1. The Jazz Trumpet SectionBy
Gene Aitken
China Trumpet Guild Conference
Guangzhou, China
17 May 2008

2. Housekeeping Issues
Position in Section Sitting vs. Standing Music Stand Placement The Correct Equipment Tuning

3. Position in Trumpet Sections
Position of Trumpets in Orchestra/Symphonic Band Position of Trumpets in Jazz Ensemble 5 (4)

4. Position of Trumpets in Jazz Ensemble
5 (4) • 1st Trumpet in center • Second/Third parts on each side of 1st to push 1st Trumpet • Lower parts separated by interval • Doubling 4th serves as bridge to trombone section

5. Sitting vs. Standing
Sitting • Orchestras, Chamber Ensembles, Professional Jazz Ensembles, Studio Ensembles, etc. Standing • Jazz Ensembles, Jazz Combos, Solo recitals Rational • Projection and Tradition Ideal • Sitting • Sitting on high stool…feet comfortably touch ground

6. Music Stand Placement • Must see bell of trumpet
• Lower stand and flatten out
• Off to one side

7. The Correct Equipment
• Use the correct equipment to get the job done • Especially lead playing • OK to switch mouthpieces between classical and jazz • Mouthpieces: Bach vs. Schilke vs. Purviance vs. Bob Reeves, etc. • What works for you… • Flugelhorn and complete set of mutes

8. Tuning
• Tune to Bb concert • Check Eb and F concert pitches as well • Face toward back of stage/rehearsal room (sing before playing) • Hold hand over ear to hear pitch • Be aware of all the notes that are out of tune on the trumpet • When using mutes, must adjust tuning slide

9. Learning Jazz Style
• Jazz tradition is STILL an aural art and difficult to notate at times • Listen to recordings, live and recorded video concerts • Listen to players other than trumpet – listen to sound/articulation • Time is essence of jazz (and sound) • Jazz is a triplet-based music – as tempo increases, eighths straighten

10. Back-Accent Tonguing Off-Beat Tonguing
Key to jazz concept/time/style • Forces use of corners • Use of correct style • Assists with intonation/sound • The tongue is time • Helps to make music ‘sound’ improvised

11. Back-Accent Tonguing Concept
Three (3) or More Eighth Notes in a Row…Swing or Straight Eighth

12. Back-Accent Tonguing
As written:

13. Back-Accent Tonguing
As written:
As played:

14. Ghosted Notes As written:
Trumpets have two options to make written music sound improvised:
• Back-accent tonguing
• Ghost notes

15. Ghosted Notes As written: As played: Ghosted Notes:
• Notes on either side longer and louder
• Ghosted notes shorter and softer
• Usually on ‘&’ but can be on beats as well

16. Pyramid Concept of Dynamicsmf
Part
Accuracy/Attitude 1 mf 5 2
mf+ 4 3 f 3 4 f+ 2 5
f++ 1

17. Falls As written Types of Falls 1. Valve 2. Harmonic 3. Other
Where Does Fall Begin?
Where Does Fall End?

18. Valve Falls As written:
As played (short = hold then fall, move air through fall):
As played (long = start fall on -2, end fall on -4, move air through fall):

19. Unison Lines • 1st Trumpet doesn’t play
• Puts parenthesis ( ) around unison phrase
• Attention of other players in section to articulation, intonation, etc.
• Players must ‘mask’ 2nd Trumpet player

20. Stylistic Use of Sfzp As written Use of Sfzp: • Conserves air
• Gives direction to notes
• Gets out of the way of a melodic counter line

21. Stylistic Use of Sfzp
As written
As played:

22. Releases and Markings As written: Releases marked:
• – 1, 2, 3, 4 or & in a slow tempo
• – 1, 2, 3, 4, in a medium tempo tune
• – 1 or – 3 (–2) in up tempo
• Release at height of crescendo
Releases marked because:
• The importance of another line
• To facilitate time
• Breath and phrasing
• Composers’ length of note not always correct

23. Releases and Markings
As written:
As played:
Or…

24. Phrasing of 1st (Lead) Trumpet
As written
Consistency:
• Attacks
• Releases
• Dynamics
• Articulation
• Musicianship

25. Phrasing of 1st (Lead) Trumpet
As played:

26. Shaping Phrases As written: • As melodic line descends, a decrescendo
• As melodic line ascends, a crescendo
• Eighth note in 1st measure short, quarter note short

27. Shaping Phrases
As played:

28. Notes Must Have Sound
As written:
As played:

29. Questions? www.GeneAitken.com GeneAitken@Mac.com
Thank You!
Questions?