Some may question my wisdom on offering suggestions on practice routines to professionals and it seems like a reasonable conclusion. In spite of my lack of concern for accosting negative remarks, I will continue towards my goal for continued perfection in the trumpet world anyway.
If you are a professional player with no problems, please leave this site for without problems, I can’t be of assistance. But, if you have run into some of the problems I have faced in the past and resolved, you may want to continue to read further.
Problem #1.
No work-
I can’t help you.
Problem #2.
The pay isn’t enough when I do work-
I can’t help you.
Problem #3.
My wife doesn’t understand me-
That’s OK. Your wife doesn’t understand me either!
Problem #4.
I can’t play as well as I did in college/high school-
You’re older now and you practiced more back then.
Problem #5.
I have a hard time hitting the high notes-
How often do you practice in the upper register? If you don’t practice up there, what makes you think you can play up there?
Problem #6.
I have an improvised solo and I don’t know how to improvise-
Problem #7.
The second chair player is playing too loud all the time-
Mention to the second chair player “You sound as if you have stronger chops than I do and I think you should play lead from now on”. See how quickly he/she gets the idea.
Problem #8.
After hard, blowin’ jobs, it takes me days to get my lips to feel good again.
What I have found to work wonders is to buzz on a trombone mouthpiece as I drive home from the gig. The next morning I feel normal again.
Problem #9.
It seems as if I’m using too much mouthpiece pressure.
Problem #10.
Our leader tells me how to play my part all the time.
Either learn to play it his/her way or get a new job.
Problem #11.
I know more than the leader of our band.
Start your own band.
Problem #12.
I’m having trouble getting the pages turned fast enough during a show.
Make an extra copy of the problem page and have it next to your score.
Problem #13.
The singer in our band sings out of tune.
I can’t help you on that one other than pulling the cord on her/his mike a few times. I thought all singers were taught to sing that way!
Problem #14.
I keep missing the same phrase every time.
Problem #15.
I think I need a new mouthpiece to improve my playing.
If you already own more than five mouthpieces, the problem is not your mouthpiece; it’s most likely you.
Problem #16.
I don’t have enough time to warmup before each job.
Keep an extra mouthpiece in your car and as you drive to the job, start warming up during the drive.
Problem #17.
I have a hard time reading the music.
Problem #18.
The music sits too low on the music stand for easy reading.
Problem #19.
My valves seem to be wearing out unevenly.
Problem #20.
How can I oil my valves while playing a show?
Problem #21.
I suffer from dry, chapped lips.
Problem #22.
I need a new plunger.
Problem #23.
I have this obsession to collect trumpet related material and “things”.
Problem #24.
I have stiff chops all the time.
Problem #25.
My trumpet is starting to wear through and I don’t want to spend a lot to fix it.
Problem #26.
I have a hard time coming in on a high note.
Problem #27.
I hate the chair I have to sit in on stage.
Problem #28.
I would like to play a very high note at the end of our show but don’t have the chops.
Problem #29.
How can I build stronger chops?
Problem #30.
I have problems doing shakes.
We could go on like this for several days but if I have not covered what you are troubled with, feel free to contact me on this site and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll make something up.
Later….. I have to find out why the check bounced from my last gig!
