One of the biggest challenges in discussing trumpet mouthpieces is describing their shape. Words alone rarely capture the subtle differences in curves and contours of the rim, cup, throat, backbore and exernal blank. In this post, the focus is the shape of the cup. There are many terms used to describe various cup shapes, but what is the difference between a convex V cup and a concave V cup? What is meant by double-cup? Because the cup is visible to the eye, pictures can be helpful. The graphic below shows the most common mouthpiece cup shapes side by side.
It’s important to note that cup depth is another variable that affects the shape of the cup. A shallow bowl differs from a deep bowl. Here’s a quick reference for trumpet cup depths:
Trumpet Mouthpiece Cup Depths
A – Deep
B – Medium Deep
C – Medium (standard depth)
D – Medium Shallow
E – Shallow
F – Very Shallow
Check out this link for a great explanation of how cup depth will affect your sound.
To review other mouthpiece specs, check out this post.
Some helpful info when considering trumpet mouthpiece specs:
Inside Rim Diameter can range from about 0.500″ to 0.690″. For most players, a comfortable inside rim will be in the middle, 0.630″ – 0.675″ or so. Measuring the diameter of the inside of the rim is extremely variable between companies and between rims. Some companies measure at the high point of the rim, some measure at the top of the cup, and some measure at the point where the rim begins to curve inward. If the rim is very round, it’s even more difficult to find a consistent spot to take the measurement. Use this number as a guideline, not as an exact measurement.
Throat Size, or Bore: most companies consider the “standard” throat size to be #27. This number refers to the size drill used. As throat size increases, the numbers decrease. A #19 throat is extremely large, or open, and a #30 is extremely small, or tight.
The Shank is the part of the mouthpiece that goes into the horn.
The Blank is the external shape of the mouthpiece. “Heavy” blanks have more mass and create a darker sound with more core. “Light” blanks have less mass and produce a brighter sound,
If you’re in the market for a custom trumpet mouthpiece, professional quality trumpet, or any related brass instrument product, these are the independent and boutique brands you should know.
Legends Brass trumpet mouthpieces and more! Specializing in modern versions of vintage trumpet mouthpieces, commercial and sessions mouthpieces, and custom mouthpieces for trumpet and other brass instruments. Use the contact form on the website to set up a consultation. Online only, no brick and mortar. Worldwide shipping available.
Pickett Brass, makers of high quality mouthpieces for musicians of all levels and all brass instruments, as well as Blackburn trumpets. Online store. Shop visits by appointment.
AR Resonance mouthpieces and horns are designed and meticulously handcrafted by Antonio Rapacciuolo and his wife, Elisa. Based in Nole, Italy, this family-owned workshop is highly regarded in the brass community for its innovative, modular two-piece mouthpieces and custom brass instruments.
Online shop for Reeves mouthpieces, and other brands of mouthpieces, horns, and accessories. Specialty services such as trumpet valve alignment, acid wash cleaning, mouthpiece bending and converting for sleeves. Appointments strongly recommended for shop visits.
Superchops trumpet mouthpieces, originally designed and made by Jerome Callet, are now exclusively available at True Power Trumpet and Fitness Website.
Mark Curry has retired from making mouthpieces, but the remaining inventory is available online.
Garibaldi
Garibaldi is a proprietary brand of brass instrument accessories. They specialize in precision-engineered mouthpieces for trumpets, trombones, alto horns (charchetas), and tubas. These mouthpieces are designed with a focus on high-quality craftsmanship, optimizing sound projection, and tone control. Sold at Olvera Music and Campos Music & Supplies
Online shop for mouthpieces made by Greg Black, as well as brass instruments and custom services such as mouthpiece duplication and alterations. Shop visits by appointment.
Acquired in 2019 by Backun Musical Services (a subsidiary of the Eastman Music Company). The Laskey line of mouthpieces is still available through the website and authorized dealers.
Lotus brand trumpets and mouthpieces, owned by Adam Rapa, with Charles Wagner as Head of Customer Service. Find a dealer through the website, or order directly online. Contact Lotus through the website form.
Brass instruments and mouthpieces made by Dave Monette and his team. Custom instruments, individually designed and built for individual players to meet their specific musical, physical, and ergonomic needs. Shop visits by appointment only. Use the contact form on the website.
Founded by Terry Warburton in 1974, Warburton manufactures a complete line of mouthpieces for Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Cornet, French Horn, Trombone, Baritone, Euphonium, and Tuba; as well as a line of top-quality accessories for both brass and woodwind instruments. The Warburton modular mouthpiece system offers the flexibility needed to find the most efficient mouthpiece for any playing situation.
To register your business in this directory, email Leslie here.
Over the past few months, many of the articles that I have worked on and industry pros that I have interviewed, emphasise how working life has changed drastically since the start of 2020 lockdown. With that in mind, it would be great to explore how we can successfully manage our recordings remotely now that we are all having to work with a greater degree of isolation.
