This is my mantra with my private and university students.  (Actually, one of my many mantras.)  Another favorite is: Scales are Useless!  -until they’re memorized. My problem with typical scale work is that everybody practices them the same way.  (Click the scale images to enlarge them.  Then, your “back” button to come back.) Here is an analogy.  Say you were to have to come to my house, out in the middle of nowhere,...

I’m going to break from the norm of this site for a moment and offer up a musical selection.  I know this may not be following the educational and informational direction of this blog but I came across this mp3 the other day and just thought I would share it. The Setup A few years ago saxophonist Tom Gullion, called some musicians together to play on a recording project of his.  The night before the recording session I happen to have a...

Here’s the bottom line with mutes; for the most part – You Get What You Pay For. Q.           What makes one mute worth more than another? A.            Consistent intonation in all registers.  Often lesser mutes will make you sharp in the lower register and flat in the upper register. A.            Intonation to the instrument; meaning, how far do you have to pull your slide when you put the mute in? ...

Here is an email-article that I read written by Jens Lindemann.  For those of you new to the trumpet world, Jens is one of the greats.  Actually, I would put him in the top 10 living all-round players.  He is one of the few trumpet players making a living as an international soloist. This was originally written a few years ago and I see on his website that he is now endorsing GR mouthpieces.  I’ve met Gary Radtke of GR technologies...

One of the things I find myself discussing often with students is how to make a trill, or general ornamentation guidelines.  It’s actually pretty involved, aside from the part about making a finger go up and down… First a little historical (hysterical) context: The Quantz View Noted musicologist Johann Joachim Quantz (1697-1773), on ornamentation, particularly trills. It must be noted that his reference to the “shake” should be...

Those of you that know me know that I have a passion for playing many musical styles as deeply and sincerely as I can.  In fact, I think the main thrust of this AllThingsTrumpet blog is geared for the versatile cross-over player.  All that being said; I would like to convey some thoughts on a musical situation that recently got me thinking. A more subtle cross-over playing situation My contracted position with the Madison Symphony is for...

Title Sonata no.1 “The Tempest” For C trumpet and piano By David Gillingham Biographical Info The first sonata of David Gillingham bears the nickname, “The Tempest” because of the stormy and turbulent nature of the first movement, the somber aftermath of the second movement and the whirlwind drive of the third. Suggested Equipment C trumpet is preferred because of the extreme endurance demands.  There are also technical...

As we get older and (hopefully!) develop musically it seems that the demands on our time and playing increase exponentially.  There never seems to be enough time in the day for everything that I want/need to work on.  Coming up with a method of organizing my practice time has helped me tremendously.  When I observe this “pie chart” practice methodology I feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of a practice session, rather than...

Part IV Musicality This subject is too often overlooked or brushed-over by students.  It seems that once a player learns all the right notes and rhythms the objective is complete.  In my opinion, this is now the beginning!  In our world of fast food and computers people expect results too quickly; at least I believe this to be true in the music world.  Turning a phrase in a natural, improvisatory manner takes time and living with the...

Part III Technique Part three of my routine comprises quite a large area of information but it is all related to developing right hand technique and coordinating the right hand with articulation.  In keeping with the idea of focusing on a minimum number of variables, limit the range of these exercises at first.  Play scales from root to fifth, slurred, as quickly as possible, while maintaining control and accuracy. Audio clip: Adobe...

Things are wrapping up here at the Shell Lake Jazz Combo Camp.  It’s been a fantastic week.  The faculty were all top notch players from Minneapolis, Chicago, Indiana and Madison.  There was one faculty per instrument and we gave three concerts as a group throughout the week.  (The piano faculty was Luke Gillespie from Indiana U and is absolutely brilliant!)  The faculty combo was joined by jazz violinist, Randy Sabien on our...

The article that follows was something that was published in an International Trumpet Guild Journal a number of years ago. Part II Strength-Flexibility The body consists of muscles that work in primarily two contexts.  Slow-twitch muscles are used for activities that require a great deal of strength, and the Fast-twitch muscles are used for quick, repetitive or graceful maneuvers.  Two sets of visual examples would be comparing an...

