Tryout psyche

maynardwannabe · Regular Member Joined: 20 Apr 2002 Posts: 20

Well, I'm going to post a little secret as to how to "psych out" other people before going into a tryout.

I would like to note, however, that you AREN'T going to get a good chair unless you can actually back it up in the tryout room.

One: Multiple tonguing. I'm telling you, I'm one of 3 people I know in my grade who can double or triple tongue efficiently enough to use it. Memorize parts of the Fox Hunters (In Arbans) and incorporate it into a "tongue warmup" in the warmup room. Some people will actually stop warming up and sort of gawk at you. Hehe.

Two: After your tryout, go back into the warmup room and let all that pent-up tension out with some range stuff. I almost managed to play the C scale 3 full octaves (with a full, fat sound, starting at the C just below the staff) after a tryout, and while all of the people in other age groups sort of stared, the guy who got first chair (A pretty good friend of mine) smacked me and took the trumpet. It did help me feel better about my tryout, and I'm sure it probably shook some people enough to make them try extra octaves in their scales, which would drop their scores.

Those are my two greatest little bits of wisdom, if anyone else has some, please post!

vivace · Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 2:51 pm Post subject:

Just borrow someones Monette Anja trumpet... Either they will laugh at you (whats a high schooler doing with a 2 million dollar horn) or be in total awe. The only thing is where are you gonna borrow a monette......

If a monette is unavailable, get a pocket trumpet. That should shock some people.
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pedaltonekid · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Nov 2001 Posts: 1711

When I was in high school I learned the Haydn and Hummel 1/2 step higher than the usual pitch. When I would go to auditions I would play them in the higher key. Everyone else wanted to show that they could play these pieces as well or better, but when they started playing in the original key, it sounded wrong compared to what I had just played. It could really wreck their confidence. Not entirely proud of doing this, but it was a great psyche out.
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trjeam · Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2002 3:18 pm Post subject:

Well I use to that sorta of stuff in middle school. First I would warm up by playing really fast and high stuff. And everyone would just stop to hear me. And then if someone dared to play I would play what they where playing by ear faster and higher. heheheh. And finally I would play the audition piece just to let them how to do it properly.

After getting first chair at the county stuff for 4 years in a row it got boring because i had nothing to proof. Plus I think i matured and stuff. So whenever some new trumpet punk comes to my county and tries to play stuff just to scare the lead guy I just look at him and remember about how that use to be me....

And then I pick up my horn and show him off so that he knows who's boss. hehehe lol. jk.

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tcutrpt · Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2002 3:40 pm Post subject:

This isn't pertaining to honor bands, but in college I find that the easiest way to get people's attention is just practice. Whether they like to admit it or not, they can't hide the fear and anger when they hear you practicing and they aren't. Time takes it's toll.

Matt

Greatest Trumpeter · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2002 5:19 pm Post subject:

I love showing off to people, it's one of my most favorite pass times. Nothing else makes me feel the same when someone stares at me in awe or gives me a compliment. It's one of the best parts of beening gifted.

For me the best show off music is Carnival of Venice. Either by Arban od Clarke. Both pieces I highly recomend.

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[ This Message was edited by: Greatest Trumpeter on 2002-06-13 20:21 ]

RJ · Veteran Member Joined: 27 Nov 2001 Posts: 121

does anyone else find this topic depressing?

bj · Posted: Thu Jun 13, 2002 11:35 pm Post subject:

Halfnote · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2002 7:21 am Post subject:

Yeah, I remember the High School psyche-out artists. I think most of them are bankers or in the real estate game now

trickg · Posted: Fri Jun 14, 2002 8:12 am Post subject:

When I was a Junior in HS, still sore from a music contest defeat the year before from a Junior at another school, I decided that I wasn't going to lose twice.

The solo that I picked was Concert Etude by Alexander Goedicke. I was familiar with it anyway (a friend of mine just Godawful butchered it the year before) and I had it worked up to warp speed by the time contests arrived and as fate would have it, I had to play either first or second of all of the trumpet solos.

My nemesis (among others) was sitting in the stands of the gym designated for the trumpet solos when I ripped through my solo and he knew right then that there was no way that he could beat me because not only was his solo not as difficult as mine, he wasn't as prepared as I was. Needless to say, I won the award for top trumpet solo.

The worst part of the deal for him was that he didn't have another chance to win because he was a senior that year. Since he was my main competition, I walked away with the award as a Senior too. I wanted to win my Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. As a freshman I was competing against my sister, a senior, and also a fine trumpet player so I didn't really have a chance then. (although I almost got the better of her, we were 2 of 3 that got 1s that year) It's truly a shame that she doesn't still play.

Anyway, sometimes a defeat can be a great motivator for a future victory.

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[ This Message was edited by: trickg on 2002-06-14 13:14 ]

wildebrook · Posted: Sat Jun 22, 2002 6:30 am Post subject:

I, too, find the topic depressing. Much more interested in learning how to improve my musical skills than in this kind of crap. I now see why there are so many trumpet player jokes running around.

trptcase · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2002 7:11 am Post subject:

Yes, I agree that this topic is depressing as well. While the saying goes "it's not showing off if you can do it" there is a time and place for that kind of thing and I don't think it is at auditions. It's like sitting on stage and warming up before a concert and somebody is banging down every trumpet excerpt in the book. That drives me crazy!

4Him · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2002 9:41 am Post subject:

I think there is time in our journey when, through maturity and having already passed through all of the competitive nightmares of High School, we learn that the greatest joy in being a musician is purely the joy of music and continuously improving in our musical pursuits.

Let's not be too hard on some of these posters. Though some sound a bit braggadocios, they will all by their own doing be taken down a notch in good time-- as each of us have been.

I remember how good it felt when my teacher complimented me or when a peer complimented my playing as a teenager. Now when I have a chance to go for a lesson, it has nothing to do with impressing anyone, it is my investment in myself-- just trying to get better for the sake of getting better. Remember what it felt like to always feel like you had something to prove, to establish yourself, to define for yourself and others who you are. It is the nature of growing up...

Ken

trying-to-improve · Regular Member Joined: 15 Jun 2002 Posts: 30

Yeah this topic is depressing. My faveorite thing to do is to be modest and low key before an audition. Its funny to see the faces of the show offs when you beat them.

trickg · Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2002 1:07 pm Post subject:

It may be a childish to try to intimidate the competition prior to the contest, but that didn't seem to stop Arnold Schwartzenegger. He's famous for psyching out his competition prior to the Mr. Olympia contests and it played a factor in why he won 7 times. Of course body building and trumpet playing aren't the same thing but winning is winning and coming in second means that you are the first loser.

The story that I told in my prievious post was not about me intimidating the competion on purpose, but it happened nevertheles. All I wanted to do was win and I think that part of that came because my competition got to hear first hand what I could do behind the horn before they played and therefore were defeated before they ever even played.

My attitude toward trumpet playing has changed somewhat over the years though. Now, I don't really care about winning because for me there are no contests or auditions to win. Now I just enjoy the music and the money that I get paid for gigging.

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SHS_Trumpet · Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2002 10:36 pm Post subject:

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

how unsporting
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4Him · Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2002 3:55 pm Post subject:

The best form of competition is seeking to better yourself. What could be better than knowing you play better today than you did yesterday or knowing that you have overcome a longtime stumbling block in your progress.

There are some guys that I only get to play with once or twice a year. If you really need some kind of external validation, make sure that guys you only play with occasionally can't help but comment on your improvement when they see you again.
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