Group 2

Description:

We all seek a rounder tone, greater flexibility, and better endurance. No resource is more valuable for this than Max Schlossberg’s “Daily Drills and Technical Studies.” It’s a work that’s full of challenges, but also rich rewards when we apply sound principles to the page. Join us in this exclusive tonebase Two Week Intensive as Head of Trumpet, Ethan Chilton takes us into the mind of one of the trumpet’s greatest pedagogues.

Core Concepts:

  • Tone Production: An open, resonant sound in every register
  • Flexibility: Moving from center-to-center across the harmonic series
  • Applying new skills to repertoire: Learning how to take newfound principles and apply them directly to the music we play

Who Should Attend:

This course is tailored for trumpeters who are feeling stuck in their pursuit of flexibility and challenged by Schlossberg’s exercises. How do we play clean slurs that are in tune at a very slow tempo? This and other questions will be addressed. Trumpeters who are already competent with their flexibility skills but seek refinement are also encouraged to attend.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, participants will have a much-increased understanding of the mechanics involved in slurring from note to note in a relaxed, efficient way, and will have more insight into how to use Schlossberg’s exercises in their practice routine.

Join Us:

Embark on this technical journey as we delve deep into the world of the Schlossberg and solidify building blocks for many years to come!

Timeline

  • Sign-Up : October 19th-22nd
  • Course Period: October 23rd - November 6th

18 replies

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    • Trumpet Lead
    • Ethan
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello everyone! Here is the video for your first week of the Schlossberg Challenge. 

    This week we will look at Schlossberg No. 5 from page 2. Play this daily at a very slow tempo. 

     

    Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions :) 

     

    https://youtu.be/R3EpTePm8eo

      • Chiropractic Physician
      • Dr_Brad_Dahlager
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you for providing such an extraordinarily clear explanation of exactly what's expected, of how to accomplish the exercises, of how we might feel after performing them and for providing the written notation as you're playing (I don't yet have a copy of the Schlossberg exercises). Thank you as well for demonstrating the lip bend at the end of the video. 

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks for the kind words Brad! Excited to hear your submission :) 

      • Chiropractic Physician
      • Dr_Brad_Dahlager
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

      Is the point of the exercise to learn to breathe through the corners of the mouth? I’m struggling to do that. Do you have any advice about how to accomplish that? 

      • Ronald_Carson
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Although I am in group 1, the purpose is to learn the mechanics involved in slurring from note to note in a relaxed, efficient way, and will have more insight into how to use Schlossberg’s exercises in their practice routine.

      Now as to breathing through the corners: When I do this, I leave the mouthpiece in place on my lips. I slightly contract muscles to pull my lips laterally, and slightly lower the jaw. Watch Kayla Solomon in the 1sth video of the Beginning Trumpet Course, about 6 minutes into the video. You may have to relax your lip corners. Lowering the jaw is the most important action and leaving the lips on the mouthpiece. Although I never really thought about this before, I hope this helps.

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks for a great answer, I really appreciate it!

      Yes I would concur. A big benefit of leaving the mouthpiece on the lips and breathing through the corners is building endurance and stability in the chops. So I highly recommend doing it this way! The act of breathing itself is as Ronald described it - keep the middle of the lips firm on the mouthpiece and pull the corners back. Then make sure when you play, the corners are set and firm. 
       

      It is normal for the chops to tire if you're not used to keeping the horn on the face like this. Don't let your form be compromised! Check in with a mirror if need be. Do the simple things as well as you can :) 

      • Chiropractic Physician
      • Dr_Brad_Dahlager
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you for sharing how you accomplish breathing through the corners. This is very helpful. I will practice it and, like everything else on the trumpet, with practice I'll learn to do it. 

      • Chiropractic Physician
      • Dr_Brad_Dahlager
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you. I'll practice this. Because you previously asked, I'll also try to post a video once I've got a little something worth sharing. 

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

      Awesome!! 

    • Trumpet Lead
    • Ethan
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    If anyone is looking for help on how to post a video to YouTube and share here, check out this video by Dominic over at tonebase piano! 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G1rURBIr14&feature=youtu.be

    • Trumpet Lead
    • Ethan
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Good morning everyone! Week 2 has arrived. Here is the new video for this week - looking at Schlossberg 13 and 17 :) 

     

    https://youtu.be/LKmPkUJPBLY

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       And here is the score for this week :) 

    • Trumpet Lead
    • Ethan
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Here is the PDF of this page :)

      • Chiropractic Physician
      • Dr_Brad_Dahlager
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       I just saw this. Can you please provide other pages as appropriate? Thank you!

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi Brad! For now that is the only page we're looking at. I will share more exercises next week :) 

    • Edward_Schubert
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    So, here is my attempt at this challenge. Obviously, I have some attack issues that would appreciate some constructive advice. Also, my practice room happens to double as the master closet. Ha ha.

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 2 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks so much for sharing Edward! Haha using a closet as a practice room... now that's what I call flexibility.... Also the camera quality looks super. 

       

      Your pitch and sound are nice, so there are clearly some things working. Many of your attacks sounded fine, but a few were a bit fuzzy. I'm also hearing some noise in your sound when you play soft, and I think this is related. The second line sounded nice and full. By the third line, your sound was clearer and attacks more accurate, suggesting to me that this will definitely get better soon with practice! 

       

      That said, a few suggestions:

      - Throughout, you're playing a bit high on the pitch. Use a more open syllable in the throat and think "lower" to avoid getting tight. 

      - The aperture may be a bit too tight, so consider allowing a bit more air out of the mouth. 

      - The air stream may be uneven. To rule this out, hold a piece of paper 3 inches from your face and try to blow it with slow, consistent air so that the piece of paper is blown a consistent distance away from you. You can also use a breathing bag to help visualize this type of consistent air flow. 

      - It's possible the air isn't being engaged at the same instant the lips are, so the attack sounds fuzzy/unaligned. I'd work on short staccato breath attacks on low notes (saying "ha" and trying to align the air and vibration until the attacks are clear). Try this across your range too. 

      - In general, I'd do more soft playing with all articulation types in your warm-up, aiming for everything to be activated together, and for a more open resonant sound. Try doing Schlossberg like this for a few more weeks! 

    • Edward_Schubert
    • 2 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    Ethan, 

     

    Thank you so much for the feedback. I will work on these suggestions and try to implement them in my daily practice.

Content aside

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