[Dixielandjazz] Trumpet help

[Elazar Brandt]

Hello again,

I need advice on handling a difficult (for me, anyway) run that occurs several
times in some music I'm working on for a performance. I volunteered to play
cornet in a community theater production of the Broadway musical "She Loves Me".
It's a cute show, and this company is semi-pro and does good productions with
the resources they have. Well, there aren't many trumpet players in Jerusalem,
much less who would do this much work for free, so I was asked to do it and I
looked over the initial music they gave me and agreed. (I am a bone/tuba player,
and have only been working on trumpet/cornet for about 3 years, playing it
sometimes in gigs for the past 2. I'm no virtuoso.) Their "orchestra" consists
of one each of piano, clarinet, flute, cornet and concert harp.

The music for the songs they started me on was not difficult (the pieces with
the essential trumpet parts), but then I got the overtures to both acts, and a
couple other pieces that jump around between 2, 3, and 4 sharps and 3, 4, and 5
flats, change time and key signatures frequently with no warning, including
leaps from the low to the high range of the horn in intervals of 9ths, 10ths or
more, and high speed runs. The range encompasses the entire range of the horn
from the lowest F# to a solo, yes a solo, starting on the D 2 octaves above
middle C! I can't even hit those notes, much less play solos on them. And here I
thought playing Broadway was Hello Dolly, Mame and Cabaret! Opening night is
next Monday. I think I need another 5 years' experience before then.

I've solved most of my problems by playing an octave lower, or higher, as
needed, and as it gets more familiar, the quick changes are coming together, and
the solo parts are beginning to gel. My problem is that there is a chromatic run
in 16th notes at a very brisk allegro from A to the C# over an octave higher.
Now, I do practice chromatic scales routinely, and I use them when I play. But
not that long and at that speed. I cannot get my fingers to move that fast and
still hit the right notes. I thought that's why G-d created woodwinds! On top of
that, I have trouble hitting the low A reliably if I play it in the lower
octave, and I cannot get the high C# if I play it an octave higher. So far my
best solution has been to play every other note in the lower octave, and I can
get the last group of 16ths out from the upper A to the C# if I'm lucky and the
moon is in the right phase.

This figure occurs several times in one of the songs and in the overture, and
I'd like to do something respectable with it if I can. I'd appreciate any
suggestions from any of you veteran players out there. I keep reminding myself
that I did take this gig in order to improve my reading and technical skills,
and I figured it would be fun.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Elazar
Misrad HaJazz
Doctor Jazz Band
Jerusalem, Israel
<www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz>
Tel: +972-2-679-2537