Category Archives: Trumpet Practice

Can You Say, “I’ve Got Rhythm”? Book Review: “The Rhythm Book” by Rory Stuart

Posted on August 14, 2019 by bobgillis

Every musician who has learned how to read music has encountered some of the basic rhythmic aspects of music.  Understanding time signatures, the values of the various kinds of notes, and the importance of a steady beat, were all topics … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Composing, Composition Lessons, Improvisation Lessons, Jazz Piano Lessons, Miscellaneous, Performing, Trumpet Practice, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Learning How to Make the Conversion to and from Braces: An Opportunity for All Trumpet Players to Improve

Posted on September 14, 2016 by bobgillis

  During the very early stages of this blog I wrote about playing the trumpet with braces, but after recently reading how some of the internet trumpet teachers approach this challenge, it seemed time to review         … Continue reading →

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Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks (or How to Break old Habits)

Posted on March 7, 2015 by bobgillis

First of all, this article has nothing to do with teaching an actual old dog new tricks, but I hear the saying often enough when an adult student says that they cannot learn something new.  They (and students of all … Continue reading →

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Pedal Tones- A Foundation for Correct Trumpet Playing or a Waste of Time?

Posted on March 23, 2014 by bobgillis

Years ago when I was in college, many of the school’s trumpet players began to follow the Claude Gordon Method, which started with a series of long tones chromatically descending into the pedal register of the instrument (named after the … Continue reading →

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Using Weber’s Law to Improve the Focus of a Trumpet Embouchure

Posted on June 26, 2013 by bobgillis

Not long ago I was reading an article in Stereophile magazine that referred to something called “Weber’s Law,” which states that “the least amount of change in a stimulus that is detectable is a constant proportion of the original intensity … Continue reading →

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The Second “DU Trumpet Hang” (2013)

Posted on April 15, 2013 by bobgillis

At the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music 2344 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80208 Saturday, April 27th, from 10 AM-5:00 PM Newman Center for the Performing Arts, Orchestra Room 130 featuring:  Al Hood, Brad Goode, Bob Montgomery, Justin … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcements, Improvisation Lessons, Performing, Trumpet Lessons, Trumpet Practice | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Some Thoughts on Trumpet Mouthpieces: What’s Best For You?

Posted on March 3, 2013 by bobgillis

Have you ever looked at a mouthpiece catalog and read those short descriptions of what each mouthpiece was designed for? Much of that reading shows how a manufacturer addresses the symptomatic problems many players have stemming from poor fundamentals (“…for players … Continue reading →

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Using Pain to Increase Awareness

Posted on January 31, 2013 by bobgillis

Who would have thought that hernia surgery would have given me new insights into playing the trumpet more efficiently?  Although I had not experienced pain when playing the horn before the procedure, the post surgery experience was an entirely different … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous, Observations on Our Human Nature and Self Improvement, Trumpet Lessons, Trumpet Practice, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Bb Trumpet Fingering Chart and Overtone Series

Posted on August 24, 2012 by bobgillis

Click here for a printable PDF file:  Bb Trumpet Fingerings and Overtone SeriesThis fingering chart for Bb Trumpet has these features: the seven overtone series shown in seven vertical columns, based on the Seven Positions (the number of horn lengths using … Continue reading →

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More Thoughts on Trumpet Scale Practice

Posted on July 28, 2012 by bobgillis

The previous post, “Critical Points to Consider When Practicing Scales and Arpeggios on the Trumpet“, prioritized “how you are playing” over “what you are playing,” along with a few basic, fundamental mechanics to be aware of and evaluate during the process.  Here … Continue reading →

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