The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts. Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!! Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

ReCheck out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses. These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!! Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – Thing’s We’re Told That Are WRONG!

As trumpet players, we’re told by teachers, mentors, and band directors a great many things that seem to make sense but are really quite opposite from the truth.  Over the next couple of weeks I’ll list a couple of examples of troublesome advice that actually cause more harm than they help!

Keep Your Teeth Apart!  This is something that Maynard actually taught me was quite wrong and misleading.  Most players think that keeping your teeth apart means to “open” their mouths.  When we open our mouths in an “OH” fashion, this makes the upper register extremely difficult.  You’re creating a cavern for the air to slow down in vs. helping your range, sound, etc.

Larger Mouthpieces Are Better!  This is one that I have actually had a great amount of difficulty with in helping players.  By larger, I’m referring to the diameter – most players that start off on a 7C, are eventually moved to either a 5C, 3C, or in some rare cases down even to a 1C.  Because everyone is different, there is not a “one size fits all” answer.  Muscle structure, teeth, jaw structure, fatty tissue, etc. all come into play when dealing with mouthpiece sizes.  Case in point – I was on a 3C equivalent for many years – ALWAYS struggling with range, endurance, and control.  Once I started down-sizing, my playing improved.  Range was NOT the first to improve though… it actually started with endurance and control.

Tip #2 – Be A Listener & A Player When You Practice!

How often when you practice, do you actually “listen” to what you’re putting out?  Hearing yourself and actually listening is one of the most important aspects of learning and growing but is often over looked by students.  Record yourself – but also get into the habit of actually listening to your playing AS you play.  Dynamics, articulation, control, inflection, and tone color are all aspects of playing that will set you apart.

Name a player that has an unmistakable sound!  Harry James, Maynard Ferguson, Arturo Sandoval, Clark Terry – they all have a distinctive sound and unmistakable approach to how they phrase, etc.

“Your real purpose in life is to develop yourself. To successfully do this you must always be working toward a goal.”

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts. Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!! Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

ReCheck out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses. These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!! Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 –  Patience is a MUST!

I once asked my grandfather “what’s the easiest and fastest way to get something done?”  His response?  ”Have someone else do it for you!  BUT – that’s NOT the best way.”  As I have traveled through my years, it always amazes me as to how many different things compare directly to music and trumpet playing!  To be great, you HAVE to have the tenacity, patience, and just downright stubbornness required to learn the millions of little things required to be a great player, great carpenter, great engineer, great car body man, etc.  The list is ENDLESS!

So for this week’s first tip – I’m devoting it to absolute patience!  Patience not only in your practicing, but more for yourself and your particular learning style.  How do you best learn new things?  Are you more of a visual person?  Do you have to write something out and memorize it?  There is no right or wrong answer because we’re all different.  We all learn in different ways.

Be patient enough with yourself to figure out how you learn best.  That goes for ANYTHING!  Then, allow yourself to go through the learning process and don’t get impatient… growth takes time.  That’s all we really have anyway – time.

Tip #2 – Pedal Tones

I had a younger student email me this week asking me about pedal tones and if they were “harmful” or not.  The first question that popped into my mind was “who’s this kid been talking to?”  Pedal tones are a GREAT tool because they show you what kind of finesse is really required to play them properly.

Often you’ll hear players reference that if you can play Pedal C and below, you’ll be able to play in the high register as well.  The big disconnect for most is the extreme between the two.  When in actuality – you have to understand how “delicate” playing in the upper register really is.  Think about it – just a TINY bit too much pressure and nothing comes out.  Just the slightest close down on the aperture and your tone goes south and your power is decreased by 80% or more.

If you’ve gotten away from, quit, or never did pedals – take time out to do them.  As trumpet players, we need that kind of relaxation for the chops and we need to understand the “delicate” touch required for both upper and lower register playing!

“Each of us must experience one of two pains – the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. Which pain will you choose?”

Jim Rohn
1930-2009, Author and Speaker

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts. Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!! Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

ReCheck out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses. These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!! Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts. Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!! Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

ReCheck out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses. These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!! Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – The Practice Habit

Taking 2 weeks off fromwriting tips reminded me of how easily we slip in and out of

Habits and routines. I am sitting in the airport trying to complete my thoughts as

I didn’t take the time over the weekend to do them.

Remember that sometimes the sheer act of getting your horn out is enough

to get you going… don’t let valuable time slip by!

Tip #2 – All In The Air!

One of the more common problems I hear with players on a routine basis is that they

don’t fill up the horn with air. One common sign is that notes

tend to sag or when changing pitches – especially with larger intervals

Be sure to ALWAYS breathe deeply – whether playing 2 notes or 200!

Please forgive any errors on this weeks tips, I’m doing this from my iPhone!

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

Incoming search terms:

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The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts.  Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!!  Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

Check out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses.  These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!!  Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – The Practice Process!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Tip #2 – Staying Encouraged and “In Love” With Playing!

