Returning Trumpet Player Challenge (VIP) - October 20
VIEW RECORDING - 43 mins (No highlights)
Introductions and background @ 0:00
Chris and Ciy introduce themselves and discuss their backgrounds. Ciy shares that he played trumpet in his youth but stepped away from it for 45 years, and is now trying to get back into playing at age 70. They discuss Ciy's current trumpet setup and practice routine.
Ciy's main challenges @ 5:08
Ciy identifies his main challenges as improving his breathing, embouchure, and overall consistency in his playing. He expresses frustration with the ups and downs in his progress and lack of feedback beyond his wife's general comments.
Ciy's goals for the week @ 13:59
Ciy's main goal for the week is to see tangible improvement in his playing, particularly in his breathing and tonguing technique. He is open to trying new approaches to address these issues.
Ciy's background and experience @ 24:35
Ciy shares more details about his musical background, including playing in an army reserve band and with a professional trumpeter in his youth. He discusses how his playing has changed over the years due to physical changes and life events.
Next steps @ 39:12
Chris provides initial feedback and plans to work on Ciy's wind flow and mouthpiece placement in the next session. He encourages Ciy to bring a small piece of paper to help with this.
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge (VIP) - October 21
VIEW RECORDING - 58 mins (No highlights)
Technical issues with community platform @ 0:00
Ciy experienced some technical difficulties posting to the community platform, with his post not appearing in the expected location. After some troubleshooting, it was determined that Ciy was in an older group rather than the current one, and his post was visible in the feed but not in the main community area. Chris acknowledged the platform has been more trouble than it's worth and may need to be scrapped altogether.
Ciy's trumpet playing background @ 10:15
Ciy shared that he had played trumpet in the past, but gave it up for 45 years. He recently decided to pick it up again as a personal challenge, and has been diligently practicing for the past 6 months, focusing on fundamentals like sight-reading, timing, and tone development.
Breathing and embouchure exercises @ 27:29
Chris walked Ciy through some breathing exercises to help improve his posture and air support, as well as a "lead pipe buzz" exercise to help Ciy develop a consistent embouchure and air flow. They discussed the importance of maintaining good body alignment and a steady, focused air stream for trumpet playing.
Developing consistency and control @ 41:32
Chris provided feedback on Ciy's current playing level, noting that he has a good basic embouchure but could benefit from more consistent air support and control to eliminate unwanted vibrato. They worked on exercises to help Ciy develop a more stable, centered sound.
Next steps and wrap-up @ 57:53
Chris recommended that Ciy continue practicing the breathing and lead pipe buzz exercises, and incorporate them into his daily routine. He also suggested Ciy share his key takeaways from the session at the start of their next meeting, as Ciy needed to leave a bit early for a prior commitment.
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge (VIP) - October 22
VIEW RECORDING - 59 mins (No highlights)
Breathing and Embouchure Exercises @ 0:00
Chris and Ciy discuss Ciy's progress on the breathing and embouchure exercises from their previous lesson, including using a piece of paper against the wall to practice steady airflow. Ciy shares his struggles and learnings from working on these exercises.
Buzzing the Lead Pipe @ 4:59
Chris has Ciy buzz the lead pipe, providing feedback on his sound and technique. They work on maintaining a steady, focused airstream and adjusting Ciy's embouchure as needed to produce a clear, centered tone.
Long Tone Exercises @ 15:06
Chris guides Ciy through a series of long tone exercises, starting on F and moving up the scale. The focus is on controlling the dynamic, allowing the notes to naturally decay rather than forcing them softer. They discuss the importance of wind support and how the embouchure should remain relatively stable.
Caruso Melodic Studies @ 36:31
Chris introduces Ciy to the Caruso melodic studies and has him practice playing the lines, first on the mouthpiece and then on the trumpet. They discuss the value of these exercises for developing connectivity and control in the sound.
Advice on Upper Register and Breathing @ 45:30
Chris provides detailed explanations on the physics of trumpet playing, emphasizing the importance of wind speed and support rather than excessive embouchure manipulation. He encourages Ciy to spend more time exploring the upper register to develop his overall range and control.
Closing Thoughts and Next Steps @ 54:17
Chris and Ciy summarize the key takeaways from the lesson and discuss Ciy's plan to continue working on the long tone, soft-loud-soft, and breathing exercises using a metronome and tuner. They also briefly discuss Ciy's past physical challenges and his ongoing recovery.
