introduction

Trumpet Technique

I've played (poorly) several instruments over the years, including drums, guitar, soprano sax, piano, French horn, and clarinet. The trumpet exceeds them all in its technical demands --and frustrations! In this section, you can follow my progress as I try to improve my technique and overcome my limitations. You might want to start with: My daily routine // The comeback journey // Atlanta Trumpet Festival #4, 2007 // My embouchure - the early days // My embouchure - finding balance // My embouchure - range, endurance // Articulation Recordings // Merging two embouchures // World of Jazz Trumpet - book review

Archived "Trumpet Technique" blog entries are listed in the left-hand column.

TRUMPET TECHNIQUE | saturday, september 18, 2004

Articulation Recordings - Q3/04

Check out Q1/04 for the introduction and first recordings. The introduction is important to understand why I'm doing these exercises in the first place. Also, you might want to listen to Q2.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2004

Just a couple short clips to show my progress with the double-tongued Clarke study and the introduction of double-tongued arpeggios.

play - Double-tongued, with a smoothed 'duh-guh' attack.

I'm getting pretty good with my smoothed double-tonguing in the lower range of the trumpet. As I climb higher in range, things start to breakdown. In the clip above, the first example begins on C below the staff; the second example begins on a G in the staff. The difference is pretty clear. Obviously, my goal is to keep the articulation smooth in all registers.

play - Double-tongued minor 7th arpeggios

I started working on double-tongued arpeggios about a month ago. This type of exercise should strengthen my ability to double tongue over intervals while improving my ability to outline chords in all keys. The example above outlines minor 7th arpeggios, however I also practice major 7th, half-diminished, and diminished arpeggios in the same manner.

view entire jazz photo collection
Duke Ellington's Trumpets 1946
SEARCH    

FEATURED POSTS
Trumpet Technique

ALL POSTS
Trumpet Technique

RECENT COMMENTS
Trumpet Technique