To learn more about me and my history playing the trumpet and learning jazz, please start with the following links: About this site // Five-year anniversary // My playing history - the beginning // My playing history - the blowout // My playing history - the comeback // My introduction to jazz // Recommended recordings // Equipment information
Archived "About Me" blog entries are listed in the left-hand column.
I recently completed my 5th year of playing the trumpet since returning to the instrument, so here's my five-year anniversary article.
In last year's anniversary article, I wrote that my playable range had extended up to a Bb above the staff. Since that time, those Bb's have been getting easier and easier. Even better, I'm now able to hit a high C or two with relative ease each day when improvising. I've yet to include any of those C's in my jazz trumpet recordings, but hopefully they'll make an appearance in the not too distant future. Some of you may wonder what all the fuss is about, but given my struggles with range, a high C is definitely something to be happy about.
One thing I've noticed with the C's is that it's still difficult for me to hear them in my head when improvising. For that matter, it's even hard for me to hear a B (natural) above the staff. To clarify, I can certainly hear these notes if somebody else plays them, and I can hear them when I play them on my horn, but I have trouble hearing them in my head BEFORE I play them. This makes perfect sense when you consider the fact that for the past 4+ years I couldn't play higher than a Bb when improvising. My ears and my brain simply aren't used to the hearing higher notes in my solos and they're not used to thinking of these notes as viable playing options. I know it's just a matter of conditioning and in time I'll be able to hear high C's in my head, but I think it's an interesting phenomenon nonetheless.
I don't have much to report regarding endurance. My endurance had definitely improved over the last year, but I can still tire myself out quickly if I revert to my old habit of using too much mouthpiece pressure.
In my "Comeback Journey" article, I wrote that finding time to practice is one of the biggest challenges facing most comeback players. Well, time has definitely been taking its toll on me lately. Since my first practice session begins at 7:30am, I'm usually able to practice fundamentals. More often than not, I can get in an ear training session as well. But lately, my after-work jazz improvisation session has been nearly impossible to squeeze in. For example, I recently went two weeks in a row with less than 30 minutes of jazz improvisation practice. It's awfully hard to improve when averaging just two minutes a day of practice! While those two weeks were an exception to the norm, my workload still makes it difficult for me to get in sufficient practice time. At least I am improving and I suppose any rate of improvement should be welcomed.
Speaking of improvement, I continue to make great strides with my daily ear training practice. Last year I wrote that I was using my ear training tool to play 7-note melodies by ear at 150bpm. Thanks to my new “Jazz Lick” melody option, I'm now playing 8- and 9-note melodies by ear at 150bpm or higher. I give the jazz licks a lot of credit for this advancement since they provide a somewhat familiar (i.e. not totally random) melody which is easier to remember. Since the melody is easier to remember than totally random notes, I can spend more effort on playing by ear and less effort on trying to remember what the melody sounded like in the first place. I still practice totally random melodies in my ear training sessions, however, just to keep things fresh.
I've also spent more time improvising with my ear training tool. I'll use the R(hythm)Section feature to generate random major and minor II-V-I progressions of 48 measures in length. I then start the ear training so it's playing around 100bpm or slower. Without looking at the key, I then listen and sing notes that fit in with the key. From there, I might do a little vocal improvisation (scat singing) or I'll just pick up my horn and improvise by ear. The important thing is that I sing each note to myself before I play it. I might not always play the right notes on my horn and I might not always sing notes that fit in perfectly, but at least I'm trying to do so. By consciously forcing myself to hear first, then play, I'm ensuring that I'm truly using my ears to guide my playing rather than relying on pre-learned patterns or theory.
In last year's anniversary blog entry, I mentioned that I have good days and bad days with ear training. On good days, my ear training sessions are a breeze. I can play most of the exercises perfectly by ear and I feel great about my progress. On bad days, my ear struggles to lock in on pitches and I make lots of mistakes. Well, after another year of practice I still have some bad days, but at least they are becoming fewer and farther between. Also the magnitude of the mistakes I make on those bad days is less severe. Where I might have once missed 50% of my attempts to play by ear, I now miss about 30% or less. And, more importantly, I'm now much less hard on myself on those bad days. If I do make a mistake, I shrug it off and continue to practice. It's been about 3.5 years now since I started to practice ear training daily, and I've now got the perspective to know that bad days are just part of the journey. As long as I continue to make forward progress in my ability to play by ear (and I certainly do!), there's no need to worry about a few speed bumps along the way.
I still have a long way to go but I'm finally reaching a point where I feel like it's all starting to come together. Sure, my rate of progression isn't as fast as I'd like, but during these past five years I've made some great improvements in my playing, my ability to play by ear, and in my overall musicianship. It's been a great journey thus far and I can't wait to hear myself five years from now!
