 Inst.
10 (Must Know , Nice to Know…page 2)
SOLOS Bb/C Hindemith Sonata Chaynes Concerto Kennan Sonata Jolivet Concertino H. Stevens Sonata Bitsch Four Variations on a Theme by Scarlatti Tomasi Concerto Boehme Concerto Arutunian Concerto Davies Sonata Bozza Caprice Suderburg Chamber Music VII and VIII Enesco Legend Honegger Intrada Eb Haydn Concerto in Eb Hummel Concerto in E/Eb Neruda Concerto in Eb Piccolo Purcell Sonata Tartini Concerto in D (Transcription) Telemann Concerto in D Fasch Concerto w/two oboes Torelli Concerto in D L. Mozart Concerto in D Torelli Sinfonia (G-8) Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets in C Others (unaccompanied)
Presser Suite Tull 8 Profiles Friedman Solus Wolpe Solo Piece Persichetti Parable Sampson Litany of Breath Ketting Intrada Takemitsu Paths
11 ALSO GOOD TO KNOW by Craig King
METHOD/TECHNICAL STUDIES Irons 27 Groups of Exercises Shuebruk Lip Trainers Lin Lip Flexibilities Gekker Articulation Studies Gekker Endurance Drills for Performance Skills Vizutti Books 1-3
ETUDES Charlier 36 Transcendental Etudes Duhem 24 Melodious Etudes Bousquet 36 Celebrated Etudes Porret 24 Melodious and Progressive Studies Boehme 24 Melodic Studies Goldman Practical Studies Pietzsch 22 Virtuoso Studies Snedecor Lyrical Etudes Snedecor Low Etudes Gekker 24 Etudes
SOLOS Ewazen Sonata Jolivet Arioso Barocco, Air De Bravoure Bernstein Rondo for Lifey Tomasi Triptyque Starer Invocation
12 Intonation Station
INTERVAL INTONATION (all notes based against C)
Major 2nd D is to be performed 3.9 cents sharp
Minor 3rd Eb is to be performed 15.6 cents sharp
Major 3rd E is to be performed 13.7 cents flat
Perfect 4th F is to be performed 2.0 cents flat.
Perfect 5th G is to be performed 2.0 cents sharp.
Major 6th A is to be performed 15.6 cents flat.
Minor 7th Bb is to be performed 17.6 cents sharp.
Major 7th B is to be performed 11.6 cents flat.
Augmented 4th or Diminished 5th F# or Gb is to be performed 17.5 cents flat.
[From the liner notes of The Tuning CD by Richard Schwartz]
13 “Quotes on trumpet & life.”
LIFE “Life is like a trumpet. If you don't put anything into it, you don't get anything out.” —W.C. Handy
“If the only thing people learned was not to be afraid of their experience, that alone would change the world.” —Syd Banks
“There’s only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” —Aristotle
“Performance anxiety is the feeling we get when we’ve forgotten we’re going to be okay no matter what.” —Nicholas Pallesen
“Your thoughts are like the artist's brush. They create a personal picture of the reality you live in.” —Syd Banks
“You never need to be perfect in order to be enough.” —Nicholas Pallesen
“Our feelings aren’t a barometer of the quality of our life…they are a barometer of the quality of our thinking.” —Nicholas Pallesen
"Whether you believe you can or you can't, you're right!” —Henry Ford
MUSICIANSHIP "Music is not just the black dots on the white paper—it's what happens when those black dots on the white paper go into your heart and come out again." —Phil Smith
“In order to play any brass instrument, you have to be a singer in your brain.” —Arnold Jacobs
“I think about the concept of sound, not how I'm going to do it.” —Charles Schleuter
“Listen to as many recordings as possible and get inspired by the sounds [you] hear.” —Paul Merkelo
"No two people on earth are alike, and it's got to be that way in music or it isn't music.” —Billie Holiday PRACTICE “One of the most time-honored rules of practice is to rest as much as you play…overuse problems would disappear completely if students observed this simple rule.” —Frank Campos
14 “When you practice, it means you are willing to sacrifice to sound good… I like to say that the time spent practicing is the true sign of virtue in a musician.” —Wynton Marsalis
“It is important to rest before the lips begin to feel tired… do not practice when tired.” —Maurice Andre
“It is important to practice often during the day, and not a long time. Play thirty minutes and rest fifteen minutes. Then play thirty minutes, rest thirty minutes. Play thirty minutes and rest an hour. The lips are a muscle and it is important to rest them frequently. In all, it is good to practice four hours per day.” —Maurice Andre
“Rest as long as it took you to play the previous exercise.” —Rafael Mendez
“It’s not how much you practice, it's how you practice.” —Claude Gordon
“Play a minute, rest a minute.” —H.L. Clarke
“Most successful performers have set routines. Remember, repetition is the mother of perfection.” —William Vacchiano
“Practice pieces each day that allow you to just play and do what comes naturally. This will help your keep from being tied up with technique.” —Ray Mase
“Hitting high notes consistently has a lot to do with practicing. To play high trumpet and keep the flexibility to do other kinds of playing, which is necessary for studio work, you have to practice. I put in a minimum of three hours a day.” —Charlie Davis
“Always practice in a happy frame of mind.” —Claude Gordon
PERFORMANCE “When you make a mistake, be proud of it. Put your horn down and stare at the conductor. Unless his ear is great, he won’t know. If he does, fine!” —Bud Herseth
"Make every note a solo." —Rafael Mendez.
“You have to watch the little voices and try to shove them out of the way. Try not to get focussed on mistakes…So it’s a constant battle to say, ‘Don’t let the voices win.’ Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing. When the voices start going, start singing.” —Phil Smith
“Your enthusiasm for what you are about to perform must be greater than your nervous doubts.” —Phil Collins (not that one)
15 BREATHING “Breathe from low in the lungs rather than from the chest. If done correctly, the stomach will go out on its own.” —Bud Herseth
"Good sound is indicative of good breathing” —Arnold Jacobs
EFFICIENCY “Never work harder than necessary for a desired result.” —Bud Herseth
“Proper wind control is 98% of correct cornet playing.” —H.L. Clarke
“Never have any tension in the body when playing, just learn to always relax.” —Bud Herseth
“The first step in releasing an outdated habitual movement is to simply slow down the movement enough to allow yourself to be conscious of it.” —David Monette
TECHNIQUE “There is nothing wrong with your chops, your mind is messing them up. High register is no more physical than low, it should be as easy and sound just as good. Don’t make such an issue of it. This habit must be worked out and will eventually go away, however there is only one way to get rid of this bad habit, and that is to apply concepts every day in your playing.” —Bud Herseth
"The lips do not play the horn.” —H.L. Clark
“Say ‘tay’ in the lower register to get away from the tubby sound.” —Bud Herseth
“It is important to hear the note played before playing it. If you do, it will be there.” —Bud Herseth
“Tonguing has to be 5% consonant and 95% vowel. Too much tongue inhibits the air flow. Use no more tongue than in normal speech, and release air immediately.” —Bud Herseth
16 PET KingEXERCISES Pet Exercises for humans King FOR REFINEMENT OF TECHNIQUE AND EMBOUCHURE
For response in all registers. As soft as possible; methodical and precise. Think about lip/tongue/air required for each note. Play with tuning drone (The Tuning CD) on tonic pitch. = 60 Continue to comfortable range. Do not force or overblow; rely on lip/tongue placement for needed air compression. For upper register setting efficiency. Good form is paramount. Not too fast or too slow. Keep throat/upper body relaxed throughout. High air compression with tongue. Rest plenty. Air attacks only. Play with tuning drone. (Denver Dill)
bend bend
bend bend
Continue to top of range. Do not rely on mouthpiece pressure or volume of air, but rather lip/tongue position to compress air.
