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ssbtrumpet1 Veteran Member
Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 206 Location: Bay Area, CA
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:07 pm Post subject: WSS Question - Prologue |
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So I'm practicing the Prologue and around mm 182 & 186 you have the descending 16th notes (top line F#, D#, B & first line E#) at 120 bpm. The first two 16th notes are slurred, the second two are tongued; then the figure goes up a half step at mm 246 & 250.
How on earth do you play that? Is there an alternate fingering to use? Do you double tongue the B & E#? I've been slowing it way down and practicing it to get it under my fingers, but what a mutha...
Advice welcome,
Steve |
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BeboppinFool Donald Reinhardt Forum Moderator
Joined: 28 Dec 2001 Posts: 6437 Location: AVL|NC|USA
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Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2017 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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When I showed up for the first rehearsal of WSS at an area playhouse, I had been told it was going to be Sound of Music, and I wasn't worried about it.
When I arrived, I got knocked for a loop.
I came home and listened to all I could find online, and that helped tremendously, plus practicing all the hard places (which are abundant).
Basically, all I did was try to play what was written (lead) and make it sound as easy as possible, which of course, it isn't. If you sound like you're hanging on for dear life, everybody knows it. If you exude confidence and make it sound easy, you can fool a lot of the people a lot of the time.
Get ready for a helluva ride! I did 8 shows a week for 3 weeks and it changed my life!
By the way, save something for that ending. If you are shot when you get there, you're in trouble. _________________ Puttin’ On The Ritz |
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MaestroTrpt Regular Member
Joined: 11 Oct 2012 Posts: 51 Location: Philly Suburb
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:44 am Post subject: |
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I'm confident Tim Wendt will chime in soon re: this issue...
The good news is that this odd riff is descending, which I find easier to play than ascending, but that's just me. Looks like the fingering isn't too bad- 2, 2, 2, 1 (i.e.- F#, D#, B, E#).
Slowing the passage way down is good. I would try to actually sing it out loud as well.
Also of note: I believe the woodwinds and the pitched drums play this rhythm with you (the trumpets) as well, so the pressure isn't ALL on you.
Have fun with it! |
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John Mohan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 13 Nov 2001 Posts: 9830 Location: Chicago, Illinois
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:20 pm Post subject: |
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I played 1st trumpet for that show through the winter of 2002/2003 in Basel, Switzerland at the Musical Theater Basil. Musically, that was and still is the highlight of my career. I felt like I discovered new musical nuances and displays of Bernstein's genius with each and every show.
https://s25.postimg.org/p6inkl2dr/Kerry_John_more.jpg
My friend, colleague and fellow CG Student Kerry Hughes and I playing WSS in the Musical Theater Basel pit - seated to my right and unseen in the photo is Jason Rambler on 3rd trpt
Slur the first two notes and double tongue the last two. It's not so hard - just practice it over and over, very slowly, resting as long as you played between each repetition. The key is to practice it VERY slowly and build up the speed at a VERY slow rate. Try to practice it too fast and you'll never get it.
Best wishes,
John Mohan
Skype Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested _________________ Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student |
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Craig Swartz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7770 Location: Des Moines, IA area
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:34 pm Post subject: |
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BeboppinFool wrote: | When I showed up for the first rehearsal of WSS at an area playhouse, I had been told it was going to be Sound of Music, and I wasn't worried about it. | That's got to be one of the most hilarious things I've ever heard, although I have to believe something similar could happen to me in the resort area company I play with every summer...
I've done 3 runs of WSS, first one was the original score with D parts and all for a month, last 2 were more modern reduced versions and it was further educed to my being the only trumpet, also filling in lots of other missing parts by ear along the way. (And that never paid extra)
The part you're fussing over goes by so quickly, I believe I just tongued them legato (single tongue) with a short lift on the last note. Almost comes out as a triplet figure at that speed. The riff is all over the show. If there are problems just blame them on the woodwinds...
In all three runs, the biggest problem has always been the conductor. Enjoy the gig, it's still a classic and I'd jump at the chance to do it again. |
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sab754 New Member
Joined: 01 Mar 2016 Posts: 8 Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:01 pm Post subject: |
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I played 1st for my school's production of it last year! Was a really great production and I was incredibly happy with how it went.
For that passage, the section and I elected on playing the D# as 23 as opposed to 2 - it helped us keep everything moving.
For the section that goes up a step to G, I played the E on 12 to make it a bit easier. But really you could probably do the regular fingerings and just nut it out - it's your choice. |
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ssbtrumpet1 Veteran Member
Joined: 24 Apr 2004 Posts: 206 Location: Bay Area, CA
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Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys!! I've been shedding it out slow, but was wondering if there was a trick to it or not. And I was wondering if alternate fingers/double tonguing the lick worked better. |
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trpthrld Heavyweight Member
Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 4810
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agolden Veteran Member
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 483 Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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I'm currently playing that book on the World Tour of WSS. Just make sure to not let up on the mouthpiece pressure/energy (how's that for vague?) on the descending slurs/passages. You want to make sure you're still maintaining a "real" or active embouchure, not just a flab of flesh.
Maybe give those flexandos out of "Flexus" a look & let me know how it goes.
-Andrew _________________ trumpet - synths - cornet
Bach//Blackburn
Patrick Mouthpieces |
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agolden Veteran Member
Joined: 16 Feb 2008 Posts: 483 Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:59 pm Post subject: |
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PS: I just play it with the standard fingerings & articulation wise, I single tongue. _________________ trumpet - synths - cornet
Bach//Blackburn
Patrick Mouthpieces |
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RandyTX Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Mar 2010 Posts: 5299 Location: Central Texas
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Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 8:37 pm Post subject: |
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Craig Swartz wrote: | BeboppinFool wrote: | When I showed up for the first rehearsal of WSS at an area playhouse, I had been told it was going to be Sound of Music, and I wasn't worried about it. |
That's got to be one of the most hilarious things I've ever heard |
I struck me funny too, but for an entirely different reason. Very long ago, when I was in High School, the drama department decided they wanted to do West Side Story.
Until the band members (they would have even dreamed of hiring in adult musicians for a student production back then) climbed down into the pit for the first rehearsal. We all vapor locked quite hard on the WSS story book.
The following week, we met again, and that time they handed out The Sound of Music instead, and that was the production for that year. _________________ "Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away." |
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