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge (VIP) - October 23
VIEW RECORDING - 58 mins (No highlights)
Casual conversation and warm-up @ 0:00
Ciy and Chris engage in casual conversation about Ciy's sore muscles from a recent workout, where the instructor reversed the usual exercise order. They discuss the availability of a replay video from a previous session, and Ciy shares that he has been working on the breathing techniques they covered in their prior VIP session.
Reviewing previous lesson content @ 4:52
Ciy notes that the content covered in the recent Returning Trumpet Player Challenge session overlapped with what they had discussed in the VIP session. Chris confirms they were reviewing the sound concept from the previous day.
Practicing breath control @ 5:29
Ciy shares that he has been working on the breathing technique of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, and has been able to hold a piece of paper against the wall using this method. Chris provides feedback, explaining that this type of breathing is not ideal for playing the trumpet, as the player should focus on a single, direct airflow.
Emphasizing proper breathing technique @ 6:55
Chris guides Ciy through exercises to practice proper trumpet breathing, focusing on opening the face wide at the start of the inhale and rounding out the face at the end. They work on minimizing shoulder movement and maintaining good posture during this process.
Introducing tonguing technique @ 18:58
Chris introduces the concept of "K-modified" tonguing, where the tip of the tongue stays near the bottom teeth and slides up and down to articulate notes, rather than the traditional approach of the tongue touching the top of the mouth. They practice this technique through a series of exercises.
Recap and next steps @ 57:57
Chris summarizes the key points covered in the session and assigns Ciy homework to practice the tonguing technique. They agree to continue the discussion in the next session.
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge (VIP) - October 24
VIEW RECORDING - 56 mins (No highlights)
Successful practice session @ 0:00
Ciy Young describes a very productive practice session the previous day, focusing on breathing exercises, slurring, and playing through an old trumpet songbook. He experienced significant improvements in his tone, range, and endurance, and is feeling very encouraged by his progress.
Mouthpiece and equipment adjustments @ 4:26
Ciy discusses experimenting with different mouthpieces, including a Yamaha 11B4 and a 2 1/2C Bach, and how the changes in equipment have impacted his sound and playability. He is exploring options to find the right mouthpiece that works best for him.
Breathing and endurance @ 8:25
Chris and Ciy discuss how Ciy's improved breathing technique has directly contributed to his increased endurance and ability to play for longer periods without fatigue. They emphasize the close relationship between breathing and overall trumpet performance.
Slurring and articulation exercises @ 10:08
Chris and Ciy work through a series of slurring and articulation exercises, focusing on maintaining a consistent, supported sound and avoiding excessive vibrato. They explore techniques like using the "ha" vowel sound to engage the core muscles and improve the connection between the tongue and air flow.
Developing a centered, focused sound @ 23:00
Chris guides Ciy through exercises to help him develop a more centered, focused trumpet sound, emphasizing the importance of committing fully to the air support and tongue position, even if the initial results are not perfect. The goal is to build the physical and mental awareness to consistently produce the desired sound.
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge - October 20
Establishing expectations and rules
Chris reviewed the rules and expectations for the session, including keeping the discussion PG, active participation, completing daily homework, and muting lines until prompted. He also mentioned an offer he would share on the final day for those interested in continuing to work with him.
Addressing "mind monsters" - negative self-talk
Chris discussed the concept of "mind monsters" - negative self-talk and limiting beliefs that can hinder trumpet progress. He shared personal examples and encouraged participants to identify and address their own mind monsters, such as doubting their ability to improve or comparing themselves to others.
Principles of deliberate practice
Chris outlined five key principles of deliberate practice: 1) Imitating the best performers, 2) Developing a detailed practice plan slightly outside your comfort zone, 3) Maintaining the right mental attitude, 4) Practicing regularly and consistently, and 5) Seeking immediate feedback on your playing.
The power of visualization
Chris emphasized the importance of visualization and mental practice, sharing examples from sports research and his own experience. He encouraged participants to listen to recordings, sing along, and mentally rehearse trumpet parts as a way to improve without physically playing.
Homework and next steps
Chris assigned two homework tasks for participants: 1) Identify the "mind monsters" that hinder their trumpet playing, and 2) Recognize any lies they have told themselves about their abilities. He asked them to share their responses in the community, and mentioned that the next session would cover the "return to trumpet blueprint" - a step-by-step plan for rebuilding chops.
Download Your Day 1 WorkbookReturning Trumpet Player Challenge - October 21
Reviewing previous session insights
Chris asked Ciy to share the key takeaways from their private session earlier, which focused on breathing techniques, the lead pipe exercise, and building confidence.