And who better to speak with than 2 industry powerhouses?!
Johnny Thirkell (longtime friend of this website!) has performed on trumpet on over 6000 recordings, including over 40 top ten albums and 23 UK Number One records. Tina Turner, Jamiroquai, David Bowie, George Michael, Bruno Mars, Pet Shop Boys, Level 42 … the list is endless!
Grammy Winner Josh Blair is the ultimate ‘Producer and Engineer to the Stars’ with credits including Adele, Lady Gaga, Jamiroquai, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Duran Duran and Take That.
Johnny Thirkell
I understand that, in these locked-down, Covid times you’ve managed to shift your studio recording career to your home. How does that work?!
Actually, it’s really quite straightforward. The Producer will email or send a link to a rough stereo mix of the track which I just import into Logic and, within 5 minutes I’m overdubbing trumpets. It’s so much easier and more convenient than schlepping into town and enduring the bun fight that is the London Underground and I can record more or less at my convenience. So long as I get it back before the deadline, I do it when it suits me.
Isn’t that expensive and complicated to set up?
I guess that depends on how far you want to take it. For me it’s really quite basic. All I’m ever going to do is record trumpets over a track, so my equipment needs are pretty minimal. When I send back the recorded trumpets the Producer wants them totally flat – no reverb, no EQ, nothing. So, I don’t need any outboard gear like reverb units or equalisers. Which is just as well because I would have no idea how to use them! My entire rig consists of my MacBook Pro, Logic, a digital interface (I use the Apogee One) and my trusty Royer 121 microphone – for me the truest sounding mic for the trumpet I’ve ever used. Bar none.
In terms of expense, I think it’s always best to get the best you can – particularly the mic. You can be the greatest player in the world, if you’re playing into an awful mic, it’s not going to do you justice. If you’re short of cash, skimp on anything but the mic. The Royer is about £1500 but, trust me, it’s worth every penny if you’re serious about it. From a room perspective, I don’t really have a massive amount of soundproofing but then again I live in the countryside so the occasional squawking Red Kite is about the worst of my problems. If you live in a more urban area then I guess you’re going to have to think about good soundproofing. Bear in mind though, that the inherent volume of the trumpet means that your mic level will be relatively low anyway so it may not pick up faint extraneous sounds. Main thing is though to make sure the room has little or no natural reverb. Keep it as dead as possible because once any natural reverb gets recorded, it can’t be taken off.
And how about technical knowledge? What if you’re something of a technophobe?
Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can. I run the recording procedure very much on a “monkey see, monkey do” basis. I know what I know and that’s about it. If I run into something I don’t understand then there’ll be a YouTube video to help me through it. I’ve learned there are some cardinal rules to apply and, so long as I do that then I rarely run into problems.
And they are?
First of all have a starting template. I have a template in Logic where everything is set up ready to record. There’s a stereo track for the backing track and a bunch of mono tracks ready for the trumpets or flugels. The levels are pretty much set, as is the routing of channels etc. I got someone to help me set it up initially and I’ve hardly ever had to change anything since. Obviously the record levels have to change depending on what it is I’m playing but so long as you make sure that what you record never goes into the red, you’ll be fine. The other thing is sample rate. An engineer will be able to explain the technicalities but basically it seems that some people record at 44.1khz and others at 48khz. Make sure you know which one it is and adjust the setting accordingly in the Audio Settings page. I’ve been caught out by that one. Earlier this year I recorded 10 tracks of trumpets on the BTS single ‘Dynamite’ only to realise that I had the wrong sample rate set and had to do them all again!
How does the recording process differ from when you are at a pro studio?
Well, the most obvious difference is that, as well as playing the trumpet, I’m also the engineer. It can get a little awkward having to press record and then play – especially if you have a tight drop-in – but you develop the knack pretty quickly. In terms of mic technique, I would say this would be dependent to a certain degree on what mic you are using. Something like the Royer will take a lot of air pressure so you can get quite close to it but it’s one of those things where a little experimentation will produce great results. Record different things at different volumes and different distances and make a note of the resulting sound. That way you will build up a library of options to wheel out depending on what it is you are recording. Other than that, it’s much the same.
And then, how do you get the finished results back to the Producer?
There are a couple of things you can do to make the process nice and smooth. Firstly, make sure you have the tempo set correctly before you start and that the backing track starts at Bar 1, Beat 1. Then, when you are finished, put a piece of blank audio on each trumpet track which also starts at beat 1. Then you can merge all of the various sections of each trumpet track into one file so that, when the Producer gets them, he imports them to bar 1 beat 1 and everything will line up. Simple (??!!??). Although the backing track may have been sent to you as an mp3 (quality doesn’t matter for that as it’s only a guide for the trumpet) you should send back the files as WAV or similar high quality.
So, what would you say were the pros and cons of recording at home rather than at a commercial studio?