17 For clarity and consistency of articulation in intervals, intonation, body, and centering. (Max Schlossberg)
3
3 3 3
3 3 3
Continue in higher keys as you like. Vary rhythms as before.
For evenness in the fingers, ease moving into the upper register, and clean attacks in the upper register. Play slowly enough so that the rhythm and fingers are precise. Stay open and relaxed as you ascend. Breathe without disrupting the mouthpiece setting.
Continue to C 2 18 For flexibility; even and fluid, focus on tongue arch. Stop before you force. In the glissandi, catch all of the notes in between. Use only light mouthpiece pressure. Use same fingering throughout each key. Repeat measures as needed. Tempo ad lib.
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 (1-2-3)
gliss. gliss. gliss. gliss.
3 3
3 3 3 3 3 (1-3)
gliss. gliss. gliss. gliss. Continue in Ab, A, Bb, B, and C
3 19 TUNINGPICCOLOTRUMPET A GUIDE TO SLIDES, PIPES, AND MOUTHPIECES
LEADPIPES First, for piccolo in A, it is preferable to have a leadpipe pitched in A. Pulling a Bb pipe out to A will change the inner shape of the pipe, resulting in frustrating intonation issues, and resolved either by complicated alternate fingerings or squeezing and lipping notes into place.
Aftermarket leadpipes makers include Blackburn/Pickett, Osmun, Benchmark, Najoom, and others. Alternatively, Bob Reeves make a Bb to A adapter.
In the author’s experience with the classic Schilke P5-4 piccolo trumpet, the Schilke A pipe is a solid option that retains the original sound quality of the instrument while greatly improving the intonation. The Reeves A adapter with the Schilke Bb pipe is a very nice and inexpensive alternative. The Osmun pipe has a much bigger sound, useful when you want to sound like a big trumpet. The Blackburn P2 pipe improves intonation but changes the timbre of the instrument, creating a much darker and bigger sound; but this too can be useful at times. Their P1C supposedly keeps more of the original timbre while still improving intonation.
MOUTHPIECES Use a mouthpiece designed specifically for piccolo trumpet, as this predetermined balance of cup, throat, backbore, and length will improve intonation, efficiency, and feel. (See Stork, Pickett, Monette, Schilke, Curry, Reeves, Laskey.)
It is individual preference in choosing a smaller cup diameter or keeping the same diameter but adjusting other factors, such as a shallower cup.
Try cornet and trumpet shanks to determine your individual preference.
SLIDES To get the slides in their sweet spots, do as follows with a pitch drone: 1. Warm the instrument by blowing air through it for a minute. 2. Tune the open Cs. These are immovable and will determine where you move the main tuning slide (leadpipe). These should both be in tune; if not, check that you have the correct leadpipe. 3. Check the open middle G. This should be in tune. 4. Next, tune the middle F. Pull the first valve slide if needed. 5. If you have four valves, adjust the fourth valve slide by tuning the low F. Compare Fs. 6. Check the Bbs. 7. Now tune the Ds. The high D should be in tune with the normal fingering; adjust the third valve slide for the middle D (1-3). 8. Check middle Eb (2-3). This should be in tune. Check middle C# and Abs. These should be close, but likely won’t be perfect. Compare octaves.
20 9. Tune high E and Eb. Determine the best fingering for these. Ideally, open and 2, respectively. 10. Check high F with lower Fs. Hopefully, this is in tune with its normal fingering. 11. If some notes are still out of tune, consider alternate fingers (see below).
NOTE: the updated P5-4BG model (design help by Butler/Geyer) has movable first and third slides, so pre-positioning them is a moot point.
ALTERNATE FINGERINGS Even with the slides in their ideal positions, the instrument has its problem spots. Alternate fingerings can be helpful depending on the context and chord.
These are some useful ones, not including the usual lower octave fingerings: Middle D: 4 Middle C#: 2-4 High F: 1-4 Middle, low A: 3
21 King ’s GUIDE to TEACHING beginners
METHODS and ETUDES for BEGINNERS Little, Lowell. Embouchure Builder (Alfred) Robinson, A.F. Rubank Elementary Method (Rubank) Arban, J.B. Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet (Carl Fischer) Getchell/Hovey. First Book of Practical Studies (Alfred)
SOLOS for BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE Rubank Book of Trumpet Solos — Easy/Intermediate Concert and Contest Collection, Voxman
ESSENTIAL BOOKS for INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED STUDENTS Arban, J.B. Complete Conservatory Method for Trumpet (Carl Fischer) Clarke, H.L. Technical Studies for the Cornet (Carl Fischer) Irons, Earl. 27 Groups of Exercises (Southern Music Co.) Schlossberg, Max. Daily Drills and Technical Studies (M. Baron)
LITERATURE FOR READERS Campos, Frank Gabriel. Trumpet Technique (Oxford) Coyle, Daniel. The Talent Code (Bantum)
MOUTHPIECES Young beginner: Vincent Bach 10.5C (number=cup diameter, 1 is biggest; letter=cup depth, A is deepest)
Eventually, as the student grows physically and/or becomes stronger, move to a 7C or 5C, based on comfort. If the student is strong with good embouchure technique, move to a 3 diameter or 1.5C. Anything larger (1.25 or 1 diameter) is specialized equipment where a big sound is required, like orchestra. The Bach 3C is a foul-sounding mouthpiece, shallower than the 7C; instead use an equivalent size by another maker, such as Stork.
Other notable mouthpiece makers: Stork Custom, Yamaha, Schilke, Greg Black (makes a mouthpiece for braces), Pickett, Bob Reeves, Warburton, GR, Monette (used by the author, though difficult for players with poor technique/air support).
EMBOUCHURE The embouchure is a mysterious thing for most players. The best explanations of embouchure formation I’ve found are in Frank Campos’s Trumpet Technique and Charlie Porter’s ebook How to Form a Trumpet Embouchure (also exists in a rather lengthy Youtube video).
22 Wynt! Marsalis’s TWELVE WAYS to PRACTICE from music to schoolwork
1. Seek out instruction: Find an experienced teacher who knows what you should be doing. A good teacher will help you understand the purpose of practicing and can teach you ways to make practicing easier and more productive. 2. Write out a schedule: A schedule helps you organize your time. Be sure to allow time to review the fundamentals because they are the foundation of all the complicated things that come later. If you are practicing basketball, for example, be sure to put time in your schedule to practice free throws. 3. Set goals: Like a schedule, goals help you organize your time and chart your progress. Goals also act as a challenge: something to strive for in a specific period of time. If a certain task turns out to be really difficult, relax your goals: practice doesn't have to be painful to achieve results. 4. Concentrate: You can do more in 10 minutes of focused practice than in an hour of sighing and moaning. This means no video games, no television, no radio, just sitting still and working. Start by concentrating for a few minutes at a time and work up to longer periods gradually. Concentrated effort takes practice too, especially for young people. 5. Relax and practice slowly: Take your time; donʼt rush through things. Whenever you set out to learn something new – practicing scales, multiplication tables, verb tenses in Spanish – you need to start slowly and build up speed. 6. Practice hard things longer: Donʼt be afraid of confronting your inadequacies; spend more time practicing what you canʼt do. Adjust your schedule to reflect your strengths and weaknesses. Donʼt spend too much time doing what comes easily. Successful practice means coming face to face with your shortcomings. Donʼt be discouraged; youʼll get it eventually. 7. Practice with expression: Every day you walk around making yourself into “you,” so do everything with the proper attitude. Put all of yourself into participating and try to do your best, no matter how insignificant the task may seem. Express your “style” through how you do what you do. 8. Learn from your mistakes: None of us are perfect, but donʼt be too hard on yourself. If you drop a touchdown pass, or strike out to end the game, itʼs not the end of the world. Pick yourself up, analyze what went wrong and keep going. Most people work in groups or as part of teams. If you focus on your contributions to the overall effort, your personal mistakes wonʼt seem so terrible. 9. Don’t show off: Itʼs hard to resist showing off when you can do something well. In high school, I learned a breathing technique so I could play a continuous trumpet solo for 10 minutes without stopping for a breath. But my father told me, “Son, those who play for applause, thatʼs all they get.” When you get caught up in doing the tricky stuff, youʼre just cheating yourself and your audience. 10. Think for yourself: Your success or failure at anything ultimately depends on your ability to solve problems, so donʼt become a robot. Think about Dick Fosbury, who invented the Fosbury Flop for the high jump. Everyone used to run up to the bar and jump over it forwards. Then Fosbury came along and jumped over the bar backwards, because he could go higher that way. Thinking for yourself helps develop your powers of judgment. Sometimes you may judge wrong and pay the price; but when you judge right you reap the rewards. 11. Be optimistic: How you feel about the world expresses who you are. When you are optimistic, things are either wonderful or becoming wonderful. Optimism helps you get over your mistakes and go on to do better. It also gives you endurance because having a positive attitude makes you feel that something great is always about to happen. 12. Look for connections: No matter what you practice, youʼll find that practicing itself relates to everything else. It takes practice to learn a language, cook good meals or get along well with people. If you develop the discipline it takes to become good at something, that discipline will help you in whatever else you do. Itʼs important to understand that kind of connection. The more you discover the relationships between things that at first seem different, the larger your world becomes. In other words, the woodshed can open up a whole world of possibilities.
23 SIX MONTHS in CHICAGO by Chris Martin
thought I would write about my experience playing with the CSO for the past six months in an effort to share with Jay’s loyal readers a few things I’ve learned. I knew when I moved to Chicago to begin this job that it would be challenging, and nothing could have prepared me for how much I would learn in such a short time...This article is about some of the changes I’ve made in Imy approach to trumpet playing, practice techniques, and overall musicianship. This is my ninth year of playing professionally in an orchestra. When I made the move to principal in the Atlanta Symphony five years ago, it was a quick learning curve: adjusting to the new ensemble, new volume levels, workload of principal playing, etc. The adjustments upon moving to Chicago have been even quicker and the challenges greater. They focus on some of the most fundamental aspects of playing. In the past six months, I have spent a great deal of time on three key areas: sound, stamina, and dynamic contrast.
I have always listened to recordings of great players since the time I was a small boy listening to LPs with my father. The majority of my orchestral records are by the CSO, as I am sure most brass players would say. I have found myself revisiting those records (CDs) almost everyday in the last six months. I have spent many hours listening in an attempt to get into Mr. Herseth’s musicality, phrasing, pacing, and most of all his sound. I am a firm believer in the brain’s incredible ability to retain, learn, and evolve based on healthy input and repetition. In terms that apply to musicians, it is not enough to listen to a great player once, twice or even five times and be able to copy their sound. As with all endeavors, success is the sum of hundreds of positive actions repeated over time. The more I listen to Mr. Herseth’s recordings, the easier it is gradually becoming to assimilate certain aspects of his musicality. Will I ever sound exactly him? Absolutely not. No one will, and that is a certainty. But, no one will ever sound exactly like you or me either. Jay has been an incredible colleague as I have worked on this...My legato, specifically the “pervasiveness” of my air to use Jay’s term, has improved greatly thanks to my increased practice on rotary valves as well. Jay’s assertion that piston valves allow trumpet players to relax the airstream during valve changes is absolutely accurate, and if you don’t own a rotary valve trumpet, Jay’s spare trumpet/trombone slide cream idea from his “Trompete!” article is an excellent substitute for this legato practice.
I have also added sessions to my routine focused solely on building on stamina. As Professor Barbara Butler says, “to be a poet on the trumpet, you must also be an athlete.” Trumpet playing is a physical activity sometimes akin to marathon running as in a big Bruckner Finale movement and sometimes like power lifting as in a short, intense passage from Zarathustra. Stamina is defined as an enduring physical or mental energy and strength that allows someone to do something for a long time. My stamina-builder is very basic. It consists of about three sessions a week, sometimes more depending on the symphony workload. The session lasts between an hour and ninety minutes. I break the session into “cycles”. One cycle is an extended period of playing at high intensity (between 20-30 minutes for me) generating a very high fatigue level followed by a rest period of about 15 minutes. I emphasize the extreme importance of smart practice: listen to your chops! I don’t do these sessions when I feel at all fatigued or injured. When I began this practice, I was able to do about two to three cycles per session. I am now up to four or five. The key is to reach failure through extended passages that allow almost no recovery within the actual music. The recovery comes during the second part of the cycle. I have always found Shostakovich symphonies to be some of the most physically demanding pieces to perform, because of the very long stretches of high intensity effort required with barely enough rests to take breaths. This kind of practice session addresses just this challenge. I do not recommend this kind of high stress practice for young players, but for someone with a very high level of trumpet fitness, it can bring great gains. Again, the key is to reach a level of fatigue such that you maximize muscle failure without any potential for injury. During this practice, I focus constantly on the aerobic feeling of healthy trumpet playing: relaxed, open inspirations deep and low in the chest coupled with the “pervasive” flow of air through the instrument, the kind of playing that my father says gives you a “free and legal buzz.”
