Any Trumpeters Out There?

[utahcarver]

I played trumpet in HS and a little beyond that. Concert, marching, and some stage band work. I was first chair here and there but, I was surrounded by some other players who had better chops than me. I sold my horn and bought a surfboard.

Recently, a co-worker lent me his Dad's old horn (King) and a Bach 3C mouthpiece. I always used a 7C and this 3C is killing me. I got out my Arban's book but haven't been able to touch it because I'm still struggling to build my embouchure. I'm good up to an open G on the staff. After that, the tone starts to sound airy and forced (due to a weak embouchure). I have good tone otherwise and I can tell that with some daily practice, I could come back in 2 or 3 months. I still remember all of the valve fingerings and I can sight read music.

Any others still play or are struggling? I figure maybe a local Ska band could use a horn player or I could stand on the corner downtown and play for quarters.

Mark

[kipstar]

I played trombone for years; jazz etc.

Good fun.

Practise is key but mouth pieces are personal, maybe you need to go Maynard Ferguson/Allan Vizzutti style (they use/used quite specific shape ones) to hit super C super G etc :-)

There's some good stuff on youtube these days, which weren't available before. In school, had dreams of studying music in Texas for a while; with youtube now i know how f&*king sharp these guys are and wouldn'ta thought it.

ah bit of a classic for you....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPY3ch8ddG4&feature=related

and now some trumpeters for inspiration essay - complete with great dress sense....seen him live twice, in NZ and in Thailand RIP......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1QO3nNs25E

if you are playing like this guy, I guess it's in the right direction.... ;-)

[utahcarver]

I saw MF in 1977 in Tiffin, Georgia. I liked MF because he was a showman (of sorts), and I disliked him because he was a showman. As a horn player, I wanted to see how he worked as a technician. For instance, I've seen some great guitar players over the years but, only one that I could actually see and understand what he was doing: Eric Johnson. A lot of people don't care for his shows and it's because he doesn't play to the crowd. OK, enough of that.

There are so many good horn players out there now that one has to learn to appreciate each of their styles and nuances. I'm just trying to get back to 'zero' so that I can actively play day to day.

Thanks for your input Kipstar!

Mark

[Alpinbogen]

Don't play, but in 24 hours, I'll be groovin' with this guy...

playin' with these guys...

Oh yeah, can't wait.

Stop baby, what's that sound

everybody look what's goin' down

(...ba-woooom...)

[kipstar]

that's some serious lung pressure! Aplinbogen, have a great time!

It's amazing how much info is online now in youtube; as a former pianist, I can now go and check out for instance how tyler mccoy creates his sound, with it fully deconstructed (note not a trumpeter)

explained style wise for instance as

then the tune giant steps, explained as one way to improvise as

I mean, it is simply fantastic, although different I guess to trumpet which is technique specific note by note; whereas a piano the noise coming out is simple, it's which notes to pick and in what order and how many at a time etc etc. .....

Do some searching, they've even deconstructed famous solos etc etc.

It's pretty awesome.

King is a great brand for trombones, I presume equally famed for trumpets?

As for MF, yes a great showman, it was a bit sad seeing him in 2001? I think it was as he no longer had the ability to stick the super Cs and Gs effortlessly anymore; so he had his line up for 4 trumpets in his band all of whom were sticking some damn high notes non stop. I admired him as he spent a ton of time developing and playing with others and bringing them up with him. At that age he certainly didn't seem to mind sharing the limelight.

Some of his arrangements though, just so tight. Bebop buffet was my favourite; chameloen not bad either - that's some high notes from 5 guys side by side.

And it wouldn't be right to share some other good big band stuff....loving this straight no chaser version from buddy rich; nice trumpet solo as well. That's damn tight for a big band./

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rm-A6bGhiE

[utahcarver]

That Buddy Rich link was sick! I remember catching him on the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was the host. BR had Johnny and the audience mesmerized by his talent. There are (and have been) so many talented players over the years for almost every instrument. The other names that come up for drummers are Billy Cobham, Neil Pert (sp?), Alan White, Bill Bruford, too many others to name here.

Back to the horn players: I was raised on Herb Alpert, Harry James, Doc Severinsin, Bill Chase, and Miles Davis. All great players with varying styles and moods to a horn. On the whole, I think Alpert is one of the more under-rated players. Probably because he started producing more than playing commercially for pop radio and selling records. OTOH, Davis was not into selling records but, was one hell of a trumpet player. I don't claim to know all of the history or details of these players but, I sure like hearing them play. Please know that this is coming from an old fart horn player who is just really excited about getting his chops back.

Thanks for all of the links, guys!

Mark

[kipstar]

yeah, I have some of his stuff recorded; might have to dig it out.

If you like tight, then check our supersax; 5 saxes and a trumpet, incredibly tough arranging but man they fly through it. Trumpet style might be more to your taste.

