=== meme eeeeaeeeeemeEHEeESEseseH www , Comer HewiG- com METHOD THE TRUMPET METHOD OF DON “JAKE" JACOBY cKoaorz PUBLISHERBREATHING ---- THE NATURAL WAY Have you ever thought back to the beginning --- the day you were bor? This was | day you changed the lives of two young people; namely, your Mom and Dad -- the day that y claimed your own little portion of the world -- and the day that you made four folks deliriou happy to be called Grandparents. (Boy, have I ever enjoyed being a Grandpa --- but th: another story!). (On that day when you made your first appearance, the doctor picked you up by the he: gave you a slap across your little botiom --- at which time you took a great big breath and let ot lusty yell. AND, do you know something? It was the best breath you ever took and nobody t you how to do it. Then after you grew a little older, someone put a horn in your hands and se *Take a deep breath” and when you did, you might just as well have been standing on your hi because, that's the way you took that breath --- UPSIDE DOWNI! Let's take a look at whi mean. * It takes air to live and it takes air - lots of it - to play a wind instrument. Most import the air MUST be used in the correct and natural way. To breathe the way God meant for yot breathe. “The manner in which you breathe determines to a very large extent the quality of y sound and the confidence and ease with which you are able to control that sound. Beauty < control of tone are, after all, the foundation upon which all musical artistry should be built. Let's go on!!! If we don't know this, we should. LUNGS cannot breathe. Alll they can do is hold We breathe with the diaphragm. In order to not get involved in a bunch of pedagogical ju explaining the muscles that control the diaphragm, let's call ita muscle. It goes from side to si front to back, and lies just under your bottom ribs. NOW, when all of your air is exhaled diaphragm assumes a position of an “upside down” salad bowl. When we take a breath diaphragm moves down and flattens --- remember it moves down and flattens (Fig. 1). \ii iE aw aT~ ‘ h When that diaphragm moves down and flattens, it creates a vacuum and the air rushes into lungs. If you think about it --- when it flattens it becomes bigger around. Right? AND, if it bigger around it takes up more space. SO, what we have to do is expand in all directions to 1 this diaphragm the room it needs (Fig. 2). FRONT SIDE N DIAPHRAGM : SIDE BACK‘The bottom ribs (sometimes called floating ribs) are not attached to the sternum or breastbone so they can very easily expand. We breathe in Now that we have the air in our lungs, we've got to use it. When we play we get (at first) a very gentle feeling of pressure in and up in the front and sides thereby forcing the air out of the lungs (Fig. 3). a \y NF SIDE SIDE Sn = J- max But, if you remember nothing else, file this in a very prominent spot in your brain --- WE ONLY USE AS MUCH PRESSURE AS WE NEED FOR ANY GIVEN NOTE AT ANY GIVEN VOLUME AND NO MORE. If we use too much pressure we ate trying to empty the lungs all at Performs no functions at all in playing a hom so, forget it and don't over think of it again, HERE IS WHAT WE WILL DISCUSS ALL THROUGH THIS BOOK WHEN WE FIRST START PLAYING, WE NEVER BLOW TO THE HORN OF INTO IT. WE BLOW IT. THERE AIN'T ONE SINGLE, SOLITARY SOUL SITTING INSIDE THAT HORN LISTENING TO YOU. THEY ARE ALL OUT FRONT AND THAT'S WHERE WE PLAY. itud,when we are going after a higher note, we never play UP forthe note, we play OUT. for it, Ifwe play UP for higher notes we tend to pinch and squeexr thereby causing a pinched aed Kee eee We blow OUT for the higher notes, we eliminate that pinching squeezing 4 Keep the same size sound from the bottom to the top of the hom. APG ies fifth above a C, itis five feet further out in front of the hom (Fig. 4).THE FOUR BASICS ‘When you have achieved a comfortable feeling of correct breathing plus projesting vou" sound (blowing through the horn) --- there are really only four basics to remember a5 far as fam ‘concerned: 1. ‘The past ofthe lips inside the mouthpiece should remain completely rela a all ies. ‘They should be regarded as nothing more than vibrators. 2. The use of the tongue to determine the direction of the air stream. 3. Develop good, strong comers of the mouth with the amount of Nannese io be dictated by the register in which we are playing plus any volume desired. 44, The correct unexaggerated use of the diaphragm to control the “speed” and "mass” of air. | firmly believe that playing should be as natural and uncomplicated as possible. Many times we sce) tavolved in meaningless attempts at diagnosis that we tend to forget ovr Prinery purpose and that is to MAKE MUSIC. It's a question of not being able ‘0 sce the forest for the purpose and that sequential and infinitesimal details take over, the entire and complete pice of Tree Pi inc oed. nother words, pay ateation to the FOUR BASICS and spend mors eine 9 iste jour hom LISTENING and not so much time behind it TRYING "TOO HARD" TO in front of Y Relax, enjoy the time you spend on the hom, MAKING MUSIC is a glorious experience and you should revel in that experience. ind you show! helps hose who help themselves. You're not going to lear fo play the hom by “wishing” you could. So, if you're ready to devote a lot of time to dedicated and concentrated practice seth nothing on your mind but you and the horn --- then let's get on with it iYOUR BEST FRIEND -----AIR {When instruments were first categorized into different groups, nobody reached into a hat and pulled out a piece of paper that had WIND written on il. And nobody said, “ley: hare food name let's call them that.” Our homs are called "wind instruments” because it takes wang (or air) to play them. And, you will come to find that the complete contrel einer ai ont propel you along the way to becoming a good player. If you would care to spend about 20 minutes to find out what “AIR” can do for you, coll Up your sleeves and let's give ita go. We are going to play this note: eee mae ut, before you play it, let's give it some thought. First, put your mouthpiece on your lip where it always goes and then, TAKE YOUR MIND COMPLETELY OFF OF YOUR LiP. We an na going to try to play this G with your lip. We are going to put an attack on it and let the aly ciorane your lip to produce the note, Remember, think only of the air and about two feet out in fren of your hom. There should be no lip involvement whatsoever. O.K., try it. Try it again, Try it once more until you feel the air making the sound instead of trying to manipulate the note wah your lip. When you get that feeling, then let's do this: a ez) Flay the G exactly as before and when you slur to the A, don’t change anything but. just reach out about one foot and move the air just a litle faster which will produce the A. It should feel exactly the same as the G and be just as free and full-bodied with no li all times, completely relaxed and think AI] . " ir --- just a little "faster moving” air. Now let's do this: —> ae rg ting for the B. One more foot further out and just a little more speed tothe air. Keep trying to maintain the exact same feeling. Let's go on:16 ‘Same thing here. About a half foot further out and a tinge more speed. Relax and keep your mind off your lip. Keep thinking further out and just a little more speed of air for each succeeding note. just a slight addition: OO at Same routine --- one foot further out and a little more speed. However, this time, when we go to the D we add JUST A HAIR (no more) of the tongue slightly raised and forward.’ Remember, no more than a hair of tongue involvement and when it is put into that position, keep it there. Now, when you think of using your tongue slightly, don't forget the reaching out and air speed. You've got to concentrate and remember everything as we go along. .I's really simple and doesn't become involved at all. Let's add another tone: — ie + > Ae Exactly the same routine for the E except, we add one more hair of tongue. Be very careful that you don't exaggerate the tongue movement. Reach out, add just a little more speed and very, very little tongue. You should still have no lip involvement. Nexi step: eqn —_— st ‘Same thing for the F#. One more foot out, a little more speed, and add the third hair of tongue. Remember to keep your tongue in the position you first put it and then just add a smidgeon to it as, we ascend. Last step: ee Ot. Exactly the same for the G. A half foot further out, a little more speed to the air, and the last half hair of tongue. BUT, to these things, we add just a little bit of firmness in the comers. If'you have done everything I have asked you to, you should fee! like the G above the staff is no harder to play and no more taxing than the second line G. AND, we dida’t do it with the "chops". In fact, you should feel like you've done hardly any playing at all. The entire scale was done with control of the air, the speed of the air, the direction of the air, and complete relaxation. ‘When this G scale feels absolutely free and effortless, then we start work on the Ab scale. However, we start this scale one half foot further out than the G scale and go on from there. And, on this and any succeeding scales (A, Bb, B, C), we start employing the tongue between the 4th and Sth of each scale; such as: Ab scale: start using the tongue gradually to direct the air stream between Db & Eb. A scale: between D & E. Bb scale: between Eb & F. B scale: between E & Fi. C scale: betweenF&G. And soon: Ifdone the right way, we can conceivably be playing a C above the staff with just a bit more effort that the second line G. This is why I believe your best friend is --- AIR.17 THE WARM UP As with all runners, high jumpers, long jumpers, acrobats, horses, dancers and a myriad of other entities involved in any physical exertion --- the warm up is foremost in everyone's eyes. And rightfully so; however, there are as many methods of warming up as there are people. A goodly number of them are adequate and get the job done but, what I am going to offer you here is what has worked for me and my students. ‘A warm up is a most important thing; however, don't become a slave to warm up. All we are trying to do is get the blood circulating through the lips and very gently getting them to vibrate. We ate preparing ourselves for a performance. NOW --- as some players claim, "I can't really play until I've warmed up 45 minutes.” This guy is in trouble. If he is ever put in a position Where it is absolutely impossible to warm up --- what happens then? Ifit took a high school band director 45 minutes to warm up his band, it would take him 3 years to prepare one contest piece (if it wasn't too difficult). believe in and am firmly committed to a warm up that should encompass no more than 10 minutes (or within one or two minutes of that). [have written a typical warm up used by my students which has seemed to work fora good number of years. I am not claiming that this is the ‘only warm up that works. It is probably one of a hundred that will accomplish the same thing; however, it should be done with care and concentration. Every note has to be as perfect as you can produce it and the lip involvement should be practically zero. Blow the air past your lips and they will vibrate. We do not have to "make” notes with our chops. They are just vibrators and if they are completely relaxed (inside the mouthpiece) the air stream will definitely vibrate them. Read the chapter entitled --- "Your Best Friend --- Air.” And remember, speed of air controls register. As another warm up, I am very partial to the "Flow Studies” of Mr. Vincent Cichowicz. Try them, you'll know what I mean. ‘A warm up period is not meant to just say hi to the guys and mess around on the hom. It is avery critical part of your practice and advancement on the instrument. There is definitely a time to party and a time to be a musician AND the warm up is not party time. Try doing the following exercises exactly the way I suggest and see what kind of results you'll get. SSS SSS A — wae ETE{=~ =, a EE + Beas 5 =? ee eee, Ie — “Ae _ ae ee & EE f _— «=a _— ae _— ae AS IN “Youd 6€of FOND. AIL” PLAY THIS SCALE a ee ->——— >_> MO SPEED AND PROTECTION fHOW AND WHAT TO PRACTICE. Why do you practice? To just barely meet your requirements at school? To be able to play high so you can impress your buddies? Or do you practice to please yourself with your improvement and become a better player? I sincerely hope it’s the last one because if it's not, you're just spinning your wheels and kidding yourself. Practice is a time put aside to work, work, work with dedication and committment to becoming not only a better player but to realize (in time) what we all strive for. AND, that’s to cam the right to someday be called A MUSICIAN. A most royal ttle, if you please! Tf your teacher assigns you a one page etude, do not figure that you will get to know it if you play it from top to bottom enough times. You've never been more wrong. All you do keep on making the same mistakes. FIRST --- analyze the piece in your mind, Decide (before you start playing it) where to breathe. That's one thing out of your way. SECOND --- look for Passages that might be a little awkward or cause you some trouble with execution. Now, take the first one and play it VERY slowly. Play it again. Now that you have the sound of it in your mind --- do not try to play it up to tempo. This can be very discouraging. Take this passage and play it over 50 times. On each time, speed it up JUST A HAIR until after the 50th time it should start to feel comfortable and lo and behold you're back to the original tempo, Now, put that passage back in place and then play "right through it.” Patience - patience - and more patience will reward you with a "well put together” etude and one that may (?) start to please YOU. After all, if we please ourselves, everyone who hears us will be pleased. How much time did it take? WHO CARES --- the resuit is the goal. Don't you agree? that a lot of students do, is to try to practice for 2 or 3 hours at atime to (as they say), build up their endurance and range. This is not going to do anything of the kind. After a certain length of time (maybe the first half hour or 45 minutes) you are not accomplishing anything but fighting your own tired lip. As some of the greatest trumpet players in the world advise --- DON'T PRACTICE LONG BUT PRACTICE OFTEN. Everytime you have 20 minutes of your own, reach for the hom. It's amazing how much can be accomplished in that time especially if you are close to having a passage work out for you. It may well be the best 20 minutes you ever spent. Not only do you have to hone your skills on the hom but in order to be a musician, you also have to develop your ear to a point that you can look at a passage and hear it before you play This is not done just by people with perfect pitch (God forbid to be cursed with perfect pitch). ‘course, that is only my opinion. I believe and always have, that the development of relative pitch is the answer. Of course, you have to be conscious of pitch at all times, Here is something U practiced all my musical life. When you get up in the moming, brush your teeth, grab your trumpet, put it to your chops, put down the second valve, take a breath, then SING your B natural. Do it every morning of your life until you can hit it 10 out of 10 times. Then you can figure your pitches all day long from there. What's that --- you don't believe it? Well, if you want to play badly enough and you have enough dedication, you'll try it. Oh, by the way, trombone players, do the same thing except put your slide in second position and go for the "A.” WHAT should I practice? There's only one answer to that. WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW OR CAN'T PLAY!!! Quit playing and practicing all the things you can play at an ‘ungodly tempo to prove to yourself that you're a preity good player. You can only “gas” yourself for so long. Review some of these things and then go on to the important part of your practice, the things you can’t play. Work on them exactly the same way I told you to practice the passages in the etude, Remember? You see --- if you practice something 100 times you kinda get the sound in your ear --- if you practice it 200 times, you get alittle familiar with it --- and, if you do it 300 times, you get kinda friendly with it. ‘If you were my student, I wouldn't seitle for anything less than being married to it!!!20 USE OF THE TONGUE IN PLAYING AS IN SPEAKING ‘ Just as you have to use your tongue in enunciating words, so can you use it in playing the om. But first, let me emphasize a few things. 