How Herbert L. Clarke fixed Claude Gordon's Trumpet Playing - Part 1 of 4

[@ndrwcmpt1]

Wow! Thanks for this! I listened to the Trumpet Gurus Hang interview and sought out these videos that you said you posted. Very helpful stuff!

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks so much! My goal is for people to fall in love with practice and all the great books and have a way to digest all the wisdom of the great method books. Practice can be fun!

[@natenallmusic]

Well articulated tenets of brass playing! Thank you for sharing

[@rogermathis4932]

Thank you for publishing these, Jeff.

[@EPAguilar]

This is good! Thank you, Jeff! Looking forward to part two!🎶🎵🎺

[@JeffPurtle]

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Please share them with others.

[@hernanroses]

Gracias!!!

[@dnel3000]

Thanks for this. Would he have recommended KTM tonguing for all brass instruments? Trombone? This seems to only be discussed in trumpet circles but I've always wondered if many of the trombone greats used this style of tonguing as well.

[@JeffPurtle]

Definitely all brass instruments. KTM isn’t described many places. There are a couple trombone and tuba books that mention it.

[@ndrwcmpt1]

Hi Jeff--quick question about breaks: do you need to take much of a break between part 1 and part 2? Also, after taking 1 hour off upon completion of part 2, do you just embark on a normal practice routine from there? (lip slurs, technique, tonguing, literature, etc.)

[@JeffPurtle]

Good questions. Claude wrote 15 minutes of break between Part I and Part II. He did that because he said he knew most trumpet players would probably do 5 minutes if he said 15. You have to at least break 5 minutes so it will feel normal to start into the high notes. The hour rest is something I would be more rigid with. Don’t play anything for at least 60 minutes. You will also see a couple lessons in the mid 20s that say to rest 2 hours. The point is to completely be rested and feeling fresh and responsive. Usually, the SA book would go at the end of a routine unless the student is dealing with low mouthpiece placement or another embouchure issue and then starting with pedals can help that.

[@ndrwcmpt1]

@@JeffPurtle Thanks for this! I finally broke down and found the $ to order a copy of SA. I'm sure that will help me tremendously!

[@JeffPurtle]

Listen to the other parts of the 4 presentations and it will make sense how SA is just part of a complete routine. I hope these videos help you and others. If anyone is interested in private lessons or more elaborate presentations like in these videos then I’m easy to contact for that too. Be on the lookout for new videos to be posted here on KZbin.

[@MichaelBxl]

Thank you. So on lesson one (kind of long tones lessons) part II, you don't advise to play the high notes "until the air is gone and longer", right ?

[@JeffPurtle]

I think I state Claude never had anyone start with Lesson 1 in his Systematic Approach book because it’s too much like “long tones”. The “Long Hold” is for a different purpose related to Wind Power development. You are correct to NEVER do the long hold on the Part 2 (Up Routines) because that will tear things down. I’m currently doing some final work on the 3rd and 4th videos, which I hope ties it all together with a more complete picture. Thanks for watching! Please share them with others.

[@MichaelBxl]

@@JeffPurtle thank you for this great answer. Indeed you stated it. And thank you in advance for the next videos

[@chasefreak]

I don't know where Mr. Gordon got the idea (unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to ask the man) for the use of pedal tones as it did not come from HL Clarke. Clarke was adamantly opposed to them; I know this for a fact as Dr. Donald S Reinhardt went to see a concert w the Sousa band and met Mr. Clarke and overheard one of the other Cornetists (Harold Stambaugh) playing pedal tones. Reinhardt asked Mr. Clarke what that was to which Clarke said "Oh, that's another one of our Cornetists, Mr. Stambaugh, he practices pedal tones during intermission, then gets on the bandstand and has trouble tonging". Mr. Schilke, also a student of Mr. Clarke was anti-pedal tones....

[@JeffPurtle]

That is absolutely false regarding pedals and Clarke. Look page 53 (last page)of Clarke’s Elementary Studies and you will see a fingering chart from Double High C down to Double Pedal C. Clarke assigned and practiced pedals. Pedals are in the Saint Jacome Method from same time as Arban and even used in the duets in that book. Bohumir Kryl regularly performed pedals as did others like Jules Levy, who was a player Clarke and everyone admired. Most people that are against pedal tones don’t understand the value because they either have not worked on them correctly or even at all. When done correctly the pedals just become another part of the horn and playing over a wider range makes you have to use tongue level and wind power more efficiently and can change anyone’s playing for the better. Please, look at all the videos in this series of lectures for full context.

[@chasefreak]

@@JeffPurtle Yes, I'm quite familiar with the aforementioned methods-however-why would Mr. Clarke say that the use of pedal tones causes tonging issues, which it does, from what I've seen-just saying. No disrespect, it's just interesting how these stories get passed down through the years. I'm of the school of through 'if something works for you, keep using it!"

[@JeffPurtle]

@@chasefreak I'm sure there's some context missing in the Clarke story. Some people don't play pedals correctly by either trying to buzz them with pursed lips or playing them too loud. The purpose of them is to help the player get a more free vibration. Flexibility and pedals done properly helps to improve responsiveness, which indirectly can help tonguing if the tonguing is done correctly. K Tongue Modified single tonguing is part of the puzzle too. I have never had a student or anyone I know of have tonguing issues from pedal tones. That is a first of that criticism I have heard. Stories do get passed down and taken out of context and people that took a few lessons with Clarke are not in the same level of knowledge as someone that really studied exclusively with him for 10 years. One of the goals of my website was to present all of Claude Gordon and Herbert L. Clarke's teaching in context to answer not just the "how" and "what" but the "why" behind what has confused some people in the past. I hope this all makes sense and we all need to fall in love with practice and know there is a way for anyone to become a great player and it is NOT luck at all.

[@chasefreak]

@@JeffPurtle exactly Jeff, very well put

[@karlrovey]

Given that Clarke wrote at least one solo where pedal tones are used, I don't think he rejected them outright.