Note lengths
Lesson time: (2min 43sec)
Mike Lovatt works through the mix of short and long notes in this Latin piece, showing how to keep one steady stream of air through the phrase as you separate them.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Play Authentic Latin Trumpet
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Lesson: Exploring Latin Pieces
In this piece, we will explore some of the other Latin compositions we've looked at.
Note Relationships
- There is a mixture of short and long notes.
- We need to observe where they coexist within a phrase.
Practice Session
I'm going to play them now, all long, to illustrate how they relate to each other. You might want to do that as well to discover how those notes connect and where they sit in the phrase.
You may have noticed that in each phrase, I was using one long bit of air. Consider trying this technique; it allows for a seamless transition as we begin breaking those notes up into shorts and longs while maintaining airflow throughout.
Demonstration of Shorts and Longs
I'm now going to play the piece with the shorts and longs as marked.
Key Points
- Notice that the notes still exist within those phrases.
- They maintain the same relationship to the adjacent notes.
- The airflow continues smoothly.
Now, I encourage you to add the shorts and longs to your performance, just as I demonstrated.
About the instructor
Mike Lovatt studied at Trinity College of Music, where he was awarded the Jon Kelly Jazz Scholarship. He has performed and recorded across a huge range of styles with artists including Quincy Jones, Robbie Williams, Eric Clapton, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Buble, Oasis, Michel Legrand, Tony Bennett, Shirley Bassey and Danny Elfman, among many others. As Principal Trumpet in London's West End, Mike has performed in Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, The Producers, Billy Elliot, Guys and Dolls, Saturday Night Fever, My Fair Lady and Spamalot, amongst others. He has played on movie soundtracks including the James Bond films, Harry Potter with the London Symphony Orchestra, the award-winning Chicago, Kevin Spacey's Beyond the Sea, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Madagascar and The Corpse Bride. He is featured on trumpet and cornet in George Fenton's Mrs Henderson Presents, and on trumpet in Looking for Eric. Mike is principal trumpet with the Grammy-nominated John Wilson Orchestra and has been featured in their celebrated BBC Promenade concerts and recordings. Mike is sought after as a teacher and clinician, and is a professor of trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. In April 2013 he was proud to be awarded the prestigious Derek Watkins' Chair of Trumpet at the Royal Academy of Music, London. In his MusicGurus courses, Mike shares the secrets behind his versatility, showing you how to nail authentic swing, rock and Latin trumpet styles so you can play any of them with confidence and the right feel. read more