RECOMMENDED TRUMPET INSTRUCTION BOOKS
- Warm Ups and Studies, James Stamp, Editions BIM
- Roy Poper’s Guide to the Brasswind Methods of James Stamp, Balquhidder Music
- The Buzzing Book, James Thompson, Editions BIM
- 27 Groups of Exercises, Earl Irons, Southern Music
- Method for Trumpet, Anthony Plog, Balquhidder Music
- Flexus, Laurie Frink/John McNeil, OmniTonePress
ORGANIZING THE JAZZ PRACTICE ROUTINE
Part I - Technique
- scales
- chords
- melodic patterns
Part II - Transcribing and Listening
- scheduling time to listen
- transcribing solos, tunes, passages
- playing transcribed solos
- extracting new melodic patterns
Part III - Improvising
- learning new tunes
- memorizing tunes
- using play a long CDs
- playing with other people
LEARNING TUNES
Recordings of the Tune (multiple)
- Vocal and instrumental interpretations of the tune
Awareness of Tune Types
- Standard (II – Vs “Autumn Leaves”)
- Mixed Modal (“Windows”)
- Plateau Modal (“So What”/”Maiden Voyage”)
- Blues (usually 12 bars)
- Combination Modal and II – Vs
Determine the Form (stucture)
- Sections (8 bars or longer)
- Phrases of the Melody/Harmony
Memorize the Melody
- Discover lyrics
- Analyze Phrases (length, shape, melodic rhythm)
- Make the melody a part of you – create your interpretation
Memorize Harmony
- Associate harmony/harmonic movement with the melody – each melody note is a chord tone or non – chord tone – learn to hear the chord with these melody tones
- Analyze how harmony moves (II – V or modal)
- Analyze harmonic phrases – most of the time moves exactly with melody
- Memorize a phrase at a time
- Play the chord arpeggio if needed
- Notice chord root movement
- Notice common tones and tones that change from chord to chord (stepwise/chromatic)
- Discover guide tones lines in chord progression (multiple)
- Ultimately, be able to write out chord progression and play melody, both from memory
(It takes me about a month to really learn, memorized and get inside a tune – be patient.)
PRACTICING THE TUNE – PART I
- Play A Long recordings are great, they help with: hearing the harmony, intonation, time feel, and in most cases you have the opportunity to play along with some great players.
- Play the tune as a ballad first in order to be confident with all of the harmony
- If you find yourself “skating” over some harmonic passages – stop – and play only that harmonic passage – until you feel confident with expressing the harmony. You might spend an hour on just that one passage.
- I prefer to practice tunes without accompaniment, solo
- Always use a metronome and vary the tempos
PRACTICING THE TUNE – PART II – IMPROVISATIONAL CONCEPTS
- Time Feel, swing and groove are the most important aspect – define with metronome – play to count 1
- Play short melodic ideas that defines the harmony (1 – 2 bars)
- Play complete phrases (beginning – middle – end)
- Play call and response phrases
- Play symmetrical phrases (following harmonic flow, usually 4 bars)
- Play asymmetrical phrases (variances against harmonic flow – “across the barline”)
- Discover multiple guide tone lines (esp. with II – Vs) – play off of these lines
- Discover common tones and stepwise/chromatic movement between chords – define
- Incorporate Phrase Shapes: linear, tertial, leaps of 4ths, wide leaps
- Motific Development: state a short, melodic, rhythmic idea and develop it throughout the chorus
- Take a rhythmic approach, like the drummer
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