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MacArthur Park Solo



 
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kiwi12
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Joined: 08 Jan 2018
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 5:00 pm    Post subject: MacArthur Park Solo Reply with quote

I've been having an issue with the MacArthur Park solo (Maynard version) and I don't think its the conventional one. The double A comes out fine, since I started playing it with 3 half valved, but the repeated E's leading up to it are a struggle. I almost always miss at least one of them, and I'm not sure how to go about fixing that. If anyone could give me practice tips for that, I would be very grateful! thank you!
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Lionel
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Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2020 11:35 pm    Post subject: Re: MacArthur Park Solo Reply with quote

kiwi12 wrote:
I've been having an issue with the MacArthur Park solo (Maynard version) and I don't think its the conventional one. The double A comes out fine, since I started playing it with 3 half valved, but the repeated E's leading up to it are a struggle. I almost always miss at least one of them, and I'm not sure how to go about fixing that. If anyone could give me practice tips for that, I would be very grateful! thank you!


Experience is your best teacher. Using half valves is a smart move. And apparently you've got some range. Consider yourself lucky that way. Let me add some helpful strategies. From both a musical and physical viewpoint.
The biggest problem with MacPark is that it simply must be played both accurately and well in tune. Maynard set the bar so high here
that about the best a feller can hope for is to just break even. Also it's important to have a really good band . Unless you can locate a midi backing track. Otherwise all it takes are some badly out of tune saxes, trombones or clams from the trumpet section. And the tune is ruined before your first entrance.llp

Physical practice strategy: Take the solo trumpet part down a perfect fourth and play it dead perfect. This will make the high A a mere.m E/high C. Play it at soft to medium volume. Do this until you've got it memorized. Once you've got it down pat? Put the horn on the palm of your hand so that no excessive arm pressure can be used. Repeat the solo but without arm oressure. PpDon't cheat. As you're only hurting yourself.

A week after playing MacPark down a perfect fourth? Raise the pitch a whole step up. Now your top note is an F#/high C. Memorize this one as before and learn to blow all notes without arm pressure. After a week of playing this perfectly? Bring it up a half step. Your top note is now the high G. You're almost there!

The reason for learning pressure-less playing in the practice room is to help increase accuracy in the upper register. When we're jamming that horn on an ill prepared embouchure the net result will include clams, squirrelly tones and notes that simply wont sound at all.

These are simple ideas to understand but not so easy to incorporate into our own practice session.

Lastly, once on stage or in the recording studio go ahead and use as much arm pressure as you feel is necessary to the performance. It's only in the practice room where we get analytical.
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kiwi12
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Joined: 08 Jan 2018
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2020 8:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the reply! I'll definitely incorporate those ideas into my practice!
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