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