Solo performance - Task 1 - Unit 9
EDIT, ADD VIDEOS AND
I will be beginning my by looking into dynamics, a technique I frequently use on the trumpet/flugelhorn.
Dynamics:
More subtle degrees of loudness or softness are indicated by:
Crescendo (cresc.): This means to gradually play louder.
Diminuendo/decrescendo (dim. or decres.): These both mean to gradually play softer.
On the trumpet, most of the pieces that I play (jazz and classical) require some dynamic variation with crescendos, diminuendos and various dynamics (mostly mf, mp and f). These dynamics are important to the music as it adds volume contrast to the phrases depending on the context of the music
I used this website to reseach the importance of dynamics in music. https://study.com/academy/lesson/dynamics-in-music-piano-forte-and-why-they-are-important.html
The extremes of sound:
Assuming sound is something that we hear, in other times sound is a vibration we going through matter which makes a noise. The sound travels through the matter via a sound wave, moving by compression and decompression.
The extremes of sound can come from the pitch of the sound, the volume/loudness.
In terms of pitch, the highest pitch will have the shortest wavelength and in opposition for lower pitches. This can explain when we think we "feel" low sounds like a bass line. These vibrations cme from the wavelength taking so long, almost "1/20th of a second" for a wave to pass the body.
https://waitbutwhy.com/2016/03/sound.html
The volume of a sound, is dependent on the amplitude of the pressure waves where louder sounds have a higher high-pressure parts and lower low- pressure than quiet sounds. The loudness of sound is usually measured in decibels where 194dDb is the loudest sound that can be heard on earth.
EDIT, ADD VIDEOS AND
I will be beginning my by looking into dynamics, a technique I frequently use on the trumpet/flugelhorn.
Dynamics:
Dynamics refer to the volume of a sound or note played on an instrument or voice. They are usually indicated by printed letter markings on sheet music. Dynamics are based on Italian words rather than in English (e.g. quietly, softly would be said as pano, pianissimo or mezzo piano)
Musical Dynamics indicate the loudness of music. The Italian terms piano and forte to indicate soft and loud. They are usually abbreviated p and f on sheet music.
The main dynamic levels are:
- p or piano, which means “soft”
- f or forte, which means “loud”
I occasionally find these dynamic markings, particularly those of the classical trumpet pieces. The dynamics were of a larger variety in classical music than the other classical genres such as baroque, romantic and contemporary. (https://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2014/05/29/musical-characteristics-and-performance-practice-of-the-classical-period/)
More subtle degrees of loudness or softness are indicated by:
- mp, standing for mezzo-piano, which means “moderately soft”
- mf, standing for mezzo-forte, which means “moderately loud"
Beyond f and p, there are also:
- pp, which stands for pianissimo and means “very soft”
- ff, which stands for fortissimo and means “very loud"
To gradually change the dynamics, composers use crescendo and diminuendo (also decrescendo).
Crescendo (cresc.): This means to gradually play louder.
Diminuendo/decrescendo (dim. or decres.): These both mean to gradually play softer.
On the trumpet, most of the pieces that I play (jazz and classical) require some dynamic variation with crescendos, diminuendos and various dynamics (mostly mf, mp and f). These dynamics are important to the music as it adds volume contrast to the phrases depending on the context of the music
I used this website to reseach the importance of dynamics in music. https://study.com/academy/lesson/dynamics-in-music-piano-forte-and-why-they-are-important.html
Dynamics offer a way to show expression in sheet music. They help to drive the emotional content of music through volume and intensity.We can also think of the intensity side of dynamics as the strength of a note. Some notes are meant to be played gently and lightly, while others are meant to be played more strongly.
What I got from this is that dynamics have a significant effect on the sound of music, giving a different message depending on which dynamics are used. If I played a piece with lots of piano(p) markings, it should be associated with subtleness. If I played a jazz piece with lots of f (forte) and mf (mezzo-forte) markings and played it in piano (p) instead, the dynamics wouldn't fit the style of the piece.