1 do not believe that there is a set position of the tongue for every singie note you play. It should be relative and should be dictated by what Inesedes and follows anything you are playing. I also want caution you about any precedes and TON whatsoever. It should be a natural and normal movement {2st 5 when it is reed in speaking. It seems that most students have an wncimmy: fantastic ability to EXAGGERATE, Please be most cautious of this. We never use the 1ongne. outside the limits we EXAGGER Noting words. Otherwise, we step into an unnasural realm and we certainly do not want to do that. Sst Say "HO." Now say “HE.” Now say "HO" again and keeping the tongue in that exact same position say "HE.” You Ae Posie will tell you to raise the tongue when playing higher. 1's nos really raising the tongue s0 much as raising it very litle and then have a feeling OF ‘moving or rolling forward. Ifwe think only of raising it, we then run the risk of raising it oo ‘much (exaggeration) and cutting eon ean oar All the tongue docs is to slightly change the direction of the sit If also narrows fT the si staavity. Now, we increase the pressure from the diaphragm just slightly to make the es employed to take ate mov Hag off your “chops”. However, we cannot only think of the onge ‘alone. This won't more of a load oft ye to think of the primary thing, THE AIR, and just use the congue ‘0 direct it. ‘Let’s leam the correct use of the tongue: Play this: SEE Now slur it: yee £ — Now, just matter-of-factly say, "He weat that way” Say it again and notice the movement of the tongue. You actually used four tongue positions: 1. EE for"HE.” 2. EH for"Went.” 3. AA for"That.” 4, AY for "Way." Now repeat, "He went that way” and notice how little movement the tongue actually makes, especially between "He” and “Went.” Now play this again (slurred) but, instead of trying to play G-C-D-F, just feel yourself trying to say, "He went that way” through the hom. Thusly: A a SS We went (UKE WAY Play it again and again and notice how much closer the intervals. feel and how much easier it is to play. This, if done very naturally and with 20 EXAGGERATION, ‘should show you the correct use of the tongue, especially in: slurring. vow on to invervals and the easiest way to play them.INTERVALS -.. NO NEED TO FEAR THEM Rave noticed, over the years, that a great many players go through all kinds of excess Physical changes around their mouths when playing intervals, expecially if they are slurred. These changes become more excessive when there it sovance change involved. As a result, none of the intervals ever "lock in” or are ever completely wvahee control. This makes for very inaccurate or sloppy playing. My diagnosis ofthis particule: ‘malady is that the player has either ‘won the first battle against fear, Have you ever been called upon to play this interval at this dynamic? Alll of a sudden it assumes the proportions of , You find yourself raising your chin and pinching upward wi ith this approach, that ‘you either “draw” a blank “on the E or, you A A —, ; = — = * ; — ne 7 —— ane Fae — ano ‘ange in the direction of the airstream, I believe, on just the tongue alone --- the AIR’ is still the the airstream a little boost, AIR --- AIR - 3 ° ° i +—+ _ an M—PAY AA DAY (tay way uae way) Try it again and again until you realize that thi particular interval isso easy to play that it almost makes you feel stupid to have ever had any fear of it. janis Concept can be used successfully on al intervals if you concemtrate on air and Foe eee aah: Most ofall, remember that i's not nearly as far rong ote to another as You previously thought. When you are playing any composition at all, try not to think of individual notes or intemal. Listen to phrases and iry a hard as you ean to feel the cee of the melody. When you are: lost in the melody and completely engrossed in puting as mc of yourself into it as possible 7 Intervals cease to exist. They just become a part ofthe overall lence which you are trying to2 paint musically. When you worry about some ‘small segment, it compares to having your eye on Pain an My the doughnut, Dont be afraid to show some emotion ia your Playing. et Joatself get really involved inthe music. You stand lot better chance of telling a much better story” musically. rear ember, i's only when this fear of intervals occurs that you find yourset using too much skycieal change around your mouth which inhibits contol, Now, we dort wary 10 Ce 100 rT dhysical change because then, your flexibility would go right out the window. But, we coast te keep the physical change down to a minimum. Instead of playing this way: Establish a center to your playing and just weave your way around it, Thusly: T think you'll like the results. ‘You must remember that your mind can exert an awful lot of control over intervals. Play this: s iS oe oe This fourth is a little easier, eh? =a Easiest of all --- huh? SAME LOUSY NOTES!!! Feels like a fifth, doesn't it?INITIAL ATTACKS ... HOW TO APPROACH THEM to the prnets Playor will pinch of aqueeze his lips ween make sure the attack sonforms to the dynamic marking. The result 2 very small sound or maybe a complete "blank IT hea lack oF air after the attack. Ifthe dynamicn mezzo-forte ot forte, many times we Will hear an attack that smacks of the player using his/her tongue in such a manner that is ainnees {ike “spitting” into the mouthpiece thereby Causing an explosive sound to issue. Neither one oft ‘hese results are desired and, mast definitely, unacceptable, ait does not need an You can hear and fee! that the beginning, the it is on any one of You will nd that all your concems about initial attacks oe unfounded, However, there is another aspect of initial attacks thet wea, to be addressed and practiced Tight inthe iously. Have you ever looked at the stem end of apple? Notice how the stem is aht in the middle of the apple? Well, at the stat on every phrase, the initial note should be aimed tight at that stem, - {YoU hit the first note ofa phrase right ia the core of the Rote, it will "set up” the whole hrase for you. Miss it (by just a hain) and you will comne all through the phrase. Be forever Conscious of pitch and aim for that stem,mu SPEED OF AIR Register is controlled by “speed” of ait. Volume is controlled by “mass” of air. With this thought in mind, let's go to work and try to prove this. tin min Coanmon reference. ‘This means that middle A is created by 40 storations Pet OO Tr Now ita string player produces a middle A and does not change strings fo play the octave A, Ae ine aie in the fagerboard to the postion of the octave A. Meaning, a shove string will he/she mes Ha longer sting. But, as hor players, we dont employ stings. We rely the Thx 'So. in ordet to produce any octave, our lip has to vibrate twice a (as 8 the original starting point, ‘There is only one way this can happen --- the air has 1@ move twice as fast to produce Point pe vitsations. Not twice the amount of air --- only twice the speed, Take a cigarette lighter. Hold it in front of you thusly: —~hn- bb fod 1 ‘You should notice that in order to blow out the flame, as it get farther away from yous requires You should node fe flame. However, if you will notice, the ar stream also becomes smaller As fou blow harder to reach the flame which is further away {rom you, he Stet becomes more wrointed.” This does not bappen by squeczing the lips together ‘but, by raising the tongue slightly and rolling it foward.