Young Screamers

[idontwan2know]

Oh good lord...I know if I look around long enough, I'm going to find some kids from the last high school I taught in these youtube screechfests.

If I never have to watch another trumpet player totally bag a solo and take a big 2 count breath in the middle of a phrase just so he can hit the high note and do the "blow smoke off the bell" visual again, it will be too soon.

[Discombobulato]

I'm sure you've heard this before, but nobody really appreciates a screamer like a trumpet player, or maybe a brass player at the least. To the untrained ear, it just doesn't sound very good, and sounds very forced, and not very musical. I love screamers and it sounds really awesome, but I don't think there's solos designed for that because of that reason. Tone easily gets covered up if its playing in some loud chord, and it may make it sound more full, and that to me is the right place if there is one. I'd love to hear some screaming solos, they always give me goosebumps, but I don't know if the majority of the crowd really cares or wants to hear it. Just my 3 cents.

[Martybucs]

I'm sure you've heard this before, but nobody really appreciates a screamer like a trumpet player, or maybe a brass player at the least. To the untrained ear, it just doesn't sound very good, and sounds very forced, and not very musical. I love screamers and it sounds really awesome, but I don't think there's solos designed for that because of that reason. Tone easily gets covered up if its playing in some loud chord, and it may make it sound more full, and that to me is the right place if there is one. I'd love to hear some screaming solos, they always give me goosebumps, but I don't know if the majority of the crowd really cares or wants to hear it. Just my 3 cents.

This is true.

It's the players that can hit high notes, but can't play them that are annoying. YouTube is full of them.

Just screeching a high note is wrong - just wrong. keep it in the practice room.

People that can really play in the extreme high range are awesome.

Personally, I might tag the end of a song with a high note and I hope it's cool, but I wouldn't torture anyone with my attempts at mimicking Maynard or anything like that.

[MelloHorn13]

AIR.

Daily practice.

AIR.

Lots of basic exercises.

AIR.

[Drew Wilkie]

Air is air, no matter how much emphasis you put on it.

Air is the FUEL, but it does not determine how high one can play. Blowing your brains out into a trumpet will just kill your sound, range and endurance...and you'll look pretty funny, too. Trust me...it only takes a small amount of air to play in the upper register with clarity, control and power.

Edited December 29, 2007 by Drew Wilkie

[ekleve]

Here's my two cents.

I can see where the original poster is coming from. I was at finals in 07. I didn't even realize something was missing until the Cavaliers took the field. They weren't even solos. There were one or two trumpets in that hornline that were blowing double G's like it was nothing! They sliced right through and sounded gorgeous! It added a whole different color to the sound of the entire hornline.

So, of course it's always fun to have soloists who can blow like a dog whistle. But what I really miss is having high notes actually written into the lead trumpet part of the regular brass book. Listen to corps like Blue Devils, Madison Scouts, and the Bluecoats from the late 90's and early 00's and it was a normal thing. I miss that particular color in the hornline and would like to hear more of it. But, in order for it to work you need the players that can do it consistantly. So the question remains unanswered.... Is there a lack of kids that can do it, or are the brass arrangers just not writing it anymore?

[Martybucs]

Here's my two cents.

I can see where the original poster is coming from. I was at finals in 07. I didn't even realize something was missing until the Cavaliers took the field. They weren't even solos. There were one or two trumpets in that hornline that were blowing double G's like it was nothing! They sliced right through and sounded gorgeous! It added a whole different color to the sound of the entire hornline.

So, of course it's always fun to have soloists who can blow like a dog whistle. But what I really miss is having high notes actually written into the lead trumpet part of the regular brass book. Listen to corps like Blue Devils, Madison Scouts, and the Bluecoats from the late 90's and early 00's and it was a normal thing. I miss that particular color in the hornline and would like to hear more of it. But, in order for it to work you need the players that can do it consistantly. So the question remains unanswered.... Is there a lack of kids that can do it, or are the brass arrangers just not writing it anymore?

This is a good point. When I joined Bucs from the jr corps I was in, I auditioned and was put on lead soprano. I was shocked to see Gs and As written into the music and a Bb at the end of the show on the finish line. We had 5 lead sops all capable of playing the parts, of course, on G bugles - those notes are a minor 3rd higher on Bb trumpet, but still high.

[Robbie Ellis]

I find it hard to believe that the young players of today would have any difficulty in playing any high note written. I mean, really. They are said to be worlds better than us Alumni players. So, I think the arrangers are writing more to an ensemble sound. Depending on what type of show is popular at the moment, it seems to be the full ensemble sound the arrangers are looking for to compliment the visual content. Screaming in any context can be an exciting addition to any book but it must be done consistently, in tune and tastefully. Our corps has a good lead soprano line. Not a great one with all kinds of stars but a solid one. The screamer notes are played by one person (me) in the section that can handle it as part of the music and the arranger writes it as such. If he thought the line could handle it, he would write it as part of the score for the section. Besides, you run into tuning and other problems when the section screams. I don't think the young players of today are discouraged from individual screaming but for some reason the arrangers are not looking for that sound at this time.

[Martybucs]

.... The screamer notes are played by one person (me) ...

I usually don't like it when a woman screams...means I have to kill another spider.

I'm kidding, couldn't resist.

I heard you for the first time this year at the Forum, Robbie. Well done and your high notes have the same great tone as your lower register - that's rare male or female.

You don't hear too many women that play in the upper register that well on high brass, Never understood why. Barbara Prugh, comes to mind as an excellent example of a pro trumpet with some serious chops in Delaware Valley.

Have a friend leaving in a couple of weeks to hear Alison Balson with LA Philharmonic.

[Martybucs]

As Robbie mentioned it can be more effective when it's in the section and many players ascend for an effect.

When a soloist comes out, (sop/trumpet), you kind of expect high notes and it can be cool.

When you're listening to the whole line and there's a part in the lead sopranos that soars over the line it can be major goosebumps and there is no "star" involved.

Now, in Bucs Alumni, I typically play most of the high parts because we have some pretty old guys in the line and I think I'm the only one that can play a G or above without running to the bathroom right afterwards.

I'm kidding, again, of course. Joe Jas. can still pin your ears back with a double G and he's like 75 years old.