Try This to Make Lead Trumpet Playing Easier! (BTBLOG 53)

Mentioned Article - www.blackwellstrumpetbasics.co...
Here's a simple exercise that I find helps make lead trumpet playing much easier. It's a way of approaching articulation that has helped me get a nice "bite" on the sound in a lead setting while using relatively little energy. Give it a try and see if you like it. You'll save chops and not have to blow your brains out.

[@tristenfuller3886]

I think an important thing to note here is that you should still be maintaining a good body to the sound. If your notes have no body it'll just sound like all tongue

[@beautifulmusic4life]

Interesting. I'm definitely gonna try this but really really slow and just above the staff. Will let you know how it goes in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the demo. Keep up with the transcriptions. Sounding good.

[@BwellsTrumpetBasics]

Heck yeah, Henry - let us know how it goes!

[@ThomasLeePhoto]

This is helpful. Thanks. A problem I'm having is knowing when I'm loud enough playing lead in a big band. It seems I'm playing at maybe 90 % in order to hear myself and that's tiring. When I played at like 60% volume, I could barely hear myself, but the guys in the section said they heard me fine. I also played a lot more accurately and with better style. Could be the room, could be my hearing, but I'm hoping I'm not alone in this.

[@BwellsTrumpetBasics]

I know how you feel. There are times when I can hardly tell anything is coming out the end of the bell but then hearing a recording back it's loud out front. If you can get accustomed to playing without needing to hear yourself too well I think it's an advantage. I've also herd stories of other players known for their power in the upper register and supposedly you could barely hear them to the left or right but the sound is like a laser out front.

[@NeoManoscaMusic]

Thanks for this really informative. If you have to choose between a ML and M bore trumpet which one will you choose for LEAD/Commercial playing?

[@chrishatfield5086]

Stay in the staff or do you recommend mixing into the upper register as well?

[@BwellsTrumpetBasics]

Hey Chris, I keep it mostly in a comfy part of the horn. You can certainly mix in the upper notes as well but I think you'll find that it's a darn good workout in the staff too. Thanks for watching! James

[@BwellsTrumpetBasics]

Also...definitely get the right sound/feel before applying it to the upper register. :-) thanks again!