If the dynamic marking is forte, for example, the trumpet is played with an increased amount of air to blow through the trumpet. This starts with a breath before you start playing, taking in as much air which is necessary. To play loud, this will be a large amount. You will not be able to play loudly with a small amount of air.
The same thing applies when you have to play a crescendo. To get louder, you have to increase the amount of air that you are using, especially if the previous note was of a quieter volume. When increasing the amount of air you are using to play louder, this doesn't mean that you have to increase the speed to very fast as if you were trying to play a high note. In opposition to this, the speed of the air should be moderate.
It is said that it takes the same amount of muscular movement to play the trumpet softly as it does to play loudly as they require the same amount of effort, both to restrict the air and put out th air. I found this out from the website http://www.ethankind.com/blog/trumpet-playing-very-softly-pianissimo-effortlessly-pain-strain-injuries-posture-alexander-technique/.
I tried this when playing a loud note in forte and playing a quiet note in mp and I didn't notice much of a difference between these volumes in terms of the muscular movement and effort needed for this. Now that I have tested out what I have found out, I can conclude that what I found out applies to me. It makes sense to me because I find that I have to put in a huge amount of effort to play loudly but I also have to put in a lot of effort to play quietly (without changing anything else musically such as tempo, just the volume).
How softly you can play on the trumpet are determined by your technique and the trumpet itself.
If you use the least amount of muscle, then it is the trumpet, the embouchure, and the speed of the air stream that will determine how softly you can play. Simply, at a certain point the trumpet will not produce a sound, with the small embouchure and when the high speed of the air stream gets to a certain speed on the trumpet.
The extremes of sound:
Assuming sound is something that we hear, in other times sound is a vibration we going through matter which makes a noise. The sound travels through the matter via a sound wave, moving by compression and decompression.
The extremes of sound can come from the pitch of the sound, the volume/loudness.
In terms of pitch, the highest pitch will have the shortest wavelength and in opposition for lower pitches. This can explain when we think we "feel" low sounds like a bass line. These vibrations cme from the wavelength taking so long, almost "1/20th of a second" for a wave to pass the body.
https://waitbutwhy.com/2016/03/sound.html
The volume of a sound, is dependent on the amplitude of the pressure waves where louder sounds have a higher high-pressure parts and lower low- pressure than quiet sounds. The loudness of sound is usually measured in decibels where 194dDb is the loudest sound that can be heard on earth.
Experimenting with different sounds on the flugelhorn, depending on the genre I am playing, adding effects to the microphones help me to achieve the sound I am going for. For the shoegaze pop genre, I would use a microphone with added reverb and echo to give me a "dreamy" effect, an aspect of the music. This will
When a sound is made anywhere, the sound waves travel around the surrounding, bouncing off of the walls. The sound then returns back to our ears so that we can hear delayed echos. The characteristic of the echo can vary because of the room size, the materials in the room and any other variable which could affect it.
The trumpet and the flugelhorn are very similar instruments, however in terms of their volumes compared to each other, the trumpet is the loudest.
I play both the trumpet and the flugelhorn, so when I am aiming for a loud sharp sound I would opt for the trumpet whereas a warm, mellow sound from the flugelhorn would be my other option.
https://www.qatarmusicacademy.com.qa/brass-family
However, brass instrument are the loudest instruments of the orchestra meaning the trumpet which supports the point I have made. The flugelhorn is not used in the orchestra, so it doesn't apply here. The tuba is the loudest, being the biggest brass instrument and producing a loud, deep sound.
Tempo:
The tempo of a piece is the speed at which it it to be played. Depending on how fast or slow a piece is to be played is depending on the range of the BPM. The BPM in music is how many beats there are per minute.
The time signature can also tell you how many beats there are in a bar which can be indicated by a number above another. For example if there are four beats in a bar, the time signature would be indicated as 4/4
http://www2.siba.fi/muste1/index.php?id=102&la=en
To work on my tempo and playing in time with my trumpet playing, I use a metronome which can be set to a tempo anywhere between 10 and 500, the smaller number meaning the slowest an the highest, the fastest.
Tempo indications can also be given in Italian. Grave meaning slow/solemn, presto meaning very fast and Vivace meaning lively/brisk.
