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random_abstract Regular Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2013 Posts: 72 Location: USA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:09 pm Post subject: Jazz players: Do you practice picc? |
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Looking for some opinions, as I've been thinking about this a lot:
For players who primarily function as jazz soloists, do you own/practice/gig on a piccolo trumpet (or Eb-D trumpet), and do you find that it is beneficial or detrimental to your sound/approach/concept on the Bb? |
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lgt0412 Veteran Member
Joined: 11 Mar 2012 Posts: 462 Location: North Carolina
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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Nope. Never owned one. Never needed one. The only time I ever play a Picc is when I get one in the shop and test play it after whatever work I have done to it. (Same goes for Eb/D). And just for full disclosure's sake 99.9% of my playing is small group jazz or big band where I am playing the solo book. _________________ Van Laar B6
Bach LR19043B
Kanstul 1600
Conn 38B
Van Laar BR3 Flugel
Blessing Super Artist cornet
Greg Black Mouthpieces
Last edited by lgt0412 on Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:20 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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trumpet.trader Veteran Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2017 Posts: 200
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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I think of piccolo trumpet as just a tool for the job. I don’t particularly enjoy playing picc but I need it for a handful of jobs each year. Church functions at holidays mostly and sometimes for wedding services.
So I guess don’t have a “sound concept” specifically for my Bb or C or picc etc. they’re just tools for the job I’m playing.
I spent enough years in college and in practice rooms learning how to play picc and Eb/Ds that I understand how they work and how to approach playing them. So I never practice on those instruments unless I need to work on music for an upcoming job where I use them. |
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trumpet.trader Veteran Member
Joined: 02 Jul 2017 Posts: 200
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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But to maybe answer your question more, no I don’t find practicing picc or Eb/Ds detrimental to any other part of my playing. No different than switching to flugelhorn when needed.
Also in general playing different bore size brass instruments and different size mouthpieces never really presented to much of a challenge for me.
I play in a couple top 40 bands with only trumpet and sax for horns, and I bring a trombone for some tunes and switch back and forth with out much of an issue. And none of those instrument switches screws with my sound concept of Bb |
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HERMOKIWI Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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I'm strictly a jazz soloist and I don't play or own anything other than Bb instruments (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn). _________________ HERMOKIWI |
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dershem Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jun 2007 Posts: 1887 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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I have been kn own to have my Bb, C, Eb and Picc (and bone and bass bone) here when practicing, even on the Aebersold. They make you get out of your rut and think differently. Picc is also good for making you think about air. |
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homecookin Heavyweight Member
Joined: 07 Nov 2013 Posts: 868
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Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:15 pm Post subject: |
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NO !!!
All of my work is on the commercial side of things.
I use B flat trumpet for everything.
Although I do double on valve trombone.
I am not the slightest bit interested in
piccolo trumpet, C trumpet, D trumpet, or
Eb trumpet. |
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jazz_trpt Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Nov 2001 Posts: 5734 Location: Savoy, Illinois, USA
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 7:01 am Post subject: |
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I only practice on the instruments I actually use. _________________ Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions! |
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Turkle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 2450 Location: New York City
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a jazz player, although I do play some C trumpet from time to time.
I purchased a piccolo a couple of years ago. I never even learned to play the darn thing. It's just sitting in its case on my trumpet shelf.
I guess I'll just never be a piccolo player! Oh well... _________________ Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3. |
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Tony Scodwell Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Oct 2005 Posts: 1961
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:41 am Post subject: Piccolo dangers |
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I'll relate a very funny story that happened here in a Las Vegas showroom years ago and names involved will not be disclosed.
Why you should practice piccolo if the need arises in a performance to play one.
The show was Anthony Newly and the piece was his composition which featured a piccolo trumpet passage that was quite famous at the time as Newly was getting a lot of attention with the recordings of his compositions by well known artists. Newly was also doing his own performances in Las Vegas with a large orchestra and this particular arrangement came along in the show and as one of the trumpet players actually owned a piccolo, naturally he got the part with the piccolo double. He was a great lead player in his own right and when the time along for the switch to piccolo, somehow his three fingers ended up on the second, third and fourth valves instead of one, two and three. The more he played, the worse it got and when the piece was finished Newly turned around and said, "not even close". This one experience was traumatic for this otherwise great player and is somewhat legend in the Las Vegas music scene.