I recently completed my 4th year of playing the trumpet since returning to the instrument, so it's time to add another "anniversary" post to my jazz blog.
If you've been keeping up with my journal entries, you know that I've been struggling with range ever since I started to play the trumpet again. Two years ago, I wrote that an E at the top of the staff was the highest note of my comfortable range. Last year, my comfortable range expanded to a G at the top of the staff. Well, I'm pleased to report that the trend has continued (in minor thirds!), as this year my range has expanded to a Bb above the staff. You can hear a few of those Bb's and A's in my recent jazz improvisation clips.
My endurance has also improved during this past year. About a year and a half ago, I could barely play more than 15 or 20 minutes before I needed a rest. Not only would I need to rest, but also my range would drop down to an E at the top of the staff unless I rested for at least a couple of hours. Now, I can play about 20-30 minutes before resting and I only need a short 20-30 minute rest before most of my range returns. Since I rarely have more than 20 or 30 minutes free at any given time, especially during the week, my present endurance level suits me just fine.
No doubt, a major factor in my improved endurance is my use of less mouthpiece pressure overall. Sure, there are times when I'm improvising and I use a lot of mouthpiece pressure to nail a high note, but for the most part I've been good about using less pressure. When my chops tire and I can't hit a note without increasing the pressure, I (usually) put my horn down and rest.
My daily practice routine hasn't changed since last year, and since I've been steadily improving, I'm definitely going to stick with it. I may change parts of my routine as time goes on, perhaps to freshen things up or to add new challenges, but the basic types of exercises will remain the same. And that brings me to the following point:
Stick with your routine! - More than perhaps any other instrument, trumpeters are constantly looking for a quick fix to our problems. We want a higher range, a bigger tone, smoother articulation, etc… and we want it now. Often the "fix" manifests itself as an unending search for the right mouthpiece. Sometimes the "fix" has us switching trumpet methods, moving from Caruso to Adams, to Gordon, etc. These changes aren't necessarily bad, but I see far too many trumpet players moving from one thing to another without giving anything the time it needs to work itself out. So, unless a new routine is drastically ineffective, you should stick with it for at least two or three months before deciding whether or not to try something else. And, of course, with whatever you do, there's no substitute for practice!
It's been almost three years since I've started to work on ear training and the progress has been steady and extremely rewarding. About a year ago, I was only able to do 4-note random melody phrases with my ear trainer, and even then, they were at slow tempos and I made LOTS of mistakes. Now, I regularly practice 7-note phrases at ~150 bpm and I'm able to play the majority of them perfectly, without looking at starting notes or anything. Similarly, my accuracy playing simple songs by ear has improved along with my ability to play along with jazz recordings.
Unfortunately, I still have bad days/sessions where my ear doesn't lock in well and I make a lot of mistakes. I've found that once I start making a bunch of mistakes, I rarely self-correct because my critical side takes over and I start doubting my abilities. Those negative thoughts prevent me from playing to my potential and basically the whole session is a bust. I've read The Inner Game of Tennis, The Inner Game of Music, and Effortless Mastery, so you'd think I'd be able to shut off the negative thoughts and get back to business, but no. It's sad when you realize Homer Simpson has more control over his brain then you do...
Last year, I wrote that my journey with jazz improvisation was just beginning. I still feel that way, and it all revolves around ear training. As my ability to play by ear improves, so does my ability to play the ideas in my head. I'm constantly trying new things, making mistakes along the way, but edging closer and closer to finally making music!
I'm posting the following because several people have asked about my recording equipment:
Microphone: Shure SM57
Recording Software: CubaseSL
Audio Card: Creative Labs Audigy Platinum2
Digital/Analog Converter: M-Audio FireWire Solo
Frankly, I don't really care for the quality of my audio clips. They sound too raspy to me, especially by the time they become mp3's.
As should be obvious from the list above, I use my computer to do the actual recording. The microphone plugs into the left channel of D/A converter and a second computer's audio output plugs into the right channel --the second computer plays the play-a-long track. The D/A converter's output then plugs into the SPDIF input on the audio card. Cubase does the actual recording, which I rip into an mp3 with Audiograbber. What a mess!
There are plenty of other applications you can use to record, many of which are cheap or free. Audacity, for example, is free, runs on a variety of operating systems, and is open source.
Earlier, I mentioned that I quit music school after my second year of college (my first year at DePaul University). In that journal entry, I failed to mention the real tipping point…
Due to my chop problems and my lack of exceptional talent, I knew I'd never be a top-notch player. While we're all the same age, I was (and still am) light years behind guys like Nicholas Payton and Ryan Kisor. Even though I knew I couldn't attain their level of success, I still held onto the idea that I could make a living playing jazz in local clubs. This delusional line of thinking continued, until one night during jazz combo practice.