Traditional jazz music can apply the following tempo marking:
Slow- 48-60 bpm
Medium slow - 60-90
Medium- 90-140
Fast - 180-240
How might I use this technique in my performances in general in the future?:
Dynamics
Dynamics, articulation and tempo would always be essential in my flugelhorn playing as these are what shape a piece and give it it;s structure whilst adding some variation. However, the use of articulation, dynamics and tempo can vary depending on the genre I am playing. In some jazz standards I play e.g. Blue Bossa, there is more use of articulation with higher importance than dynamics or tempo (as the head melody can be played in different tempos - the piece is marked in 64 bpm, however I played it in 67 bpm on my recording)
http://www.notediscover.com/song/kenny-dorham-blue-bossa
Classical pieces included in my Grade 6 practice included Chanson Napolitaine
In my future studies and projects I will be practicing pieces of different genres, especially in the genres of pop, classical or jazz. At the moment, I am preparing a cover performance of pop songs which require great uses of dynamics to give the piece meaning, similar to how the vocalist projects their voice on certain notes, I will be using a crescendo(gradually getting louder) or sudden dynamic changes.
For my EXP, I plan on creating repertoire on the flugelhorn within these genres where my playing techniques with dynamic changes, articulation and tempo would all be relevant.
Warming up on the trumpet
I will be going into more depth with warmups later on in the blog.
Warming up is always important before I begin my practice routines as it eases the playing and prevents any straining or injury to the embouchure. Therefore, as I am currently doing, I will continue to progress my warm up routines when I identify changes which could benefit my practice routines. Currently, mouthpiece buzzing improves my sound and my range from the beginning of my practice.
This solo performance focus will be on one of my peices I will be playing for my Grade 7 exam: Funk-Allen Vizzutti including warm ups and trumpet techniques.
I will be assessing my playing by recording and listening to myself playing. I have chosen to use this method of self development as a solo flugelhornist as I believe it will reveal how I would actually sound if I performed the song in a real exam/performance. Firstly, I would be able to analyse small parts of the song, how I want them to sound and if I have actually accomplished it. For example, are there enough accents on the notes in 'Funk'? Below I will be outlining the advantages mainly with a disadvantage.
If I filmed myself in a video, I would be able to see how I react to different circumstances such as forgetting my notes, playing wrong notes of making a mistake, all which have happened in the past.
Usually as musicians, we would hear much more of our performance when we listen to ourselves than if we were to try and listen to every aspect of the performance while we are performing. I believe that this could be because we are distracted during our performance and in my case, I would be reading the music on the stand, keeping focus on my fingering patterns and breath control on my instrument. I will be going into more detail with breath control later on in the blog.
Some things I will keep an eye out for when I am listening to myself playing funk is if I am articulating the notes correctly, if the notes in the upper register are clear and punctuated, if I am playing to loudly or softly(dynamics) in certain sections.
Despite these advantages, there is a disadvantage of using this method for self improvement and this is that it's very time consuming. A lot of time is taken from watching and listening to each and every recording, identifying by taking notes of what I need to work on further.
Lastly, video recording yourself can reduce nervousness as you would have a better idea of what you are playing and what the audience/examiner will hear when you play.
https://fundamentals-of-piano-practice.readthedocs.io/en/latest/chapter1/ch1_topics/III.13.html
Breath control and finger patterns
Playing the trumpet involves the coordination between breath control and fingering as these are required to get the desired note with the correct tone.
Air and breath control plays a major part with trumpet playing which is why working on breath control is vital. I found this out from the following source http://www.bbtrumpet.com/breath-control-tongue-arch-pivot/ which gave me information on why breath control is so important for trumpeters. It also talks about a part of the body which is associated with breath control and this is the diaphragm (an involuntary muscle). The purpose of the diaphragm is for inhalation (this is done just before playing the trumpet, to have air in order to blow through and play) and inspiration. The diaphragm is a primary muscle located in the lower ribs.
