Art - Music - Trumpet (Year 4)

1. Overview
2. Equipment
3. Progress
4. Music
5. References

1. Overview

This page records year 4 of learning the trumpet. See Trumpet (years 1-3) for initial recovery-and-learning.

2. Equipment

Music stand, metronome, tuner. See Music
Bb Trumpet. Yamaha YTR8335RGS (Xeno, reverse-slide, gold bell, silver). Using MP's
- Bach 3C. For everyday use,
- Bach 1 1/2C. Occasionally for richer tone.
- Yamaha Bobby Shew - Jazz. For a while I used it for high pieces (e.g., Baroque). But by April, I was more comfortable using 3C even for Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in Eb. Also using 3C for Jazz, Dixeyland and Latin.
- Shilke 14a4a. By mutually agreement with family members, we don't use this one. Too harsh and shrill.
Piccolo Trumpet... In negotiation with spouse.
Books. See References

3. Progress

3.1. January 2011 (37 months)

Each day has a warmup session and then as many practice sessions as fit. Each session is about 30 min followed by 90 min rest. Thus a session every 2 hrs. Typically getting a warmup session and 1-3 practice sessions per day.

Each practice session starts with Bobby-Shew-style mini-warmup. 5 flutters, 5 lip buzzes, MP buzzes up-and-down, and then a full-range scale (G, ... C'''). Based on that, decide how hard the session should be (e.g., can we hit high notes?). Might decide to do technique, studies, or "easy playing". Of course the first session after warmup gets the freshest lip, so I generally rotate the batting order.

I found many recommendations for "practicing a piece correctly" along these lines: Start slow (note and rhythm correct), do that a couple of times to get fingering-without-thinking. Then speed up a bit (e.g., 4 BPM) and try again. If necessary, break down to individual measures. If you are losing contact with reality on that phrase, go on to something else. If it is a high pitch, try 3 times and quit. (It is important to know when to walk away. Trumpet players can destroy their lips trying "just one more time".)

Does this guarantee success? Maybe not, but I've made more progress in the 2 months I've been using this approach than in the previous year.

Warmup:

(From Bobby Shew): Flutter lips 5 times. Then lip buzzes up and down 5 times. Then MP buzzes up and down until g...g'''...g is without a break.
(from C. Caruso, A. Vizzutti and K. Saul): Low-and-slow. Currently mixing Vizzutti and Ken Saul's Long Tones 1,2,3.
I've moved from Vizzutti's technical studies to Clarke's, at least until I can handle Clarke's. For each "Study" work through exercises for fingering, then work on speed. Tickmark when speed target is met (doing legato, single, and double). When all are tickmarked, work on Etude. Get in the ballpark on speed and then go on to next Study. Keep coming back to the Etude until speed target is met (will that ever happen?)
A. Sandoval, Vol 3 Advanced: Using "Pedal Tones" lines A-F as a cool-down. There has been some progress, but C 4 lines down is hit-or-miss.

Technique The grand adventure: Do all of Arban by December. That includes technical studies (all those exercises), and stuff at the back (Characteristic Studies and Celebrated Fantasies).

People have said (and I believe) that the Studies and Fantasies are quite do-able once you have conquered the Technique exercises. Unfortunately, I sometimes get stuck on a exercise, and have to do Clarke and Vizzutti until I can handle Arban. And of course there may be things in Arban I can never do. Never know until you try.

Since I've already done the easy exercises, I'm grinding on several sections:

Chromatic Scales (completed in Jan)
Chromatic Triplets (completed in Jan)
Slurs
Prep for Turns
Intervals
Triplets (completed in Jan)
Triple Tongue
Double Tongue

Some exercises take days to solve. Some I may never solve, but the metronome shows some progress.

Studies Have alloted 2 weeks for a Characteristic Study and a Celebrated Fantasy. Thus in Jan:

Jan 1: Characteristics Study 1 and Fantasy 1 (Beatrice).
Jan 15: Characteristics Study 2 and Fantasy 2 (Acteon).

Of course, I can't actually play the pieces correctly by the end of 2 weeks, but there is a major improvement, following this pattern:

First day, play through at a do-able pace, with some mistakes. Idea is to get the sense of the rhythm and melody.
Mark the phrases (usually at breath marks or rests).
Pick one phrase and work it over and over.
Come back to it day after day. When it "works", tickmark the phrase and go on. Don't worry about full speed just yet.
After about a week, all the phrases in the piece will be ticked marked and it is time to try a section (e.g., a variation). I find if I do a section once, I am struggling to remember the phrasing and fingering. But if I immediately repeat it, the rough edges smooth out.
When sections make sense and begin to sound musical, try the whole piece. If a phrase fails, immediately repeat it once. But if that doesn't work, just keep moving with the whole piece.
As a result, I tend to end up playing the piece twice... and that is a whole practice session.
Toward the end of the 2 weeks, the pieces tend to sound like music. Fewer mistakes, smoother, faster. Good enough to believe we can come back to it later and polish it.

