Joined: 25 Mar 2010 Posts: 5299 Location: Central Texas
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 12:48 pm Post subject:
Brand new account posts a poll in which he claims to have increased his range by nearly a full octave in 2 days. We're supposed to believe it's not related to the site owner?
Please... _________________ "Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."
Joined: 07 Apr 2006 Posts: 2164 Location: Olympia, Washington
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 3:53 pm Post subject:
Squeaking out a vile sounding high note does not constitute an increase in range. I am not referring to the OP, because I have never heard him play.
A note has to be repeatable, accessible at will and musical to really be considered part of one's range IMHO.
Those awful, ripping-canvas sounding shrieks the Maynard wannabees post on YouTube do not constitute range. Not to me, anyway,
Listen to Doc play high notes to understand what having a good range is all about. Or Wayne or Lynn or other fine players.
And, obviously, being able to play high is but one as aspect of fine trumpet playing. Why so few posts by young players on YouTube demonstrating their mastery of double tonguing?
I don't get it. All these online "teachers" showing methods to play like Maynard Ferguson.
Maynard was barely able to eek out a career and he was one of a kind.
So you can play Gospel John and Rocky...great. Then what? You think there are tons of job opportunities or work out there for that kind of playing?
Nope. That's why these guys are "teaching" instead of playing gigs.
I think being a good well rounded player that can play and SOUND GOOD playing for Church gigs, classical ensembles, big band and small group jazz, being able to READ WELL, and PLAY IN TUNE, will make you a more desirable trumpet player that is more likely to get paying gigs, instead of being able to play Give It One.
If you are a well rounded player that can sight read, play in tune, cover big band books from section, ride and lead chair, to being able to play brass quintet and Church gigs and ensemble work...AND play the solo part for Mac Park THEN you'll be a player that gets notice and gets hired for gigs.
Otherwise you'll just be playing in your basement, playing outdated Maynard solos for yourself, and best case scenario you might build a website to teach others to be just as successful as you are...from your basement.
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9021 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
Posted: Thu Mar 30, 2017 9:44 am Post subject:
I don't understand. Are we talking about this site or are we taking a poll? _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
I don't understand. Are we talking about this site or are we taking a poll?
Honestly, I suspect the OP is just trying to draw attention to this guys website. _________________ Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
Yamaha 631g Flugelhorn
Nicholson Monette Prana Resonance LT mouthpiece
Kanstul Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece
Can't help notice this guy with the site learnleadtrumpet.com doesn't have any videos of him playing lead with a stage band.
There should be a stiff fine for anyone deliberately doing that "Brunson" cutoff thing he does constantly. Ditto that spastic DCI/Phil Driscoll shake - jeezus.
He can play some high notes, I don't care for his overall sound - which is basically a clone of a bunch of other guys doing a takeoff of 70's and later Maynard. "Learn to squeeze out high notes, nothing else matters". It seems he's never been acquainted with the concept of double or triple tonguing or any articulation beyond rudimentary single-tonguing.
I'd be curious to see what he sounds like doing "Maynard Ferguson". _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 1:04 am Post subject: Re: has anybody else tried learnleadtrumpet.com yet? It's ne
StevieDreamBoat wrote:
I admit, for a time I thought about taking Kurt Thompson's course/s, but a guy can spend $1000 with him, and am I the only one who kinda thinks the guy is a royal jerk? ...anyway, I'm just curious if anyboddy else has tried the site yet and if it's working for you?
You're not the only one Stevie. Like most people here I prefer not to say anything negative about another trumpet player. It being hard enough as it is to make a living in the music field. What with all the uncertainty, predator type booking agents, ego driven band leaders etc. However Kurt kind of opened the door to his own personal criticism. What
with his perhaps less than civil remarks about Wayne Bergeron on Youtube. There's probably been others too.
I dont know who else has seen the video of Kurt where he disses Wayne but it was disappointing to see it. Okay he doesnt mention Bergeron specifically by name but it's more than obvious to any wind player who's been around the block a few times that Kurt was purposely putting Wayne down.... And perhaps there was tiny bit of merit to the objection raised ie Maynard's rendition of MacArthur Park really is a part which ought to be played without sheet music. Even still however Kurt didnt need to be so caustic in his putdown. Or put Wayne down at all.
We don't what Wayne went through the day he played that chart. Maybe he hadn't played the tune in fifteen to twenty years. Also MacPark is hardly an easy tune to blow the whole way through on the trumpet. And while at times the rendition Wayne played was perhaps a little less fluid in places he certainly performed it admirably well.
What's ironic about Kurt's criticism is that he basically accused Bergeron of playing the chart "too stiff". That instead, as Thompson said Bergeron should have "played the music from his heart, not with his head".
So while in general I agree that playing such a romantic ballad as MacArthur Park truly should be blown like its "coming from the heart". Yes it should come from the heart.
But Thompson's critique is most definitely heart-LESS. Like Kurt, who's side are you on?
I apologize in advance if anyone feels offended about my own remarks concerning Mr Thompson. And if the mods feel that I'm being overly critical of another personality? I will happily delete the post. That said?
I think that disagreement is all well and good but to make harsh putdowns of a great player like Wayne Bergeron is just inappropriate. When trumpet players diss each other publicly? It's like they form a circular firing squad. It hurts all of us in other words. Also to the best of my knowledge none of Kurt's words were put on this forum. I don't even know if he is a forum member. Instead his harsh words are over in Youtube. Or they once were anyway. _________________ "Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!
