D is for Dynamics from TrumpetAtoZ by Brain Davis

One of the elements that separate good trumpet players from great trumpet players is dynamics. Hope you find this video by Bryan helpful.

Comeback

Thanks for posting the vid Dr. Mark. Plenty in there for me. Plenty in there for my community band section mates too. Getting them to view it is the challenge!

Jim

Kehaulani

In a city band I had in Germany, the bandsmen used to joke that MP meant Mehr (more) Power.

GeorgeB

Good video and I agree with it completely. When you practice at 5 am like I do you better play softly.
Also, that long tone exercise of playing pp to ff to pp is one I have been doing daily since my comeback in 2016, and from the compliments I get on my tone I would say the exercise works.

Kehaulani

@GeorgeB said in D is for Dynamics from TrumpetAtoZ by Brain Davis:

When you practice at 5 am like I do you better play softly.

5 am!? I thought that was when one was getting in not getting up!

BTW, I believe it's Bryan.

chelpres

@Kehaulani May be urban myth, but in one of the biographies on Louis Armstrong it was written that Armstrong thought pp meant puff plenty!

fels

in 1969-1970, I was in a "Junior Year Abroad" university program in Regensburg. I was supposed to be with a German family, but there were none since it was an introductory year. So the administrators found a sleeping room for me at a Carmalite Monestery - third floor. I had my Olds Recording with me and thought i would try to practice in my room. Did not work so well. Even with a mute. So-- yes-- sometimes circumstances will teach you something that will be useful later in life -- play softly.

@fels said in D is for Dynamics from TrumpetAtoZ by Brain Davis:

So the administrators found a sleeping room for me at a Carmalite Monestery - third floor. I had my Olds Recording with me and thought i would try to practice in my room. Did not work so well. Even with a mute.

I had to laugh a little when I read this. I can just imagine a guy running with a trumpet in his hand to the chapel section of the monastery yelling "Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" while being chased by a bunch of guys in long brown robes.