There was a local pro that helped teach/coach the jazz combos. He'd sit in with combo rehearsals once a month or so, giving students comments and suggestions. In my eyes, he was what we were aspiring to become. He put in the practice, he paid his dues, and he emerged as a full-time jazz musician.
On one of these nights that he was scheduled to join us, he failed to show up at the normal meeting time, so we started to rehearse without him. I had just finished taking a solo on our second or third tune when he walked into the room. The first thing I saw was his cummerbund. Then I noticed the black jacket, which he had draped over his shoulder. And finally, I saw the unmistakable black stripe that adorned his black slacks. Yes, he was wearing a tuxedo.
In between tunes, I thanked him for finally dressing for the occasion. He chuckled a bit, and then mentioned that he just finished playing a wedding gig. My heart sank. I couldn't believe it. Our mentor, the guy that we were hoping to become, was playing in a wedding band?!?
The next day I started planning my new major. The following school year, I quit music school and entered business school.
In retrospect, I probably overreacted to the wedding gig. It might have been a friend's wedding -- perhaps the wedding of a fellow jazz musician. Or maybe it was a really good paying gig where the band got to play music they liked, and the audience dug it. Or maybe he actually likes wedding gigs. Who knows? In my mind, though, it only meant one thing: to make it as a (jazz) musician, I'd inevitably have to take gigs that I didn't want, playing music that I didn't want to play, just to make ends meet. I knew I couldn't do that and still enjoy playing. I had to quit.
To all the happy wedding giggers out there, I apologize for the implication that wedding gigs are cause for reevaluating one's career path. I have nothing against the gig itself, it just isn't for me. I suspect many of you would feel the same way about having to stare at a computer screen all day ;-)
I'd like to close this entry by encouraging everyone to support live jazz in your city. It's not enough to simply see the national touring acts. Your local jazz scene needs you. Don't force them to play gigs they don't want!
This month marks the end of the third year of my comeback. I wrote a progress report last year, so I figured I should continue the tradition...
When I started playing the trumpet again, I had major range problems. Even after a few months of practice, I could barely play an E at the top of the staff. In my quest for a solution, I came across the Balanced Embouchure method. I bought the book, read it a couple of times, and started working on the various exercises. There were some initial improvements, but even after a year, my usable range (i.e. not just squeaks) was limited to notes in or below the staff.
To this day, I still include a few Balanced Embouchure exercises in my daily routine. Compared to where I was a year or two ago, my range is unquestionably stronger now. A year ago I mentioned that I'm most comfortable at or below an E at the top of the staff. Now, that same comfortable range extends up to a G. That's right: G is the new E!
From time to time visitors ask me about the Balanced Embouchure method, especially whether or not I'd recommend it. I would recommend reading the book, but I'd caution anyone from thinking it's a quick fix. It's taken me 2 years to be able to play comfortably with a (somewhat) rolled in embouchure. Even now I struggle to keep it up. But, it's an important shift that has improved both my endurance and range. For that, I'm grateful.
I'd be remiss if I didn't also give credit to the Caruso exercises I've been doing for a little over a year, and to the Flexus book. Both of those things have really strengthened my chops. Especially Flexus. Those "flexandos" are killers!
One of my earlier journal entries mentions advice given to me by teachers and other players, most of which failed to improve my range. I've come to appreciate the fact that pretty much nothing would have helped me back then, due to my reliance on excessive mouthpiece pressure.
Advice such as "Play more high notes. The more you play them, the better they get", and "Range will develop over time, just keep practicing" was and continues to be correct. In my case, the advice didn't help because I constantly played with excessive pressure. The higher I went, the more pressure I used… even during practice sessions. Consequently, I never gave my embouchure a chance to strengthen itself. Instead, I ended up weakening and damaging my chops more and more every day. Oops!
Even if I could have figured out a way to practice with less pressure, I would have inevitably done damage later in the day, while in concert band, big band, or in my funk band. All of these bands required that I play precisely every time. It didn't matter how high the note was, or how my chops were feeling -- I simply had to hit the notes.
Today, I don't have any performance obligations, so I never *have* to push myself with pressure. I still occasionally use excessive pressure when improvising, but those instances are fewer and farther between than they were in the past. Most often, when I realize I can't hit a note, I stop trying. I'll either take things down an octave, or I'll just put my horn down and rest. Now that I'm using less pressure, I'm finally building muscles rather than tearing them down.