During contraction, the diaphragm pushes downward and pulls the pleura, a serous membrane surrounding the lungs, with it. This action causes the pleural pressure and the alveolar pressure to drop, which in turn, facilitates air to flow into the lungs. After this process, the air which has flowed into the lungs is used to pass air through the trumpet via the mouth and result in sound exiting the trumpet.
During contraction, the diaphragm pushes downward and pulls the pleura, a serous membrane surrounding the lungs, with it. This action causes the pleural pressure and the alveolar pressure to drop, which in turn, facilitates air to flow into the lungs. After this process, the air which has flowed into the lungs is used to pass air through the trumpet via the mouth and result in sound exiting the trumpet.
I took further information regarding the diaphragm and how it works with the human body from https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/diaphragm#1 to support my practice routine about breath control, to show how it is important when playing the trumpet, preventing any health problems. If a trumpet player has poor breath control and the breathing isn't done properly, it can result in the trumpeter fainting/passing out during a performance.
A negative aspect of my trumpet playing (noticed by my trumpet teacher) which affected my breath control was my posture. To have a more open airway and clearer tone, the trumpet should be held upright (and not the opposite of this). This makes the air flow easier through the body so it is much more easier to blow through the trumpet without the air being trapped or the airways being blocked due to a poor posture such as hunching over.
In the past I had a habit of "backing away" with the air and stopping the airflow when I get to higher notes but instead I had to do the opposite of this by increasing my confidence, keeping the airways open and blowing faster air through the trumpet.
For grade 5, I played a piece called Marche by Anon. This piece is a duet with the trumpet and the piano. This will be shown in the video below which consists of an image of the score I played from.
I believe that this is a good example of a piece which requires good breath control due to the complexity of the phrases and the registers that this piece reaches as said by my trumpet teacher. Near the beginning of the song, there are some lines where there isn't a sufficient amount of rests between the phrases, not allowing enough space to breathe properly like you would when you start playing at the beginning of the piece. Therefore, you have to manage/control the air properly, use faster air on the higher notes (but not so much air as the lower notes), more air on the lower notes.
When I was practicing Marche, I developed my breath control ability by using faster air on the higher notes. At the end of the line, there is a note of A(the third octave of the trumpet) which I struggle to reach because of my range on the trumpet. My strongest note is the 3rd octave G which is a tone below the A which I am trying to reach. When I play this note, I started by using faster air on the note which is what enables it to be played. I also have to keep the throat open instead of closing it off. This is done by keeping the correct posture and trumpet positioning. Another way of playing the high note that I tried was tightening the lips slightly while keeping the corners of my lips tight. The squeeze or pushing of your lips together is needed to play high. I found this out from the following website https://www.trumpetstudio.com/highnote.html together with some additional tips on playing high registers. Next, Tongue Position should also be addressed. Saying ‘ah’ lowers the tongue and increases the volume of air. For playing high notes, you don't really need volume, the air should instead be at a fast speed. Saying ‘ee’ arches the tongue and increases the air speed for high note playing.
In Allen Vizzuti's Funk, good breath control is vital throughout the piece, however, where there are octave leaps and fast phrases where there isn't space to breathe, it is vital.
The images of the score is below.
An octave leap is shown in the image to the left. The notes are both are C's but they are in different octaves. The first C is the lower octave or the first octave and the second C is the upper octave of the first C, the second octave of C.
This is similar to in the Jazz standard 'Blue Bossa' by Kenny Dorham where there is an octave leap at the beginning of the song. Below is the score and a video of me playing Blue Bossa on a track on logic.
Here is the original of Blue Bossa
Here is the original of Blue Bossa
Here's my version of Blue Bossa
On the trumpet, to play an octave leap near the beginning of funk, shown in the image, to go from the 2nd octave G to the 3rd octave of G the speed of air changes, the amount of air changes however, the fingering patterns do not change as the note of G in the second and third octaves are both 'open' which means that none of the valves are used.
When playing 'Funk' and reaching the part where there is an octave leap from G to G, there have been some times where I have split the note or the note hasn't come out at all. When the note is split, the note hasn't been supported by the air properly, where you would hear the note but it wouldn't come out fully.
In this video, I will be playing this part of the piece with the octave leap, showing how it is supposed to be played with the accent on the previous note and the tenuto which indicates that the note is to be longer than the previously played note.