Well, I would say that flexibility is by far the biggest advantage. Being able to work around your own schedule is very liberating. You can basically go anywhere in the world and your whole recording setup can go with you in a small rucksack. I’m currently riding out the pandemic in Granada and working on some tracks for Jason Derulo – something which I would have had to pass on in the old days. The downside of course is the lack of interaction. Part of being a muso is the social element and you do miss mucking around with your pals in the studio. I don’t miss the Tube, though!
Joshua Blair
How has your working life changed in 2020? Are you doing a lot more work remotely with musicians? How have you found this as a process?
Session (ensemble) sizes have been a lot smaller due to covid restrictions and I’ve been doing a lot more remote work and archive mixing for one of my clients. It can be a bit tricky to get the same sound out of a smaller section but It’s been a nice challenge.
What are the most common requests that you make of trumpet players when you are in the studio with them?
I normally don’t try to make requests of them or any musician for that fact. I’ve been very lucky to work with some amazing musicians over my time and my philosophy is for the technology to get out of the way so they can concentrate on the music not me fussing about them or asking endless questions.
In your view, what is the essential home studio setup that a trumpet player should have in order to record and send you adequate quality audio. And what format should this audio be in?
Decent mic, decent headphones, decent preamp. There’s a lot of great gear out there today and quality equipment prices aren’t too prohibitive. I always like files as BWavs. Sample rate/bit depth should be a question you ask the producer or engineer.
Best mics for recording trumpet?
I’ve always liked condenser mics on trumpets. Some people like ribbons. They’re cool too but on a budget I feel its easier to get a better quality Condenser than Ribbon for the same money. My philosophy is simple, If it sounds good on a voice it’ll sound good on most instruments. You just have to be careful of the SPL as brass can be quite loud. So choose a mic accordingly. Neumann, DPA, Royer are all great brands.
For someone just using a click or guide track in their DAW and recording a limited number of tracks of audio, have you any top tips for improving workflow etc?
A few simple things…
1. Don’t record too hot to the DAW.. Once it distorts its very hard to ‘fix’.
2. Learn how to do some basic editing so you can sort out the parts you’re sending and only send the ones you need with some nice x-fades between the edits.
3. Once you have all your parts, bounce the tracks out all from the same starting point along with the guide track so whom ever is receiving the parts knows where things go.
4. Don’t add any reverb to your tracks (unless requested). If you like some FX you’ve used print them on separate tracks so the Raw (un-processed) tracks are available. I tend to record 5-6 sets of OH mics on drums for one of my clients… Not because we’d use all of them at the same time but as the production changes over time we wouldn’t have to re-record the drums we could just use the different mics to get a different flavour that suited the new direction.
What are the most common mistakes that people make when recording and sending you stuff?
Number one is distortion. Number two is the mic’s too far away or there’s too much “room” on the mic. Tuning and timing I can fix.
Do you think that remote recording is going to play a larger role as we hopefully move out of this pandemic?
Yes and no. There’s nothing like the sound of a group of people energising the air in a room together. However, now everyone knows how simple it is to be remote we might see more of that kind of work.
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 ‘tried and tested’, even if it is not necessarily completely trusted. Often the rigours and pressures of full-time orchestral playing do not allow time for experimentation!
I have given a summary below of eight Frate Precision models that have worked really well for players looking for a rich and open core sound with great orchestral projection. Each of these eight mouthpieces however have their own unique characteristics:
Cup diameter 16.95mm, Medium deep cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large Backbore #102 : Equivalent: 1-1/2C (26 throat)
This is the new ‘Easy Selection’ model with the #1 rim, and a best seller! The #1 models all have a really comfortable rim and the M (medium deep) cups seem to suit most players that I have encountered. The slightly open throat and the flexible backbore give a nice balance between core sound and flexibility. Great on both Bb and C trumpets.
1 M
Cup diameter 16.95mm, Medium deep cup, Throat 3.66mm, Medium-large backbore #101 : Equivalent: 1-1/2C
This has a similar responsive feeling to the model above, but with a slightly tighter throat and brighter backbore. Particularly good on C trumpets as well as larger Eb instruments such as the Schilke E4. This has also been a really good mouthpiece to recommend to students who have perhaps just moved up to their first ‘larger’ mouthpiece.
1 M, 3, 106
Cup diameter 16.95mm, Medium deep cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #106 : Equivalent: 1-1/2 C (26-24)
This is my personal favourite, and the model that has really got peoples’ attention here in the UK. It has a nice open feel but with a really rich core sound, great stability and slotting as well as flexibility.
2 M, 3, 102
Cup diameter 16.95mm, Medium deep (V-shape) cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #102 : Equivalent: 1-1/4C
Although it has the same rim shape, size and contour as the #1 models, the slight V-shape of the cup gives a very different feel and response, more similar to a Bach 1-1/4C. It retains the immense core sound and stability of the 102 backbore, and woks really well across both Bb and C trumpets.