24 The CSO brass for decades has been world-renowned for producing more power than anybody around. What is equally impressive to me, the new guy, is how incredibly softly my colleagues play. Jay is a true master of dynamic contrast. Sitting next to him has helped me add a few decibels plus and minus on the top and bottom of my dynamic control I assure you! Jay plays at soft dynamics that would terrify most brass players, and he does so always with a singing, ringing sound. The risks he takes are inspiring to all of his brass colleagues, and he has encouraged me to lower my safety net through diligent effort in my own practice room. I now spend a lot of time on long tones, Rochut etudes, and Concone with the goal of not only increasing my control of extremely soft dynamics, but adding a lyricism and portamento-style connection to dynamic levels I would not even have used in performance six months ago. The goal is always to have the same quality of sound at all dynamic levels. I visualize my sound as a cylinder extending out from my bell and expanding as it travels. This expansive action does not cease at any dynamic. Even at ppp, I imagine my sound still expands to fill every corner of the room.
I really enjoy camping trips with friends, and one of my favorite things to do out there is to play my horn (when I’m sure fellow campers won’t come after me with a shotgun, that is). There is nothing like the feeling of relaxation and freedom this gives me. But, it’s also a great learning environment. Playing really loud outdoors is great fun, but playing very softly with no reverberation is good practice. It clues you in immediately to impurities in your sound, and most of all, it is a wonderful way to visualize this expansion I’m talking about. Try it sometime. Take your horn outside, and play both very loudly and very softly. Visualize your sound rising out of your bell and trying to fill all the space around you. When I get back indoors to my practice space, my airflow is always healthier and my soft playing is inevitably more relaxed.
All of this practice and technical work is toward the obvious goal of having the technique disappear completely from the performance: leaving only a powerful musical statement that will move the listener. Mr. Herseth has always been the embodiment of convincing, powerful storytelling through music regardless of the technique involved. That is the definition of a master, and I look forward to the privilege and responsibility of following in his unparalleled tradition for many years to come. I would like to thank Jay for inviting me to write this, and remember the phrase I have taped to my practice room wall: “never, never, never give up.”
[Feb 9, 2006, Articles, JayFriedman(dot)net. Edited/trimmed very slightly by CK]
25 Q & A with CHRIS MARTIN
[Taken from Jens Lindemann’s Q & A series. Answers by former Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, current Principal Trumpet of the New York Philharmonic.]
Question: Do you do your fundamentals on Bb or C trumpet, and why?
Answer: I incorporate 5 or 6 horns in my regular practice. Each day I play Bb, C, Picc, Rotary C or Bb, and Eb. I often do much of my warm-up on the Bb but am wary of becoming a slave to a certain routine.
It's maybe ironic, but the most important part of my "routine" is variation. I like the "depth" of sound and blow I get with the Bb (the point of focus and balance is deeper in the Bb horn than the C). And I find if I'm too many days on just the C the sound gets a little narrow. Balance and variation around your core fundamentals practice is key.
Question: How did you develop your practicing skills in college to go from good to great?!
Answer: I played a lot in college. I practiced a lot every day (often too much honestly), played in brass quintets, jazz bands, recitals, all the usual things students do.
An important lesson for any trumpeter to learn is pacing: pacing in a large symphony, pacing in a concerto, pacing in a practice session and even over the course of a longer period of time.
My time at Eastman taught me how to balance my desire to perform as much as possible in as many different kinds of musical settings with the necessary practice hours to take care of my fundamental playing.
I'm grateful for that lesson, as I'm conscious each day of that balance. Playing 160 concerts a year with the CSO along with chamber concerts and solo appearances requires planning and organization so that I don't lose good basics of sound, articulation, flexibility, intonation.
Regardless of my schedule, I'm in the practice room every morning for a 45 minute nuts & bolts session (and usually another one at night.)
Question: With as much as you play your instrument, do you have unsuccessful playing days with the trumpet? And if so, how do you go about making it a successful practice session, orchestra rehearsal, performance, recital etc?
Answer: Sure I have bad days. I try to minimize the severity, so that (hopefully) I'm the only one who notices. Usually tough days for me are the result of fatigue: not so much being tired from one hard concert but an accumulation of fatigue over a period of weeks or months.
Once the CSO is in full swing it's like a marathon from September to July. But that long race of a season is peppered with little sprints like a Mahler symphony or a CSO Brass concert or a concerto performance.
Here are some rules I live by during the season. 1) Be ready for the long haul by starting the season or school year already in good trumpet shape. Starting behind is a recipe for fatigue and injury. 2) Stay in good playing shape with regular practice. Especially key are the morning and evening sessions for preparation and recovery.
26 3) Remember to rest when needed. If in doubt take a session off or even a whole day. It's much easier to make up for a lost day than work through a cut on the lip or a muscle strain-no fun!
4) Practice every style every week: big Bruckneresque fortissimo style, articulate technique as in Ravel or Stravinsky, Baroque piccolo, solo concerti or sonatas, pp accuracy. Be ready every week for anything. (Tip: Michael Sachs' orchestral excerpt book is a great way to survey your various orchestral demands.)
Question: What exercises and/or practice routines do you suggest for building up triple and double tonguing (both for speed and smoothness/fluidity)?
Answer: First, speed up your single tongue. The faster, smoother and more effortless your single tongue the more so your multiple tongues. Herbert L. Clarke's One-Minute Single Tongue drill is excellent. Beginning at a tempo that's comfortable but near the edge of comfort single tongue 16th notes for one full minute breathing when necessary but minimizing breaths. I try for a smooth, easy legato at a nice mp-mf with only one breath in the minute. Hold that tempo for a week; then move the metronome up a click or two or four depending on your progress. Over 8 years Clarke worked his single tongue up to 160!
For the secondary "Ka" syllable I often think "Qoo". Say those two back to back a few times. Notice how the "Qoo" is more forward, closer to the teeth and helps the air burst through the lips. Practice whatever syllables you like in normal order, then reverse, then alone, any combo. Practice long lines at an easy tempo then short bars faster than is possible. It takes time to get a fast, clear articulation but always have your ideal sound in your mind as you work.
Question: What is the most beneficial thing you did in your practice sessions?
Answer: Tough question but here are three that come to mind: —Long tones with lots of extreme dynamic contrast —Shuebruk-style attack drills always expanding in range and dynamic control —Playing along with recordings: either music minus one types or commercial recordings. This helps train our ear to match pitch, color and phrasing-essential skills for an ensemble musician.
Question: We all know that 90% of the guys that go to a professional audition will play perfectly or near perfectly. In your opinion what gets you the gig? Especially going to auditions out of college without having played in a professional orchestra before.
Answer: What is perfect? You could play an audition and not split or chip; does that mean it was "perfect"? What about intonation, phrasing, risk vs reward? Did you play it safe so as not to miss? Did you take too many risks and frackfest an excerpt?
My point is this: perfection isn't what it's about. These things are crucial to win an audition: sound, musical sensibility, technical control, ability to judge balance, blend and intonation. Not missing any note ever is neither a prerequisite nor a guarantee of victory.
