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trumpetdiva1
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 27, 2015 8:53 am    Post subject: Re: Just starting Reply with quote

PH wrote:
tmarshall wrote:
I've started doing theses two weeks ago, first week I did them on my own but have since started doing them this way. Thanks for the clarification. CC was vague on some things; not all. The Subdivision has been a challenge, I really have to focus and keep it slow (60 bbm) hopefully it will get easier. What is your opinion on doing these calenentics on a day you know your going to have a big gig? Do you hold off knowing you need all the energy for that night or do you just go for it and hope you you have it for that 30th chart? My hope is that continued use of this will get me more endurance, utilizing my chops more efficiently. Your thoughts?


I'm pretty much on the same page with bagmangood. If you are still relatively new to Caruso you might try not doing them on a gig day. However, your routine is relatively brief and not too demanding for the first few weeks, so it might not matter. When I was doing this routine every day (which was for a period of quite a few years), this was the first thing I played every day. I played better if I could get all or most of my routine in earlier, take a break of at least 20-30 minutes and then hit it. If I had a heavy blowing work day I would shorten my Caruso routine, especially at the point in my study with CC where my calisthenics routine had gotten up to over an hour of exercises. At that point, maybe try doing just 6 notes, 2nds, harmonics and one or two other drills and then go into battle.


My shortened version of the Caruso routine for rehearsal and performance days was designed by Laurie Frink for me and consists of the following:

• 6 Notes
• Clarke Technical Studies - Second Study - Circle of Fourths
• Harmonics
• Bending Pedals
• Chromatic Scale

Janell
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kfreet
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The professor at Cal arts taught me about this. It really helped my sound after coming off of marching band season (which wrecked my tone).
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Trumpetingbynurture
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 6:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those of you who do Caruso daily and play multiple key trumpets or indeed those that play multiple on the same concert, which instrument do you do the routine on?
For example, if you have to play Bb, C and Picc in the same concert, would you stick to doing the routine on the trumpet you are most at home on, or would you specifically do the routine on the one that is least comfortable?

I think a lot of people tend to start the day with the smallest instrument because it's easier to adapt from, for example, C to Bb rather than the other way around.

So just curious if this factors into doing the routine?
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bagmangood
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trumpetingbynurture wrote:
For those of you who do Caruso daily and play multiple key trumpets or indeed those that play multiple on the same concert, which instrument do you do the routine on?
For example, if you have to play Bb, C and Picc in the same concert, would you stick to doing the routine on the trumpet you are most at home on, or would you specifically do the routine on the one that is least comfortable?

I think a lot of people tend to start the day with the smallest instrument because it's easier to adapt from, for example, C to Bb rather than the other way around.

So just curious if this factors into doing the routine?


I don't do the routine on any of the smaller horns, but I definitely alternate between Bb and C for the routine. The difference between Bb and C is small enough that you should be completely comfortable on both (at least in the context of Caruso routines). With proper practice, this can lead to equal comfort on both horns.

I do not think that musical calisthenics would carry over well onto the picc - I'd be curious if anyone has adapted part of the routine onto it!
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pepperdean
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was doing a fair amount of orchestral work when I studied with Carmine, playing a lot of Bb, C, and D. I can't speak to the picc, but his advice to me was to rotate the interval studies through the different horns.

Alan
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Trumpetingbynurture
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good to know - thanks!

For those of you that use different mouthpieces, either depth or diameter, do you alternate doing the routine on the different pieces, or do you always do it on a specific mouthpiece or the mouthpiece you're going to use that day?
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comebackcornet
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am curious to know what anyone thinks about doing a Caruso routine with a practice mute ...

I have done/do some caruso exercises. I am thinking I might be able to get an extra practice session in during the day if I use a practice mute, but am concerned about what would be ok to practice in this manner without screwing myself up ...
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PH
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

comebackcornet wrote:
I am curious to know what anyone thinks about doing a Caruso routine with a practice mute ...

I have done/do some caruso exercises. I am thinking I might be able to get an extra practice session in during the day if I use a practice mute, but am concerned about what would be ok to practice in this manner without screwing myself up ...


Practicing the exercises in a mute will improve your muted playing. It will not have a noticeable positive effect on your open trumpet playing.
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bagmangood
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PH wrote:
comebackcornet wrote:
I am curious to know what anyone thinks about doing a Caruso routine with a practice mute ...

I have done/do some caruso exercises. I am thinking I might be able to get an extra practice session in during the day if I use a practice mute, but am concerned about what would be ok to practice in this manner without screwing myself up ...