I think we ALL have performances, practice sessions, days, weeks, etc. that make us question why we chose to play this infernal instrument known as “TRUMPET!”  I have questioned it enough that I quit for 3 years… But being away from it, felt like a part of me was missing.  That’s all I ever really wanted to do…

I’ve quoted this before, and I believe it’s responsible for me not throwing my horn across the room and into the wall!  While on tour, I was having a REALLY bad run with chops… Maynard pulled me aside and said, “NEVER kick yourself so hard that you break your leg – BUT NEVER pat yourself on the back so hard that you break your arm!” 

In the years since that was uttered to me (at the time that I needed it the most), I’ve been in all types of situations.  I’ve had STELLAR nights, horrid nights that felt like they’d never end, and practice sessions that just seemed to go nowhere.  What keeps me coming back now?  The knowledge that I’ve gained – whether you choose to play trumpet, be a doctor, be a lawyer, or flip burgers, we always learn.  I, like so many of you, developed a passion for trumpet playing when I was very young.  Watching my Uncle on stage just captivated me!  He passed on an appreciation for this craft that has stayed with me my whole life.  Similar to marriage vows, I think we commit ourselves to this instrument for better or for worse.

So to not sound like your marriage counselor (to your instrument – my fees are far too high for any other form of counseling – hahahaha) you really have to find the good in your playing at all times.  Most of us have been taught to focus so strongly on the negative that it’s all that we eventually see.  And I believe THAT was the sole reason that I got out of this so many years ago.  I believed that I wasn’t good enough because all I heard and all I focussed on was how bad I was…

Stay committed, stay focussed, and hear the good in your playing as well!   You’ll come out a far happier trumpeter in the long run!

“Paths clear before those who know where they’re going and are determined to get there.”

Leonard Roy Frank
Editor and Writer

Merry Christmas / Happy New Year / Happy Holidays to all… with the holiday time, I’ll be busy with family and shows… we’ll start the Weekly Trumpet Tips 2012 in January!!!

Sincerely,

Keith

This video is the “replacement” to the video attempt released earlier (today) for this week’s Trumpet Tips (12/13/11) and is of much better video quality…

It also answers that question of “How do I measure gap?”

Enjoy, and thanks so much for subscribing!!!

Sincerely,

Keith Fiala

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts.  Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!!  Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

Check out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses.  These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!!  Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – More on The Gap!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tip # 2 – Mental Resistance!

As the years seem to fly by in writing these weekly tips, I am fortunate to not really ever run out of material or topics to discuss.  Largely, students are my inspiration, as is my own set-backs, triumphs, experiences, and challenges.

In working with several students with varying topics, one thing I seem to realize is that a persons unwillingness or resistance to something can be extremely strong!  Strong enough to throw up barriers that seem nearly impossible to overcome.  Range is NOT the only barrier.  For me personally, I was taught as a young student that improvisation was a “gift” as chops were… so I built up in my mind that I was either a lead player OR I was a jazz soloist – how in the world could there ever be both?

Enter Arturo Sandoval, Roger Ingram, Maynard Ferguson, Wayne Bergeron, Ryan Kisor, Bobby Shew, Scott Englebright, blah, blah, blah… the list is endless!

What I’m learning about myself (and about others) is that we must ALL start believing more in our own abilities!  Bottom line, we take our own time to achieve our goals, and if you’re not learning music and all of its facets, then you’ll be “learning” something else.  We really never stop learning… but sadly for a great many of us, we learn to become more resistant to change, new ideas, etc.

This weeks tip?  Stop resisting – don’t let your fear of something (improv, range, closet monsters, etc.) win!

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Walt Disney
1901-1966, Film Producer, Director, and Screenwriter

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

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The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts.  Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!!  Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

Check out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses.  These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!!  Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – Hocus Pocus?  Or Real Issues?

Over the years, I’ve come to not believe everything that horn and mouthpiece makers say that their gear will do for you, or that certain characteristics of “older” equipment is outdated and “we’ve found a solution.”  I believe that a great player makes any equipment sound great – and it becomes “player preference” as to mouthpiece brand, horn brand, bore size, mouthpiece dimensions, etc.  (although I do encourage people to try the smaller end of the mouthpiece scale).

One of these “issues” that I didn’t really think I believed was the whole mouthpiece gap thing… you know – the distance between the end of the mouthpiece and the actual lead pipe inside the receiver.  I have a buddy that built me a horn over the summer – and of course with any new horn, I got excited and wanted to play it quite a bit.  But – I was finding that my slotting was horrendous, my tuning was “okay” and that I was getting fatigued a lot faster than on my Austin Winds 470.  Austin Winds by the way, are great guys (shameless plug) and sell GREAT gear.

So one day I called up Doug at Austin Winds and showed him the horn… had him play it, and he said, “oh wow, the gap is off!”  Now Doug and I go way back to college together… but I was sure he was smoking something.  So, I measured the distance between the lead pipe and the end of the receiver with a paper clip and a sharpie.  Then measured the marks on the shank of the mouthpiece… turns out I was 1/16th of an inch short.  So, Doug lent me a shank (my mouthpiece is a screw rim) that takes away 1/16th of an inch from the gap… I was stunned!  The horn plays TOTALLY different (better) and I was amazed.