I don't feel I've ever played a perfect audition, but I'm also my own harshest critic. If I'm tougher on my playing than anyone else in the world then I know I've done everything in my power to be ready on audition day. That knowledge builds confidence which in turn builds a sense of freedom: freedom to trust yourself, take risks, and reach for your best performance. That's how you win.
Question: What is your warm up routine and what do you think about great trumpet player Adolph "Bud" Herseth?
Answer: Here's the rough outline of my morning routine. As I said before, it's flexible depending on what I need, but here's an overview. The times given include assumed rests as needed.
27 5 minutes: breathing bag, lip buzz (Stamp), mouthpiece buzz, lead pipe buzz, long tones, vocalises 20 minutes: vocalises, scales (Schlossberg, Arban, Clarke), lip slurs, multiple tongue...Various horns, dynamics, styles, mutes sometimes. 10 minutes: accuracy drills, attacks (Shuebruk, Thibaud etc), intervals: octaves, 7ths, 9ths, 13ths, double octaves (Bai Lin, Schlossberg, etc) 10 minutes: music. Etudes, solos, symphonies, unaccompanied pieces, etc.
Again, this is a rough outline. I try and balance consistency with variety. I never want to feel I MUST do this routine to play, and I always want to finish feeling strong and ready—never tired.
Question: In your experience, what has been the most important element for preparing an orchestral audition?
Answer: Make a schedule for preparation with the goal that by the audition day you can play the entire list (and preferably twice through) in any order at any time of day. Making a schedule helps identify holes in your preparation and gives you a body of work to look back on, analyze and feel good about.
Question: What was the one thing that influenced your playing the most?
Answer: Listening and matching (or trying to match) the great players of our time.
Question: Chris, how you describing your sound with the CSO brass section? How do you think it should be? Some advices about sound?
Answer: I've been in love with the CSO brass sound since I was too young to play. I always try to meet the tradition of this orchestra and its historic sound as far as I can without losing my voice.
Adolph Herseth made such an impact here because he was such a unique voice, but his sound wasn't born in a vacuum. He was influenced by Glantz in NY, Mager in Boston, his experiences in big bands and surely many other factors as he created his trumpet voice.
You and I are no different. We are each born with a certain sound, but the more we listen and open ourselves to the possibilities of what we might do the further we can expand our own voice.
Question: What are some of our tips for expanding range?
Answer: Get up there every day and try! I'm not a natural high note player, so I play up there often. Keep the high range practice short in duration but high in energy and commitment. Think about "streaming" your sound horizontally through high notes. Practice up there slurred or very legato tongue before adding articulation. Strong attacks help the high range. So, if you can blow into a high D connected without the attack, then when Strauss gives you a nice forte accent in Alpine it's cake! (Well mostly.)
Question: Is there a better way to get familiar with the etudes when limited on time?
Answer: Slow practice rules for learning quickly. 10 minutes of slow practice equals an hour at a tempo faster than you can process; that's my experience. Slow your tempo and your brain down and you'll learn it right the very first time you read it.
Question: You have one of the most fluid sounds ever! What are some suggestions at attaining such fluidity and smoothness in the sound?
28 Answer: Read Jay Friedman's articles on trumpet playing at jayfriedman.net. The man heard a heck of a lot of good trumpet playing over the years.
Question: Do you think aspiring orchestra players in general need to play large diameter mouthpieces?
Answer: Orchestral players should play the largest mouthpiece made. I'd recommend starting with the Bach 1, and if that's too small find a custom shop and open it up bigger.
Not really. Mouthpieces are as individual as our sounds. I play the deepest cup I can and still have brilliance and control-sometimes it's a C, sometimes it's a B. Just depends. I play a smaller rim than I did 10 years ago, and I haven't been fired yet.
Question: What is the most important skill you need as a section trumpet player? Why?
Answer: John Hagstrom has a terrific interview series in The Brass Herald coming out now where he discusses this. The skills are no different from any other good musician: attentive listening, pitch and tone control, flexibility.
A selfless, flexible attitude is really vital. Playing section trumpet is tough. You're not playing 1st, but you're still a solo voice. Having a confident mindset and humble attitude ready to solve problems is ideal. An orchestral section must also fit in with the brass section, winds and strings, and so being able to listen beyond the confines of trumpets and brass will win you friends in an orchestra quickly.
Question: Hey Chris! What do you think is the best (or your favorite) transposition or arrangement for trumpet solo, with or without accompaniment?
Answer: Anything Jens has done!
29 IN THE [RASPY] WORDS OF MILES DAVIS
“Do not fear mistakes. There are none.”
“Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself.”
“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”
“For me, music and life are all about style.”
“I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning…Every day I find something creative to do with my life.”
“A legend is an old man with a cane known for what he used to do. I’m still doing it.”
“The thing to judge in any jazz artist is, does the man project and does he have ideas.”
“Bebop was about change, about evolution. It wasn’t about standing still and becoming safe. If anybody wants to keep creating they have to be about change.”
“It’s always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don’t know where it comes from, it’s just there and I don’t question it.”
“If you’re not making a mistake, it’s a mistake.”
“I never thought jazz was meant to be a museum piece like other dead things once considered artistic.”
“Play what you know, and then play above that.”
“In music, silence is more important than sound.”
“Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherf****r who plays it is 80 percent.”
“Don’t worry about playing a lot of notes. Just find one pretty one.”
“When you’re creating your own s***. Man, even the sky ain’t the limit.”
“In improvisation, there are no mistakes.”
“If you’re not nervous, then you’re not paying attention.”
“Good music is good, no matter what kind of music it is.”
"I always hated categories. Always. Never thought it had any place in music.”
“Knowledge is freedom and ignorance is slavery.”
30 King Second warmupKING SECOND WARMUP W/ Interval slurs
These are exercises that I wrote for myself to make better use of the warmup before a later practice session after hours of rest. This targets trouble areas, such as soft attacks, seemless slurring across breaks, wide/octave slurs, and secure high attacks. Use an expanding interval timer with this: 1 min play, 30 sec rest, 2 min play, 1 min rest, etc. Total time is about 10-15 min. Remember, work methodically on correct, efficient form rather than running through these quickly and mindlessly.
I. PRECISION Play slowly and softly, repeat measures as needed. Always focus on correct form, posture, and breathing.
II. FLEXIBILITY & AGILITY Play at your own pace, repeat measures as needed, add keys if needed. Play with a pitch or chord drone. Any trumpet.
/ 31 CHRIS GEKKER Summer Practice Routine
ummer is a good time to reconnect with our most basic practice. Practicing the basics can be interpreted many different ways – S here is one approach that works well. You will need four books: 1. Herbert L. Clarke: Technical Studies 2. Schlossberg: Daily Drills 3. Arban: Grand Method 4. Sachse: 100 Etudes
1. Start with the Clarke. These can be done effectively many different ways, but this time let’s do them just as Clarke intended: start each study in the lowest possible key, very very soft. The idea is to become adept at an extremely relaxed, economical way of playing. We must have a very secure, efficient sense of air support, and a pliant, flexible aperture supported by a strong, stable embouchure. Though we will sometimes ascend to some of our highest notes, in general our playing should be very “conversational” – a good image to keep is of a very well tuned car engine, that can idle so quietly that the driver is not aware that the car is running. For the most part you will be playing softer than you would normally do in performance, so do not be too concerned with your tone quality – you are “tuning your engine,” connecting with your instrument on an extremely relaxed level.
