Challenge (with plunger mute)
Lesson time: (0min 49sec)
Mike Lovatt's plunger-mute challenge: try the three ways to get that growling muted trumpet sound - plunger, plastic bowl or rubber mute - then record yourself and send it in.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Play Authentic Swing Trumpet
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
The Power of the Plunger
The plunger's amazing, isn't it? Sounds like a lion roaring in the jungle.
Three Sounds, Three Ways
Now, you've heard three ways that you can make a good sound:
- Using a plunger mute
- Using a plastic bowl (like me)
- Using a rubber mute from your hardware store
Your Challenge
Now you go away and get a mute, and you try to make those sounds using a plunger, whether it be a bowl or a rubber mute.
My challenge to you is:
- Go and get a plunger
- Record a video of yourself making these sounds
- Upload the video and send it to us
We'll give you some feedback!
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