This wasn’t something that was particularly noticeable immediately, but rather over the course of an hour or more of playing lead, etc. I could tell a difference!

Tip #2 – Slide Grease Anyone?

As ridiculous as this may seem as a tip, I find that there is little else too annoying beyond sticky valves and stuck slides!!!  For years I had been using “Super Slick” on my slides as it was recommended to me by my favorite shop here in Austin.  The only problem I had with it was that I was having to grease my tuning slide every few days over the summer.  I don’t have spit valves (another hocus pocus thing I tried) and pull my tuning slide to empty water.  When it gets dry, it’s a pain to pull!!!

I was helping a young student the other day with his trombone – he never lubes his slide, but had some “Trombotine” in his case.  After seeing how well it worked on his slide, I decided to borrow a dab and try it on my tuning slide.  Holy Moly!!!  It’s REALLY great stuff!

I find it at the local music shop… it runs about $7.50 for a larger tube and will probably last for years!!!

Give it a shot – what the heck, right?

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Walt Disney
1901-1966, Film Producer, Director, and Screenwriter

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

Incoming search terms:

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The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts.  Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!!  Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

Check out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses.  These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!!  Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – Be A Pro Under ALL Conditions!

It amazes me that in this day and age with SO many vast resources of recordings, videos, sheet music on websites, and the ability to contact players literally ALL OVER THE WORLD, that I am running into musicians (not just trumpet players) that do this full time but do NOT put in a full time effort.

Example - I, like a great many of you out there, perform regularly with an R&B band that does weddings, private parties, and the occasional club date.  Our band prides itself on staying as true to the original recordings as possible… all live musicians (no midi tracks) and an extremely tight rhythm section and horn section. 2/3′s of the band is full time.  When we hire subs, we expect our subs to come in knowing that they must be able to perform ALL of the material that was pre-sent – they are paid for 2 rehearsals prior to the show, and are worked in as much as possible without having to “hand hold” them.  Subs are hand-picked by the person needing them… as of late, we’ve run into a great many younger musicians who come in and “wing” it.

Just as a doctor who calls in an associate doctor to check in on his/her  patients in their absence, a certain level of professionalism and knowledge is expected by the patient / client!  Dare I walk into a patients room wearing a white lab coat and “wing” it because I don’t know how to prepare?

I see this more and more – folks that take the leap to play full time, yet they do nothing to prepare themselves for the very work that will keep them “day job free.”

Tip #2 – Support Your Hero’s!

In keeping with the discussion last week where Sharon had mentioned she went to hear Arturo Sandoval and what a motivation that was, I thought I’d expound with a bit more of my thoughts on this.

Whether your playing hero’s be local or they be International stars such as Arturo, Randy Brecker, Doc Severinsen,  or Clark Terry I believe it’s important for us as musicians in many ways to support them.  We, after all, are consumers of music as well as musicians ourselves.

I see a couple of  problems a lot with local people on the scene here – they spend all of their time and energy putting together a CD with no reception.  The biggest problem is that no one outside their circle of family and friends knows about it… the second largest problem is that the Justin Biebers, Brittany Spears, etc. of the world have HUGE marketing campaigns behind them.  Allowing them to “go viral” very quickly – radio airplay, million dollar videos, tours, etc. all backed by large corporations banking on you pulling out your wallet.

Our classical, jazz, and latin player hero’s aren’t usually granted such backing – at least not to the magnitude of a marketing campaign sure to reach everyone and their dead relatives!

As musicians, teachers, players, and supporters – we need to keep attending shows, buying these albums, and passing along this appreciation before it slips into the abyss of yesteryear… the one true American art form is truly “JAZZ.”  Yet, we have one of the weakest fan bases here in the states…

“Believe in yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.”

Oscar Wilde
1854-1900, Writer and Poet

Have a GREAT week!

Sincerely,

Keith

Incoming search terms:

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The Shadow

Welcome to Weekly Trumpet Tips!

Please always feel free to respond / comment on any of the tips listed in these weekly posts.  Your input may help clarify details for someone else!

Check out About Face HERE!!!  Check out Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing HERE!!!

Check out the Chops Rehab and Jazz Improv courses.  These are designed to be 4 weeks worth of lessons to help the student gain insights and skills in each specific area.

Keith is available for clinics!!  Please go to our “Clinics” page for details!

We now have t-shirts!  Check out our new t-shirt design!  We have the “adult version and the school friendly “student version!”

Here Are your Weekly Tips:

Tip #1 – From Sharon: Go See Someone Great Play A Show!

I am copying and pasting Sharon’s exact email suggestion to me because it was perfectly put!  I think we have 3 jobs as musicians… 1) Keep honing our craft and finding ways to stay motivated!   2) Support our favorite artists!   3) Teach our children – not only the craft but the appreciation of music and the necessary skills to play well!

Just my thought on air…  ”

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