Music

See "Music" below for details.

If the mini-warmup MP buzz indicates we are in trouble, then settle back to a few minutes of easy show tunes,jazz pieces, etc. Not that these don't deserve a fresh lip, but they *can* be played when a bit tired, while Arban is just impossible.

3.2. February 2011 (38 months)

Warmup: Completed Clarke Study 3, now working on 4.

Technique

Slurs
Prep for Turns (completed in Feb)
Turns
Intervals (haven't touched them, need fresh lips)
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes)
Triple Tongue (stuck on 29 -- can't go fast enough)
Double Tongue

Studies

Feb 1: Characteristics Study 3 and Fantasy 3 (Fantaisie Brilliante).
Feb 15: Characteristics Study 4 and Fantasy 4 (Tyrolean Song).

Music Same

3.3. March 2011 (39 months)

Warmup: Working on Clarke study 5.

Technique

Slurs (still trying 20, skipped to 31, now on 64)
Turns
Intervals (haven't touched them, need fresh lips)
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes) (working on 31).
Triple Tongue (still trying 29; skipped to 47, now working on 54)
Double Tongue (working on 102, 103, 104, 105)
Slur Double Tongue (now working on 117)

Studies

Mar 1: Characteristics Study 5 and Fantasy 5 (Beautiful Snow).
Mar 15: Characteristics Study 6 and Fantasy 6 (Cavatina and Variations).

Music Same

3.4. April 2011 (40 months)

Warmup: Start with Ken Saul's Long Tones. Then work from Clarke's Technical Studies. I've marked each exercise by the day (M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su), so that on a given day I do a few from each Study. Also doing the Etudes for III, IV, V.

Arban Technique

Slurs (still trying 20, skipped to 31, now on 64)
Turns
Intervals completed, now on Broken Octaves and Tenths.
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes) (working on 35).
Triple Tongue (still trying 29; skipped to 47, now working on 56)
Double Tongue (working on 102, 103, 104, 112)
Slur Double Tongue (now working on 117)

Studies

Apr 1: Characteristics Study 7 and Fantasy 7 (Air Varie - swiss boy).
Apr 15: Characteristics Study 8 and Fantasy 8 (Caprice and variations).

Music Same

3.5. May 2011 (41 months)

Etude V is supposed to be pp, 1 breath, 176 bpm. The pp helps breathing, but even so I need 3 breaths. The idea is to be so finger-ready that it comes out in a blur. I still have to think in places, so I'm at about 132 bpm.

Arban Technique

Slurs (still trying 20, skipped to 31, now on 67)
Turns -- haven't looked recently
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes) (working on 36).
Triple Tongue (on hold: 26-26,37-41, 42-46 due to speed or lack thereof) Still need 66,69,72,73,75
Double Tongue. Still need 107,108,109,110,111
Slur Double Tongue -- haven't looked recently

Studies

May 1: Characteristics Study 9 and Fantasy 9 (German Theme).
May 15: Characteristics Study 10 and Fantasy 10 (favorite theme). I've not getting to full speed on CS's. E.g., CS 10 says 124 bpm, but I just got to 100. I'm happy if I can just get it to roll along as a unified whole and sound vaguely musical.

Music Same

3.6. June 2011 (42 months)

Arban Technique

Slurs (skipped to 31, now on 67)
Turns -- haven't looked recently
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes) (working on 36).
Triple Tongue (on hold: 26-26,37-41,42-46 due to speed or lack thereof) Still need 66,69,72,73,75.
Double Tongue. Still need 107,108,109,110,111.
Slur Double Tongue -- haven't looked at exercises recently, but doing it a lot in Characteristic Studies.

Studies

June 1: Characteristics Study 11 and Fantasy 11 (Carnival of Venice).
This is a red letter day. I think I've earned the right to *try* C of V, but don't have to chops to actually nail it. So far, the obvious problems are:
1. Grace notes in intro and Var 1
2. Speed of tongued 32nd notes.
So back to exercises.
June 15: Characteristics Study 12 and Fantasy 12 (Norma).

Music Same

3.7. July 2011 (43 months)

Arban Technique Skipped.