To prevent splitting a note while playing an octave leap, I should focus the majority on my breath control, typically on the higher note. With the lower note, as I have mentioned elsewhere in my blog, to play a lower note, more air is needed with slower breath. In contrasts to the third octave, less air is needed for the higher note with a faster speed of air.
Grade 7 and 8 pieces for practical exams
I am planning on taking my practical grades 7 and 8 in my progression processes for university. The universities which I plan on going to which are the London College of Music, LCCM and Middlesex university prefer players to be at a grade 8 standard at the interview. My aims for these exams which I will take in the period of time between December 2018 and July 2019, is to achieve a distinction in grades 7 and 8.
The trinity Grade 7 exam requires 3 pieces from 2 lists, list A and list B. The accompanied pieces are those from list A and the unaccompanied piece is that from list B. Using the online syllabus, the pieces I have chosen are: Bernstein - Rondo for lifey,Vizzutti - Funk and... from which I will read from the original score. For the piece 'Funk' by Allen Vizzutti, I will be using the book '20 Dances for Trumpet' shown in the image below.
The versatile trumpeter and composer from the United States in jazz and classical works. From a career as a session music to 'backing' (or accompanying) Chick Corea and playing in sessions with Frank Sinatra. Vizzuti's solo career included soloing as a classical player with numerous symphony orchestras. Vizzuti's combination of both jazz and classical in his career through jazz festivals and orchestra's reflects his versatility on his instrument. The score, featuring in '20 dances for trumpet', is taken from the book in the images below where there are some markings on the score to remind me of specific techniques are essential to use.
There are lots of accents marked across the music as shown in the images if the score above.
Increasing the air flow to attack the note resulting in a short powerful note is what is required on the trumpet for many pieces I have played in the classical genre (Marche - Anon and Chanson Napolitaine - Tchaikovsky) and for this piece I am playing 'funk'
The difficulties I have encountered with accenting notes is the amount of attack I put into the note. The accent is to be punctuated enough to sand out from the other notes and if it is not, the audience may not notice it. Accented notes are also louder, therefore, simultaneously attacking the note with more air than you would use for a regular note (a minim on it's own).
To accent a note more on the trumpet, the process of creating an accent needs to be emphasised further. As 'tonguing' the note with force is for creating that 'punctuated' sound,
Articulation when playing the trumpet is essential depending on the type of genre the music is in. They differentiate notes and phrases from each other and give them a meaning. Articulations is an expression of music.
There are four primary articulations used in trumpet playing. Firstly, there are staccatos. This is when a note is played short and sharp and is indicated by a small dot placed above or below a note. This note is detached and separated from other notes. This is shown by the small dot placed above the first note on the image below.
 |
| common Articulation in jazz |
For example, if the note is a crotchet, it will be held for one full beat. This is shown on the image to the left.
Some of the definitions of these words were found on the following website. https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tenuto
Accents are also used in jazz music. An accent is when there is an larger attack on the note that there would be without the accent. This means that the note should be played with some emphasis. This is the third note shown on the image above.
The last note in the image has a "cap" ontop of it. This is a Marcato which I will explain below.
Technically the cap is called a Marcato. Marcato does not necessarily mean short, but in order to make something Marcato, there has to be space around the note. By jazz convention, though, the cap is always read as short and should be the default articulation for an accented short note.
http://www.timusic.net/debreved/jazz-notation/
Link to other video
There a two videos, both with differences in articulation. One showing my difficulties with articulation and another showing more emphasis on articulating the notes.
Here is where I have found my pieces, including Allen Vizzuti's 'Funk'.
file:///Users/demo/Downloads/Brass%20Syllabus%202019-2022.pdf
https://www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=3750
Practice
In my current practice routine, I start with a warm-up consisting of 'buzzing' on the mouthpiece and the first 5 major scales.
