About playingbrass.com
PlayingBrass Website: A Deep Dive into Brass Playing Resources
Overall Theme: The website serves as a comprehensive resource hub for brass instrument players of all levels, from beginners to seasoned musicians. It offers practical advice, downloadable resources, and insightful articles covering various aspects of brass playing.
Key Content Categories & Highlights:
Instrument-Specific Guidance:
- Trombone Focus: The website demonstrates a particular emphasis on trombone playing, featuring articles such as “Trombone Slide Positions,” “Demystifying Slide Positions for Double Trigger Trombones,” and “The Trombone Trigger Makes It Longer”.
- Bass Trombone: A dedicated article explores the unique role and characteristics of the bass trombone, stating: “The bass trombone is in a class of it’s own in any band or orchestra. Although usually part of a trombone section, it often behaves and sounds like a principal instrument.”
Technical Aspects of Playing:
- Mouthpiece Selection: Emphasizing the mouthpiece’s impact on sound and performance, the website advises against excessive experimentation: “However, trying out too many mouthpieces can quickly lead to confusion, frustration, and even a […]”
- Playing Techniques: Articles like “Lip trills,” “Playing low notes,” and “Playing high notes” provide practical tips and exercises for improving technique.
- Breathing Techniques: Recognizing the fundamental role of breathing, the website dedicates an article to “Proper Breathing Techniques for Brass Players: Unlocking Your Full Potential.”
- Articulation & Tone: Articles like “ARTICULATION TO PRODUCE CHARACTER” and “DEVELOP YOUR OWN SOUND AND TONE” highlight the importance of these aspects for musicality.
Performance & Practice:
- Overcoming Stage Fright: Acknowledging performance anxiety, the website provides strategies to manage it in the article “How to Overcome Stage Fright.”
- Audition Preparation: A comprehensive guide helps musicians prepare for auditions in “Mastering the Audition: A Guide for Brass Players.”
- Effective Practice: Emphasizing quality over quantity, the website offers advice on maximizing practice time in articles like “PRACTICE TIME – MAKING IT EFFECTIVE” and “PRACTICE PERFECTLY FOR PERFECT PLAYING.”
- Sight-Reading: The website recognizes the importance of confident sight-reading and breaks down the skills required in “SIGHT-READING CONFIDENTLY NEEDS PREPARATION.”
Music Education & Wellbeing:
- Benefits of Music Education: Highlighting the broader impact of music, an article explores “The Benefits of Music Education for Children: A Research-Based Insight.”
- Psychological Benefits: The website delves into the often-overlooked mental health benefits of playing brass instruments in “The Psychological Benefits of Playing Brass Instruments: More Than Just Music.”
- Impact of Ageing: Recognizing the challenges faced by older musicians, the website addresses “Ageing Effects on Brass Players: Navigating the Golden Years.”
Additional Resources & Information:
- Free Ebook: The website offers a free downloadable ebook titled “How to Play Trombone.”
- Instrument Care: An article on “CARE OF YOUR INSTRUMENT” provides guidance on instrument maintenance.
- Brass Instrument Evolution: A historical overview of brass instruments is provided in “The Evolution of Brass Instruments: From Natural Horns to Valves.”
- Music Industry & AI: A forward-looking article explores “How AI is impacting the music industry.”
Target Audience:
The website caters to a broad audience, including:
- Aspiring and current brass players seeking to improve their technique, musicality, and performance skills.
- Parents and educators looking for resources and guidance to support young musicians.
- Individuals interested in the broader benefits and historical context of playing brass instruments.
Overall Impression:
“Playing Brass” provides a valuable and easily accessible collection of resources for the brass playing community. The website’s strength lies in its blend of practical advice, technical insights, and attention to the multifaceted aspects of musicianship, including performance anxiety, practice strategies, and the overall well-being of musicians.
About Me
I began playing brass instruments at the age of 11 in Sydney, Australia. It was completely unplanned. Bands didn’t exist in my school but my mother thought it would be a good idea for me to join an adult brass band since my cousin was already playing cornet with them. They needed a euphonium player, so that’s what I was given to play. It felt enormous compared to me.
Most of my initial learning was via osmosis – watching experienced players around me cringe as I stumbled through various valve combinations on my quest for notes that would fit with the piece the rest of the band was playing. By the time I found them, the rest of the band had usually moved on to the next bar. The chicken scratches on the paper in front of me weren’t much help.
A year passed and I switched to an old discarded trombone in the band closet. (Kids these days have no appreciation!) I stuck with trombone and under the guidance of some top teachers I began to improve. I quickly fell in love with the sound and characteristics of the trombone, buying up as many ‘trombone’ recordings as I could.
At the age of 16, I became a founding member of the Young Northside Big Band which was inspired by the enormously popular Daly-Wilson Big Band – run by Warren Daly and Ed Wilson. The highlight of my time with the Northside band was performing at the 1979 Monterey Jazz Festival in the US.
On a visit to Australia, we accosted Count Basie backstage at the Sydney Opera House and thrust our recently recorded album, “Quiet Breaker”, into his hands. He graciously listened to it and arranged for us to perform at the famous jazz festival.
It was there that we met and watched all the jazz greats – Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Woody Herman – they were all there. And we were on the same program! Little did they suspect; we had brought along our secret weapon – James Morrison!
I went on to study trombone at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as part of the Jazz Diploma course run by Don Burrows and was soon earning a respectable living as a professional musician – teaching and playing music. In those days, the clubs reigned supreme and their micro economy supported an ecosystem of performers who required backing bands – so there was plenty of work. Musical stage shows, such as “Cats” and “They’re Playing My Song” provided me with additional paid performing opportunities.
In my early 20’s, Warren Daly invited me to play in his big band. I spent 5 years playing and touring with his band, playing lead trombone. This was one of my childhood ambitions realised.
Fast-forward 30 years and I am still actively playing euphonium, trombone and more recently, bass trombone (yes, it’s a different beast to a tenor trombone and it requires taming) – and I’m still loving it!
I tutor young players in the hope that some of my experience will be useful to them as they embark on their own journey.
Being able to play music is a skill that the player will appreciate throughout life.
Start early, start right and your early commitment will soon bring great enjoyment and continue to deliver rewards well into your twilight years.
Contact
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