Trumpet & The Tired Chops Syndrome

As a professional trumpeter, I often run in to times that I play for extended periods of time, have strenuous shows, or just push too hard. Recovering from this is more than just not playing, or taking time off. For me in particular, if I take time off after a strenuous day, I come back struggling even more.

After a hard day, I really can't say I warm down at all. I will free buzz a bit depending on how tired I am, but that is about the extent of a warm down. The next day, I extend my warm up (see Trumpet, Trumpeter, & Warm Up Woes) by playing very softly for extended periods of time... if I am still feeling a bit spent, I will usually limit my playing sessions to a few minutes and will not play anything above a High C.

What I've found through the years, is that it takes time to let the lips heal. I saw times with Maynard Ferguson where he would be extremely beat up from a long run of performances. He too would extend his warm ups, but also could take time away and come back strong.

What tends to happen to our lips is exactly what happens to a tired runner, exhausted athlete, etc. Our muscles need time to rebuild... if done properly, we can bounce back stronger... if we ignore the tired feeling or soreness, we can actually do more damage by staying in a tired or "torn down" state.

If you find yourself in a situation where your chops just don't respond, and you've played hard the previous day, give your muscles the day to be relaxed by playing softly in short practice segments.

For more information that can help you in your quest as a trumpeter, please visit Brass Player Solution!

Keith Fiala

Trumpet - Natural Ability Vs. Tenacity!

Trumpet and cornet players are typical artists that are victims of misinformation and misleading necessities to be successful at their craft. All too often, trumpet teachers during the students trumpet lessons tell the trumpet players that they are lacking in natural ability and will have to work harder at this that or the other. Most often comments surround such skills as playing trumpet high notes, improvisation in jazz idioms, and musical style and approach.

I am one that does NOT believe that it requires a trumpet / cornet player (or any other artist for that matter) to be born with an extraordinary skill or "natural ability" that just needs refining. I am a trumpeter that has heard both sides of that idea! As a young player, I was really enjoying my instrument and my teachers and family would tell me that I had a "gift", etc. As I got into High School and started getting more interested in cars and girls, my practicing became more about trying to hit high notes with NO guidance as to proper technique vs. practicing skills that would help me grow as a trumpet player... that brought on comments about how you have to be "born with a skill", etc. Now that I'm older and have worked VERY hard on my current skill set, I've had people tell me that I have a natural ability once again... I can tell you that I don't! It comes down to absolute tenacity!

Maynard Ferguson was one that I got to spend a lot of time with in 2004 that was ALWAYS tagged as having a gift... he told me that it wasn't a gift, but rather a desire. Saying that his trumpet was his favorite toy as a kid!

So if you're reading this and feeling discouraged, step back a moment. Your lacking skill just requires more patience and tenacity from you... if you truly focus on your goal and practice slowly and deliberately, you can't fail! Proper guidance is a must!

That's why I wrote "Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing!"

Keep studying!

Trumpet / Cornet - Working Through The Frustration

Trumpet / Cornet players all tend to hit very frustrating times during their playing / practice life. Some of those frustrations are short lived, while others can be what feels like forever.

The term "take it one day at a time" doesn't sound like it would help and a bit cliche', but it's true. Each day is a new practice session for every trumpeter! Some players let the feeling of being overwhelmed and frustrated get to the boiling point. So all they focus on IS the frustration and they stop looking for the solution.

If this sounds like you, I suggest taking a step back and allow yourself to forget about the frustrating problem... start looking for a simple answer. Most problems only get larger or stay in our paths because we try to find overly complicated solutions. Break down in your mind the movements that should be in the action and the movements that should not! Such as - articulation. Your tongue should be moving in a Dah - Gah pattern for double tonguing... if when you're playing, your tongue feels as though it's in a different position from when you're speaking it, make it feel the same. With range, the simple answer is keep the air speed up and the aperture small without pinching the lips together.

Hope this gives some insight to simple ways of over coming the frustration!

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Trumpet High Note Observations!

Take a good look at this video from the early 80's of Jon Faddis playing trumpet. There are really great shots of Jon straight on when he's playing in all registers of the trumpet. Amazing to watch how closely his lips are set, that he sets off center, and that he doesn't have to strain facially in any dramatic way to get in to the upper register with authority and power.

I've learned by observing our hero's playing trumpet high notes up close, many of the mystery's can be cleared up.

Online Cornet Lessons For Beginners

Are you starting band for the very first time this year?

Do you want to avoid most of the problems that other cornet and trumpet players almost certainly run in to? What if you can avoid those problems EASILY just by understanding a few simple techniques?

If this is you, take your first cornet lesson FREE!