* B do not use “more” air to reach the flame -- just “faster” air. Meio Wwe “reached out" to blow out the flame, so do we "reach out” for higher Hors, I repeat --a.G is not a fifth "above" a C. ‘tis 5 feet further out in front of the horn. And, with this Tepeat Sng employed, the sound does not get smaller as we go higher but rather, Keeps the same size from the bottom to the top of the hom. See the chapter on "Your Best Friend --- AIR.” For "Mass of Air” refer to chapter “Loud and Soft Playing.”LOUD AND SOFT PLAYING ‘As [have said many times before and will probably say again and again, everything in your playing must first be approached mentally. This is especially so in your playing of dynamics. For instance, play a 4th space E. Start it mf and do a big crescendo on it. Now, do it again. I think you will find that the quality of sound changes and becomes raucous as you get find that you are working awfully hard at the end of the crescendo. louder. I also think you wil This is because you are trying to play louder. Repeat this same thing except, this time, do not try to play louder. Instead, just gradually increase the mass (or amount) of air you are using. As the mass increases so does the volume. Take your mind completely off the concept of getting louder. Just increase the mass of air. Tam sure that you will immediately notice that the quality of sound throughout the crescendo will remain the same. And you will also notice that you are not working any harder at the end of the crescendo than you were at the beginning. Let’s apply this practically. I would venture to say that about the most control we enjoy on the hom is around the dynamic of forte. If you are playing lead on a chart in a big band, and the dynamic level is indicated at fF, play it exactly the way you would at f except, increase the mass or amount of air which will immediately make it sound /. Now, this would mean that from now ‘on, you have no need to play anything above an £ And you will enjoy the relaxation and ease of playing at an f but increasing the “mass” of air will result in a / dynamic, Try it -- I think you will be pleasantly surprised. The same principal applies in playing a decrescendo. Do not try to play softer. Just decrease the mass of air. This will eliminate any “pinching” or “squeezing” thereby causing a smaller sound to ensue. HOWEVER, the air cannot be “sucked back” into the hom. You need to keep the sound out in front of the hom and maintain the same speed of air throughout the whole deerescendo, Try it --- I think you might erase some of the fear you suffer playing at the lower end of the dynamic spectrum, ‘And remember --- when you see ap indicated, use your mental processes and don't think of it as "SOFT™ but rather as "NOT LOUD.” 256 DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE When you are working an extraordinarly long and ardous engagement, endurance may become a small problem after three or four hours of hard playing. This is when you look to the sky and say, "Please give me some help.” Well, in lieu of this approach, may I suggest that you try this concept before you are faced with the problem. Play a G right above the staff. Play it again and try to ascertain which side of the top lip «gets more pressure --- left or right. Even though it may be just a very small difference in pressure, 1 there usually is more on one side or the other. When you do find out which side it is, do not - repeat --- do not make any adjustment, What you do is to concentrate your mind on the opposite side of your top lip AND your bottom lip. Play the same G and I think you will notice a feeling of more strength and a bigger sound. Here is what takes place --- Ifyou had made an adjustment (no matter how small) it would have been too much. In this case, by just concentrating your mind on the wo spots I mentioned, your body takes over and evens up the pressure from side to side and top to bottom. This creates the same amount of pressure all around the mouthpiece and enables you to achieve the maximum amount of vibration which, in tum, provides the maximum amount of sound. ‘This particular approach is especially noticeable when you start to get tired. It's almost like getting your "second wind.” BUT, please remember not to make any adjustments yourself. It would wind up as an exaggeration which can be your worst enemy.THE CORNERS (how and why) We have talked about a great and varied number of helpful functions to make playing the om casier and now we come to a most important part of the over-all picture. thera oe the “corners of the mouth.” 'a student is in the studio with me, I can usually show him the correct position of the flongis and the way to make them firmer as we ascend into the upy However, itis most difficult to tell you how to "firm up" yout comers > fff p__# peepee ¢ p ¢ SESS S eee > > > > per eee pepe ee 9 6 ¢ 6 SE eeeee eee eesHowever, if you were to perform a concerto-type passage such as this one, 1 would recommend the use of DA GA---thusly: Th Gk DNGA DAGA DA GA DACA Dict Ot GA (EE. L» The same DA GA should be employed for this whole example; however, don’t think of each note as an individual attack -. rather, think of the entice passage as one airstream and then just interrupt that airstream with the tongue. AND --- your biggest enemy here (as in every other phrase of it tense.” Everything must be approached with a relaxed feeling. Enjoy yourself and don’t ever let playing the instrument become a chore.Now pronounce, very slowly, the syllables DI GI for double tonguing in the upper regrster, for instance, fro1 players have a problem with all the at these syllables (the distance between desirable results. Try this exercise and . These are the syllables I recommend m the G right above the staff up. Many (tacks “speaking” in this register, [ them being very short) you will ac believe if you employ hieve much better and keep the airstream moving and constant. 4NGA DA GA OA 1A GA DA GA 9k 4A GA OA GA OA - a 2 ri SSS eet 1h CA A ca DA 1% GA 9K GA On tanan - FLEE tf pS=eeee te == === £ == ana o tam a o lana o alm a@ oia mG mw NGA ON GA OA 1h GA 0A GA DA 1A GA DA GA DA taog o Tom a OH 4h GA DNGA OA 1h GA AGA DA flail 1a! D1 1 Gl OG oO tana om 1AGAOAGA OA 1h GA SAGA On 1A GA DA GA DA 1G oe oF tare 1a aG Oo AGA SAGA DA 1 GA OA GA OA th GA DA GA DA fia oa o NG DI Gt oF 1h GA DA GA DA AGA DAOA DA TGA HAGA DA lane o nana » tana or AGA DAA ON 1A GA-DA GA DA Nana o figioa oAGG m1 T1Gl OG Ot far oa M1 Ni DIGI Ot 1 GADA GA DA 1A GA DA GA DA {A GA DAGA OA TA GADAGA DA TAGADAGA 00 “AGA DAGA OA nana Dw AGED OF ia oa Oo Gal Oo mw 1a met far Gt OF 1G ot OF Tor Dm Gi DI fa na oo BpRGR Ee See z = oH Gt 4h GADAGA OH ACADAGA D8 {NGA DAGA DA 1 GA.OAGADAGADAGA OA {AGA AGA DAGADAGADA {A GADAGA DAGADAGA DA 4A GADAGA DI GIDL GL DA ‘SAGADAGA D161 D1 Gt 01 A Nana ne a DD AAG Kama O 1G Gt GOI Gt DL4 1 GADAGA DA GADAGA DA 48 GADA GA DA GA DAGA DA 4h GADA GA DAGADAGA DA TAGADAGA DIGI DIG! 91 AMCADAG MGANGD CQ TANG NANG D bi eee Fete fFeeettee SS TANG DIED oO NGA NANG NG D {A GADAGA SAGAOAGA DA ‘AGA OA GA AGA DAGA OA NAA NGG DA TAA MGA HA DM Gl D AADAAAKAD ~ lata nana o CANA IG Ha D NANG NADA DO AUGADAGA DAGADAGA DA 1h CAMAGA DA 110A AAGADAGA NG 1 GLO £ MAMGINAKGO ~ Tang Hawa DO Afiana aa wa w Dama ana NGA HGH GI D2 7A GA DAGA DAGADAGA DA AGA DAGA DL GI AACA DAGA DIGI DI Gt OF Manama dG dD - nanamana AAG OGD GI DO ip eeeeREEee , fftetece’ fawtanana oa Vanadana o Please do not exaggerate the syllables on any of these exercises. The tongue should feel free and relaxed at all times. Remember --- do not make individual attacks --- merely interrupt the airstream. 