Do one study a day. This makes a very nice eight-day cycle, where we hit our fundamentals every day within the framework of varying demands. No. 1 – At least eight times in one breath. Whisper soft. Once you are in the middle register, legato tongue a few of them (four times through when tonguing). No. 2 – Each one twice, at first. Stop where Clarke stops, don’t continue into the high register (this is meant to be an “easy” day). After you are very comfortable with these drills, go through each one four times: slurred, single tongue, K tongue, and double tongue – and keep the tempo the same throughout. No. 3 – Each one twice. Work in some tonguing after you learn the patterns. Keep striving to be able to play these softly. No. 4 – Play using the same approach as No. 3. No. 5 – On this one we can open up dynamically as we ascend to the highest notes. Keep as much of it as “conversational” as possible. For now, skip the scale exercises 99-116. No. 6 – Play these just as written, so the tongued arpeggios at the end are in contrast to the slurred material. No. 7 – Again, work in some tonguing as you get comfortable technically. Stay as soft as possible. For now, skip the arpeggio exercises 151-169. No. 8 – Play using the same approach as No. 7.
On your first few cycles, omit the etudes at the end of each study. After the studies are fairly well learned, start to learn them. I usually tongue the etude after going through the studies where I use a mixture of slurring and legato tonguing. Clarke recommends a fair amount of multiple tonguing practice – I prefer to stick to legato single tonguing, except for the drill on the Second Study.
2. After the Clarke, take a rest. Next come the Schlossberg Daily Drills. I like to set up a shorter cycle for these – here is a good three-day routine. With Schlossberg, we’ll use our metronomes and will try to keep in mind James Stamp’s advice, to “think down when going up, and up when going down.” Really listen to your sound on
32 these, but remember what Arnold Jacobs has taught: do not be obsessed with how you sound; rather, play to an ideal tonal concept that hopefully you are continually cultivating internally.
Day 1 No. 9 Quarter = 40 Rest at the end of each line. Play mezzo forte throughout No. 17 Half = 60 Full sound, very well projected. Marcato, but no short notes No. 25 Quarter = 120 Fast and light, very soft, single tongue throughout No. 32 Quarter = 120 Tongue the downbeat of each measure. Dolce, but full sound No. 72 Quarter = 80 mp to mf, single tongue throughout, nice and crisp No. 116 Quarter = 96 Done as one, crisp and clear No. 117 Quarter = 96 Crisp and clear.
Day 2 No. 10 Quarter = 40 Follow Schlossberg’s dynamics. Rest a bit at the double bars. No. 18 Quarter = 80 Legato tongue every note, very soft. No. 30 Quarter = 60 Very full, well projected, as exciting as possible. No. 63 Eighth = 120 Mf, alternate between slurred and legato tongue No. 76 Quarter = 60 Very strong, marcato. No. 93 Quarter = 80 Rest between each one, very full and strong. No. 118 Quarter = 96 Crisp and clear.
Day 3 No. 13 Quarter = 40 Think “up” as you go “down” – do not telegraph your slurs. No. 20 Half = 60 Legato tongue, singing sound. No. 64 Quarter = 60 mf, alternate between slurred and legato tongue No. 78 Eighth = 96 Very strong, marcato. No. 82 Quarter = 80 Rest between each one, very full and strong No. 99 Quarter = 80 Crisp and well projected. No. 100 Quarter = 80 Same as No. 99. No. 119 Quarter = 96 Same dynamic throughout, somewhere between p and mf, all in one breath.
3. Now it’s time for etudes. After you’ve rested a while, turn to the “14 Characteristic Etudes” in the Arban Grand Method. Aim for one a day – it takes two weeks to get through them. For the first two cycles through I like to use a practice routine adapted from Claude Gordon. It will take 20-30 minutes to go through each etude, but they will mostly be learned in one day. Don’t use the metronome a lot on these, just occasionally after they’ve been learned, to experience at least some of each etude at Arban’s tempos. The language of this music requires a kind of flexibility that rules out using a metronome throughout.
Here is the version of Claude Gordon’s method. We’ll start with No. 1. Play the last four measures four times. Move four measures further toward the beginning, and do those four times. Then play the last eight measures to the end. Go to twelve measures before the end, and do those four measures four times, followed by the last twelve measures to the end. Keep working to the beginning of the etude, doing four reps of each four bar segment, followed by a run to the end of the etude from the section you did your reps with. Take enough rest throughout so that you stay relatively fresh. As your run-throughs get longer and longer, insert some short rests if you feel yourself getting tight. This routine will toughen your mind, and once you get the hang of it you will never again need a week to learn an etude.
Note that the Clarke Studies cycle every eight days, the Schlossberg every three days, and Arban every 14 days. So while you are relearning and reaffirming your fundamentals every day, each day is also different.
33 If you are involved with a heavy performing schedule, do not try to practice hard. You can only improve your playing when you have time to recover properly. I believe that the Clarke studies are very beneficial even when doing a high volume of rehearsals and concerts, but you may want to save the Schlossberg and Arban for lighter days. Only experience will teach you, and we are all different in some ways from each other. But this principle is true for all of us: improving and getting stronger requires that we all work very hard, and rest adequately. One without the other does not work.
______
Assuming that you can practice fairly consistently, after one month you will have gone through the Clarke studies 3 or 4 times, the Schlossberg drills 9 or 10 times, and the Arban etudes twice or so. At this point I like to make a few changes.
Keep your Clarke routine the same. It may be hard to imagine, but many prominent trumpeters have made a point of doing the Clarke studies for years. Keep in mind the old adage “form follows function” – if, on a daily basis, you establish a very efficient, relaxed approach to playing the trumpet, you will eventually become a trumpeter that can, on a daily basis, play the trumpet in a relaxed, smooth, and expressive manner.
We’ll now change our routine a bit. After Clarke, alternate days of Arban and Sachse 100 Etudes. On your Arban day, keep working on the ”14 Characteristic Etudes”, one a day. Try this: do the last third or so a couple of times, the middle third twice, and the same with the first third. Rest at least five minutes, and try to play all the way through. With Sachse, start with No. 1, and do it in every transposition you can, including ones that might not be indicated. After this month of practice, you should be through about 15 of them. I recommend setting a goal of eventually doing all 100, in every key possible, which will take about two years. (As a student, I needed more than three, because I found it very hard to keep working on these when I was sounding so bad. After I was about halfway through the etudes, I started seeing real results, and was much more motivated to continue.) Transposition needs to eventually be as automatic as possible and the trumpeter that relies on formulas will be easily rattled under pressure. Formulas are necessary to help us learn how to transpose, but if you are serious you will want to progress to the point where you do not have to rely on them. The only way to make transposition nearly automatic is through learning a large volume of material over a fairly long time, which the Sachse book is made for. Many other benefits will be evident, if you persist on these etudes in every key possible. Mix up your approach – one day, start at the lowest key and work up by half steps. Another day, do the reverse. You can also start in the middle, and progress in half steps, alternating going up and going down, so you radiate outward from the middle.
