Screamers

[Drew Wilkie]

I think people misdiagnose those who can play really well as having "natural talent". From a physical standpoint, there really is no such thing as natural talent when it comes to playing the trumpet. This is because it is not a very physical activity. If this was basketball or weight lifting or track, then yes...some people have more physical potential than others. I'll never be the quarterback for the NY Giants, because I'm 5'7"...that's out of my control.

Playing the trumpet is 5% strength, and 95% embouchure technique. The people whom we like to claim as having "natural talent" simply found the embouchure formation that worked, early on in their careers. What holds players back for their entire lives is the lack of physical experimentation in regards to the embouchure. ANYONE can play great double high C's. Why? Because it takes very little raw strength to do so. It's all coordination of the embouchure, and a little bit of air. The tragedy in this system of trumpet education is the fact that when someone has no range, the teacher says "Well, you just have to practice more", rather than experimenting with the embouchure to find something that works better. Bergeron had a double C in the 7th grade, not because of "talent", but simply because he put the trumpet on his face in a way that enabled him to do so. There's no voodoo in trumpet playing, no such thing as physical talent. It's just a vibration! Experiment with your face, because the notes are there...you just have to find them. Learning to play high notes is like trying to guess the combination of a pad lock. You have to keep trying different combinations, but once you hit the right one...everything unlocks.