How to Play a Low F in Tune

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Not often, but enough to learn this trick, we are asked to play a low F. Usually it is required by someone who knows nothing about our instrument or acceptable orchestration practices. Or, in the case recently, where I arranged a number which required the first trumpet to exceed what I considered a reasonable high range and I decided to lower the key to solve the problem. Unfortunately by lowering the key it placed the lowest note in the fourth trumpet part down to a low F. Not being one to change the F to one an octave above, which…

Perfect Pitch and How You Can Develop It

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Perfect pitch, also known as absolute pitch, is a rare and highly sought-after ability in the world of music. It refers to the ability to identify and reproduce any musical note without any reference point. This means that someone with perfect pitch can hear a note and immediately know its name or sing it back without having to hear it again. Unlike this example of “absolutely NO PITCH. There is still much that researchers do not know about perfect pitch, but they believe that it may have a genetic component. In other words, some people may be born with a…

More Interesting Assumptions Proven and Disproven

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In our never ending quest for truths and the American dream, I came across this assertion which sounded very plausible, yet questionable. On one of the more popular trumpet bulletin boards I found a reference to a trick which apparently Mr. Armando Ghitalla was given credit. The writer mentioned in passing that “Ghitalla did a lot of experimenting with paper clips, and various hand fashioned doodads, placing them in the backbore of the mouthpiece and other places”. Now I am not a strong fan of placing paper clips in my instrument but the name Ghitalla raised my interest. If this…

Trumpet Mouthpiece Placement

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“Where should I place my mouthpiece when I play my trumpet/cornet?” The placement of your mouthpiece can be affected in many ways. If you have scare tissue as I do, (a friend through a brick and hit me square on the chops) you will notice that the affected area does not vibrate as other tissues does. If your dental facial structure is less than ideal, (front teeth protrude or are highly irregular) you may encounter more comfortable or less comfortable areas to place the mouthpiece. The position of your jaw will also affect your mouthpiece placement. If the world was perfect…

Features to Consider when Buying a Trumpet- Reprinted from Earlier Post

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When deciding on which trumpet/cornet to buy, there are a few guidelines that need to be addressed. The bottom line cost is one of the most obvious questions for most people. Unless you are interested in the ultimate, hand fitted, custom made, work of art, one of a kind horn, you should expect to pay between $1,000 and $2,500 for a quality instrument. When I speak of the ultimate, one of a kind trumpet, I am reminded of a situation many years ago when a college first told me about  his friend who was making truly one of a kind,…

Advanced Interval Studies

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The market is inundated with educational material, all guaranteed to improve your trumpet playing ability. And here’s one more to consider. Through many decades of teaching and practicing myself, there have been many methods, etudes and exercises which have been helpful to me and my students. Previous exercises on interval study have centered around the melodic approach to interval study which I feel is not the most effective direction. The reason I took a different approach was to isolate the intervals and in doing so, make the practice much more difficult and at the same time create a more productive…

What Are The Five Most Often Asked Questions By Beginning Trumpet Players?

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Young Trumpet players seem to ask the same questions on how to improve their playing. Below are some suggestions and consistent in each of the answers are a common thread; Practice and Listen. How can I produce a clear and consistent sound? A trumpet player can produce a clear and consistent tone by focusing on proper embouchure formation, using correct air support, and maintaining a consistent blowing angle. Additionally, proper care and maintenance of the instrument, such as regularly cleaning the trumpet and keeping it in proper playing condition, can also help produce a clear and consistent tone. Practicing regularly…

Current Listing of 38 “Two Minute Trumpet Tricks”

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We began posting our Two Minute Trumpet Tricks on Dec 28, 2021 and our most recent addition numbers #39 (Replacing Valve Corks). During this period, we have had many visitors to our sites and one request was to list all of our Trumpet Tricks in one location so that our readers would have an easier time choosing the trick that interest them the most. Because of that request, we have listed below all of our Trumpet Tricks to make your selection much easier. If you find this listing helpful, please share it with your friends for we are all here…