Breathing & air flow
Lesson time: (1min 12sec)
Mike Lovatt shows where to breathe across the piece's phrases - using the longer rests and keeping the air moving so your tone stays steady.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Play Authentic Rock Trumpet
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Lesson: Understanding the Phrases
Before we play this piece all the way through, let's take a look at the phrases.
Overview of Phrases
- There are four phrases in total.
- The first two lines are more or less the same.
- The third line includes a crotchet rest at the end of the bar, which we discussed earlier.
Breathing Techniques
- In that crotchet rest, you can take a breath if you like.
- However, in the first phrase, we have a quaver rest.
Common Mistakes
- It's very common for people to breathe in those quaver rests.
- What we really need to do is:
- Keep the air moving forward
- Stop the air with our tongue
This technique is crucial for maintaining the groove.
Key Points to Remember
- If we take a breath during the quaver rests, we might:
- Split the next note
- Goof the next note
- This can cause us to be off time, especially with those quavers on the off beats.
Conclusion
So, keep the air going there. Play the short notes, be aware of those quavers, but most importantly, keep the air going forwards and stop the air with your tongue.
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