1A GA SAGA DAGADA _ _. Efe. DAGADAGA Da Ma DNGio £ £ =1h GADAGA DAGADA _ _ ETC, == = DAGATAGA TAG NG 1 — SaaS 1h GADAGAOAGADA _ _ Etc. DA GA DAGA SAGO GI _ _DAGA —_ fC. AN GADNGADA GAA — — EFC. Maro __TAGADAGA KAGIOI- — — — Etc, 1h GA SNGADA GADA ETC. aS Sepa ere ieee DAGADAGATAGI 1G — — — — feeeiee Now, in switching from DA - GA to DI - GI, you do not have to hold yourself to making the switch all the time at G above the staff. Use the syllables the way they are most comfortable and produce the best results. In other words, you know what to do --- now --- make it fit you and be ‘your own mi Another problem you may encounter and which is prevalent with a great many trumpet (or any brass) players is double tonguing in the lower register (anything at the bottom of or below the staff). It seems that most players have an inborn fear of lower notes "not speaking” so they very instinctively tongue harder on them to make sure (in their own mind) that they WILL "speak.” This particular procedure can be likened to "putting the cart before the horse.” As we proceed into the lower register, we should remember to KEEP THE AIRSTREAM MOVING CONSTANTLY and then, TONGUE LIGHTER. T think youl lke the results. Le ry it on this exercise (Ex. 4 and 5): As inall other aspects of your playing, you should always keep in mind that the AIR is the foundation of all playing. AND --- in double tonguing, please don’t ever think of each note as an individual attack --- rather think of the overall phrase and then consider all the notes as just INTERRUPTIONS OF THE AIRSTREAM!!!45(Starr 10 fonoue CSIMILE AS Agove49 TRIPLE TONGUING As in double tonguing, the Arban book says TU-TU-KU. This does and has worked for many, many years. However, here again, there is another variation that you may adopt in order to achieve not only more speed but, a little more fluid sound to this multiple conguing. Here itis: Very slowly say the syllables TA-DA-GA. I believe you will notice that the attacks come at three different placements instead of just two, thusly: no yes There is one very important principle attached to this variation. You must be most careful to play very precisely to achieve a most definite flow of the triplets. We certainly do not want to have the triplets come out: > > > > TAdaga TAdaga TAdaga TAdaga etc. . They must be precise so as to sound: tadagatadagatadagatadagatadaga etc. . . with the same amount of emphasis on every note. Try this exercises with a metronome: - 3 = 3 3g A t + —— {ADACA ARORA TATAGA ——> Are a it ——————— ee ee50. AA DAGA TADAGA TADAGA AI. L —— TANGA TADAGA ELCr Se pf ‘As in the double tonguing, there is more than one way to execute, We should strive to get as close to perfection on all of them. “There are quite a few players who triple tongue TU-KU-TU and it seems to work very well for many of them; however, here again, it takes hours and hours of concentrated effort and practice snake all of the different variations work. My very dear friend Jimmy Burke (God rest his soul) never did triple tongue. He double tongued everything and only thought in groups of three. Such as. TU-KU-TU KU-TU-KU TU-KU-TU KU-TU-KU etc. .. I told Jimmy that I tried it once and was tongue-tied for a week but, he could sure make it work. “The mastery of multiple tonguings and all the variations of them are most essential to the complete player because of a number of circumstances. As any particular piece of music dictates or $s the individual taste of any conductor comes into play, you will be required to produce what is Seiled forat the time. Without all of the variations at your command, you may be in a "no win” Siustion, AND, spend enought time on all your multiple tonguings at different tempos to make Sure they are as precise and consistent as possible. It will definitely insure a much brighter outlook for your future career. ‘And then comes this example of starting the third note of the triplet with the GA. ‘You must be very careful to have the same precise attack on all the DA's and GA‘s with no ‘emphasis on one of the other. This applies to both double and triple tonguing, thusly:s1 GADA GA ‘DAGA DAGA GA DAGA AGA DA GA A DAGA GA DA GA GA DA GA DAGA DA GAMOVING MULTIPLE TONGUINGS ‘When playing moving passages while double or triple tonguing, there are a few cardinal tules to remember: 2, In the pursuit of trying to lear this one technique, remember not to employ the Arban method of double tonguing; namely TU KU TU KU TU KU but, instead, think in a little bit more legato vein and employ these syllables thusly: TA GA DA GA DA GA etc... 3. Do not try to match your fingers to your tongue or your tongue to your fingers. You will probably wind up in a "train wreck.” If, you instance, you are working on an E chromatic scale, you should first slur it, thusly: Ost? Now, let's take the fifth of the scale (in this instance the B) and double tongue it at the same speed as the slurring of the scale thusly: Tare) AGA SAGA PAGAIAGA _ _ Efe. We now know exactly how fast and how relaxed the tongue is going to operate. We must now take our mind completely off the tongue and "let" it operate just as it did on the one note. The ‘only thing we should concentrate on is fingering the scale at exactly the same tempo as we tongued the one note. IF WE ARE FINGERING PRECISELY AND LETTING THE TONGUE OPERATE AT THE SAME TEMPO, THE WHOLE THING MUST DOVETAIL AND COME R. REMEMBER --- forget the tongue and concentrate only on fingering precisely and in tempo. 1. Think of each note as an interruption of the air stream rather than an individual attack. Orne! TA GA SAGA 9AGA DAGADAGADA GA. EfC.53 If, however, you are experiencing difficulty in "forgetting the tongue” and still insist on trying to match the two entities, one to the other, here is another exercise to practice. Remember to Perfect each part of this exercise before moving on to the next bat or sevticn’Souslé fonsune Continue up in half-steps as high as possible. Strive for accuracy, precision, and even tempo.55 {In triple tonguing these same scales, we employ the same principles. Not the Arban TU Ga XU TUTU KU TU TU KU but, rather, the syllables of TA DA GA TA DA GA TA De GA. AND. most ofall, emember to think of each note as just an interruption of the air stream Oot fot as an attack. above all --- RELAX!!! Let's take the same E chromatic scale. First we slur Make sure the slurred scale is as precise as possible before going on to the tonguing of one note, thusly: Tater TA 0A GA 1A DAGA TADAGA _ __ ETC. NOW ~ as before -- take your mind off your tongue and think only of fingering as Precisely as you did in slurring. Do not get discouraged at any point because this is probably a whole dew concept to you. Stick to it and RELAX -- RELAX -- RELAX!!! A DA GA 1A DAGA TADAGA_ __ ETC. Make sure there is the same space between all the notes. It has to be one precise and continuous line without being able to distinguish between double to triple tongue. If you run into any difficulty on ths, then try the exercises on the following page, making | sure that you do not go across any double bar until the phrase before itis as perfect as posible |5 1A Ores 3 a TA 0A Gl @3 @ . 