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Playing pretty vocal part?



 
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CJceltics33
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 5:26 pm    Post subject: Playing pretty vocal part? Reply with quote

Long story short, there’s a metally vocal solo at the end of a song that’s beautiful and I am trying to play it on trumpet. I know the notes but I just can’t play it very pretty. Probably a weird question but...any tips on this to make it sound as gorgeous as the vocal part?
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zaferis
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Play lyrically every day! If you haven't been, then you must start. And do it softer than you think...

Flow Studies - constant sound, smooth and calm.
Arban's, Concone, Snedecor, Olt, Charlier lyrical studies

Slur everything, sing it, play it (stop using your tongue so much) play softly, listen to a singer and imitate...
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Don Herman rev2
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 4:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Make your mental sound match the vocal and play to that. "Sing" using the horn. Think and phrase like a singer as you play.
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Richard III
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Flugelhorn. Curry FL-D. The combination yields a vocal quality that is fantastic.
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deleted_user_680e93b
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 3:47 am    Post subject: Re: Playing pretty vocal part? Reply with quote

CJceltics33 wrote:
Long story short, there’s a metally vocal solo at the end of a song that’s beautiful and I am trying to play it on trumpet. I know the notes but I just can’t play it very pretty. Probably a weird question but...any tips on this to make it sound as gorgeous as the vocal part?


Listen to Botti for ideas on vocal representation, He pretty much has this technique down i would say. Good Luck !

tom
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 25, 2018 11:36 am    Post subject: Re: Playing pretty vocal part? Reply with quote

CJceltics33 wrote:
Long story short, there’s a metally vocal solo at the end of a song that’s beautiful and I am trying to play it on trumpet. I know the notes but I just can’t play it very pretty. Probably a weird question but...any tips on this to make it sound as gorgeous as the vocal part?

This reads a lot like a case of paralysis through analysis. A lyrical phrase needs to be thought of in a musical manner, not a mental one, lest the emotional side be left out. If we think of something as a bunch of notes, it will sound like that.

Our school just had a wonderful masterclass with two visiting trumpeters who kept on with this exact thought.

To play music, we need to have a clear and concrete concept of how the music sings. No idea, no music. Then, and only then, can we look at the mechanical side of the instrument: breathing, air flow, etc.

So maybe the path forwards looks like this:

Be able to sing the phrase musically
Articulate the rhythm musically - typically this wold be more legato then not
Work on being able to slur the phrase - try on one pitch using alternate fingerings
Actually slur the phrase in a single breath, no tongue

Then play it as written, keeping the legato, vocal style in mind all the time.

Hope that helps a bit...

cheers

Andy
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dstdenis
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

First, try to relax and play it with ease. If you're fighting the instrument at all, that'll get in the way of the sound and listeners will sense that you're struggling. If there are technical issues getting in the way, work on fixing those so you will sound like playing this solo is easy and natural for you.

Second, think of playing expressive phrases with a well-centered sound. Read McGill's book Sound in Motion for a great tutorial on phrasing.
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Robert P
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Playing pretty vocal part? Reply with quote

CJceltics33 wrote:
Long story short, there’s a metally vocal solo at the end of a song that’s beautiful and I am trying to play it on trumpet. I know the notes but I just can’t play it very pretty. Probably a weird question but...any tips on this to make it sound as gorgeous as the vocal part?

What's the song?

As always the more command you have of the instrument the better of course. We have no way of knowing what level you play at. If you're still struggling with the basics of playing, of course you're not going to be able to play anything pretty.

Further, "pretty" is somewhat subjective. Some people think Harry James played pretty, some thought his playing was schmaltzy.

You need to be able to objectively self-evaluate.

Can you put up video of yourself playing a ballad of some sort? Or even the melody you're talking about?
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dare I say it? If you want to play lyrically and vocally . . why not listen a lot to fine vocalists? Listen to songs in the same genre and listen a lot.

BTW, Sound in Motion might be over your head - don't know - but the book is excellent.

p.s. what is metally?
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gchun01
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Learn the lyrics to the song. Actually sing the song, in your mind and with your voice. Breathe like a singer.
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CJceltics33
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks very much! With a few hours of practice and listening to the song over and over again, I got it decent! I imagined it as a super pretty soft part, but it was sung more aggressively than I thought. So trying to match the style of the vocalist is what did it. Thanks again
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