Tony Scodwell
www.scodwellusa.com |
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Pete Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Nov 2001 Posts: 1739 Location: Western Massachusetts
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:45 am Post subject: |
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I own one as well as a C trumpet. I rarely use them but got great deals on both of them. As mentioned earlier, they are tools. Sometimes piccolo is used in some theater productions that I might do. C trumpet for church gigs when I get them. They basically collect dust until then.
Pete |
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Ole Veteran Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 123
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 9:12 am Post subject: Piccolo trumpet |
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Thanks for the great story Tony! |
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random_abstract Regular Member
Joined: 16 Nov 2013 Posts: 72 Location: USA
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 10:43 am Post subject: |
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That is a great story! Thanks for the replies.
I guess my thought in posting this question has more to do with the embouchure adjustment and different approach required to play the high trumpets well - both in the short term and the long term. I know that this is a requisite skill for most classical/orchestral players, but jazz solo work is a much different animal.
Seems that some players have no trouble switching between instruments, others find it detrimental to the sound they've cultivated on their main axe. I think I'd count myself among the latter, but I'm curious about the general wisdom and experience on this subject. |
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Riojazz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 25 Dec 2006 Posts: 1015 Location: Mid-Hudson Valley, NY
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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For church work, I use a Bb/A Schilke pic and sometimes a Yamaha F/G. The good news is that few there would know whether I'm playing them all that well. I don't consider the embouchure to be different; I consider the approach to the music to be different, and from that, the sound changes as needed. Both horns only come out of the cases in the weeks during rehearsals and performance. _________________ Matt Finley https://mattfinley.bandcamp.com/releases
Kanstul 1525 flugel with French taper, Shires Bb Destino Med & C trumpets, Schilke XA1 cornet, Schagerl rotary, Schilke P5-4 picc, Yamaha soprano sax, Powell flute. Sanborn GR66MS & Touvron-D. |
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AKAustralia Regular Member
Joined: 26 Nov 2017 Posts: 13 Location: Australia
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 5:39 am Post subject: |
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I'll practice it sporadically, as a refresher and diversion, and when I know there's a job coming up that requires picc. I mainly work on keeping the air light, breathing a bit higher and shallower, and reacquainting myself with my sound concept. |
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TrentAustin Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Nov 2002 Posts: 5485 Location: KC MO
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Craig Swartz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7770 Location: Des Moines, IA area
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:43 am Post subject: |
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OP might have asked if pic players regularly shed jazz licks... |
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TrentAustin Heavyweight Member
Joined: 06 Nov 2002 Posts: 5485 Location: KC MO
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Craig Swartz Heavyweight Member
Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Posts: 7770 Location: Des Moines, IA area
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:19 am Post subject: |
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I used to take mine along on our July 4 "boat tour" on my lake in MN, We had a 5-7 piece on a large pontoon that made resort-to-resort stops. We'd play, the resorts would bring food and drinks and we'd have a blow out party at the end. Those were great days. Used correctly, I could make the pic fill in for a clarinet on Dixie tunes. Pretty cool. |
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trane1959 Veteran Member
Joined: 14 Nov 2011 Posts: 156
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Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 11:05 am Post subject: |
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I don't practice it until I get called for a gig. I typically try and take these gigs because it is out of my comfort zone and I like to challenge myself. Last October, I was hired to play a Sgt Peppers tribute in a 1200 seat theater. Everybody in the room knows that Penny Lane solo, so it was a lot of pressure, but I practiced over a long period of time and did a good job with it. I will say, I don't do an amazing job at capturing the Baroque style in the same way a Baroque specialist would, but I was good enough for the occasion and I was proud at the work I put in prior to it, which was enough to keep me calm and focused during the pressure filled performance setting. I try and play picc once or twice a year in front of an audience just to prove to myself I can still do it. _________________ EARL GARDNER - 4 LIFE!!!!!! |
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