19 —= zt ATA DRGA fA ee 3 3 a s a : = SEN epg y —=| wn in half-stene as high as possible. Strive for accuracy, precision, and even tempo.TONGUING IN THE LOW AND HIGH REGISTERS MAYBE A LITTLE EASIER! Most of the trumpet players I have encountered usually place the front of their tongue behind the top front teeth when tonguing. This seems to be the best place and works very well; however, sometimes they encounter a litle difficulty in having notes below or above the middle ‘esister speaking or in getting a nice, clean attack. Usually, the attack is made with the front of the ‘ongue placed about the middle of the top teeth. TF you will notice, in the following diagram, the middle register notes, from second line G to fourth line D, the tongue strikes the back of the top teeth approximately in the middle. As we descend, the tongue moves slightly down on the teeth starting with the fist space F until the low Cand everything below it are tongued at the bottom of the teeth which I believe you will find works amazingly well. I have even worked with some bass trombone Players who actually ‘ongue between their lips for some very percussive passages in the low register. AND, in ‘onguing atthe bottom ofthe teeth, the tongue seems to drop ever so slightly, thereby enlarging ‘he oral cavity just a bit which is conducive to playing in the lower register NOW, on the Cpposite end ofthe spectrum --- as we ascend, the tongue moves slightly up on the teeth starting teeth which I believe you will find also works very well. AND, in tonguing at the top of the teeth Gust below where the gums begin), the tongue seems to raise and go forward ever so slightly, thereby narrowing the oral cavity just abit which is conducive to playing in the Upper register. ee ———L actual length of the tp teeth, as compared to the enlarged diagram, we then find that the distance the front of the tongue moves is actually very little. In this concept, asin all other aspects of playing wre must remember, at all times, that EXAGGERATION CAN DO MORE HARM THAN Goon! {you have a headache and two aspirin relieves the pain somewhat, you certainly wouldn't take ‘en pills to make your head feel fantastic, would you? When you douse the different Positions for the front ofthe tongue, it must bein a relaxed manner and feel very normal and natural, To test this concept play a C scale from thitd space C all the way down to low G, Separating each note from the other and tongue them ALL in the middle of the top teeth, THEN, ‘epeat the same scale but, this time follow the diagram. I believe you will find that the bottom notes will speak a lot better. Let's try the opposite! After you have done the descending C scale, try the C scale from 2nd line G to high C, Separat ing each note from the other and tongue them ALL in the middle of the top teeth. THEN, ‘epeat the same scale but, this time follow the diagram. I believe you will find that the same results ~will be forthcoming (FIG. 1). 37TOP FRONT TEETH FIG. 1 Play - 1c Play - 1g Play-1h Play-1i Play - 1 j Play - 1 c (again) Play - 1d Play - Le Play-1f If aeln, O i‘THE THREE R'S - READING, READING & READING Let me venture a guess. Ifall of you read music and compare it with your ability to read the written word --- I would guess that a significant preponderance of you are reading (with luck) at a third grade level. AND --- being that inept at reading music will not produce much employment. The reason that most of us cannot read is the fact that we have never been forced to learn. Learning to read (let's face it) is not the most fun in the world; however, it is a most important segment in our development as a player. It is very boring, to begin with; however, if you have enough initiative and fortitude to make it past "the hump” I believe you will be amply rewarded. How do we do it ---? Reading is nothing more than peeking ahead of where you are playing so as to not let anything surprise you. Now, that sounds pretty simple, ch? Well, the "HUMP" that I mentioned is leaming how to look at one thing and play another. This can only be accomplished through hard and tedious work. At times it can be most frustrating --- at other times it will seem to work for a short time (that’s the light at the end of the tunnel) and kinda falls into place. The best method I have found yet is to locate some books or pieces of music that you have never laid eyes on. Give yourself about two minutes to scan the page, put a metronome on it and begin. DO NOT STOP FOR ANY MISTAKES!!! Continue until you have finished the page and then go on to the next page. Repeat the same thing on this page and the next and the next and the next until you are starting to peek without thinking about it. Believe me, the mistakes will become fewer and further between, The distance you peek ahead will be determined by the tempo of the piece of music. ‘Sometimes, at a very slow tempo, a half bar will suffice; however, I have seen the times when 5 of tus were playing on a rehearsal band and the tempo was so ridiculous that we had to peek three bars ahead, Actually you have been unconciously peeking for years. Let's say that you are playing first chair in a concert band. It is the second chair player's job to tum the page, right? Well, if he waits until you have finished the last bar on page one to tum the page, how in God's name are you gonna play the first bar on page two? OR, if you come to the end of a line --- halfway through the bar you peek as the first bar of the next line, THEN YOU CAN'T BE SURPRISED!!! The pecking that I mentioned and tried to tell you how to accomplish , is nothing more than thinking of every bar as the last bar in a line or a page tum bar, The toughest thing about this whole routine is the beginning when you have to force yourself to do it. You're capable of it so let's go to work and get it done, There is one important thing to remember right from the start --- ANTICIPATE BUT PLAY WHERE YOU ARE! 590 SING --- AND PLAY BETTER 1 firmly believe that we are certainly expending too much physical effort to achieve the {sults we are getting. Initially, my first goal for all my students (after they learn the correct way to breathe and blow “through” the hom) has been to use half the physical exertion and achieve twice the results. Then .-- we can work from there! This sounds awfully ambitious and idealistic; however, it has worked with astounding results, Now --- nobody is saying that playing the horn is not going to be any work at all: but what we would like to do is make it as little work as possible. Please do not confuse this or associate it with any so-called "non-pressure” playing. This is a completely different bag and I will 80 on record as saying, "I don't believe init.” Just for fun try this little experiment --- Make sure that both the singing and playing are really projected: 1. Playa second lineG. Do it again paying close attention to the sound. 2. Play a third space C. Dig the sound. 3. Playa G right above the staff, Dig the sound. 4. Lay your hand on your stomach a little to the right of center and just under your bottom right ribs. NOW --- sing that second line G. Do it again and ‘otice how little pressure there is on the diaphragm. Raise your horn to your mouth (with both hands) and play that same second line G with no more Pressure from the diaphragm than you did to sing it. 5. Repeat exactly the #4 routine with the third space C. 6. Repeat exactly the #4 routine with the G right above the staff. Now --- which three notes did you like best --- the ones you played before you sang or the ‘ones after you sang? I believe the second three notes that you played will produce twice the sound as the first three notes - AND - with half the effort. It doesn't require 9,000 pounds of pressure on the diaphragm to play a simple old G right above the staff. And if you insist on using that much, ask yourself, "Where's the high G going to come from?” Try to remember this everytime you put the hom to your face. You are using too much pressure now and it has to be held back someplace. WHERE? I'm going to leave it up to you to answer that QUESTION ‘cause I said I wasn't going to mention it again. Refer to chapter "Your Best Friend --- AIR.” BEBEHEHERERBREEEBERERWHEEBeEeeEeettneVIBRATO (and more) What a wonderful subject to discuss. I believe that this one offers the player more options than any other. About the best way to approach vibrato I believe, would be te wli abo what has worked best for me and my students over the years, Here are my thoughts =. There are two ways of producing a vibrato, First witht he jaw (or as some players call it --- a lip vibrato). It is actually produced with a Wa Wa Wa Wa Wa which, when used also involves the lip. It does not give you as fast a vibrato as is necessary in some instances; however, at other times there is no "warmer sound” in the world. AND AFTER ALL, the scccen woe are (sing vibrato is for a “warmer sound” --- a more “interesting sound” .