This warm up routine reaches the purpose of a warm up which is to ease into playing(long notes are responsible for this) and to prepare to play pieces or songs
However, I have found that at the end of my warmup routine, I am not able to reach my full potential in my playing. This means that my warm up routine doesn't prepare me for playing pieces which are slightly out of my comfort zones, with higher pitches/octave leaps, a faster tempo or in an unusual key for my instrument. An example of a piece which can reflect this is 'Funk'- Allen Vizzuti which I will go into more detail below as this is one of the pieces I will be practicing and preparing for my grade 7 exam.
One of my solutions to this were, playing the "easiest" or pieces that I am used to at the start of my practice routine and leaving the advances studies until near the end of my practice routine.
However, there were some issues which arose with this and reasons why this would not always work. One of the occasions this could be is just before a rehearsal or performance. For example, if I was required to attend a rehearsal or performance in the morning, I wouldn't have been playing for a long amount of time after my warm up and revisiting the repertoire.
Therefore, I have decided to improve my warmup routine so that it is efficient enough for my playing requirements in my practice routines.
In terms of my varying instruments, the trumpet and flugelhorn, I would have to carry out two warm up routines in order to be ready to play both of my instruments. In another blog I have compared and explained the flugelhorn and the trumpet, being the instruments I play which are very much alike. To summarise, the flugelhorn is another variation of the trumpet, with the same shape and three valves. The flugelhorn(variation of the trumpet) is more mellow than the trumpet with a larger opening towards the bell of the instrument.
Depending on the instrument I require for the piece I am playing, I would warm up on that instrument first. Attaching the part of the syllabus below, it states that I can take the exam on the trumpet, flugelhorn and the cornet and play the same repertoire. Therefore, I can choose which of these instruments I play for my exam.
https://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2012/06/20/top-10-little-known-facts-about-the-trumpet/
http://www.thetrumpetblog.com/the-trumpet-warm-up-part-i/
Reading into a trumpet blog about the practice and philosophy of warming up, discussing the benefits and techniques of a player getting ready for practice or to perform.
Firstly, it outlines that trumpet playing is important to the well being of the trumpeter and in order for a musician to perform their best, they must be prepared to start with which is relevant just before a gig.
Warming up on the trumpet can consist of a range of activities including buzzing on the mouthpiece before playing or playing a group of scales and notated warm up exercises.
A book called "Artistic Trumpet Technique and Study" written by Irving Bush outlines his warm up techniques with breathing exercises. then blowing through the lead pipe only, then adding the tuning slide. Lastly, the mouthpiece is added and he then blows through the trumpet with the mouthpiece.
Researching into different warm up routines, a typical way to begin a warm up is having a goal in mind of something you want achieve in the practice session. This can be for example, learning a solo, transposing a melody for the trumpet, gaining more flexibility on the trumpet.
The following warm up method is to focus on breathing which is essential for trumpet players due the trumpet being a wind instrument and is controlled by breath which means that these practice will help to make trumpet playing easier resulting in a better sound.
This begins by sitting down, warming up the breath supply, taking deep breaths, buzzing on the lips.
Video of buzzing on the mouthpiece in 5 note sequences of the major scales C to G. The notes are not accurate due to no use of the valves and just the lips. The main focus is on the buzzing and warming up of the lips, aiming for the note as accurately as possible.
Making sure that I know what the pitch sounds like, one way would be to use your imagination or another way could be playing the note I am aiming for on the piano. Once I have done this, I would imagine and play the note with the correct embouchure and speed of air to get the correct note. By listening and recreating the note on the mouthpiece, I am able to hold the note whilst keeping the air constant.
Progressed warm up routine with justifications
My current warm up includes mouthpiece buzzing on the mouthpiece for about a minute. This method of warming up assists with getting the air to flow more easily and
Also, buzzing through the mouthpiece requires more effort and air to create a sound than is needed to make a sound when the mouthpiece is in the instrument. The valves on the trumpet, which are responsible for changing the notes and the pitch of the notes. When they are not there, the notes and pitches are changed with the speed and amount of air passed through the mouthpiece. When a higher pitched note is aimed for, the air is faster with less than a lower pitched note which requires more air to create the desired note. If I were to play a note in the higher register (what note), It would require faster air than is needed if I were to play the note with the mouthpiece connected to the trumpet. This was introduced to me from previous trumpet tutors who recommended this method for a clear and "open" tone.
https://www.blackwellstrumpetbasics.com/air-flowbreath-control/
Backing this up with research, notes in the upper register require faster vibrations of the lips which begins with the increased speed of air passing through the lips. The speed of the air does not come from the lungs/diaphragm and instead, the same flow of air can come from the lungs for any note but it is the embouchure(mouth shape) that can compress the air and control it's speed.