Why Do I Need to Practice Scales? The Value of Tonal Literacy This article was written from a music educators point of view.  It was written by Thomas West and appears on his website here.  He has graciously allowed me to reprint it here on AllThingsTrumpet.com for you.  Enjoy! Posted by Thomas J. West on March 14, 2010 at 9:18 PM Scale Study as a Technique Builder The most obvious value of studying major scales and tonic...

The article that follows was something that was published in an International Trumpet Guild Journal a number of years ago. Creating music on the trumpet can be a daunting proposition to the young and not-so-young student of music.  There are countless aspects to be considered and mastered when one thinks of the ‘simple’ act of turning a phrase.  To help us begin cutting through this fog, we can use principles in creative problem...

I am leaving tomorrow morning to teach at the Shell Lake Jazz Camp.  I will be there from July 4-9 teaching brass master class, improvisation a combo and jazz arranging.  The faculty will also be performing evening concerts.  I’m looking forward to meeting and playing with the other faculty up there. I’m not sure what kind of internet connection I’ll have but I hope to continue regular posting here at...

Title Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra (1997) By Lauren Bernofsky Piano reduction by the composer (2001) Biographical Info Although Lauren Bernofsky was trained as a violinist, she has contributed a substantial amount to the brass repertory.  Among these pieces is her Trumpet Concerto (1997), a full-length work cast in the traditional formal plan of the classical concerto, but in a more modern tonal language. The piano reduction premier...

Last season, (2010) the Madison Symphony played a concert featuring trumpeter Chris Botti.  We were basically his back-up band and to be very honest I was not really looking forward to the event.  I know that Chris is probably one of the top five most popular trumpet players in the world right now, along with Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval and perhaps Doc Severinsen.  I’ve performed with these other three and can attest that they...

Here’s a little tip that many of us already know but can really be helpful especially when sight reading. I think we can all agree that it is essential to create and maintain a pulse to use as an internal metronome while playing.  We were taught to tap our foot to the beat and play along with the pulse created by our foot tapping.* (I have a problem with this but will get into that in a minute.)  My suggestion is to use BOTH feet when...

I was recently teaching at a music camp and heard a fellow faculty discuss the value of practicing scales.  This is something I feel very strongly about and it was encouraging to hear someone else, (from a different instrument even!) feel the same way.  It somehow gave me comfort knowing that I’m not alone in my obsessive behavior toward scale work. Robert Spring is the clarinet instructor at this camp and at Arizona State University...

Title Aria con Variazioni For Bb trumpet/cornet and piano By G. F. Handel (trans. Bernard Fitzgerald) Biographical Info Aria con Variazioni began life as one of Handel’s many works for solo keyboard; specifically his 5th Harpsichord Suite.  Bernard Fitzgerald was a pioneer in transcribing music for brass instruments, primarily trumpet.  Our repertoire has increased tremendously thanks to his work.  This piece is no exception.  It...

I am someone that tries to maintain as high a level of classical trumpet playing as jazz playing.  Call me obsessive-compulsive but I can’t “dabble” at anything.  If I can’t dive in and do something 100% I lose interest and would usually rather not do it at all.  There are a number of trumpet players out there like me “crossover players”, and this article is for you.  Actually, you will find a number of articles on this blog...

I have come to believe that the warm-up is the single most critical element to improving on the trumpet.  I have talked about this concept with every student that I have ever met with.  I have also been talked to about this concept from the many different trumpet teachers I have studied with over the years.  Everyone has their own take on this but I think the main thing is to develop your own take on a good, thorough warm-up routine that...

Title The Burden of Destiny For Bb or C trumpet and piano By James Stephenson Biographical Info Burden of Destiny was written for Chris Martin, the principal trumpet of the Chicago Symphony.  James Stephenson relocated to Chicago about the same time as Chris’ appointment and wanted to write a relatively serious piece that would represent the new Chicago ties both of them now have.  Much inspiration was drawn from Carl Sandburg’s poem,...

The Hypothesis Have you ever felt like your progress in learning jazz improvisation is stagnant, rambling, directionless or going nowhere?  It’s easy to feel that way because there is so much to learn in this art form and too many possible directions to go at once.  Looking at a blank page and writing, or blank canvas and painting, without an objective is sometimes too unstructured for a young artist.  If you approach your learning in...