Visit: FREE LESSON

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Trumpet

If you are a follower or a reader of this blog, you know that this is dedicated to all things trumpet... trumpet playing, trumpet lessons, trumpet high notes, trumpet players, and trumpet hero's!

Please visit Brass Player Solution for information that will improve your trumpet playing! "Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing" can help trumpeters understand how the chops work, why theirs aren't working, and how to make relatively quick improvements without "changing" your embouchure drastically.

If you're a parent of a beginning trumpet or cornet player and would like a FREE LESSON that will get things kicked off in right direction, please click the link above.

There will be future posts on trumpet rentals, and the best solution to entering trumpet playing without major expense.

Trumpet Lessons - Beginner Through Advanced!

If you know of someone who is just starting to play trumpet, and would like to have a first lesson for free, I have shot a 15 minute video that covers everything from lip buzzing, mouthpiece buzzing, playing Low C, Low D, and Low E... I also discuss care of the horn and a basic overview of the instrument.

Please send the beginners to Brass Player Solution

Trumpet Lessons By Keith Fiala

Trumpet - Lessons in Etiquette!

As a professional trumpet player, educator, and self published author of "Secrets to Efficient Brass Playing," I have been very fortunate that the "critical crowd" has been far and few between. But what strikes me as interesting is that the truly great players never seem to brag, talk about, or have to put down other players. The ones that are busy putting down others are the ones who seem to have the least amount of talent, skill or honor to defend.

One such comment posted to one of my recent youtube videos was extremely condescending, negative, and just down right snide. My first instinct was to get angry, but then I remembered the biggest lesson that Maynard Ferguson taught me while touring with him. And that is that too many players that wish they were are too busy to improve because they are wrapped up in criticizing others... that statement alone set my heart at ease. So I got the best revenge that I could - by ignoring this comment, deleting the post, and blocking the user.

Trumpet players in general tend to compete with each other to the bitter end. I don't see this a lot with other instrument players or groups of instrumentalists. Perhaps that's why they call the trumpet players the Neanderthals of the musical world. Once a player ascends to feeling comfortable in his or her own musical skin, this feeling of inadequacy tends to fade away like a bad memory.

My best advice to aspiring trumpet players out there - don't buy in to the negativity, and if you're attacked by one of those typical "lunk heads" remember what Maynard said!!! A player that wishes they were will spend more time attacking than improving!

Check out Brass Player Solution for more helpful insight and tips!

Keith Fiala / Anna Romano

Trumpet - A How To Guide!

If you're looking for a good book that won't use extensive terms that are complicated to understand and you truly want to improve your trumpet playing, then check out "Secrets To Efficient Brass Playing."

I am currently developing a course that I'm calling "Back To Basics" that will help simplify what many have WAY over complicated in the trumpet playing world!

It is my belief that people tend to over complicate things for various reasons... trumpet playing / trumpet teaching is no exception. Whether they are doing it due to a lack of knowing how to communicate instructions clearly, trying to make themselves feel more intelligent than what the craft really calls for, or they themselves don't understand and therefore they're creating confusion to hide their ignorance, it's not really clear to me as to why things have to have so much clouded puff around them.

Trumpet playing is basically this - an instrument that amplifies the action of lips being vibrated together by air passing through them. Nothing more - nothing less. The rest of it is muscle memory, creating habits (good and bad), and practicing to memorize proper technique.

Where does natural ability fall in to that? Beyond the desire to want to... I personally don't see it.

Make your trumpet playing life easier - take a private lesson via webcam with me!

Contact me at Brass Player Solution

Trumpet High Notes Screaming in Europe!

Where was I -

I had to take a break from posting over the weekend as I traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to perform at a wedding with Memphis Train Revue. The weather was really great and another nice jolt that prompted the question again - why am I still in Austin, TX.

As we traveled through Europe, it became more and more apparent to me that my online presence needed to be boosted up even more. We decided that we needed to buy a new Mac, now we've decided that teaching webcam lessons would be a great thing as well. All in all, Europe was a great kick in the pants for me. Before we left, I had gotten complacent... a little too comfortable with things as they are. Now after playing to appreciative audiences, hanging with great musicians and seeing the world through rested eyes - I was ready!

We pulled in to Rotterdam, Holland to play our final gig at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Randy Brecker was going to perform with us one more time and we were all pumped!

The show was amazing! Randy played (this goes without saying) amazing and got us to step up just one more notch! What a rush!!!

After the show, I was fortunate enough to run back in to Frank Greene, and Terrell Stafford who had performed earlier with Village Vanguard! What great guys to hang out with!!!

Trumpet High Note Lessons Online Decision Made!

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After struggling a second day with my old laptop, we made the corporate decision that we were going to HAVE to get a new computer. I'd been around enough folks with Mac's that we pretty much knew that it would be a Macbook Pro - as our iPhone was the only device that wasn't having any trouble loading, working, connecting, etc. We would also be able to offer online trumpet lessons via the built in webcam which was a goal for many months!

We were gearing up for our second day / performance in Montreux, but are going to start the day off at the castle right on Lake Geneva! This was a boat cruise on the lake and was an AMAZING way to pull up to the Castle!! Check out the pix - you can feel the spirits of the past era's that had been there centuries before!

After our tour of the castle, it was back to town so we could grab some lunch before our performance at the Jazz Festival...

Once again the crowd was very appreciative, and loved the band! It's really great having the opportunity to perform with musicians that are skilled and be appreciated as a group by people who are there giving back as much as they are receiving!

After the performance, we went back to the hotel room to change clothes, drop off the horn and head back down to the festival so we could gather some shirts, etc. We also got some good shots of the statue of Freddie Mercury right on the shore of Lake Geneva. He apparently loved Montreux... we can see why!

Trumpet High Notes For the Delegates!

We woke up at 7am to be dressed, packed, and ready for a L O N G bus ride to Lyon! While driving through Paris, one of our own delegates realized that he'd left items of value and importance in the hotel room safe. So, he and Colin had to take the subway train back to the hotel. We had to stop and wait at the "Bercy" stop along the subway route to wait.

2 hours behind schedule, we arrived at our hotel in Lyon at 5:40pm - sound check was scheduled for 6:30 and we're still 30 minutes away from Jazz A'Vienne.

As we're driving to the gig, Colin received a call saying that our first performance in Europe had been canceled due to a heavy thunderstorm. So, we adjourned to a Pizzeria for dinner before we were to attend the Roy Hargrove Big Band performance in the Roman Amphitheater ruins. What an incredible venue!!!!

To my delight, I found out that Frank Greene was playing lead trumpet and Greg Gisbert playing 2nd! What a treat to hear them!!!! And Roy sounded amazing as well.

Disappointed that we couldn't perform, but satisfied from hearing a great performance, we all loaded back on the bus to return to Lyon and head to Geneva, Switzerland in the morning to play for the 4th of July celebration at the American Consulate!

6th Grade Student Who's Made GREAT Progress

Below is a video of one of my young students playing the new KF model mouthpiece by Austin Winds.

She played up to a high C so effortlessly, that we just had to see how far we could take it. On this video, she's playing a 2 octave F major scale!

Enjoy!

New Mouthpiece!

I made a switch to a new mouthpiece just after my show with Randy Brecker... the switch primarily involved a smaller diameter cup (from .620 to .600) and feels really good! Attached are some pictures and a video...

Secrets of the High Note Trumpet Range

Are you a Trumpet player that has been captivated by the energy and power of the high note range? Do you remember the first time ever hearing Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson, Bill Chase, and the many more that have created the mystique and desire to play in that range? Can you also recall the nearly immense feeling of confusion after attempting to play in that range for the first time? Not only does the high note range on the trumpet create energy, but it demands it from the player! Focused energy from what feels like every molecule in your being!

As a trumpet player, you've probably heard comments like:
"That trumpet player has got really strong chops to be able to play high notes like that", or "keep your throat open!" Statements like this can add to the mass confusion of how to achieve the high note range as well as a warm sound, hours of endurance, and efficient use of the energy that you put out.

To help lessen the confusion and answer those compiling questions of "how", I've written about my experiences... from my total confusion throughout high school and in to college, as well as my quitting for 2 years (because of the feeling of absolute defeat) to my come back and touring with the legendary Maynard Ferguson in 2004. I share with you what worked for me as well as what did not. I feel that it was just as important to know what I was doing wrong and why it was hindering me back as what I was doing right and why it was working.

My book is a download format available at www.brassplayersolution.com... once you go through the Pay Pal process, you will receive an email with download instructions. It does not stop there - I also include 2 video's that help further clarify what I'm talking about in the book. I learn more by example... so I pass this on to my readers.

Ask yourself these 3 questions:

Why am I not improving?

What areas of my playing do I fear the most?

Am I about to give up because I feel like I just can’t do it?

Now be honest with yourself and answer these 3 questions:

1) Am I practicing the right material in the right manner? Taking mental breaks as well as physical… or are you focusing on what you practice mentally?
2) What caused me to fear aspects of my playing? Because they were difficult at first?
3) Am I about to give up because of a lack of support? OR interest because I am not finding instant gratification?

Are you ready for a change??

If so, click HELP ME now!!