Outlining the "Return to Trumpet Blueprint"
Chris introduced the framework he calls the "Return to Trumpet Blueprint", which consists of the following steps:
- Sound and body - Developing good trumpet playing form and using air/wind effectively
- Flexibility - The "master key" to trumpet playing, enabling range and endurance
- Coordination - Aligning the wind, tongue, and fingers for control
- Endurance and range - Dedicated practice to build these capabilities
- Musical expression - Applying the technical skills to musical performance Chris shared personal stories illustrating how he learned the importance of each of these elements.
Emphasizing the importance of fundamentals
Chris noted that even professional trumpet players continue to work on the same fundamental exercises and techniques, as they are the core building blocks for improvement. He encouraged the participants to focus on mastering the basics.
Homework assignment
For the next session, Chris assigned the participants to take inventory of their current sound production and report back their discoveries to the group.
Download Your Day 2 WorkbookReturning Trumpet Player Challenge - October 22
VIEW RECORDING - 63 mins (No highlights)
Introductions and casual conversation @ 0:00
The participants introduce themselves and engage in casual conversation about their locations, backgrounds, and personal interests. They discuss the differences between Canadian provinces and Mexican states, as well as the geography and climate of their respective regions.
Trumpet playing and performance @ 3:11
The discussion shifts to the participants' trumpet playing and performance experience. Geo shares that he incorporates trumpet into his singing and songwriting, and the group discusses the value of being a well-rounded performer who can sing, play, and engage the audience.
Developing a sound concept @ 7:23
Chris Davis leads a discussion on the importance of developing a "sound concept" as a trumpet player. He emphasizes the need to listen to a variety of music to inform one's personal sound preferences, as well as the physical aspects of playing that contribute to sound development, such as breathing and buzzing exercises.
Comparing trumpet styles @ 10:33
The group listens to and compares the playing styles of two different trumpet players, Kenny Dorham and Miles Davis, noting differences in their approaches to phrasing, articulation, and overall sound.
Practical exercises for sound development @ 32:44
Chris demonstrates and leads the group through various exercises, including lead pipe buzzing and the "sing, buzz, play" method, to help the participants develop their sound and technique. The group provides feedback on the effectiveness of these exercises.
Download Your Day 3 Workbook
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge - October 23
Introductions and warm-up @ 0:00
The participants introduced themselves and engaged in some casual conversation about their locations and the weather. They discussed the differences in humidity and temperature between various regions.
Recap of previous session @ 4:18
Chris Davis asked the group to share their key takeaways from the previous day's session, which focused on breathing, buzzing, and tonguing techniques. The participants discussed how they had been applying these concepts and the improvements they had noticed in their playing.
The master key to trumpet playing: Flexibility @ 14:17
Chris explained that flexibility is the "master key" to unlocking range, endurance, and tone on the trumpet. He discussed the importance of practicing flexibility exercises from books like Arban, Lip Flexibilities, and Advanced Lip Flexibilities. The group practiced some slur exercises together, with Chris providing guidance on technique and approach.
Recap and next steps @ 57:20
Chris summarized the key takeaways from the session, emphasizing the importance of consistent, patient practice of flexibility exercises. He announced that the next day's session would focus on building a personalized practice plan for each participant to continue improving after the challenge.
Download Your Day 4 Workbook
Returning Trumpet Player Challenge - October 24
VIEW RECORDING - 72 mins (No highlights)
Introductions and Warm-Up @ 0:00
The participants introduce themselves and engage in some casual conversation to warm up before the main discussion. Chris Davis, the host, checks in with the group and ensures everyone can hear him properly.
Participant Experiences and Motivations @ 4:33
Chris asks the participants to share why they signed up for the Returning Trumpet Player Challenge, what challenges they were trying to overcome, and what they learned or experienced as a result. The participants share their personal stories, including a 45-year absence from the trumpet, the need for more structured practice, and the desire to improve range, tone, and confidence.
Fundamental Practice Routine @ 14:44
Chris provides a detailed example of a fundamental practice routine, including specific exercises and recommendations for breathing, buzzing, long tones, tonguing, finger dexterity, and sight-reading. He emphasizes the importance of starting slow and soft, and gradually increasing difficulty over time.
Continuing Support and Coaching @ 1:00:26
Chris introduces his Returning Trumpet Player Method, a comprehensive program that includes pre-recorded lessons, a supportive community, and weekly live coaching. He shares testimonials from past participants and outlines the program's structure and pricing options, encouraging the group to consider continuing their progress with his guidance.
Wrap-Up and Next Steps @ 1:08:36
The participants express their gratitude for the session and the insights they gained. Chris addresses any remaining questions and provides information on accessing the replay and workbook materials. He also leaves the door open for future workshops, though the specifics are uncertain at this time.
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