2 M, 3, 106
Cup diameter 16.95mm, Medium deep (V-shape) cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #106 : Equivalent: 1-1/4C (26-24)
This is a slightly more open feeling and sounding version of the 2 M, 3, 102. The #106 backbore gives that big core sound, but still with the level of control, response and flexibility that players need.
3 M, 3, 106
Cup diameter 16.62mm, Medium deep cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #106 : Equivalent: 3C (26-24)
For players that like a narrower inside rim, but still an open feel to the mouthpiece. There are a number of well-known makers such as Monette, AR Resonance etc., that use extremely open throats and backbores to get players to fall in love with the sound. However, these infatuations are often short-lived when you realise what you have lost – core sound and flexibility. Both this model and the 1 M, 3, 106 offer the perfect compromise, giving you openness, core sound, response and flexibility.
6+ M, 3, 106
Cup diameter 17.12mm, Medium deep (V-shape) cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #106 : Equivalent: 1-1/4C – 1C (26-24)
This has a wider inner rim, and a smooth V-shape cup alongside the fantastic power of the #106 backbore. This is a great full-sounding orchestral mouthpiece that has suited players moving from 1, 1C and 1-1/4C style pieces.
5+ M, 3, 106
Cup diameter 17.12mm, Medium deep cup, Throat 3.74mm, Medium-large backbore #106 : Equivalent: 1C (26-24)
The 5+ has the same configuration as the 6+, but with a more traditional bowl-shape medium depth cup. The response is similar, but perhaps with more of a roundness to the sound.
This article was originally published by Ken Saul of Ultra Pure Oils, it is clear and comprehensive so I have re-published it here! Other brands are of course available to use, but I am yet to find any cleaning and maintenance accessories that are as slick and reliable as Ultra Pure.
Keep your horn clean and you will never have a problem with sticky valves or slides. Keeping it clean inside also removes bacteria that can build up in the tubing.
You should wipe off your trumpet at the end of each day using the Ultra-Pure microfiber polishing cloth. Gently wipe all the surfaces, especially where you hold the horn. Wipe off any water spots. The microfiber cloth will soak up oils and grease and should be washed once a month. If you have a silver plated trumpet, you can use a silver polishing cloth to remove tarnish about once a week. Use it to wipe the outside of the instrument only.
Wipe the outside of the horn every day to remove fingerprints, water spots and oils.
Bath Time
You should give your trumpet a bath about every month or two to keep it in the best condition. It only takes about 30 minutes to do a good job.
Carefully pull out the main tuning slide and the three valve slides. Wipe off any grease on slides with a paper towel. Remove the bottom valve caps. If they are stuck, try using a rubber jar opener, not pliers. Also wipe off the bottom valve caps with the paper towel. Then remove the three valves. They are numbered 1, 2, and 3. When you pull out the valves, check which way the number faces, the mouthpiece or bell end. When you put the valves back, they will face the same way.
Put a rubber mat or a towel in a tub or large sink and fill it with lukewarm water. Add some lemon-scented dishwashing liquid detergent (about a tablespoon is enough). Gently immerse the trumpet, the slides, the bottom valve caps, and your mouthpiece. Put some of the soapy water in a glass and immerse the valves, keeping the felts dry. Let everything soak for 10 minutes or more.
Take the trumpet apart and soak it in lukewarm (not hot) soapy water.
Soak the valves in soapy water while keeping the felts dry.
Run the snake through the leadpipe and all the trumpet body tubing several times. Run it down the bell and around the back bend. Use the snake to clean the insides of the tuning slide and the valve slides. Don’t force the snake if it does not bend around the tubing easily.
Use the flexible snake brush to clean all the inner tubing.
Scrub the valve casings from the top and from the bottom with the valve casing brush. Clean the bottom valve caps carefully to remove all the residues. Finally, clean the mouthpiece with the mouthpiece brush. Drain the tub or sink and rinse all the parts completely. Let them dry on a towel.
Scrub the valve casings with the cylindrical brush.
Scrub the mouthpiece with the tapered brush.
Clean the valves
Gently clean the valve ports with soapy water using the snake brush or the valve casing brush. Scrub the valve surface with soapy water using the valve casing brush or an old toothbrush. Be careful not to scratch the valve surface. Wash the valves with plenty of clean water and let them dry on a towel.
Lubricate the slides
Put a small amount of Ultra-Pure Regular Tuning Slide Lube on your finger and rub it onto the slide. Insert the slide all the way and wipe off any excess lube with a paper towel. If you are used to moving the first and third valve slides quickly for more accurate tuning, you should use Ultra-Pure Light Tuning Slide Lube on these slides. Also, rub a little slide lube on the top and bottom valve casing threads. Slides should be lubed about once a week or two.
Rub a small amount of tuning slide grease on each slide and put it back into the horn. Wipe off any excess grease with a paper towel.
