Trumpet Sound Effects (12): The Shake (lip trill)

[4801576877justin]

what mouthpiece are you using in that video

[jharnum]

@4801576877justin

a Monette 2B

[xXN1co97Xx]

is that a soprano trombone in the background

[jharnum]

@xXN1co97Xx

yes it is. very fun instrument! thanks for noticing. :-)

[Kodiacmovies09]

what mouthpiece do u play on im 16 playing on bach 3c

[jharnum]

@Kodiacmovies09

the 3c is a great mouthpiece. I used to play on one, then moved to a 1C and then went to a Monette 2B and have played on one of those for over a decade now. Also just got (and love) a Monette 2BSL which I use for higher playing and longer gigs.

[kingoffrance12321]

Is there any chance that you could make a video on how to play the trumpet part of Ecstasy of Gold, from the The Good, The Bad and the Ugly? Or at least a video of you playing it? I think that's such a cool trumpet part, but I can't find the music anywhere.

Thanks.

[jharnum]

@kingoffrance12321

hmmm, good suggestion. I'll go get a copy and see what I can do. It's really, really, really, really (ad seven more "reallys") great practice to try and figure out songs by ear. Takes a lot of what Clark Terry calls "fishing for fingers" but it's totally worth it. Why let me have all the benefit of figuring it out? See what you can come up with. A piano helps save the chops and can be easier to suss it out at first.... I'll keep you posted.

[jharnum]

sweet. Glad to hear it! My slide doesn't work as quickly as yours, tho....

[cj614]

I love that I can apply all of your videos to Trombone. You're awesome! Keep the videos coming!

[Phlatpop]

I was just thinking that it would be intense to play like meynard ferguson, now i can do the shake like him! thanks man! cant wait to try it out

[Paradoxica27]

I probably sound stupid, but what is a partial?

[jharnum]

@Paradoxica27

No, not at all! Dumb of me to use jargon like that without explaining. A partial is another name for a note in the overtone series. All notes that you play with the same valves down are notes in the overtone series (so for no valves: C, G, C, E, G, Bb, etc.). All of those notes in the overtone series can also be called partials. Sorry about that.

[Paradoxica27]

@jharnum Thanks! This helped a lot!

[GuitarDiscusSoccer]

I have a question... I know this isn't the right video but.... I've been playing for 5 years (i'm 15) and for our marching band show next year I have to play multiple LONG D's above the staff and I can get there after practicing for a while, but while I'm playing the music i can't get it. I have all summer to get this down and I need some help. I'm playing on a Schilke 14a4 mouthpiece and a bach omega bflat trumpet. Thanks SO much!!!

[jharnum]

@GuitarDiscusSoccer

The 14a4 is shallow enough to be a decent higher range 'piece, so no need to change that, but you might consider trying a shallower one to see if it helps. It's good that you've got a few months to prepare. There are a lot of things you can do (more than I can write here), so you should pick up my book. There's a chapter in there on range, and one on endurance. Do those exercises starting now and you should be in good shape for fall. Let me know if you have any questions....

[liljimi321]

i have the range but do i need to just use the ah-eee slur and practice it alot? im 15 been playing for 2 and a half years and really starting to show my flexibility. Do you have tips for playing higher register with trumpet pointing straight and with not very much pressure?

iv learned alot from you.

thanks

[jharnum]

@liljimi321

Yes, using the slurs will help. Practice them in lower ranges and gradually increase. But what will help even more than any of the things you mentioned is air, air, air, air. The air speed should be very fast and focused. A great book to help w/ flexibility is Flexus by Laurie Frink and John McNeil. Also check out Earl Irons' 27 groups of exercises. Best advice by far is to find a trumpet teacher who can listen to you and help yoiu in person. This is the fastest way to learn....

[Dbuzz360]

@jharnum

Ah, so once again, it all comes down to range. I actually got interested in learning how to shake listening to Maynard and because we are playing cruisin' for a bluesin' (do you know it?) in jazz band at school. And I am going to a concert by another great lead trumpet, Wayne burgeron, who was the lead trumpet in Gordon goodwin's big phat band.

[Dbuzz360]

@jharnum yes, that makes sense using both techniques when you get up there, but the distance between the notes is so small, how do you get a deeper shake up there...?

[jharnum]

@Dbuzz360

do get a deeper (wider) shake, you simply have to have the range above the note to make it work. Wish I had an easier answer. For example, I can get easily get a decent shake out of a D above high C, but beyond that, my range limits the range of the shake. I don't often get up there, so it's not an issue very often. Listen to early Maynard for some fantastic high-range shakes....

[Dbuzz360]

@jharnum ohhhhh, my bad, in the videos it looks just like a Bach megatone 'piece. Thanks for the link, I'll check it out for sure.

[Dbuzz360]

I noticed that in your videos you use a megatone mouthpiece. Does it help with your tone, like what does a megatone do compared to a standard or a jetstream 'piece?

[jharnum]

@Dbuzz360

It's not a megatone, but a Monette B3 Prana mouthpiece. It's gets a big, open tone and is precise and centered. It blows freely and I can get a solid F above high C out of it. The Monette mouthpiece goes best w/ his horns, which is what I'm playing. Sorry, I don't know about those other 'pieces. For a general description of what you wanna look for in a 'piece, there's a free PDF over at my site. Go to "AllAboutTrumpet" dot com and click on the "Free Stuff" banner and choose trumpet.

[Dbuzz360]

Is using a lip trill the only way to go no matter what note you're on, or is physically shaking the trumpet the better way to go when you get up to the extreme register, specifically F, F#, G and Ab?

[jharnum]

@Dbuzz360

Great question. Physically shaking the horn is one option, for sure. It produces a much "rougher" sounding shake and is a pretty cool sound. That technique actually combines shaking the horn w/ a lip trill, because you still have to get the pitch to change and you're using the air/tongue to do that..... Does this make sense?

[hawvichorst2]

Is there any certain excersise you would recommend to speed up the shake?

[jharnum]

@hawvichorst2

for sure: lip slurs are the best. Earl Irons book "27 Groups of Exercises" is the best one, as is "Lip Flexibility Studies" (i think that's the title). But even w/o a book, you can do lots. Best is to do lip slur from one note to next highest note. Start slowly, keep air flowing and gradually speed up the slur. There are 2 kinds of shakes: 1 controlled (more like a lip trill) and the other crazier one w/ lots of horn movement.

[poppy0090]

Man I have been looking for a tutorial of this effect for ages. Thanks a lot. It's a real soulful addition to jazz improvisation.

[jaguarbabe123]

Thanks this really helped =D

[ilovecookies12321]

that is just hot  i relly wanna learn that also awesome vids

[Honokowaiian]

The first video that ive seen for this technique. Thanks so much ive been looking for ages!! Best way to explain too :)

[jharnum]

@Honokowaiian

no prob! Didn't you request this one? Your YouTube handle looks familiar....

[Honokowaiian]

@jharnum Yeah i sent you a message a while back. but im not sure if i requested it or not. your videos are super helpful. I show my friends the doit and they laugh because of the way it sounds

[1SmallBrassBand]

what horn do you play on

[jharnum]

@1SmallBrassBand

I'm playing an old-school Monette w/ a 2B Prana 'piece...

[Supaboy000]

Nice trills, lol @ a lip slur on steroids xD

[WongMasterFunds]

wow :D that was awesome, so helpful!

[colintay909]

can you play a video with that slide trumpet/ soprano trombone in a vid?

[jharnum]

@colintay909

maybe. I've gotta practice more, tho...

I sound like a drunken clown with poor motor control right now....;-)

[Imixian]

This helped me out a lot. Thanks =)