Kurt Thompson's videos on YouTube are like a virus. He has sooooo many vids tagged with famous players names he comes through my feed all the time.
It would be hilarious if unfortunately he I'm sure gets business from some unknowing players impressed with arbitrary high notes that decide to give him their credit card numbers for lessons.
Recently the police escorted him off Baylor University's campus after he was "practicing" on campus and soliciting students. Then he goes on in a video to insult the head of the trumpet department as a player and teacher, and acting so confused as to why he (who is not a registered student, or alumni) is not allowed to use the school's facilities.
This guy has insulted pro players across the country, Univerity teachers, private teachers, and everybody in between. At first I thought he was trying to minimize others just to bolster his own business, but now I think he truly believes he is one of the greatest players ever to pick up a trumpet....because he can sort of play Maynard Ferguson solos in his basement?
Kurt talks about his career, yet hasn't had a gig that I've ever seen him talk about in decades. I can't imagine, with his reputation ANYBODY wants to work with him, or hire him for a playing job.
Hearing him talk, I think their is definitely some sort of chemical imbalance going on, and I feel sorry for him. And I'd have more empathy if he'd try and get some help. But his rage, and mania and constant insults on so many great players and teachers makes it hard to wish him any success.
I suspect, this guy probably will go down in flames soon enough in some spectacular fashion. He has all the telltale warning signs, and I hope he gets some professional help before that happens.
Can't help notice this guy with the site learnleadtrumpet.com doesn't have any videos of him playing lead with a stage band.
There should be a stiff fine for anyone deliberately doing that "Brunson" cutoff thing he does constantly. Ditto that spastic DCI/Phil Driscoll shake - jeezus.
He can play some high notes, I don't care for his overall sound - which is basically a clone of a bunch of other guys doing a takeoff of 70's and later Maynard. "Learn to squeeze out high notes, nothing else matters". It seems he's never been acquainted with the concept of double or triple tonguing or any articulation beyond rudimentary single-tonguing.
I'd be curious to see what he sounds like doing "Maynard Ferguson".
He's a young guy that has some talent, and a fun personality. I get it. He's trying to make some bucks, and good for him. But at his age, and with his limited experience, it might serve him better to get some more experience under his belt and mature a bit more as a player before professing to be an authority or think he has the ability to teach others at this stage in his own career.
I do like that he transcribes solos, and is working on more stuff than just arbitrarily high notes. And I think in a few years he could really be a great player. And maybe then he might be a good teacher. But at this stage, I think he might benefit himself more to just stay in the woodshed, and work on his own playing and better himself before trying to help others.
He's funny as heck, and think his heart is in the right place.
Joined: 22 Oct 2008 Posts: 2413 Location: Maryland
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 4:42 am Post subject: Re: has anybody else tried learnleadtrumpet.com yet? It's ne
RandyTX wrote:
Brand new account posts a poll in which he claims to have increased his range by nearly a full octave in 2 days. We're supposed to believe it's not related to the site owner?
Please...
I share the same skepticism. But we could be wrong.
StevieDreamBoat wrote:
oh and I went from a high D to a double C in 2 days with this, still kind of a squeak, but I can tell it's getting louder the more practice
StevieDreamBoat can clear things up by posting a video of himself playing those Double C's.
Mike _________________ Bach Stradivarius 43* Trumpet (1974), Bach 6C Mouthpiece.
Bach Stradivarius 184 Cornet (1988), Yamaha 13E4 Mouthpiece
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Plus a few other Bach, Getzen, Olds, Carol, HN White, and Besson horns.
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7770 Location: Des Moines, IA area
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 6:33 am Post subject:
As to the poll- I've purchased online from Pops, but I didn't necessarily consider it "range improvement" material. More on the order of general embouchure development/basic fundamentals for playing the instrument from another well-known instructor/advocate.
When one teachers or plays the instrument, it's wise to gather information from a wide variety of sources. To that list I also recommend Gordon, Irons, Maggio, Pocius, Colin, Daniels and Hickman, among others. Each has much to offer and by acquainting ones self with their approaches one may have an avenue to help himself or others improve provided they do not become bogged down in analysis more than just playing. In the end, playing "high" is just an extension of normal playing, isn't it? Pretty difficult to find people with a solid G4 that don't also have a good grasp of the rest of the instrument.
Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:19 am Post subject: Re: has anybody else tried learnleadtrumpet.com yet? It's ne
Lionel wrote:
What's ironic about Kurt's criticism is that he basically accused Bergeron of playing the chart "too stiff".
Yeah KT should show Wayne how it's done - lol.
Quote:
I apologize in advance if anyone feels offended about my own remarks concerning Mr Thompson.
Yes, you're not hard enough on him.
Quote:
I think that disagreement is all well and good but to make harsh putdowns of a great player like Wayne Bergeron is just inappropriate.
As others have pointed out "inappropriate" is his stock in trade. _________________ Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C
Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo
My above post has a link (though not visible here) straight to this guy taking a stab at "Gospel John."
Mr. Thompson also had some incredibly rude and crude things to say to several of Maynard's trumpet players such as Scott Englebright within the MaynardFerguson.com Forums years ago. It was as low and crude as one can imagine. His forte is playing Lead in the jazz ensemble at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. _________________ Schilke X3 Bb trumpet
Yamaha 631g Flugelhorn
Nicholson Monette Prana Resonance LT mouthpiece
Kanstul Claude Gordon Personal mouthpiece
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