Oil the valves
Hold the valve over a sink, cloth or newspaper and coat it with plenty of Ultra-Pure Professional Valve Oil. Carefully put it back into the casing and make sure the valve “clicks” into place, facing the right direction. When putting the valve back in its casing, do not rotate it since this can cause excessive wear. Screw the bottom valve caps back on. After the valves are in, try blowing some air into the leadpipe while moving the pistons. If air stops, you probably have one or more valves in backward.
Drip plenty of valve oil onto the valve surface to lubricate it.
Reapply valve oil every day or two
You should oil your valves every day or two. Just unscrew the valve and pull it up and out of the casing. Coat the valve with oil and carefully put it back in the casing.
Treat your instrument gently
Be gentle with your instrument. It is dented easily and dents make the instrument harder to play or can cause valves or slides to stick. Keep the horn in your hands, on your lap, or in the case. Not on the bed, a chair, or on the floor. If the instrument gets a dent, or if your mouthpiece gets stuck, take it to a music store to be repaired professionally.
The following article was originally written by Jeff Purtle and published in The Brass herald in 2009. Jeff Purtle is a private teacher, clinician, and trumpet player with international clientele. As a protégé of Claude Gordon he continues the traditions of Claude Gordon and Herbert L. Clarke with effortless playing and productive practice. Please visit purtle.comfor a fabulous range of educational content.
A practice routine is a tool to become an excellent and consistent player. It also gives a scientific way to understand how to improve specific skills. These qualities are essential for a long successful career. Claude Gordon believed anyone could be a “virtuoso” if he knew how to practice.
Gordon took Herbert L. Clarke’s principles and applied them with more structure. My previous article defined the content and this article is about the practical application. The assignments serve to set goals and understand what causes the progress. Refer to the pictured assignment from Gordon and the explanation below. Even Gordon improved his teaching over the years by using this method.
Breathing Exercises are always the first item. The focus is on taking a “Big Breath” and maintaining the chest in an “up” position during both inhale and exhale. Forget about the stomach or diaphragm. If the chest stays up you cannot breath incorrectly. The first exercise is 5 sets of 10 breaths standing in place. The second exercise is called “5 Walking,” which is 5 equal sniffs-inhaling while walking, 5 holding-full, 5 puffs-exhaling, and 5 holding-empty, then repeating this cycle walking a square city block. Each month it progresses one more step, then after 10 walking it moves to 5 jogging until finally reaching 10 jogging. Another form of breathing exercise is the “long hold” in the “Range Study” section.
Order
Sections A through D of the CG assignment were usually flexibility studies, intervals, tonguing and scales. Tongue Level studies should usually be the first thing to play. Gordon said, “The air does the work; the tongue channels the pitch.” They develop flexibility and ease in navigating the instrument. It is similar to stretching before a physical sport to be flexible. Gordon’s Daily Trumpet Routines book is excellent to use with all the models. Other flexibility books like Colin, Irons, Walter Smith and Staigers may be used in this area too. The point is to “watch the tongue” and learn how to coordinate the wind power and tongue level to discover how to “let the air do the work”, as Gordon said, and not be focused on the lip. Collect all possible material in this category even from other instruments as Gordon did.
Section I of the CG assignment is where the fingers and breath control are developed while working on Clarke’s Technical Studies. The first priority is to “strike the valves hard and lift the fingers high”, which is mandatory. Do each study with seven days of each of the following: single tongued, K tongued, double (or triple) tongued, and finally slurring as written. Practice accurately to play accurately. Things should then be prioritized as follows: accuracy, evenness, speed, whisper soft playing and finally repetitions in one breath. Never play softer than you can get a secure sound. Other scales and arpeggio studies fit in this area too, but Clarke’s book should be reviewed at least annually. Refer to Gordon’s Systematic Approach book for the some of the fingerings from Clarke that were passed down to Gordon. These are mandatory to train the fingers to function independently of each other with speed and control.
How You Practice
“How You Practice” was Gordon’s label for a way of practicing technical etudes and problem passages. It involves starting on the last beat of the music and progressively working backward one beat at a time with four perfect performances in a row before moving to the next step. (Use diagram with steps.)
Range Study
Down Routine
Section II of the CG assignment is the Range Study area. This takes the player first into the pedal tones (i.e. “Down Routine”), followed by a 5-10 minute rest, then to the high register (i.e. “Up Routine”), followed by a brief warm down (i.e. “Relax Lip”) and an hour long rest. All the other routine elements work along with the Range Study to increase the player’s range. The goal is a more playable range, usable in all situations.