-- and sometimes on “edge” (especially on lead trumpet) that will cut through armor plate like a laser, All eee ef these uses are equally important, You just happen to match the vibrato to the style, the range, and the sowed that is called for at the moment. When playing in the middle or lower register, naturally, the vibrato is Sigwer than you would employ in the upper register where you need the edge produced by tater vibrations. This latter use of vibrato (aster) is produced by the use of THE HAND. —_— arn + Some people say the vibrato should result ina sound on the high side of the pitch thusly: LDrDRDRKAMIN. Other folks say that it should operate on the low side thusly: A PITT Toe Still other people say it should have this sound: TPP? POD Actually, I don't care which side of the line it travels because I never talk pitch --- rather, I talk about PULSATIONS. [f'we think in terms of pitch, we invite a sound that could develop into a WOW - WOW- WOW type of tone, Can you name me one player who would settle for that sound? 61When we do think in terms of pulsations, we must exercise absolute control of the hand. If you try to move it too fast, the muscles constrict and we get a real fast vibrato that wouldn't compliment a dog fight much less a beautiful melody. If the hand is moved too slowly, it makes too much movement and gets a terrible sound on the other end of the spectrum. First, look at the ram to show you where the fulcrum should be. If you will notice, the wrist is stationary and the whole hand moves on the end of the entire lower arm. Look at this (Fig. 1): fulcrum ~ nt, then we start practising the following exercise, making sure that your hand "moves the horn.” This movement should be very small. All it does is to bounce the horn very gently against the lip in order to set up the pulsations. You should not be able to see your hand move --- MOVE THE HORN. Get to work on this (Fig. 2). After you get the feel of this movem:63 This control of the hand is not accomplished overnight. It requires hours and hours of absolute concentration. While you are practicing it, think of ene word RELAX. I believe this teagan octave below and try to imagine it in the middle ofa beauuf baled nonce the vibrato {o,what you are thinking. DIG!!! Remember --- there sould be na perceptible hand movement. You should have to look closely to see the hom move. NO BIG DIAC VIBRATO. Just get control of Your hand, think the right thoughts and match the sound to what yon" thinking. Afler you have mastered all the mechanics of the vibrato, forget about them. Here is where por heart and mind take over. Think of the sound you want and the body wits oe naturally yon are opaiat Sound, Vibrato isnot mechanical. it comes ftom the head and te hegeso when Wipe OUT ns a ballad, TALK TO THE SUNSHINE, MAN and when gore playing lead, IPE OUT A WALL --- not with volume but with projection and ther PAs which is focused right at the leader's forehead. LIPTRILLS - SHAKES - AND OTHER STUFF When you have mastered control of your hand and the vibrato is working to your fatisfaction, we move on to other things such as the lip trill. I prefer to dence many things with the hand as possible so as to take more of a load off the chops (where shouldn't have been in the ‘Take the Ab above the staff again, Get a good grip on the hom so you feel like you are feally in control. NOW --- as we talked about in the chaptet “The Use of ihe Tongue in Piaying,” i2y the syllables TAH - EE. Ifyou will notice, the tongue does not make a massive movement UP but athera small up movement and a rolling forward very relaxed and os overdone. Play that Ab gid Keeping the SAME air stream moving, roll the tongue forward unt i breaks onto the Bb. Don't try to play the Bb with the chops. Let the air stream and the movement of the tongue Fecomplish it. Tey this 8 or 10 times until it feels very natural. NOW wan you play the Ab NOW -- with your hand, make the first movement towards you (but wee too much), the extra little Pressure will break the note onto the Bb --- then back a litle bit to the sharp Ab. You can do it any Speed you care to; however, be sure not to exaggerate this tongue or hued ‘movement. When you sae this: it will feel like the two notes are so close together that they are alinene touching. In ‘rder to help with this technique I recommend the following fingerings. Use the regular fingerings first and then my suggestions. T think you will be pleasantly. surprised (Fig. 3), 2 ! 3 2 f£ @ 4 3 i 3 b ee64 4 2 3 o voy 2 2 ‘ Jf he 2a ‘The same technique is used in the “SHAKE.” Depending what band you are playing with at the time, the speed of your shake will vary. You use exactly the same routine as above except it wor't be as clean and petite as the lip trill. [have always said that a shake is nothing more than a loud, lousy lip trill and if you analyze it, I think you will come to the same conclusion. However, ‘a shake is a very necessary "tool of the trade” and should be done well. A most effective sound is to have a 5 trumpet section do a shake at exactly the same tempo. WHAT A SOUND!!! Use the same fingering chart and if you get hung, drop me aline. If I'm still around, I'l try to give you an answer. Good luck.!MY CHOPS FEEL TERRIBLE How many times have you said this or how many times have you heard somebody else say ” Andi iu? Any time one of my students utters this phrase, I say, "I don't want to hear about i really dom’'t because, its a negative thought and we immediately go to work to relieve the situation and tum his/her mind towards a positive approach. Here's how! Many times when you wake up in the morning, your chops feel about a foot thick and stiff as aboard. 1 know, ‘cause it's happened to me more than once, You put the hom up to your mouth and the first sound that comes out is terrible. Maybe not terrible but, not the sound you want to hear. The first thing you do is to make an adjustment on your lip to try to get the sound you want. The next ty is even worse so, you make another adjustment, and another and so on “until it resembles a snowball rolling down a hill, When it gets to the bottom, you can't even reach around it much less lift it. Many things can cause “stiff chops.” Maybe you played an unusually long and hard job the night before or maybe your metabolism is litle out ofkilter or maybe your tummy may be a bit upset. Any number of things can contribute to this particular condition; however, when it does happen, you must force yourself to take your mind completely off of your “chops.” Just put the mouthpiece on your lip at the spot it usually goes then, starting on the second line G, concentrate oon blowing air past your lip and all the way through the hom without trying to form that G with your lips.* Never mind the sound that is produced. Just keep repeating this over and over remembering to stay relaxed at all times, blow throught he hom and you will find that the sound will improve bit by bit until the sound you originally wanted is finally happening. This routine will climinate any adjustments you might make. I know that its real hard to take your mind completely off of your “chops” but you have to force yourself to do it if you want to get rid of the stiffness. You must remember that any time you blow air past your “chops” and, subsequently, “through the hom," they will vibrate, AND, the more relaxed you are, the more vibration you will get, Its only when you "tense up” that the vibrations are inhibited and you will play with a “tense” sound, So --- relax --- take a litle time and you'll probably wind up saying, "My chops feel great!” *Chapter on the G scale of "Your Best Friend --- AIR!” 65.66 LEAD -.