Studies Having completed the Fantasies, I focused on the Characteristic studies

July 1: 13.
July 15: 14

Music Same

3.8. August 2011 (44 months)

Arban Technique Skipped it.

Studies Restarted Fantasies, at 3 days per each. Sections are becoming musical.

Music Using Broadway Shows and Jazz as low pressure and fun.

3.9. September 2011 (45 months)

The exercises are getting more fluid, and the etudes are getting faster. But I am not near playing etudes 3, 4, 5 "in one breath". I can get 2/3 through and run out of air. Clearly I need to be more efficient -- able to play clear notes at pp levels with minimal air flow. How do I learn that?

Arban Technique Skipped it.

Studies

Having completed Fantasies (round 2), I restarted the Characteristic Studies, 3 days each. I was quite worried because the first round (2 weeks each) was so grim. But this time some sections flow musically, and my fingers remember passages. Main limiting factor is worn out chops.

I also started another round of Fantasies, but only after Characteristic Studies. That is, Characteristic Studies get fresh chops. Sometimes do both in same practice session.

Also trying the following pattern on the 3rd day: Do the item being finished, then do a rough cut at the next item. That gets my mind on it even if the chops are shot.

Music Sometimes skip Fantasies for a day and do one of:

Haydn "Trumpet Concerto in Eb"
Bellstedt "Napoli"
Bach (various movements from Brandenburg Concertos) I don't know if these arrangements are as high as they officially should be , but they are high enough long enough to be a workout.

3.10. October 2011 (46 months)

Still working on the "one breath" factor. No noticeable progress in 3 months. However, overall, the Clarke Studies are getting smoother and cleaner, so maybe there is hope.

Arban Technique Now to a point where I need the skills.

Slurs (skipped to 31, now on 67)
Turns, gracenotes et al --- I need these for the Fantasies.
Rhythmic Figure (4 16th notes) (working on 36).
Triple Tongue (on hold: 26-26,37-41,42-46 due to speed or lack thereof) Still need 66,69,72,73,75.
Double Tongue. Still need 108,109,110,111.

Studies Still doing Characteristic Studies, 3 days each.

Music Same

3.11. November 2011 (47 months)

Still working on the "one breath" factor. No noticeable progress in 3 months. However, overall, the Clarke Studies are getting smoother and cleaner, so maybe there is hope.

Arban Technique

In a manic dash to the finish, I completed the book. Almost all the exercises (< 20 left), all the solos, all the duets, all the Characteristic Studies, and all the Fantasies. There are still a few exercises where I can't get the necessary speed -- they remain as un-tickmarked reminders of work left to do.

I found the solos and duets troubling because I didn't recognize the tunes, even when I was pretty sure I was playing them correctly per the metronome. I'm sure Verdi, Rossini and the gang were quite the swinging Tin Pan Alley of the day, but I wasn't hearing it.

For each of these (as well as the exercises), the trick was to find a way be accurate and slowly build up speed without using up the embrochure in the process. This worked for me:

Read through silently (or quietly humming/whistling/singing), to get a feel for the piece.
Go back through and do the fingering on the trumpet (but no mp to lips) Again, hum. Repeat until the fingering starts to work.
Play once through rather slowly. This is so I can mentally hear the notes better than just humming. Slow down even further if fingers get stuck.
Repeat the slilent approach until the fingering works, even if that is a slow tempo.
Alternate playing and silent until speed begins to pick up. Work on specific troubled measures.
Finish by playing 2-4 times through (increasing tempo by 4 bpm each time), as needed to reach proper tempo. If it doesn't work, give up for the day -- lips are shot anyway.
Try again over several days. Those exercises where I still can't hit the tempo, I have left un-ticked-marked as future projects.

Studies

Finished this second round of Characteristic Studies. Still haven't mastered them, but I've played each phrase at tempo at least once. Getting all the phrases to go together in one session, that's another story.

Music Same

3.12. December 2011 (48 months)

End of 4 yrs. To celebrate finishing Arban, I bought a C trumpet (Xeno YTR 84458, silver). Started by using same 3C mp in use on Bb.

Very first pieces were from Patsy Cline songbook, in C. Nice and clean and rich sounding.

Then Christmas carol fake book, in C. C trumpet gave brighter, bell-like tone compared to Bb playing the same pieces from Bb fake book. Just right for carols.

Warmup: Start with Ken Saul's Long Tones. Then work from Clarke's Technical Studies. As of December, dropped etudes for 1-5. Now doing dailies for 1,2,3,5,6 and etude for 6. [Dailies: Mark each exercise by the day (M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su). Thus on a given day, do a few from each Study.] NOTE: I dropped the whole Study 4 in October.