Up Routine
The “long hold” in the Down Routine is held until the sound stops and all the air is expelled. This is an isometric type of exercise that strengthens the muscles used for blowing. You never do a hold like that on high notes. The Down Routine played before the Up Routine helps the player discover how to play high with ease as opposed to tightness. Playing from pedals to the high register can be effortless if worked on systematically. The rests are not literally four beats, but you must rest as much as you play with the mouthpiece off the lips to avoid fatigue and bad habits that come from playing when tired. Gordon said, “If you rest properly you can play all day.” This also develops endurance by learning the knack of playing with ease instead of by brute force. “Watch the tongue” meant to visualize the tongue and feel it’s unique vowel position for every note. This is how you learn to play accurately. The “Eee” syllable must be in the very front of the tongue for faster air speed. Gordon said, “Let the air do the work and let the air save the lip.” This means to blow stronger when ascending to get the right feel. Pedal F through C# should be played in tune. Pedal C through Pedal F# are initially very flat for most people, but the pitch will come up in time. It is possible to play to the third pedal C or lower. The pedals help improve a free vibration of the lips and indirectly help many aspects of playing. Care must be taken to not play them too loud.
Start the Up Routine in the pedals. On the first arpeggio leave pedal C below pitch, but play pedal E in tune by sounding the note 8va to get a reference pitch before playing the arpeggio. This fermata should only be a brief hold with a crescendo. Rest between each key. Continue up as far as possible. Remember this is a calisthenic exercise more than a musical exercise. Work up as high as possible, making only make three attempts at the highest note and then stopping to avoid developing bad habits.
Relax Lip
“Relax Lip” was a brief warm down to be played 3x after the Range Study. It can also be played other times. After the Range Study and “Relax Lip” the player shouldn’t play a note for an hour in order to completely recover. It is also wise to not do the Range Study before a demanding performance.
Technique Applied
Section III of the CG assignment is where solos, etudes, orchestral excerpts and other music is placed. The Range Study can also be placed at the very end of the routine with the etudes before it.
There are other variations that can be made to the routine, but this is the normal way. See the article What To Practice on www.purtle.com for a list of books to use in the routines. The practice routines are how the player can learn that brass playing is no harder than deep breathing. It’s not luck or natural talent. After playing the routine you should feel better than when you started. The goal of the routine is to learn to play with ease.
There is a balance between staying too long on an exercise and loosing focus vs. not staying long enough for the exercise to accomplish the desired result. Sometimes the same items can be worked on with variations. A teacher can spot things we ourselves don’t notice.
Personal Use
In order to teach correctly you have to play correctly and understand it. Gordon said the following on my pedagogy certificate from 1989, “…with personal use of these principles is hereby qualified to teach correctly.” Gordon knew that the teacher must be in tune with his own playing and practice in order to take students along the road to improvement.
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 favoured Bach or Yamaha models!
This model is based around a medium large .460 bore Hoxon Gakki valve set (the MAW valve set is also going to be an option), a 0.45mm gauge gold brass bell opening out to 125mm, an open Malone-style leadpipe and a D-shaped bronze tuning slide. The bell taper is not too dissimilar to a Bach 239.
Looking at the spec, the first thing that stands out is the medium large bore. Most of us are more familiar with a large (.462 or .464) bore on C trumpets. So I approached playing this trumpet with the preconception that it would feel small, stuffy or restricted in some way. It did not!
Responsive and lively, ‘yes’, but certainly not restricted. The sound is full-bodied with a rich tonal core that I immediately loved. It also feels open, not unlike playing a nice symphonic style Bb trumpet.
The Bb similarities do not end there. The intonation is great across the range as is the sound quality. I have always primarily played Bb trumpet have found the adjustment to C trumpet intonation a challenge. I am pleased to report that this Norwich Natural Trumpets model does not pose the same challenge!
As you may be aware, Matt Martin’s natural and period trumpets have been ever-growing in popularity – It is great to see this craftsmanship and artistry expanding to modern trumpets. There are also some great new developments with the Bb trumpets coming, and I look forward to getting to try these too!
What have our favourite players practiced to sound so great?
What secrets have they learnt to improvise so melodically and effortlessly?
Well, I can tell you from personal experience of working and studying with many great players is that they have developed their jazz vocabulary!
A great way to do this is by listening to the greats of the music.
As Clark Terry used to say – Imitate, Assimilate, Innovate.
Many of the wonderful players that we listen to have taken jazz vocabulary and made it there own, sometimes by adding other great players’ in fluences or by practicing language and vocabulary so much that they start to hear their own things to play. The more you develop the skills of practicing vocabulary, especially in all 12 keys, the more you develop your own aural skills and imagination. Developing the skill of instantly being able to play what you hear in your head is what every musician wants but how is this achieved?
To hear wonderful jazz phrases in our heads, we must practice the language or vocabulary of the masters of the music, if we don’t, we can still improvise but it has a real chance of not sounding authentic!
If you are new to improvising and developing your aural skills, here is an exercise you can start doing straight away to develop
1. What you hear 2. The ability to play it.
I would recommend staring off with extremely simple tunes, like a nursery rhyme! I have created a short YouTube video on this subject using ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ as the tune to practice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl1goUXBmOM
Try and play it, starting on various different notes (all 12 keys would be best). At first it may prove quite a challenge, especially in the more unfamiliar keys!
