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jjtrumpet Regular Member
Joined: 20 Oct 2015 Posts: 52
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 7:52 am Post subject: Beginning Method Books |
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I'm looking for some insight into beginner trumpet method books, or combinations of materials. I'm familiar with some of the "bandland" methods, but they tend to move in odd directions, spending time on things that otherinstruments need to worry about, rather than trumpet specific everything.
We all know about Arban, but let's face it, a 6th grader isn't going to play scales up to A or C above the staff in their third week of school, and that first page of whole and half notes isn't exactly exhilarating. Many of the beginner books are super generic, don't touch on trumpet-related issues (I'm looking at you, low C#), or move too quickly (most 5th graders won't have a G above the staff).
Yes, I could be creative and write my own things out for them, and I might end up doing that anyway. But for the time being... thoughts? |
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trpt.hick Rafael Méndez Forum Moderator
Joined: 16 Jul 2004 Posts: 2630
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:39 am Post subject: |
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100 Progressive Lessons for the Beginning or Comeback Trumpeter
by
David Hickman
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starkadder Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 542
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Dayton Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Mar 2013 Posts: 1991 Location: USA
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:00 am Post subject: |
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"Mitchell on Trumpet" -- the four volume method by Harold "Pappy" Mitchell is the best complete method that I have come across. It consists of 82 progressive lessons ranging from absolute-beginner level through college-entrance level. I highly recommend it. |
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MJo Regular Member
Joined: 26 May 2011 Posts: 56 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:00 am Post subject: |
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David Hickman's book is great and you won't go wrong with it (I have a copy myself), but the advantage Mitchell's book has over his and many others is that it doesn't stop at the level of the early-intermediate player but continues to bring the student to a very high level. A student who uses bk. 3 or 4 after bks. 1 and 2 will feel comfortable with the way the advanced books work because they move logically on from bks. 1 and 2. As starkadder points out, they're available again, apart from bk. 4, but an email from Santorella a couple days ago told me that it's in "the final stages of production" and should be available in May. |
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jadickson Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 1294 Location: Raleigh, NC
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:05 am Post subject: |
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Hi JJ. I teach middle school band. I tried using the store-bought method books with my kids too, and found that I had to write so much supplementary material to fill in the gaps that I might as well write my own method. Eventually I did, and it has been a constantly-evolving project. Kinda fun, if you have the time.
You are welcome to steal anything you want. Yes it is written for band class, so it is not specifically for trumpet. But I think it works much better than the store bought books. It is more about straight up teaching notes and rhythms, and the fundamental techniques of playing their instrument. I figure we can learn the other elements of music when we, you know, play concert music.
Click on the Method and Fundamentals pages here:
www.JustinDickson.com/Band
. _________________ Justin Dickson
Middle school band director. Still learning.
www.BandmateTuner.com |
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Bob Stevenson Heavyweight Member
Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 1139 Location: Essex, England
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 9:06 am Post subject: |
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When I was starting youngsters on brass, a few years back now, it was a source of surprise that there were NO published beginner books that properly addressed the basic vital issues that one MUST put in place if the youngster is to have any meaningful progress...... Eventually, I had to prepare my own material. These basic issues I found to be as follows;
1) The founding of a good articulation.......use of tongue/palate in such a way that articulation becomes instinctive and forms a basis to learn more technique.
2) The founding of a good breathing method .....use of breathing technique such that good breath control becomes instinctive and forms basis for development.
3) The founding of instinctive 'feel' for tuning and intonation ...this is essential as a basic skill in my view.
4) Parallel development of sight reading and music theory.
In practice, I found that all of these essential skills can be amalgamated into simple excercises right from the first attempts to 'blow' the instrument and build up over the first weeks and months into a basic working technique that has the potential for development.
Sadly, it is all too common for brass teachers to have to work with youngsters who already display one or more major flaws in technique which then represents a major mountain in the way of development. Just about ALL teachers reading this will recognise the kid who never learned to use their tongue and those who breathe every bar.....Likewise many teachers seem to think that good intonation and tuning ability is too difficult for beginners and has to be delayed until the embryo player already has some technique,...unfortunately, I have found that is too late to be a simple problem to solve. Similarly, one frequently meets kids who play quite well but who can't really read any music and this sharpely curtails their development while they struggle with the 'dots'.
The best brass teaching that I know of is found in the villages around nothern English cities.....You can still walk around these areas every evening and hear all the brass band instruments being practiced at all levels of ability. However, even the beginning 'noises' usually display all the good items of technique mentioned above! These kids learn by listening even before they get to hold an instrument and players in each family quickly correct any of the faults mentioned above without any thought to what a youngster can and can't manage!....This is the real way to learn in the same manner as they learn to speak English. |
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solo soprano Heavyweight Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2012 Posts: 856 Location: Point O' Woods / Old Lyme, Connecticut
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Albert Castillo Veteran Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 165 Location: Munich
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2016 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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I use often Julien Porret Method and Sigmund Hering Course.
The Porret is very useful if you want the kids to spring after that to the Franquin Method and/or the Arban/Maire. _________________ Albert A. Castillo |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 8965 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 12:34 am Post subject: |
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Another vote for "Mitchell on Trumpet" (although I doubt you'll need books III and IV for quite a while).
