BRASS
Paul Baron is one of today ’ s most highly respected lead and commercial trumpet players . His sound is distinctly bright and powerful and carries with it decades of experience in a wide range of musical styles from jazz to rock , big band to musical theatre , and TV jingles to movie soundtracks . As well as being a performing artist for Jupiter Instruments and Pickett Brass with his signature line of mouthpieces , Paul is also an author , educator , and clinician . www . paulbaron . net .
By Paul Baron
Target Note Exercise Part 1
With this exercise , I like to approach the “ target note ” in as many different ways as I can , and from as many different angles .
My methodology of practice evolved out of my many years of studying Aikido , a Japanese martial art . In Aikido , we learn about blending with the opponent ’ s energy and how to redirect their energy . We also learn that , often times , being rigid with our way of thinking and always approaching a problem in the same way is not the best way to find a solution .
Notice I said a solution , not the solution , because I think we should explore options to find the best solution that works for us .
Approaching a problem from various oblique angles can often lead us to the best answer . What I took away from Aikido , and how it relates to trumpet , is that if we have a certain problematic phrase , there are a number of ways to solve the problem , and we should practice the solutions more efficiently until the problem is no longer an issue .
The Next Note Up Let ’ s concentrate on the challenge of building the next note higher in your range . If you find yourself hitting the ceiling with range , then this approach may be able to get you to break through that ceiling , opening it up to the next set of notes above .
Let ’ s say you have a good , strong high range up to a double high F #. You ’ ve got the F # most every day and can use it on gigs with confidence . You own it !
But maybe you keep hitting your head on the ceiling when trying to get up to the double G . It just doesn ’ t want to come out , or the sound suddenly gets really small and pinched from the F # to the G . You have been trying to get the G out , playing scales up to it , trying to hammer it out of mid-air , but for some reason it just does not want to come out . The first thing I would suggest is looking at where the vibration might be getting cut off or whether that is the issue . It may be as simple as changing the angle of your horn to free up the vibration .
The Next Section Up If that solves the problem , then great . Now you need to be able to really use the note on the gig . I think making the G your target note and concentrating all your efforts on it is the way to really own the note , but playing scales or arpeggios up to it is like raising the ceiling barely a centimeter . You are still banging your head on the ceiling , but now it is just a tiny bit higher .
Why not approach the target note from below by a half step , a whole step , a minor third , octave glissandos , and any variation you can think of ? Then start working all around the target note by coming down onto it from above . With all these different directions and angles from which you approach the target note , you will also be building a note or two above it . Even if the notes above seem out of grasp for the moment , the attempt of trying to hit those notes and really getting them in your ears will eventually translate into you really being able to play those notes . Then the original target note will become easier as you have built more headroom above it .
It really does not matter how you approach the target note , but I think it is most effective to approach it from as many different angles and directions as you can think of . This will really solidify the note for you in your chops and strength building . In addition to getting the physical strength built up to play the note , you will also be solidifying it in your ears . Hearing those notes up there is half the battle . If you can really hear it , and are able to either whistle the note or use your tongue arch to pitch the note , you will actually have the tongue arch and compression in the position to place that note more easily . Then it is a matter of making the note a target and attempting it on a regular basis to really build the strength .
Before long you will wonder why you ever thought playing your target note was difficult . Then it will be time to think about the next target note .
In the next half of this article , we ’ ll have exercise examples for many different ways to approach the target note .
This is an excerpt from Paul ’ s new book , Trumpet Voluntarily – A Holistic Guide to Maximizing Practice Through Efficiency , containing more expanded information on this subject as well as 19 chapters with music examples and exercises . The book serves as a guide to teach the player how , what , and when to practice . It is available now through BuglesMedia . com .
30 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN