From the Safety of My Practice Room

cgaiii · Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 11:14 am Post subject:

Admirable job again Jim. I actually think you handled the running 16ths quite well. You did not seem asleep at the wheel.
I am not familiar with this etude, so I am not sure whether the little break is in the etude or related to "saliva control." You have mentioned this several times. It is one thing we do not have much control over, so I am curious what you are actually thinking when you mention it and what you are doing in terms of control.
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 11:55 am Post subject:

Sometimes it happens right after a breath, other times in the midst of playing. If I sense it coming on, I’ll try to pick a spot where I can clear it - if it makes it to the cup of the mouthpiece, the take is ruined. If I don’t do it completely, then I don’t get more than a couple measures before the problem is back.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 4:15 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the explanation Jim.
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Fri May 01, 2020 9:20 pm Post subject:

Episode #40

https://youtu.be/aiuuoScQaow

The challenges in this one included endurance, maintaining a nice compact and buoyant articulation on the Bb, which tends to spread easily, and accessing a wide range. Also, not missing notes in the upper register at the end of the piece was definitely on my mind as I saw the finish line.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Sat May 02, 2020 6:32 am Post subject:

MrClean · Posted: Sat May 02, 2020 7:54 pm Post subject:

Episode #41

https://youtu.be/P3ALAh_ocag

This one was all about double-tongue clarity. Tried to maintain good intervallic height on the 32nds, and to not clip the first notes. Also, this one takes you from the bottom of the register up to high B and C and back down. It's short but a little gnarly... I'm also trying to keep very steady time throughout. You can hear where I almost lose it on a descending whole-tone line but stay with it, which again, is the main purpose of this project (mental focus and perseverance).
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Sun May 03, 2020 7:20 am Post subject:

That was a lot of listening fun. I think you may have needed to join your wife in a glass of wine after that tonguing! Good job holding it together and not getting sloppy, which would certainly be easy to do.
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Sun May 03, 2020 7:23 pm Post subject:

Episode #42

https://youtu.be/-Xt0J4LeO6k

Wide slurs, fingers, time/rhythm, working through the "crack-zone" (G#s on top of the staff), touchy slurs on the end. I didn't quite get "the lick", but I wasn't going to through any more pretty good takes to get it.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Mon May 04, 2020 7:26 pm Post subject:

I had to go back and re-listen to figure out what you were talking about with the "lick." Still really well done considering the tempo you chose and the nature of this etude. You certainly are not cutting yourself any slack in what you choose!
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Mon May 04, 2020 7:58 pm Post subject:

Episode #43

https://youtu.be/2McV9omojeo

Working fluidity in a somewhat awkward key. Concentrating on good note centers, not allowing the intervals to compress on the grace notes. Trying for clean jumps that are close to in-tune, lol.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 6:14 am Post subject:

Jim. I would say mission accomplished on this one. I really enjoyed the lyrical approach to this. Nice work. You keep introducing us to new ways of looking at these etudes and studies. I really appreciate that -- your motivation is transferring to a wider audience.
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Tue May 05, 2020 8:01 pm Post subject:

Episode #44

https://youtu.be/mthwwlrTkeI

Short and sweet. Mainly control and fluidity, phrasing.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 7:35 am Post subject:

MrClean · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 8:30 pm Post subject:

Episode #45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GugHWitqUDg

Extended single tonguing - keeping consistent clarity on all the fronts, lots of varying intervals - moving targets, keeping good note clarity and not "interval averaging". Endurance, both chops and tongue. I played this one a little more legato and singing than I normally do.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

Trumpetingbynurture · Heavyweight Member Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Posts: 898

Astonishing playing, Mr. Wilt! Mr Clean indeed.
What's the secret? If you say "practice", you have to say what kind

MrClean · Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 10:39 pm Post subject:

Practice is the answer. I favor quality over quantity, so try not to play it any faster than you can execute. It will only be as good as you demand it to be.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 6:55 am Post subject:

Jim, I am always impressed with your choice of etudes and the way you approach them musically. This one is really a case in point. Your choice to go for more musical and less speed makes it a pleasure to listen to. Wonderful execution.
I once saw a video interview of Håkan Hardenberger where he said he never practiced anything fast because he did not want to learn a mistake. Fast was for performances. Of course, his slow is probably fast for most of us. But you point of quality over quantity and never practicing faster than you can do it right, is very well taken. Thanks.
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Thu May 07, 2020 7:11 pm Post subject:

Episode #46

https://youtu.be/oNf65qAPxk4

The main issues here are endurance, fluidity and control, particularly the further into the etude I get. I need to start making these a little more interesting without grabbing the low-hanging fruit -this one gets long. I did play a wrong accidental - I caught it as I was playing it, but I was about 3/4 of the way through a pretty good take, so I decided to just finish it, and then I forgot about it until I listened to it again tonight. Oops...
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

cgaiii · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 7:57 am Post subject:

Hi Jim. This one also sounded great. Still love the sound you get on the Bb. Even after listening twice, I could not find the missed accidental -- could not just pick it out by ear since I do not have the sheet music. Tells us something about performance and our perfectionism, doesn't it? Or perhaps just my knowledge of Blazhevich. What collection is this one from?
_________________
Bb: Schilke X3L AS SP, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Picc: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Standard
Bass Trumpet: BAC Custom
Natural Tr: Custom Haas replica by Nikolai Mänttäri Morales

MrClean · Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 7:13 pm Post subject:

Episode #47

https://youtu.be/1tzXN3FJp4A

Everything, lol. This one was tricky - awkward slurs, keeping the rhythm steady, trying to wind the time around the need to breathe, concentration was a big challenge. The slur patterns are unnatural and turn around on you. Fatigue was also a big factor. The more takes it took, the harder it got...
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School