Here’s a quick post that I am sure is common sense to some of you but will hopefully save the rest of you some money.  I had a friend ask me the other day where I take my horns to get cleaned.  (The deep chemical flush cleaning.)  I used to get my horns dipped at the local music repair shop but now I do it myself.  You can do this in your bath tub but it is far better to use a wash basin or turkey roasting pan.  You want a pan or...

Title Prayer of St. Gregory By Alan Hovhaness, op. 62b Peer International Ed. Biographical Info Alan Hovhaness, of Armenian and Scottish descent, was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, on March 8, 1911. He began composing as soon as he could read music, at the age of four – a spontaneous act which seems to have had about it the inevitability of an unquestioned law of nature.  His output is vast as indeed are the giant melodies which...

This analogy is an old one, and I don’t like it very much.  Onions are used for a bunch of different scenarios, but when I said this to a student the other day I decided I had to sit down and try to better figure out what this means to me.  Layers, I guess, and how to deal with them.  Let’s get in to this. Prioritize (Onionize) your Sight Reading It is a very important concept to prioritize your goals when sight reading; especially...

Title Rustiques for Cornet in Bb or Trumpet in C or Bb and Piano by Eugène Bozza Biographical Info Eugène Bozza (1905-1991) has been for many decades not only one of France’s most prolific composers but, like Hindemith and Stevens, a great boon to woodwind and brass players.  His hundreds of solo and recital works have involved virtually every known instrument and instrumental combination, from consort pieces for three bassoons, six...

The following is an exerpt from my book, “Recycling in Jazz Improvisation” which can be downloaded as a pdf in my Books section of DavidCooperMusic.com. The core concept for this book started a while ago when I began teaching my younger trumpet students to practice major scales in what I call “scale fragments”.  I have found that this can be a more efficient means to work on major, diminished, whole-tone, and...

A Trend In Trumpet Playing I have found that in recent years there seems to be a trend for music students, in particular, students of the trumpet, to strive for music careers that encompass and embrace a wider variety of musical styles. Perhaps this is due in part to the fact that the freelancing musical climate has changed from one where a player could more easily make a living doing just studio work or symphonic work or playing in a big...

Martial Arts study taught me to be aware of different spheres of influence that are always present; a safe or un-reachable distance from my opponent, the distance of my initial contact, the preferred distance of greatest control, and too close.  I had a musical experience that got me thinking about these spheres not in a physical context but from a musical performance perspective.  As a performer, we are taught to listen, react and...

The last week of May, 2010, I played a recital with my tuba-playing friend and UWP colleague, Mike Forbes at ITEC.  (International Tuba Euphonium Conference) It was held in Tucson at the University of Arizona, a truly beautiful campus.  I’ve been to many International Trumpet Guild (ITG) conferences and this was my first Tuba Conference. There were of course many similarities; recitals, clinics, master classes, and evening concerts. ...

This article appeared in a 2009 ITG journal.  (Unfortunately, the picture that accompanied the ITG article was of a young Terence Blanchard, not Freddie.   My pic is the real deal.) I’d like to share a few of my thoughts about Freddie Hubbard, who died at the age of 70, on December 30, 2008.  The perspective that I will offer is my own, as a trumpet player that has been greatly influenced by the power of Freddie’s music. ...

I have been asked at clinics about mouthpieces and how many are the right amount to play or if you should play everything on one mouthpiece.  I have read that Miles Davis played the same mouthpiece he got in junior high his entire career.  I have also played with the magnificent lead, jazz, commercial player, Lew Soloff who actually had a mouthpiece belt so he could easily grab a different mouthpiece for almost every other phrase!  At...

The following article is an excerpt from my book, “Recycling in Jazz Improvisation” which can be downloaded as a pdf in my Books section of www.DavidCooperMusic.com. Can you Play the Phone Book?  Here is an exercise that should test that knowledge, expand your ear, strengthen your interval recognition and further develop your facility in all keys.  When working on patterns or licks in all keys I have found it very helpful to think of...