Need Help with Lead Parts.

[trjeam]

Ok today was the first All County Jazz Band Rehersal the guy just gave out music in no particular order because we don't know who will be playing the lead part and stuff because the scores don't come in until the end of this week or the begining of the next.

But we do know who is in the bandn ( I have no idea how they know who is in the band but don't know what spots we got.)

Anyways so far today at rehersal we got to play the following songs :

"MacArthur Park" ( Woody Herman type of arrangement with a trombone and sax solo no trumpet solo) what a hard song to follow.

"Fly Me to the Moon". it's not hard but the articulations are hard. All those dats, dahs doits are so hard to get down just perfect with the section. I was going to play the lead part but I was afraid that I couldn't play some of the notes so I traded it in for 2nd part.

Then "Birdland" which i played lead on and it was great. It was so easy to pick up and play because i have the song so many times. it just came natural to me.

then a song called "L-O-V-E." again articulation was the big problem.

Then we played "a shadow of your smile" wich was pretty laid back and easy i got to play 1st part on it.

Then "Get me to church on time" which was a very fast song but not too hard. I got to play lead on that one.

Then we played "American Patrol" which I played lead on. Again articulation was the problem.

So far there is a rumor saying that i might get to play lead because they (my teacher) already knows that I beat last years Lead by 12 points. And I have already beat everyone else in other competitions. So I might get to play lead.

I never knew that the articulation in jazz would be so hard to get down so that everything would sound good. the doits, dah. But once i got it down it came out nice. Also something I saw while playing the lead part on Birdland. I did play over the section but I had to play real loud everyone else tried to cover me up and it was so annoying. I didn't say anything because I wasn't the official lead player but isnt' the lead trumpeter not suppose to be covered up? It was so annoying when they tried to out play me. I wasn't trying to make it into a competition but still I tried a little to be heard. anyways do you guys have any advice or tips on getting those articulations right and how to be able to change from a fast song such as birdland to a soft song liek LOVE. And when playing high should i just be loud. And any tips on how to get a cutting sound? Lately my sound has been spreading and real dark because I have been playing Classical and church stuff that my sound doesn't cut threw like it did in marching season. So does anyone have any tips on how to get that cutting edge sound ( like scott englebright and maynard ferguson) thanks for any help.

George Ayala

http://trjeam.tripod.com

[ChopsMcgraw]

As for the projection part of your question, when I blow lead I like to think that I'm drilling a tiny hole in the back wall of the rehearsal room. Tight, focused, yet still brilliant. For me it was mostly figuring out a sound to think, once I did that it was cool. Still, with a second player trying to be a hero (not uncommon in High School) it can be hard. I would tell the second player to back off a little, tell him he's overblowing his horn or something. A good second chair player makes blowing lead a lot easier, I know, I've done both. They sound like cool charts you're playing, I love Mac Park, and birdland is always fun. As for the doits and other articulations, get the section together and decide exactly how you're going to do them, releases, etc etc... One of the things my Jazz Teacher always stresses (he knows, he played with Doc) is intensity. A soft, slow passage needs to be played with the same support and intensity as a fast loud and high one. And always bang those valves. Hope this ramble has helped...


ChopsMcgraw

[Larry Smithee]

George,
Jazz articulation(s) comes from basically 2 sources: 1) listening and internalizing the style; 2) from lots and lots of practice and experience playing these various styles. The styles you've mentioned are certainly varried and require different approaches to articulation. For straight ahead style listen to lots of Basie and Ellington. These guys could swing their butts off. A good current source of swing style that I really like are the Tom Kubis big band recordings (any of them). These guys can make double whole notes swing. For jazz rock...well it sounds like your fairly at home with this approach.
Larry Smithee

[Emb_Enh]

Mr. Ayala wrote>>>

>>>So I might get to play lead.

....CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
[for being considered]

>>>I never knew that the articulation in jazz would be so hard to get down so that everything would sound good.

....if you try to play TOO loud for your present standard you will find that it slows your artic. down and then it all goes wrong. Keep a focussed but projected sound...not spread.

>>>Also something I saw while playing the lead part on Birdland. I did play over the section but I had to play real loud everyone else tried to cover me up and it was so annoying. I didn't say anything because I wasn't the official lead player but isnt' the lead trumpeter not suppose to be covered up?

....well I don't know whether this is allowed in your school rules /setup but as far as I'm concerned the guy whose playing the lead part there and then IS the official lead player. This means that [in my opinion] what you should do is ask the perpertrator(s) of the imbalance to listen a little more carefully to the balance of your lead sound...and BE man enough to say...

"..hey come on guys your overpowering me a little and it's uncomfortable for me!!"

...thereby gaining the respect of your peers/teachers/ and professional musicans the whole world over.

>>> any advice or tips on getting those articulations right and how to be able to change from a fast song such as birdland to a soft song like L-O-V-E.

...don't try to play TOO loud until it's within your capability...you'll have less trouble then doing the Artics. and ALSO switching to a soft song because your chops will have kept a better focus!!!

>>> And when playing high should i just be loud. And any tips on how to get a cutting sound?

...concentrate on getting a clear tone with abs projection and fill the instrument without trying to blow it apart!!!

>>> Lately my sound has been spreading and real dark because I have been playing Classical and church stuff that my sound doesn't cut threw like it did in marching season. So does anyone have any tips on how to get that cutting edge sound ( like scott englebright and maynard ferguson)

....ideally you should be using a mpc. deep enough to give you a nice dark tone + heavy [standard] Tpt. for the church.....then.....

..a shallower lead mpc. + lightweight Tpt for a more cutting lead sound!!

I hope this helps you...

Yours Roddy o-iii<O

http://www.r-o-d-d-y-t-r-u-m-p-e-t.cc