The first technique I use for warming up is the buzzing on the mouthpiece. which benefits my playing through warming up my embouchure.Together with this, when reaching notes in the higher registers, it avoids straining to reach the note linking back to buzzing on the mouthpiece requiring faster air to create the note rather than when the mouthpiece is connected to the instrument.
After this, I then play my major scales from C to G. The scales C and D major are played to the twelth note of the scale which would mean that if I were to play the C major scale of C D E F G A B, I would carry on the scale by adding on the next notes of the scale, which are repetitions of the first notes of the scale but in a higher register. The full scale would be C D E F G A B C D E F G.
The C major scale consists of the notes C D E F G A B.
The next scale which is D major consist of the notes D E F G A B C# D.
The E major scale consists of the notes E F G A B C D E
The F major scale consists of the note F G A B C D E F
Lastly, the G major scale, consists of the notes G A B C D E F G
The difference from my previous warm up routine to this warm up routine is:
The first video is major scales tongued and slurred
Also, buzzing through the mouthpiece requires more effort and air to create a sound than is needed to make a sound when the mouthpiece is in the instrument. The valves on the trumpet, which are responsible for changing the notes and the pitch of the notes. When they are not there, the notes and pitches are changed with the speed and amount of air passed through the mouthpiece. When a higher pitched note is aimed for, the air is faster with less than a lower pitched note which requires more air to create the desired note. If I were to play a note in the higher register (what note), It would require faster air than is needed if I were to play the note with the mouthpiece connected to the trumpet. This was introduced to me from previous trumpet tutors who recommended this method for a clear and "open" tone.
https://www.blackwellstrumpetbasics.com/air-flowbreath-control/
Backing this up with research, notes in the upper register require faster vibrations of the lips which begins with the increased speed of air passing through the lips. The speed of the air does not come from the lungs/diaphragm and instead, the same flow of air can come from the lungs for any note but it is the embouchure(mouth shape) that can compress the air and control it's speed.
The first technique I use for warming up is the buzzing on the mouthpiece. which benefits my playing through warming up my embouchure.Together with this, when reaching notes in the higher registers, it avoids straining to reach the note linking back to buzzing on the mouthpiece requiring faster air to create the note rather than when the mouthpiece is connected to the instrument.
After this, I then play my major scales from C to G. The scales C and D major are played to the twelth note of the scale which would mean that if I were to play the C major scale of C D E F G A B, I would carry on the scale by adding on the next notes of the scale, which are repetitions of the first notes of the scale but in a higher register. The full scale would be C D E F G A B C D E F G.
The C major scale consists of the notes C D E F G A B.
The next scale which is D major consist of the notes D E F G A B C# D.
The E major scale consists of the notes E F G A B C D E
The F major scale consists of the note F G A B C D E F
Lastly, the G major scale, consists of the notes G A B C D E F G
The difference from my previous warm up routine to this warm up routine is:
- The length of the mouthpiece buzzing exercises,- it is now longer by a few minutes including more sequences rather than straight buzzing, increasing flexibility of notes.
- Playing the scales to a twelfth rather than the scale just to an octave.
Video of my major scales and major scales to the twelfth notes. The scales are played tongued and slurred.
This video is demonstrating the scales to a twelfth.
Muting the trumpet
https://www.summersong.net/music-teacher/trumpet-lessons/brass-instrument-mutes/
Dynamics and muting are all to do with volume on the trumpet. Muting the instrument with a mute (a cone shape which is inserted into the bell of the instrument) decreases the volume of the trumpet. An image of a mute is shown in the image to the right. The come in
different shapes and sizes.
Together with decreasing the volume, mutes also change the tone quality of the instrument slightly.