- SECTION --. OR JAZZ CHAIR In case your efforts have been in the jazz or modem music vein, I suggest that you give a lot of serious thought to the three fields in that title. Each of the three is an art form unto itself; however, they share one thing in common. A fontinuing study to becoming more adept on your instrument. ‘The better you can play, the better job you can do on each one oral three. Further, in all three of these ventures, you have hee ce asic committment as the rhythm section and that is TO KEEP GOOD TIME. You should bean ‘0 play without the rhythm section and have the chart smoke it's rear off! Playing lead trumpet carries a lot or responsibilty, In order to be a good lead player, you Fanny Possess a big, fat, projected, focused, laser beam type. of sound. Now, when { say big. I don't necessarily mean loud. But, even a relaxed, soft Basie style phrase needs a big soucd. Cou also have to have good concepis. Notice that this word is plural. It takes more than one good Seureny to be. fine lead player. Can you repeat the great feel of a Glenn Miller chart? Can you lay dou the relaxed and laid back (not dragged) feel of a swingin’ Basie chart? Or could yoo absolutely duplicate a Lawrence Welk style? ‘he best way to lear concepts isto sit next o.a great lead player and then copy. Aftera ‘hile, you'll hear some things your way and create your own siyle and maybe some day son ight have something named after you such as "A Gozzo Eighth Note”. Probably the twe reece important demands placed upon a lead player are CONSISTENCY AND ACCURACY. By sorsistent, I mean that everytime you have set the concept or feel of a chart in your mind, it moce be played exactly the same way every time through. If you don't do this, you throw a curve os Zour section players. Accuracy should be worked on continuously. You must build a reputation for not missing notes. You aim for the core of the note or sound (like aiming for the teen af oe apple) and then go for it. You'll find that you will not miss many notes. Now, after you rave Worked on CONSISTENCY and ACCURACY, you may find that your playing will becorse a lntlc mechanical. So --- keep working on consistency and accuracy, then you must play with a certaia aunt of RECKLESS ABANDON. ‘Sail into things which will in tum give your concept more Ele, Mair and life. You have to train your ear to a point that when you look aia phrase, you will Know exactly how it will sound before you play it. Sound, technique, conception, consicicney avd Sant Pate alla part of being a good lead player. Plus, your reckless abandon in attackyag a chart, Then, make up your mind that you will never, ever get over working on tance, T det Peat pagueaked out high Fs or G's” but notes with a sound that would go through armor plate. Lead playing must also be approached with a mature feeling. There is nothing that provoke me more than hearing a lead player “hang over” on the end of a phrase or chart. Then he cher {Reams oF tears off the note. This isa terrible exhibition of immaturity just to show everybody {hat you are playing the lead part. Hey, everybody knows you'e the lead player. First you stand in the middle and if that doesnt prove i, you lay out of all the unisons. ‘That, my friend 1s proot positive. Lead, not by showing off but, by setting an example with your playing. Work, work, ‘work and who knows --- maybe someday! Now, let's talk about section playing. I've had students who have never played anything . And do you know what? They were (and some stil are) lousy section players, Section playing is, has been and always will be an art unto itself. It takes just ax much fecliog os ie tcad chair as well as -- clephant ears! When you are playing under a lead player, you roast tisten like you have never listened in your life. Even if you don't agree with his cenespe ite mot Your job to try to change it from the third or fourth chair. Remember this --- you dont FOLLOW ihe lead player (if you do, you'll always be a hair behind him) but rather, play WITH hie And 8 he volume he i using then, play right under him with the same projected sound he is getting, Don't try to outblow him. That's the last thing he needs. He does need a good solid bass eens from the section and by God, you bettcr give him all the support he needs, "You and all vousy other job in the band, ility to strive at all times, t , Yours is a most important 10 become a better technical i's sloppy. Notice how clean ly Hubbard, Woody are good technical Just as in lead playing, you too ‘one or all of these players. AND —- Your ear to hear changes, y listening to them), Have until you have a good Clifford Brown Shaw, Blue Mi They all have a hunk of Clifford in ime they put the horn up to their chops. iges on them. If you don't ina high school in order to impress ~ half way through the you leave here will Louis Armstrong, ly can digest everythit le you are playing your choruses, the spotlight is all ic You had better become a great section player: through all of these trials TIENCE IS A LIABILITY!”, yours but when you finish and BUT, remember, and tribulations that "ENTHUSIASM IS A VIRTUE BUT IMPA’ 67MIND OVER MATTER OR WHERE'S YOUR HEAD Ifyou were to query any of my students, past and present, I think they would tell you that Jake says, "Til give you 5% muscle and the other 95% has to come from your mind." The wort thing that ever happened to one of my students was the day he played his fst high G back in high {ihool. It was done with all "muscle" and that’s the only way he could play it. Oh sure, it wor joud. but not very “big.” It took almost 6 months to break him of the habit of playing everything in abe upper register with sheer hard work. Now that he has leamed how to approach the upner register with intelligence and relaxation, the high G has twice the pure, fee, big sound with cely half the effort he once expended. Many young players don't have very much trouble learning to play and getting more and more facility on the instrument UNTIL, somebody tells them it is hard todo, Then, all sorts ot Problems begin. The correct way to start playing is to know or have explained to you the right method to apply as you go along your path of improvement and accomplishment. ‘Then, the problems of which I speak don’t have a chance to pop up and deter your advancement. State of mind has so much impact on how you play. Be on a natural high at all times. If you're on a downer or are thinking negatively at all, don't even pick up the home Come back to it When you feel that the whole world is beautiful. When you look out the window some morning, bon arising and itis so dark outside that it looks like it's still night-time, the thunder is absolutels deafening, the lightning is knocking down trees, and the rain is coming down so hard that yor can't sce across the street --- you gotta say to yourself, "God, have I ever seen such a beaut iol day." AND, if you think about it fora while, it really is a beautiful day. Think of all ihe fomers and crops that need the water. The lakes will fill up and make the fishing real good. The sup will shine a whole lot brighter when the clouds blow away and all in all, IT I$ A BEAUTIFUL DAY. These are the kind of thoughts that should occupy your mind when you put the hom to your face and start to make MUSIC. MUSIC --- doesn't that word have a great ring to it? You know, the good Lord looked down and smiled on you when he gave you the talent to play a musical instrument. You have been blessed. Don't you agree that the only honest -. the Guy fair thing to do -- is to think positive thoughts and spend as much time as possible practicing that instrument, if for no other reason than to prove to "the man in the main office” that he ween Wrong when he smiled on you? All through your life you are going to run into all sorts of people Who will say to you, "Boy, I wish I could play something.” That's when you can truly tell yourself how lucky you are. My contention is that a happy musician is a good musician --- and --- a good musician is a happy musician. Sit down, think about it and when someone asks you, "WHERE'S YOUR HEAD?” you can look them right in the eye and answer, "RIGHT WHERE IT OUGHTA BE GOD BLESS YOU PS. If Thad my life to live over, I would be a musician again except, ---A BETTER ONE!!!