Advice · Gear Review

Bagpipe (or trumpet!) Lung

A school year looming brings with it a fresh start, and a resolution to keep instruments clean and hygienic.  If you need any further confirmation of the importance of keeping your instrument clean, please read on!โ€ฆ Back in August 2016, the BBC and numerous other news agencies were reporting on a journal article written by… Continue reading Bagpipe (or trumpet!) Lung

Advice · Gear Review

Finding the perfect orchestral mouthpiece

I have spent a lot of time recently (mainly virtually!) working with players who have used this enforced period of time off to look at new and possibly better mouthpiece options for themselves. Many classical, and particularly specialist orchestral players are traditionally very conservative in their choices and often choose to stick to the โ€˜tried… Continue reading Finding the perfect orchestral mouthpiece

Gear Review · Interview

Trumpet Artist Profile : Alexandre Herichon

Alexandre Herichon is an eclectic musician, at home playing lead trumpet, improvising, and as a composer/arranger. He shares some trumpeting thoughts as well his experience with his new Agami trumpet. What first drew you to the trumpeting the early days? My parents listened to jazz music when I was a kid, and we saw, sometimes,… Continue reading Trumpet Artist Profile : Alexandre Herichon

Gear Review · Interview

Jon Faddis on Ullvรฉn Mutes

...from Jon Faddis: "Hello, Fellow Brass Players, I would like to tell you about some really good news, not just for me, but for trumpet and trombone players all over the world.Swedish trumpeter Lasse Lindgren has acquired the rights to make Ullven mutes, which have been unavailable for many years, and also happen to be… Continue reading Jon Faddis on Ullvรฉn Mutes

Gear Review

Instrument Review : C Trumpet from Norwich Natural Trumpets

I was recently sent a new C trumpet by Matt Martin from Norwich Natural Trumpets. This was designed in collaboration with Mark Bennett and has arrived with me looking spectacular. These trumpets are custom-built to order, but surprisingly do not have the custom price tag. In fact they are currently less expensive than many people's… Continue reading Instrument Review : C Trumpet from Norwich Natural Trumpets

Advice · Education · Gear Review

Do Bell Covers help prevent the spread of COVID-19?

OK, so I need to say right off the bat that I have no intention of actually answering this question! I am certainly not qualified. This past year (plus change) has seen it become ok for us all to express โ€˜opinionsโ€™ on science, and for us to have the choice to either agree or disagree, sometimes depending on our political leanings. This confusion has been confusing!

Advice · Gear Review

Alliance Brass : Mouthpiece Review

Alliance Brass mouthpieces were launched in 2006 by Roger Webster, former principal cornet with Black Dyke and Grimethorpe. Initially these were for the brass band world to accompany Besson instruments but in more recent times, there have been some significant developments with their trumpet range. Stephen Wick from Alliance Brass and Denis Wick Products was… Continue reading Alliance Brass : Mouthpiece Review