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How a trumpet is made
Ever wonder how a trumpet is made? From factory made horns to handcrafted efforts, building a trumpet takes immense skill and technology. Trumpet-like instruments have historically been used as signaling devices in battle or hunting, with examples dating back to at least 1500 BC; they began to be used as musical instruments only in the late…
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Wynton Marsalis Daily Practice
Recommended Daily Practice by Wynton Marsalis BDG Magazine(?), May, 1987 The quality of the practice is more important than the length of time it takes. Three hours will allow you to cover all aspects of playing, but 45-60 minutes is enough for one sitting. Practice has several basic objectives: Sound Slurring Tonguing (single, double, triple)…
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11 Inspiring Trumpet Videos
12 inspiring trumpet videos to make you practice or quit! Of course, there’s Wynton Marsalis, but you might be surprised by our choice videos including Alison Balsom, Keyon Harrold, Maurice André to Roy Hargrove and more! Our next set of videos we’ll post includes trumpeters Arturo Sandoval, Ibrahim Maalouf, Woody Shaw, Lee Morgan, Allen Vizutti…
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Sean Jones Cherokee Lick
Sean Jones is a beast of a trumpeter, a brilliant improviser and a loving spirit. He has a spectacular command of the trumpet that is awe-inspiring. He is truly one of the GREATS. A recent video has been shared on Facebook of Sean playing the jazz composition “Cherokee” by himself. The entire clip is phenomenal!…
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Wynton Marsalis on Long Tones
Anytime I observed Wynton Marsalis backstage after a show giving tips to aspiring trumpeters, consistently his message was “practice long tones.” As we all know, long tones are dreadfully boring. What misery it was to hear him proclaim, time and time again, the gospel of the long tone. But, in truth, the rare times I…
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MRI while playing brass
Fascinating look at what happens inside the mouth, throat and chest cavity from an MRI while playing brass. The most interesting parts of this video reveal exactly what happens when you crescendo and decrescendo, as well as, playing from low to high. It’s awesome to see how the body achieves larger and smaller openings to…
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Breathing, Endurance, Range and more
Trumpeter James Morrison has a wonderful YouTube video series where he addresses the essential fundamentals of playing the trumpet (or any brass instrument for that matter). His way of explaining breathing, endurance, range and more is simple, clear and highly-effective. A few key concepts to keep in mind: A relaxed deep inhale produces a focused…
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Louis Larouche plays Arban #6
Louis Larouche is a fabulous trumpeter based in Quebec, Canada. He recently posted a video of him playing the Arban #6 characteristic study from the
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Wynton’s Twelve Ways to Practice
As a boy growing up in New Orleans, I remember my father, Ellis, a pianist, and his friends talking about “sheddin’.” When they got together, theyʼd say, “Man, you need to go shed,” or “I’ve been sheddin’ hard.” When I was around 11, I realized that sheddin’ meant getting to the woodshed – practicing. By…
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Halloween Jazz Tunes
If you have a jazz performance tonight, here’s a list of some Halloween Jazz tunes! Even if the sound of the tune isn’t scary or in a minor key, at least the titles are appropriate. There’s also 4 FREE Halloween jazz arrangements of very popular Halloween tunes you can download and use on your gig…