By doing this, you develop the ability to play what you hear in your head!
The next thing to do it to try and learn (really well) either a simple jazz tune (when the Saints is pretty simple) or if you feel you are ready, learn 8 bars of your favourite solo by your favourite player! This is the imitate part! Play it over and over until it is very easy! Next, either chromatically or in a cycle of 5ths or 4ths (depends if you are going up or down), learn it fluently in all the other keys! This really well prove to be frustrating at first, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes, especially if studying one player.
Once you have learnt an 8 bar phrase, keep going until you can play the whole solo. You don’t have to play the whole solo in all 12 keys, just the parts you really like. This is the assimilate part! By building up an armoury of phrases & vocabulary, you will always have something to play, the more you have, the better your solos will be. Especially by working out why some phrases sound so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBH2ryHgPYM
Once you have practiced and can fluently play lots of your favourite phrases, analyse them, work out why it sounds so good. This is the innovate part. What is it about the phrase you like? Could it be rhythmic, melodic…? What ever it is, try to create your own phrases using the techniques that they have! This will help us to not simply copy and paste other musicians licks, endlessly into out own solos! There are many that do it, try not to be one of them!
For me, the best jazz musicians are those who play beautiful, endless melodic phrases without (it seems) ever playing licks! Why do they sound so good? Well they are still using the vocabulary that makes jazz sound so great, they are just so imaginative and have endless creativity! They also have wonderful ears and play/outline the changes very well. If you listened to a solo of Clifford Brown with any rhythm section, you would still hear the chords being outlined in his solos! The same with Chet Baker, Bobby Shew, Blue Mitchell, Chuck Findley, Warren Vache……
If your current ability is not up to playing the music of these amazing players, I have created jazz etudes, with the beginner/intermediate player in mind. Jazz etudes, written over famous chord sequences (jazz standards) and in different genres including, dixieland, bebop, standards and latin (bossanova).
When we are learning the phrases, we are learning to speak the language of jazz, the correct grammar if you will. We want to make sense when we solo.
This is a music that takes a lifetime to master. We should be constantly challenging ourselves with different ways to approach our practice of improvisation and solos.
I don’t know when it happens but there does come a time when you do start to hear authentic things in your head. The more you practice and the more you listen to the and study the greats of the music, the more chance you have to create beautiful sounding solos yourself.
Just remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day and you have your whole life to work at this wonderful music! Be patient with yourself, seek out great players and teachers to learn from, transcribe solos and work your favourite phrases into your own playing, try to play together with other musicians too (ones that are much better but supportive if possible). You should also learn to spell out the chords and scales on your instruments too, this will prove invaluable in helping you to get around the chord changes.
I hope you find this article informative and helpful.
Warm regards, Darren Lloyd
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Brass players, including those at the top of their professional tree, have experienced Focal Dystonia that has either permanently, or temporarily, halted playing. Marcus Reynolds was a ‘pro’ player who overcame the challenge and here offers his personal (as opposed to medical) perspective on the road to recovery.
“I was inspired to write this for several reasons, not the least of which was an accident when I fell from a stage, which badly damaged my lip. My resultant anxiety about how I was going to play again and continue to make a living led to my own experience of Focal Dystonia (FD). I have learned to play again and it has been a struggle, but I have learned much about FD and embouchure problems along the way, which I’d like to share that with other brass players and teachers.
Dystonia is uncontrollable muscle spasms caused by faulty signals from the brain. Focal refers to a condition affecting a precise area of the body, such as the lips and muscles supporting the embouchure. Experiencing FD is a bit like dealing with a sat-nav that can’t understand that your route is blocked. Progress cannot be made, frustration mounts, only aggravating the situation. The sat-nav may even need to be turned off and the driver resort to basics (eyes and a map!). Similarly, the FD sufferer returns to basics, or in medical terms the brain’s cortical map needs untangling.
When a brass player visits me with FD, the first thing I aim to do is to change the name of the condition. For some, the mere mention of FD can amplify the associated problems, even triggering involuntary muscle movements, so I try to use a different terminology when discussing their playing. Typically, an FD sufferer is unable to control the lips as needed, so often I start sessions with certain facial exercises, which look like gurning, followed by some gentle buzzing using the Stratos embouchure training aid that I have developed. I set Stratos so the lips are hardly touching the mouthpiece. In that position, the brain does not register an instrument is being played. This avoids full contact on the lips, which would allow the brain to associate the problem with the instrument, thus triggering a rejection of it. Playing with some of the usual weight on the lips removed is difficult at first, but it cheats the brain to the extent that the student does not produce and hear the heavily debilitating ‘bu bu bu’ sound generally associated with the symptoms of FD. After a few repetitions of this exercise, clearer notes appear, almost like magic.