For the past year, I've tried to spend at least 25 minutes a day on ear training. I start with intervals, move on to random melodies, and finish with simple songs. On a good day, I surprise myself with my accuracy. Just a couple of weeks ago during my random interval session, I listened to and played (by ear) at least 20 intervals in a row without a single mistake. Similarly, my accuracy with random melodies and simple songs continues to improve. Unfortunately, I still have bad days where I struggle to lock in pitches. I'm extremely encouraged by my progress, however, and believe that those bad days will diminish in frequency as time goes on.
In many ways, I feel like my journey with jazz improvisation is just beginning. I've only recently been able to play my ideas accurately by ear. This ability has given me greater control over my playing and simultaneously given me the freedom to take more risks when I improvise. This is all very new for me and very exciting. I can't wait to hear my playing years from now…
I spent a few weeks trying to come up with a list of recommended recordings so I'd have some suggestions to go along with my listening guide. These recommendations primarly focus on the hard bop period (mid 1955-65), as that's the period that I like best.
I tried to organize each album in order of preference, however I decided it would be best to simply put them in ranked groups. So, within each group, there is no specific order.
Here are some great recordings from the past 10-20 years. Most (if not all) of these artists are still in their prime and tour regularly. Catch them if you can!
Some people believe you need to start listening to early jazz before you should listen to later periods. I think you should start by listening to whatever period interests you the most. Give early jazz a listen, but there's no need to force it upon yourself if you don't like it. I do believe, however, that once you develop a solid appreciation for jazz, you'll gradually listen to more periods and likely find that the old recordings don't sound so old anymore...
Be sure to check out The Red Hot Jazz Archive for audio clips and historical information pertaining to pre-1930's jazz.
I turned off comments for this thread because I want to avoid a situation where people debate my ordering or my inclusion/exclusion of a particular album. This is my list, if you don't like it, go make your own ;-)
It's been about two years now since my comeback. I thought this would be a good time to comment on my progress and playing experience thus far.
I've worked on a few new methods during the past year or so, including the Balanced Embouchure and Caruso's Musical Calisthenics For Brass (I continue to practice both of these methods daily). I haven't seen any dramatic results, however I have become a lot more conscious of my embouchure, especially the use of excessive pressure. Now, when I feel like I'm pushing too hard, I'm quicker to make corrections and/or rest.
I'm still most comfortable below an E at the top of the staff. During my morning warm-ups and exercises, I can play a few C's above the staff with little pressure, but I only have a few of these in me each day. After that, I have to use excessive pressure to play anything above the staff. So, yeah, my range is (still) lousy.
I've been working daily with the Flexus book for a few months, primarily the slurring exercises. I've also been working on my single and double-tonguing speed on Clark studies. While working on my technique, I take extra care to make sure I'm not falling into the old habit of excessive pressure. My progress is gradual, and I still crack/miss several notes, but at least I'm trying to use a more comfortable embouchure setting than I've used in the past.
It's been about nine months now since I've added ear training into my daily practice routine. My ear has really opened up during this period, and it's getting noticeably stronger all the time. Pitches, intervals, and chord changes… everything is becoming easier to identify and play.
I'm really surprised at how well I've been doing since adding random melody playback to my routine. While listening to jazz recordings, I'll hear a short phrase and the notes will jump out at me. If I pick up my horn, I'll surprise myself by playing the notes perfectly, without previously knowing the key or the starting note. This doesn't happen all the time, but the experience is becoming more common.
I believe that my development as an improviser is largely dependent upon my progress with ear training and overall technique. Ear training will tell me the notes to play (i.e. the ability to play what I hear), and a solid technique will give me the chops I need to actually play those notes. Fortunately, at the present time, I don't hear myself playing a lot of notes above the staff… ;-)
There are other things that I've done to work on improvisation, including note limiting and freeform improvisation exercises. I haven't spent enough time on these things (yet), so I'm not quite sure how much they've helped my playing.
In general, I do feel more confident about my improvisation. I'm proud of some recent recordings, particularly My Funny Valentine and the two Granted clips, but I still hear a lot of room for improvement. Currently, I'm only able to play about 30% of my ideas (maybe not even that high of a percentage). I think ear training will be the key to strengthening that number.
As I've already written in my comeback journal entry, the first six months of my comeback were basically wasted on old habits… so if I discard that period, it's only been a year and a half since I've been (hopefully) doing things right. With that in mind, I suppose I have done quite well in a relatively short period of time.
Most importantly, I feel like I'm finally beginning to make music. For the first time, I feel like my improvisation is representative of what I want to play (not all the time, but sometimes!). Going forward, my primary goal is to tighten the gap between what I want to play and what I'm able to play.