After your etude work, rest awhile. At this point we’ll alternate our Schlossberg work with a book like Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities. You should by now have a good command of the Schlossberg exercises, and can start to perform them with more intensity (wider dynamic contrasts, more variety in styles of articulation). When these exercises are played really well, they can sound like very dramatic orchestral excerpts. On alternate days, do this routine from the Charles Colin book – No. 3, No. 9, No. 21, and pages 35 & 36. If your high D is coming out with ease, move on to the next level, but stick to about five exercises. Remember that these are primarily tongue level exercises, and must be performed with a dynamic, powerful air stream in order to realize the benefits. Rest at least as long as you play.
The reason we have switched the order is to make our practice routine a bit more in line with what sport medicine research has taught us about how to improve and get stronger. Begin by connecting with your body on a relaxed easy level, then move on to skill practice, and end by working on our power and strength.
34 Here are a few other ideas for summer practice. 1) Pick one or two of our most challenging excerpts, and really work toward mastering them. Two that most trumpeters will have to contend with many times are the Ballerina’s Dance from Petroushka and the Ravel Piano Concerto. Since they present some of the same problems, this approach will work well for both. Do 20 reps of either excerpt at a session, like this – 5 times at Quarter = 96. 5 times at Quarter = 108. 5 times at Quarter = 126 (this will not really be possible for most players, but hang in there and do your best). And then 5 times at Quarter = 108-116 (this is a common performance tempo and will feel relatively easy after what you have just gone through!). If you devote a month or two to each excerpt this way, you develop the skill and reflexive memory that will allow you to quickly reclaim these solos whenever you have to play them in the future.
2) Find a recording of an improvised solo that you really like, and memorize it – not just temporarily, but so you can play it for anybody, anytime. If your approach is based on bebop, try learning a couple of Louis Armstrong’s solos, like West End Blues or Weather Bird. Or go the other direction, something more modern, like Woody Shaw, Booker Little, or Lester Bowie. Try something from another instrument, some Lester Young, or maybe Sonny Rollins. But find something you can really learn and play – many of the great innovators, such as Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, could play many solos by their favorite players, such as Lester Young or Roy Eldridge, by memory.
Memorization is not a special virtue in itself, but being able to play music by memory, whether a transcription of a great improvisation or a favorite etude, allows us to practice in a very productive way. When we can play without constantly looking at a page of written music, we often hear ourselves better and can really connect with our playing, both consciously and subconsciously. The method described earlier of learning the Arban etudes (working from the back to the front) is a very effective way to memorize music. When you get in the habit of doing some of your practice in this way, you will find that you will temporarily memorize whatever music you are working on.
3) If you are planning a recital in the coming year, begin working on deciding the repertoire and get some real time in on playing through it, making a special point to isolate and master the hardest parts.
Finally, if you are lucky enough to find yourself around some really fine musicians, play for them – especially if they are not trumpeters. Ask them to criticize you as hard as they can. Write down what they say, so you can think about it. What they say might not make a lot of sense at first, but you may find yourself eventually learning things that will surprise you.
[Chris Gekker, Summer 2002]
35 More GEKKER Routines
Rest at least 5 minutes between sections [of each routine]. Sections can also be done at different times throughout the day.
1. Clarke Technical Studies First Study: 1-7, 8x, slurred; 8-12, 4x, single tongue; 13-19, 4x, “K” tongue; 20-25, 8x, slurred. Continue pattern as high as possible, 2x each. 2. Schlossberg Daily Drills #25. Very slow. Hold last note until all air is gone, then squeeze the last bit out. Continue pattern to pedal C, at least. 3. Colin Lip Flexibilities #3, 9, 14, 21 4. Goldman Practical Studies #1 through 4, single tongue. Then #4 “K” tongue. 5. Clarke Characteristic Studies, #3. Sotto voce (soft practice). Each phrase several times, resting between each. Rest a few minutes, then straight through.
1. Clarke Technical Studies Sixth Study: 124, 125 single tongue; 126, 127 “K” tongue. 2. Gordon Systematic Approach, Lesson 8, Part 1. Long last note, squeezing air out. 3. Walter Smith Lip Flexibility #1, 2, 9, 10. 4. One minute on G, single tongue sixteenth notes, Q=132. Breathe when necessary. One minute “K” tongue, Q=104. Arban Complete Method p.176, 177, single tongue. 5. Piccolo (Bb): soft scales and arpeggios to high E, F, F#, G. 10 minutes, resting often.
1. Clarke Technical Studies Seventh Study. Single tongue chromatic triplets, slur arpeggios. 2. Schlossberg Daily Drills #82, very slow, long last note, continue into pedal register. 3. Gordon Tongue Level Exercises, Part III, #3, 8, 10. 4. Oliver Nelson Patterns for Improvisation, #49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56: single tongue, Q=120. 5. Charlier 36 Etudes, #25. Each section 3x, working from back. Then straight through. 6. Sachse 100 Etudes, on C trumpet. #72 in D, Eb, E. 7. Dynamic contrast practice, using excerpts. Use both Bb and C trumpets for all excerpts, when possible. (A) Soft — warm up with Schlossberg #18, sotto voce, legato tongue, very slow. Then soft passages from La Mer, Fetes, Shostakovich Symphony No. 1, and Piano Concerto No. 1 (2nd mvt). (B) Loud — warm up with Schlossberg #30, building volume throughout. Then loud passages from Ein Heldenleben, Lohengrin, and Mahler Symphony No. 5.
36 Growing through the Internet
BLOGS STORES BOOKS Phil Collins Osmun (instruments/accessories) Trumpet Technique, Frank Campos Wynton Marsalis Musician’s Friend / Woodwind & Living with Music, Ralph Ellison Chris Coletti Brasswind Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life, James Ackley Quinn the Eskimo (eBay seller) Wynton Marsalis Ryan Beach Sweetwater (live/recording gear) Ascension: John Coltrane and His Jay Friedman qPress (digital sheet music) Quest, Eric Nisenson Nicholas Pallesen Hickeys (sheet music) Miles: The Autobiography, Miles Davis Bulletproof Musician Sheet Music Plus (sheet/digital music) The Rest is Noise, Alex Ross Chronicles Volume 1, Bob Dylan INTERVIEWS APPS The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle Monster Oil Brass Chats foreScore The Art of Learning, Josh Waitzkin Dan Gosling (Chopsaver) Tempo Zen in the Art of Archery, E. Herrigel Sarah Willis, “Horn Hangouts” Seconds Pro The Inside-Out Revolution, M. Neill Bone2Pick - HipBone Music Tonal Energy Tuner A Confederacy of Dunces, John iReal Pro Kennedy Toole (because you’ll need a SITES MuseScore (Mac/PC) sense of humor) World Atlas of Coffee, James Hoffman International Trumpet Guild (because coffee) Trumpet Herald APPS for STREAMING My Bread, Jim Lahey (because you’ll Trumpet Boards Berlin Phil — Digital Concert Hall need to bake your own bread) Brass Excerpts IDAGIO Learn Jazz Standards Primephonic IMSLP Met Opera on Demand Musical Chairs The usuals: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube SOCIAL MEDIA Tom Hooten TOOLS to ORDER Wynton Marsalis Practice mute (Yamaha Silent Brass, Charlie Porter Sshhmute, Best Brass) Jens Lindeman 6 liter breathing bag Christoper Smith Astra Air Trainer Rex Richardson Warburton P.E.T.E Valvino, Buzzmute Chopsaver, Robinson’s Remedies
37 +1 ENDURANCE EQUATION by Christopher Smith
So, since everyone wants to know how to gain more endurance — hereʼs your easy equation for more endurance (not stamina). +1. Iʼve followed this equation every year for the past 11yrs and for several months at a time. It is simple. It is easy. It is effective.