Practicing the exercises in a mute will improve your muted playing. It will not have a noticeable positive effect on your open trumpet playing.


I agree that it will not be as effective as practicing open. However, it will still (usually) have a positive effect on playing overall.

Open practice is always preferable, and there are certain areas where a muted trumpet will respond differently.

I'd suggest adding/replacing 5-10 minutes early in the day with a few exercises (6 notes + seconds for example) and doing some of your music with a mute vs. adding a full Caruso practice session muted.

The value of these exercises is intended to be physical so the approach matching the results is where you want to aim
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PH
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But the physical part of these exercises is primarily one of coordinating the moving parts through focus on rhythm and subdivision of the beat and balancing the entire playing system (body, mouthpiece and instrument). Inserting a mute...especially one that greatly increases resistance like most practice mutes...effectively changes this balance dramatically. The role and action of every body part must adjust to compensate for this.

It would be different if Caruso exercises were designed to make you stronger or if being stronger would make dramatic improvements in your trumpet playing. But this is not true in most cases. Being better coordinated and balanced will improve your trumpet playing.

CARUSO EXERCISES ARE NOT PRIMARILY DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU STRONGER. Trumpet playing is more like juggling than it is like weight lifting.

For most people, extensive or regular practicing in a mute will have negative consequences on your trumpet playing.
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gstump
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Playing Caruso Interval Studies with a practice mute could have the same effect as practicing the Caruso Interval Studies with the mouthpiece.

The negative effect happens when you are playing these studies too loudly. It is not easy to control your volume with a mouthpiece or practice mute.

Don't ask me how I know this. Ok, I will tell you anyway. Driving back from my wife's parents home in Ohio I wanted to do the interval studies on the mouthpiece because I opened a new show the next day and I had already taken a few days off. Too protect my wife and kids from this annoyance in the car I turned up the radio. When I got home I resumed practicing. My chops were totally blown out. Everything was way off. Fortunately things got better the next morning for the first rehearsal. Great way to get fired!!!

Best of luck,

Gordon Stump
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TrpPro
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Caruso told me that practicing on the mouthpiece should be followed by playing the same exercise, drill, excerpt (whatever) on the horn. To my knowledge he didn't prescribe just mouthpiece exercises by themselves.

He also told me to do his stuff with an open horn.
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LewisJay
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 8:08 am    Post subject: Back to basics with Carmine Reply with quote

I studied with Carmine back in the late 60's. After playing (and being poor) for a number of years I packed up my trumpet and began a new career. I didn't play for about 25 years, but 8-10 years ago I started playing again. At the beginning of this year I started doing the Carmine exercises that I still had written out in his own hand.

I find that I have a little issue playing the exercises that I don't remember having way back when. My lips get extremely dry and even though I can hold the mp and setting and still wet the middle of my lips with my tongue, the outside of my lips stay dry and the mp sticks to the outside of my lips restricting the buzz. There is no way to wet the outside of the lips without moving the mp and therefore undoing all the reasons for keeping the mp on the lips.

If I do not wet the outside of lips where the mp is sitting I sometimes get no sound and have to stop the exercise (and then continue one more time where I left off after a short rest). But this sometimes happens in the middle register, where I am not really tired, but can't get a good buzz only because of the dryness. So, if I don't wet the outside of the lips, it causes me to not get anywhere near the range I could get for that particular exercise.

Any suggestions?
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PH
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you are doing the right thing. Just do the exercises according to the four rules and play until failure, regardless of the cause. Carmine said it didn't matter if your lips are wet or dry (although I prefer my students to play wet). His calisthenics will eventually lead you to a way of playing that works for you.