This rehabilitation is about re-routing the cortical map and, to achieve this, I have created a series of mind and muscle distracting exercises. A main aim is to build a new embouchure and the unpolished sounds that the instrument might emit are part of the process of recovery. A beginner’s early, unfocused sounds are similar to those made by an FD sufferer, but I believe that FD sufferers should be treated almost like beginners who often take time to achieve a really nice sound, but do not shun or reject the instrument because they have no ‘history’ to compare a better sound to. Experienced players, however, appreciate a good sound, so are frustrated when they cannot produce it.
Even when a smooth, even-toned note is being produced, FD can suddenly trigger an involuntary spasm resulting in a high-pitched squeak. However, as there will often have been a good quality note before the problem arises, I try to get the player to produce notes in semi-tones, either side of the targeted good note.
Repeating this extensively can achieve a new stability, controlled by a new muscle memory, triggering new synapse messages to the brain. Recovery is partly about breaking what we might call ‘historic spasms’ – that is spasms arising from old ways of playing. For valve instruments, this can be tackled by using different fingering, so in the case of a valve instrument, I get my student to play a scale of C. Then, as we ascend from low C (after pre-pitching an E top space, also thinking downwards and cerebrally pitching, as if you were whistling), I get the G played in 1st and 3rd, the A in 3rd, the B in 1st and 3rd, and the remaining C in 2nd and 3rd. This way, the instrument is raising the pitch and not the lips. Before starting this C scale, I strive for an E top space to be blown with no tongue, and then encourage the player to think the interval to the C in the stave and to play the scale by not changing pitch facially, but by allowing the instrument to take the pitch downwards. This exercise is carried out very calmly. If the ‘bu bu bu’ occurs, show no sign of annoyance or frustration because your student will reflect it – just start again.
The next technique sounds a little crazy, especially as the player may not be very confident using the methods to play any of the notes that I’ve mentioned. Using the Stratos, with its unique adjustment set with the chin-rest piston as far forward as it will go, I encourage the player to reach towards the mouthpiece, sat the same time depressing the chin rest piston spring and closing the gap to the mouthpiece. Although sometimes frustrating, this exercise increases the blood and oxygen to the capillaries, strengthening the mouth muscles. Reaching towards the mouthpiece will feel alien, but will cause no evidence of FD because ‘historic spasms’ won’t be triggered. Maintain this exercise for a full minute, then rest. Return the chin-rest so it is just touching the chin and then play. Results will vary, but I find that the player has better support and, in many cases, plays without the ‘bu bu bu’ effect.
Whistling arpeggios is great, even if a whistle cannot be achieved; just copy the shape as you whistle. Not only does this firm up the oral chamber, but it also encourages the ‘smiling’ muscles to draw forwards towards the point of pitch. Do this exercise very slowly and deliberately, using your mind to picture the travel of the tongue as it arches upwards for the higher whistled notes and then feel the tongue flatten as you descend the arpeggio.
Another strategy is for the player to go into unfamiliar areas, such as striving to pitch above their normal range. The brain won’t know what is happening and so FD won’t be triggered. Once some success has been achieved, work downwards in pitch suspension, not losing sight of the higher note. After descending two or three notes, return to the first note. If these notes feel and sound clear, descend four notes.
Three of my students with FD had never buzzed before, but buzzing keeps the capillaries open, allowing more blood and oxygen into the lips. The brutality of the mouthpiece pressing against flesh needs to be reduced and using the Stratos will achieve this, a little at a time.
Once you’ve made a good start on producing a reasonable sound, you can proceed to rebuilding the embouchure properly. Avoiding old habits is central, but often comes down to basics for a beginner. So progress comes from patient concentration on producing a smooth airflow, correct posture of neck and body, comfortable handling of the instrument and, of course, effective breathing. I recommend looking at the teaching of Kristian Steenstrupp, Professor of Trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, on this matter.
If the player does not feel that the results are favourable at anytime, I return to the good notes and start again, which helps to anchor that one good note as a rung on the ladder to eventual success.
Many of the players that I’ve helped are overwhelmed by anxiety to such a degree that they find it immensely difficult to accept there is a way out of their dilemma. It is easy to think ‘why me?’ That attitude, however, only sustains the collapse of the player’s skills and rejection of the instrument that is symptomatic of FD. It is important to recognise that mental attitude to playing is important. I, too, was a ’pro’ making a living as a ‘bone’ player, teaching, conducting and performing for TV and radio. The stress of worrying about how to make a living was the factor that compounded other neuroses that I experienced. The way forward is to try to create different sensations that trick the brain and muscles into re- learning that what they are doing.
I try to create different sensations so that the brain asks what is happening, and, in those moments of confusion by using subterfuge and deception, new and different approaches can be made without rejection. Many alternative avenues are needed for continued progress. For example everything you do to change the feel mentally and sensorily will help this confusion. Even something like wearing gloves, so the instrument feels totally different, can provide a new sensory experience, distracting the brain and aiding progress.
In summary, recovery is possible if the player is patient and works diligently with the tutor.”
This article was originally published in ‘Brass Band World’
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