The one thing I don't like about this is that there is no decent warm-up routine that goes with them, so you'll need to address that.
Similiar in that the lessons are balanced and get progressively more advanced, is the series of Rubank "Elementary and Intermediate" books for trumpet.
One thing about these series, as good as they are, is that the music itself (songs) are pretty dated, so you might want to look around for a supplemental book with more contemporary songs in it. If a kid is jazz oriented, take a look at John O'Neill's "Jazz Method for Trumpet" as a supplement. Contains a play-along, BTW. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Getzen Capri Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
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MJo Regular Member
Joined: 26 May 2011 Posts: 56 Location: Canada
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 3:46 am Post subject: |
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You're right, kehaulani, about the music in Mitchell, though there is improvement in the new Santorella editions.
As for warm-ups, Mitchell published a separate book for these, and Santorella says it's going to publish a revised edition, but in the same email from them which I mentioned earlier, I was told that there still isn't a scheduled production date. |
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Craig Swartz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7769 Location: Des Moines, IA area
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Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 4:36 am Post subject: |
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10 year old? I'd use Student Instrumental Course, it's trumpet/cornet specific, doesn't work with the other instruments in a "band class" situation.
To be honest, it won't matter what book one uses too much, and if someone is looking for a method that covers "everything", there will still be problems. The teacher is the real link, and being able to ferret out an individual's strengths and weaknesses so a program can be tailored to each student. Merely playing along with some students is better than a lot of talking and assigning.
Like training dogs- some catch on quickly, some are timid, some need a lot of encouragement, some will need some restraint, etc., etc. Know when to hold as well as when to fold. Good luck. |
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rockford Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Aug 2007 Posts: 2477 Location: Northern VA
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Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2016 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Another vote for "Mitchell on Trumpet" (although I doubt you'll need books III and IV for quite a while).
The one thing I don't like about this is that there is no decent warm-up routine that goes with them, so you'll need to address that. | Mitchell moves pretty quick so, at some point slowing the pace and doing half a lesson each week seems to work best for most students. Mitchell actually did write a separate warm up book that contains mostly material from his other books. I forget if he offered suggestion on warming up in it. I'll have to look. Sigmund Hering books all have a lot of good classic music that is very accessible to most younger players. The duets books are particularly good for teaching improvised embellishments. The musical nature of them seems to hold the interest of the moderately interested students. _________________ Bill Siegfried
NY/Mt. Vernon Bach trumpets. Yamaha flugelhorn and piccolo A/Bb, Monette and Hammond mouthpieces. Fender and Peavey Cirrus Bass Guitars. Ampeg and Genz-Benz amps. Embraer 170/175/190. |
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PMMusic New Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2016 Posts: 4 Location: Aurora, Illinois
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Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2016 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a little late to the game but I highly recommend Lowell Little's Embouchure builder. Excellent for beginners to build a solid foundation but can also serve as a great long tone routine for players of all levels and experience. I still use it myself in my own practice.
http://www.amazon.com/Embouchure-Builder-Lowell-Little/dp/0769223060
-David _________________ Know before you blow.
Bach Strad Bb 37
Bach Strad C 256 bell 25H LP
Conn 1050A Cornet |
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LaTrompeta Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 867 Location: West Side, USA
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Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 6:43 am Post subject: |
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Bill Pfund makes an excellent beginner's book. He's been teaching beginners for 50 years (not an exaggeration) and he has come up with great material that makes it fun while learning something. I also like the Robert Getchell books, as well as Voxman. |
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EBjazz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2001 Posts: 2368 Location: SF Bay Area
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homecookin Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Nov 2013 Posts: 868
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Posted: Fri Apr 29, 2016 10:50 am Post subject: |
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PMMusic wrote: | I'm a little late to the game but I highly recommend Lowell Little's Embouchure builder. Excellent for beginners to build a solid foundation but can also serve as a great long tone routine for players of all levels and experience. I still use it myself in my own practice.
http://www.amazon.com/Embouchure-Builder-Lowell-Little/dp/0769223060
-David |
I agree with David about the book Embouchure Builder.
I use it as a daily routine.
I don't use it everyday, but on the days that I do use that book I play through the entire book. I bought my first copy of Lowell Little's book Embouchure Builder in 1969 and the price of the book was $0.75. |
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BobD Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 1251 Location: Boston MA
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 6:32 am Post subject: |
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I was just on the Santorello website and it seems that all 4 "Mitchell On Trumpet" books are now available. _________________ Adams/ACB collaborative
Yamaha Shew Jazz and Bach 7C |
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tpter1 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 7:33 am Post subject: |
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Definitely a fan of the Student series books. You can supplement with Getchell depending on the skill level of the student. _________________ -Glenn Roberts
"Character is the backbone of human culture, and music is the flowering of human character". -Confucious |
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Trombacan Veteran Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2009 Posts: 102 Location: Canada
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Posted: Thu May 05, 2016 8:04 am Post subject: |
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I like using the Hering course - touches all the key signatures as the student advances, and has good supplemental material (introduces the etude book, duets and more solos) Combine with Little and Getchell and you have lots of great material for the beginning student _________________ "It's simple, it just isn't easy" - VC |
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