Stages a lead player goes through

[Lionel]

Like most kids fearful of making mistakes the young trumpet player takes his parts home, practices them and works on his range. In a year or so he ascends to the first chair in his jazz band. Although not without some competition and a few ruffled feathers.

Briefly his insecurity diminishes and false pride takes over. He stops "reading the ink" and takes notes up and octave or a fifth etc without regard for musicality. He does this on every chart. Even the mellow ones. In turn he tends to burn himself out and is unable to finish the existing "ink". He falls short of having the energy to finish his chart. A mild to stern reprimand ftom the director straightens him out a bit.

On college band he soon finds that taking liberties with parts is inacceptable. He concentrates more on all of his tools besides just range. Works on his jazz too. There are other stronger trumpets than he knew back in high school. The friendly competition pushes him.into becoming a more complete player.

In time he learns to mellow a little. As he notices the younger trumpet players making the same ego driven mistakes as he once did. He chuckles as they too take parts up higher than written. Only to burn out well before the gig is through.

I think we all pass through this "five minute hero" phase before becoming all around solid players. Today I almost never take a part up unless it really helps the piece. That and I consider my "range" as being the highest musical note I have at the end of a three set gig.

And sometimes even today I still find guys older than me who try and showboat. Adding higher notes into a piece which doesnt need it. No bigger fool than old fools.

Its a process. More one of maturation at times.
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Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[Robert P]

Was never a problem for me - as a teen I wish I'd had the range to take things up an octave.

It would be great if the player you describe has a director who knows his stuff and will put a harness on tasteless showboating and emphasize musicality and awareness of where you fit in the musical picture while giving the player permission to soar where it's appropriate and if and when the player can do it with control.
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[Lionel]

[CJceltics33]

Good post, Lionel. I wish I had that young players ego.

I find the trumpet to be a very psychological instrument. Well, for the person playing it. Especially in range. If you spend your performance thinking about that high F at the end, taking it easy and saving yourself until you get there, hoping and praying and doubting you'll be able to hit it...you'll play the whole performance like crap and you'll miss the F.

A few months ago, I was working on the Colin lip flexibilities book. I had nailed a certain exercise for several days in a row and was feeling like I'd conquered that exercise and the dreaded top note. So I was going up on the open harmonic series. Worked my way up to G...no issues. B flat...easy. Before I started the ascend to high C, the thought "Uh oh it's a C, I won't get this note" drifted through my head. But I said "Wait, I got this note the last few days, and I'm feeling fine, I'll get it today.." But I thought it in vain, because I knew once I doubted myseld I'd play like crap. Sure enough, couldn't even get the B flat out, an easy easy note for me even then. Just goes to show how much of a difference confidence makes. If that young player has an ego, he will certainly play better than someone who does not.

[kehaulani]

"A big ego is generally necessary to develop good control upstairs." By that I assume you mean confidence, not showboating.
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[Brad361]

[pepperdean]

To me, the most important maturation comes when you evolve from grabbing all the high parts and taking some up an octave to realizing the priorities are reliability, accuracy, and interpretation. When you realize the weight of filling those obligations all night long, you become a bot more conservative.

Alan

[Brad361]

[Lionel]

And maturing age does not always cure the aspiring lead player from playing excessive high notes. Ive seen a cat older than me refuse to refrain from blowing high notes which werent written.

I usually didnt say anything to him because on balance he actually helped the band. That and took me out of a real jam when a kanker sore made it impossible to get a note out of my horn. Had complained about his excessive showboating? He may have quit the band. Or decided not to bail me out on the lead book when I was injured.

Trumpet players are human. Their egos often weak and cant handle criticism. My attitude about showboating unwritten high notes is,

A. The higher notes must fit the piece in an obvious manner.

B. Dont miss! Nor play them out of tune/rhythm. An out of tune pitch is the same as a wrong note.

C. If you take something up? Make damned sure that you have enough gas to finish the gig without choking on any remaining parts. This is just as true in rehearsals as in concert.

Some big ego takes a phrase way up. Does it on most the tunes. Yet by the second set cant blow a G top of staff due to fatigue.
_________________
"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[Brad361]

[blbaumgarn]

Trumpet players: some are like hunters that want to get a deer or antelope in season. Some of them are calculated. Tune the gun, Put a goodly number of rounds in at different yardages, and sight in precisely. Some get the gun out of the case the night before they take off on a trip and make sure they take ammo along. When they come back with a trophy they show you and you ask "one shot kill?" And they say no, we shot three boxes of ammo but finally got lucky at 400 yards on 'em. Good lead players pay their dues. Everybody "fracks" but most learn from the occasional mistake. If you want to lead you have to have your own ducks in a row to a great extent. Good lead players listen and put every bit of knowledge or "sound information" they can get into the library. They get so they can pull that knowledge out in performance. They become leaders because they are worth playing with and following. This is MHO.

[Craig Swartz]

Shock
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Testing
Acceptance

[Brad361]