An advantage of using a mute is the way that the change in volume allows the trumpet player to blend better with their fellow musicians as they would all be at a similar volume, allowing everyone to he heard.
Mutes are most likely to be found in a small jazz ensemble setting. To back this up, I will be linking this to Miles Davis's use of a mute in 'All Blues' (from the album 'Kind of Blue) which is an example of jazz.
In Miles Davis's All Blues, the trumpet with the harmon mute enters at 01:03
The harmon mute, made of aluminium, is said to be the muste which makes the "wah-wah" or "wow-wow" type of sound. This sound is created when the hand is used on the mute to open and close it.
The harmon mute, shown in the picture, is made of two parts: the large bell part and the stem. The stem of the mute is an optional part as you can use it without the stem, with the stem and with the stem halfway. Miles Davis uses the harmon mute with the stem completely removed.
At 1:47 in the song, Davis removes the mute for his solo, both to alter the volume and tone. During a slo, the soloist should be the 'spotlight' through being the most prominent. Therefore allowing the trumpet to play at it's full potential was what Miles Davis may have been aiming for in 'All Blues'.
In terms of my playing, I currently own a straight mute which makes a brighter sound, as it is made out of aluminium.
Straight mutes can also be made out of wood and cardboard.The straight mute is the most popular mutes for brass players, together with being inexpensive.
https://www.normans.co.uk/blog/2016/01/guide-to-cornettrumpet-mutes/
Links used:
https://www.summersong.net/music-teacher/trumpet-lessons/brass-instrument-mutes/
Dynamics and muting are all to do with volume on the trumpet. Muting the instrument with a mute (a cone shape which is inserted into the bell of the instrument) decreases the volume of the trumpet. An image of a mute is shown in the image to the right. The come in different shapes and sizes.
Together with decreasing the volume, mutes also change the tone quality of the instrument slightly.
An advantage of using a mute is the way that the change in volume allows the trumpet player to blend better with their fellow musicians as they would all be at a similar volume, allowing everyone to he heard.
Mutes are most likely to be found in a small jazz ensemble setting. To back this up, I will be linking this to Miles Davis's use of a mute in 'All Blues' (from the album 'Kind of Blue) which is an example of jazz.
In Miles Davis's All Blues, the trumpet with the harmon mute enters at 01:03
The harmon mute, made of aluminium, is said to be the muste which makes the "wah-wah" or "wow-wow" type of sound. This sound is created when the hand is used on the mute to open and close it.The harmon mute, shown in the picture, is made of two parts: the large bell part and the stem. The stem of the mute is an optional part as you can use it without the stem, with the stem and with the stem halfway. Miles Davis uses the harmon mute with the stem completely removed.
At 1:47 in the song, Davis removes the mute for his solo, both to alter the volume and tone. During a slo, the soloist should be the 'spotlight' through being the most prominent. Therefore allowing the trumpet to play at it's full potential was what Miles Davis may have been aiming for in 'All Blues'.
In terms of my playing, I currently own a straight mute which makes a brighter sound, as it is made out of aluminium. Straight mutes can also be made out of wood and cardboard.The straight mute is the most popular mutes for brass players, together with being inexpensive.
https://www.normans.co.uk/blog/2016/01/guide-to-cornettrumpet-mutes/
Links used:
https://ourpastimes.com/list-of-musical-techniques-and-their-meanings-12509022.html
https://quizlet.com/74083990/basic-playing-techniques-for-brass-instruments-flash-cards/
https://www.musical-u.com/learn/getting-started-the-importance-of-a-warm-up-routine/
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/allen-vizzutti-mn0000007609/biography
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBRPh4VaT2g (videos of parts 1, 2 and 3 also)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8l2ACaUIZc (video of parts 1, 2 and 3 also)
https://www.lonokeschools.org/cms/lib/AR01001483/Centricity/Domain/95/Trumpet%20Warmup.pdf
https://www.blackwellstrumpetbasics.com/breathing-for-trumpet-playing/
https://www.blackwellstrumpetbasics.com/air-flowbreath-control/
Comments
Post a Comment