I like Herb Albert a lot too; big full sound rather than just high notes.

I too have a plan to rediscover the piano; it's been 25 years since I played at a high level, and 20 years since I stopped on the trombone....ah well like riding a bike (maybe).

And it would be wrong to not post a night in tunisia version here

[utahcarver]

PRACTICE,

PRACTICE,

PRACTICE!

The arpeggio runs are coming easier after the second hour of playing. The first two hours are just spent at the door telling the police that I'm not beating my wife, I'm just practicing trumpet playing.

Mark

[kipstar]

I'm sure it will come back quick ;-)

better than a violin; then you get the RSPCA complaining that you are killing cats.

[BadBrad]

My trumpet background is the same as yours. I played from 5th grade all the way through college, usually 1st chair until high school, then 2nd chair.

I still have the trumpet that I got around 1975. It's a King Super 20. I can still play and read music, but the embouchure is pretty weak.

After college I got more interested in playing guitar, then added mandolin, and then old-time clawhammer banjo. So those are what I play now.

[utahcarver]

...because of (your) involvement as a musician in your early (formative) years, and knowing that most of us in this thread can read music, play music, or musical instruments, has this heightened your musical interests throughout your years? That is, instead of being a non-musician, do you think that the musical experience has increased your enjoyment? I realize it's a silly question but, one that begs to reason that there is an affinity with all things musical once a musical student becomes.

The reason I ask this is there hasn't been a day go by that I'm not affected by music. I'm continually moved by rap, ambient, country, electronica, house, flaccid jazz (formerly known as soft jazz), rock, metal, symphony, orchestra, classical, Bach, Mozart, and Southern Rock (I was raised on the east side of Jacksonville, Florida while the boys from Lynyrd Skynyrd were being raised on the west side of Jax and their music has stuck with me for many years). When I turned 18, legal drinking age in Florida at the time, I got to see Big Danny Joe Brown belting out tunes at local bars. Years later, I recognized the name and the music as Molly Hatchet.

So, I'm enamoured to hear of others experiences with music, being a musician (amateur, pro, weekend warrior) and what it means to them.

Mark

[kipstar]

I studied classical to grade 7 on piano, grade 8 on trombone. I'd say both these gave me the technical appreciation of rhythm, notes, melody etc; so I can say I like what I like but i know why as well.

Just like a more competent sports person can dissect why they like one snowboard over another.

I am not sure it has given me more taste necessarily; I was influenced by my dad (jazz lover, despised Mozart and various others) so my favourite music even in jazz is partly because when I was young, we listened to Thelonius Monk and Brubeck and Errol Garner and especially Oscar Peterson..... but we didn't listen to say some of the bebop saxophonists. That remains true now.

I always enjoyed also being able to play things I liked, then play them again.

I guess I was the age when house/Drum and bass became mainstream (1990 - 1996) and so not long after went into DJing; again the music background probably helped but also tended to send me away from the banging tunes a little.

I am sure it makes it a little harder to appreciate mainstream crap, simply because it is so obvious. Couple that with my back ground working in TV and hosting MCM/MTV here and I can see right through the manufactured pop stuff.

It definitely helps now to appreciate a live performance; I think unless you've played its harder to appreciate just how good some of the greats are; also it tends to remove some respect for cover bands; coming from playing jazz the idea of playing someone else's notes however perfectly isn't so appealing when the songs are so simple; classical the music is so tough it's a bit different.

Still think woodwind orchestral instruments are stupid though. Some thing don't change; _)

The reason why I stopped playing was mostly because of snowboarding and surfing; don't regret it at all; maybe I will play the piano again in future.

[BadBrad]

...because of (your) involvement as a musician in your early (formative) years, and knowing that most of us in this thread can read music, play music, or musical instruments, has this heightened your musical interests throughout your years?

Mark

Being a musician, I listen to music differently. I listen for the interaction of the different instruments, the rhythmic nuances and syncopations, bass lines, chord progressions, etc. However, the person who is less analytical and just plain enjoys the music can have just as much interest and enjoyment of music, perhaps even more.

The instruments I've played have also driven the type of music I listen to. When I played trumpet I listened to a lot of trumpet players (although I also listened to rock music too). When I played rock and blues guitar I listened to more of that type of music. Playing the mandolin got me more interested in Irish and bluegrass and old-time music.

[Michelle]

HA HA There is another trumpet player amongst you guys. I'll let you figure out who it is - don't want to call them out if they don't want to be. But this person is well known!

[utahcarver]

Oh, for Gawd's sake, Michelle, who is it?

Why the reticence? It's got to be someone who is just being demure and shy because they are a virtuoso (at everything), huh?

I'm guessing it's Fin.

Mark

[Harmless]

im a trumpet player right now in HS.