I tried dropping studies 1-3 altogether, but found I needed them for warmup.

Arban Technique Started working through Arban's Fantasies with C trumpet, playing without transposition (as if they were written for C trumpet instead of Bb trumpet). Uh, oh, trouble. Everything was a tone higher, every note was harder to play in tune. Sometimes the notes didn't come out at all. Kept pounding on it, 2 days per Fantasy (and may 2-4 reps per day).

After 3 weeks I was getting serious over-use problems. Throwing in a couple days of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto (on Bb) and Bellstedt's Napoli (on Bb) didn't help. Had to back off a couple of days and regroup. Also did some reading on-line about learning C trumpet. Apparently these are common experiences:

Tend to mentally pre-hear the Bb trumpet's sound for that fingering and thus use embrouchure to push the sound flat.
As a result, note being played is not resonating with actual C trumpet confiuguration. Tend to shorten tuning slide to compensate, but right anwser is to pre-hear the right note and "play higher in the slot".
Try alternative mouthpieces.
It takes a month, maybe 6 months, to get comfortable with C trumpet on its own terms.

So trying to do it right: Using the Yamaha 16C4-GP that came with the horn (Bach 1 1/2C equiv -- seems like the wrong direction but give it a try). Playing "higher in the slot" to solve flat. Directing the airstream at the mp center to solve inefficiency. And be more patient.

4. Music

4.1. Playing in different genres

I'm aiming for good clean tone, proper rhythm, appropriate-to-the-genre phrasing -- so that it sounds effortless (and more or less is effortless). Currently working on:

4.1.1. Cornetist's Joy (Carl Fischer Inc):

Sordillo: The Frances Polka
Smith: The Cavalier
Hartman: The Favorite
Tong: The Tower of Jewels
Davis: Aurora
Brooks: The Message

Also exploring some of the others.

4.1.2. Herb Alpert and the Tijuauna Brass

About 33 pieces

4.1.3. The Definitive Jazz Collection

About 30 pieces

These are intended to just give the basic melody and chords. The performer is expected to improvise around that. I'm just doing them per the book so far.

4.1.4. Al Hirt On Bourbon Street

At the Jazz Band Ball
Clarinet Marmalade
Stompin' at the Savoy
Wabash Blues

4.1.5. Solos for Trumpet 23 Pieces

Carl Fischer Inc, 2003

Grade 3:
- pg 6 Andersen "A Glad Tune"
- pg 25 "The Rainbow"
Grade 3-4
- pg 28 Hartley "Gaiety Polka"
- pg 46 Vandercook "Dewdrops"
Grade 4
- pg 36 Bizet "Habanera"
Grade 5
- pg 8 Arban "Carnival of Venice" (See Arban method book)

4.1.6. Vizzutti's 20 Dances

De Haske 1999. ISBN 978-90-431-0552-1.

Comes with CD of Vizzutti playing them. These are not great music in themselves. They are exercises in different genres, to get your mind/tongue/lips/fingers in the groove for pieces in that genre.

4.1.7. Bernstein

Boosey & Hawkes, distributed by Hal Leonard.

4.1.8. Copland

Boosey & Hawkes, distributed by Hal Leonard.

4.1.9. Classical

See HL00240044. I'm still exploring.

4.1.10. 100 Solos Trumpet

AMSCO 1987 ISBN 0.8256.1096.6.

Easy playing... and easy listening. To be played when family members are getting testy about technical studies.

4.1.11. Broadway Showstoppers

Hal Leonard 1990.

Easy playing... and easy listening.

4.1.12. Bugle Calls

Obtained from Boy_Scouts and US_Army_Band

First Call
Reveille
Assembly
Mess
Drill Call
Fatigue
Officer's Call
Recall
Church Call
Swimming Call
Fire
Retreat (Evening COlors)
To the Colors
Call to Quarters
Taps

4.2. Ear training

I've set up GNU Solfege (see music/computer). Working on recognizing chords, intervals, and "identify the tone". Just started thus (Jan 2009), so we'll see how it goes.

4.3. Improvisation

Promised myself I'd try after the first year. First step is to learn to play what I hear. Will start via Solfege.

2009-12-20 Didn't get rolling in 2009. Ok, we'll try 2010. The problem is that I'm making enough progress on traditional per-the-score pieces that I don't want to waste lip-time on anything else.

2011-03-12: Finish the Arban adventure first.