TO BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF THE PLAYING DAY.
The easiest way to follow this equation is to begin on the first day of the month. We begin on “Tuning A” and work chromatically outward. One minute on each note — breathing quickly as needed PLAYING AS SOFTLY AS POSSIBLE. Add one minute each day.
July 1 = 1 minute A July 2 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb July 3 = 1 Min A, 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab July 4 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B July 5 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G July 6 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C July 7 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# July 8 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# July 9 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F July 10 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D July 11 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E July 12 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb July 13 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb July 14 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E July 15 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D July 16 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F July 17 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# July 18 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# July 19 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C
38 July 20 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G July 21 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B July 22 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# July 23 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb July 24 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A July 25 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A July 26 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb July 27 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb + 1 Min low Ab July 28 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb + 1 Min low Ab + 1 Min ^B July 29 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb + 1 Min low Ab + 1 Min ^B + 1 Min low G July 30 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb + 1 Min low Ab + 1 Min ^B + 1 Min low G + 1 Min ^C July 31 = 1 Min A + 1 Min Bb + 1 Min Ab + 1 Min B + 1 Min G + 1 Min C + 1 Min F# + 1 Min C# + 1 Min F + 1 Min D + 1 Min E + 1 Min ^Eb + 1 Min Eb + 1 Min ^E + 1 Min D + 1 Min ^F + 1 Min C# + 1 Min ^F# + 1 Min low C + 1 Min ^G + 1 Min low B + 1 Min ^G# + 1 Min low Bb + 1 Min ^A + 1 Min low A + 1 Min ^Bb + 1 Min low Ab + 1 Min ^B + 1 Min low G + 1 Min ^C + 1 Min low F#
On the 31st you will have played for 31 mins nonstop (breathe as necessary and play as softly as possible) and ending with 1 Min of a high C and 1 Min of a low F#.
Simple equation. Easy. You wanted access to endurance. Here is your trackable and actionable plan.
Please keep in mind - THIS IS A PHYSICAL ENDEAVOR not a musical endeavor.
39 “Itʼs boring” ... Yes. I understand. So what? You said you wanted access to endurance. Running a marathon is boring, but there is only one way to train and that is to put in the ever increasing miles. Put a practice mute in, turn on the TV, start the timer and play as softly as possible.
“Itʼs not musical” ... Yes. I understand. We can and should be able to separate form and function from artistry.
“Will I hurt myself”? ... Iʼll ask you back - “Do you think youʼll hurt yourself by playing as softly as possible in increasing 1 minute increments”? My guess would be NO... but I donʼt know. BUT I would also guess that if youʼre on the verge of injury - itʼs not from playing as softly as possible.
“I lose flexibility when I play long tones” ... Donʼt ever write that on a public forum or say those words out loud ever again. (1) By definition, flexibility was defined as “range of motion” and we just demonstrated that at the end of 31 days you will have played a high C followed by a low F#. You indeed demonstrated flexibility. (2) Youʼre confusing flexibility with agility and you should use the correct term. (3) Someone told you this long ago and you believed them and now youʼre hiding behind this as a way to avoid playing long tones. Donʼt do this. (4) Youʼve just played 31 minutes of long tones at the end of your playing day - put the trumpet away. Youʼll feel great tomorrow when you start again. Donʼt test things after youʼve fatigued yourself. Thatʼs like running a marathon and then testing your 100m dash time ... then complaining that your 100m time is slower than when youʼre fresh. Donʼt do these things - and then complain about them - it looks ridiculous.
NONETHELESS - Do you have the mental fortitude to stick with this program for a month? What about continuing on with 31 mInutes of long tones everyday for the month of August? What about continuing on playing 31 Mins of long tones for 6 months until the end of Dec?
40 MOUTHPIECE COMPARISON CHART
BACH 1 1C 1.25C 1.5C 3C 5C 7C 10.5C
CURRY 1H 1 1.25, 1.5 3 5 10.5
GR 67.4 67L 3M 65 64 62
GREG BLACK 1 1.25 1.5 3 5 7 10
HAMMOND 1 2 3 4 6
LASKEY 80 75 70 68, 65 60 50
MONETTE B1-5 B2 B4S B6 B7F B8
PARKE 670 660 650 640 630
PICKETT 0 1C 1.25C 1.5C 3C 5C 7C 9C 10C
REEVES 43 42 41
SCHILKE 20 18 17 16 14 13A4a 11 9 8A4 6A4a
STORK 1.5 1 2 3 4 5 7
TOSHI 1 1.25 1.5 3 5 7
YAMAHA 18C4 17C4 17B4 16C4 14B4 14C4 11C4 9C4 8C4
WARBURTON 2 3 4 5 7
WEDGE 69D 68MDV 68MDV 67MDV 665MV 66DMV 66MDV 65MDV
This chart is compiled from each manufacturer’s own comparisons with popular Vincent Bach sizes. We are mostly concerned here with matching similar cup diameters, though I’ve included a few cup sizes (the letters). There will inevitably be discrepancies with other charts and measurements. These discrepancies can be a result of where the measurement of the inner diameter is taken — at the innermost “bite” or at the rim high point (what we perceive the diameter to be).
41 ANATOMY of the EMBOUCHURE
42 Color the King
43 Fine.
Still trying to read this? Go practice.
44 AND N W F R A GRATUIT US ADVERTISEMENT! BL E METROPOLIS B CRAIG KING
et this very r re first pressi while you still c
AR UAB Y, NE HE M IMP R AN RK HE EN URY.
KRAI CIN , CRITIC
F LL CRAI KIN MU IC F R NE AB UT THE UPC MIN ALBUM HE N AY AR UND
45 Don 't Miss These Other Great Titles by Craig King
Gourmet Cooking While Driving
Coffee: A Memoir of love and Loss
The Definitive History of Stiff Jazz
If The Dough Don ' t Rise, You must Improvise: A Baker ' s Battle With Insomnia
Do These Shoes Make Me Look Fat ?
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