Just do it.
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american boy
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 5:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A quick history of my time practicing Caruso exercises;
I took about 5 lessons with Carmine in the late 70s;At the
time I was free lancing in NYC and starting to sub on Broadway
shows; Many of the players I was rubbing elbows with were Caruso
students,and most were very enthused with how that was going;
I went into my lessons with Carmine with a very open mind,and
found him to be one of the nicest people I had ever encountered.
Part Grandfather,part Genie..Problem with me at the time,was I was very busy,with gigs almost every night,and the need to be 100% on these gigs
with Contractors and conductors expecting nothing less; As I gave Carmine`s exercises a full shot, I found that they would stiff me out(not in a good way tee hee)but kind of being not comfortable when the red light went on
so I stopped them..
Shoot ahead about a year,Im on a tour in Europe for a few weeks,and I decide to stay over in Sweden for a few weeks afterwards(another story!) but I also decided that since I had no playing pressures,I would revisit Caruso exercises for that 2 weeks(when I wasnt enjoying Sweden)
I started with 6 notes 3 times a day,added 2nds after a few days,and Harmonics a few days after that..and hardly played anything else..After this steady stream of Caruso only, after about 10 days,I decided to check out some Concone,some Clark studies,things of that nature,and HOLY S!
My chops felt amazing..I could play Concone etudes 8va in a way I couldnt have imagined ever before..I could magically play to A`s and Bb`s on one setting,and musically,which was amazing to me..(In my mind, I was like..Cant wait to get back to NY and lay this on my peers)
OK back in NY and I have a show scheduled for a few weeks..To my astonishment, I could not play in tune; I found my slide out like over 2 inches,and this just was not going to work,so I regretfully stoped the Caruso studies, and my pitch went back to better. My new magic chops,however were gone too!......Shoot ahead 40 years to 2020.
As I sit around during this god awful pandemic, I`ve been thinking about that time and the amazing way I felt after the Caruso only period,and my chops have never responded like that since..But as there are no challanges on the gig side of life, I have restarted Caruso studies again,but at this point having read the great comments posted by you Caruso guys(THANK YOU GUYS) I am doing it like 30% Caruso,70% Other stuff,and I am after only 3 days, feeling pretty good chop wise..Actually very excited to see where I will be with this in a few months,when with a little luck,there will be a music scene again to perform with my (hopefully) new face..I guess when you have the trumpet bug, it never dies!
Also,as I have read a few comments here about playing Carmines stuff with mutes,I have to comment that one of the strongest lead players I know practices Caruso with a harmon..So my jury is still out on that one;
Oh and about the guy that played 6 notes over and over,that would be Victor Paz,who I got to play with alot and he spoke of timing and Caruso probably every day..Yeah he was a beast..I saw him play the 2nds on 1 setting to double F`s.The one over double C.
Then, we would play duets..Well we would play 3 in a row when I would need to take a break,and he would just be getting warmed up..Those of you from that time period know what i`m talking about pertaining to Victor Paz.
Anyway, sorry about the long post.
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Trumpetstud
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="PH"]

On the SLS or LSL exercises the soft end should be ppp (so soft you almost lose the note) and the loud end should be fff (so loud the sound begins to distort). Carmine said that the only way you expand your dynamic range was by playing softer and louder than you can comfortably play after starting from you mp/mf embouchure setting.

What is SLS or LSL?
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Dayton
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 14, 2022 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What is SLS or LSL?


That refers to Soft-loud-soft and Loud-soft-loud exercises. You'll find them in Caruso's Musical Calisthenics for Brass.

Edit: I see from another post that you are just getting started with Stockhausen's The Basic Caruso. The SLS and LSL exercises are not in that; they're in the full Musical Calisthenics for Brass, which is widely available for purchase.
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Padre08
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2022 10:16 am    Post subject: 2nds Reply with quote

This may have been addressed in an earlier post. When doing the 2nds, I'm unable to reach C above staff on the first go (or any other go). Is this normal? How many times should I try in one sitting?

Thanks for the help!
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PH
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 24, 2022 3:43 pm    Post subject: Re: 2nds Reply with quote

Padre08 wrote:
This may have been addressed in an earlier post. When doing the 2nds, I'm unable to reach C above staff on the first go (or any other go). Is this normal? How many times should I try in one sitting?

Thanks for the help!


The most important thing is, are you following the Four Rules as layed out early in this thread? Without following the proper procedure you will not achieve maximum (or perhaps any) benefit from CC calisthenics.

I've been doing these exercises since my time studying with Carmine in the '70s and '80s-almost five decades now. Some days I can't get out of the staff on the first setting. Other days I can to to high G (4 ledger lines) or beyond on the first setting.

IT TOTALLY DOESN'T MATTER HOW HIGH YOU CAN GO BEFORE SHUTTING OFF!

Don't judge your progress based on the exercises. Judge your progress based on your ability to play music.

Follow the Four Rules. Do two settings on each interval you practice. Do each calisthenic once or twice a day (I find doing about 20% of my daily playing as Caruso/Flexus works for me). Add or change your daily routine as outlined in this thread. Don't overthink. Don't judge. Just do it.

Read this entire thread all the way through at least twice before you play any Caruso Calisthenics again (and the other sticky posts at least once).

Trust me.
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Destructo
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Question regarding subdivision.

Is there a preference to think

1-e-&-a | 2-e-&-a etc
vs.
Da da da da | Da da da da

Does it matter?
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