Alex Carter

Shires Trumpet Day at Paige’s Music

On Saturday, November 7, 2020 Paige’s Music will host Larry Powell, Professor of Trumpet at University of Indianapolis, in partnership with S.E. Shires. Visitors will be given the opportunity to play test S.E. Shires custom trumpets, Q-Series trumpets, and auxiliary instruments. In addition to our enhanced inventory, visitors will get the chance to discuss University of Indianapolis’ trumpet studio and get individualized feedback on equipment and musicianship from Larry Powell. Appointments are required for this event. To sign up for an appointment please visit: http://bit.ly/trumpetday-larrypowell Below is a list of the S.E. Shires Models that will be available for in-store testing and purchase on November 7, 2020. Model A Model B CVLA-XL Q10S 4F C Trumpet 4S8 C Trumpet 5S C Trumpet Q11RS C Trumpet 9Y Piccolo Trumpet 68MS Eb/D Trumpet 512G Flugelhorn

Oct 15, 2020 No Comments

Why Lyrical Playing is Important

As trumpet players we are often seen as the heroes of the band or orchestra (even if it’s only us who see it that way), but there is more to playing the trumpet than playing loud or playing high, scream parts. As musicians we should always strive to be making music, and more importantly making musical choices with the parts we play. This is where practicing lyrical studies comes in handy!

Oct 8, 2020 No Comments

Meet The Teacher: Perry Reid, Trumpet

At Paige’s Music we get asked all the me if we teach lessons or know people who do. We know plenty of private instructors and even have a list on our website, but we wanted to go a little further and interview them so you have a beer picture of which teacher might be best for you! Our guest today is trumpet educator and performer, Perry Reid.

Aug 28, 2020 No Comments

Meet The Teacher: Larry Powell, Trumpet

Aug 13, 2020 No Comments

Meet The Teacher – Jay Ellsmore

At Paige’s Music we get asked all the time if we teach lessons or know people who do. We know plenty of private instructors and even have a list on our website, but we wanted to go a little further and interview them so you have a better picture of which teacher might be best for you! This week’s featured teacher is Mr. Jay Ellsmore. Where did you go to school? I received my undergrad in performance from the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. There I studied with Robert Levy for one year and John Daniel for three years. I also studied conducting under Andrew Mast. I then got my masters in performance from the University of Northern Colorado, studying with Robert Murray.

Jul 16, 2020 No Comments

Summer Trumpet Technique Bootcamp

Last time we discussed potential items to practice over the summer and I mentioned we would focus more on improving our technique. While a very broad and often times all-encompassing term, I would like to focus on a few areas of technique and try to assist brass players, mainly the trumpet players in the audience, in forming a schedule to maximize their time.

Jun 18, 2020 No Comments

What To Practice Over The Summer

At a time when marching band or other summer music camps are typically ramping up into full gear, I know there are many students who are sitting at home wondering what should they be doing? Well, if the latest video game or hit show has either lost its appeal or you’ve completed them it could be time to dust off your good ol’ instrument and make a plan for the summer to stay in shape in the event any of these typical summer activities should return.

Jun 5, 2020 No Comments

Trick Out My Trumpet

When we buy an instrument, just like the old classic muscle cars, there are plenty of things we can do to it after purchase to tweak how it performs. Let’s talk about aftermarket add-ons!

May 22, 2020 No Comments

Two Of A Perfect Pair

I feel like I talk about mouthpieces WAY too much. And you know what they say; “The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one!” At one point I definitely had 70 mouthpieces of all different sizes with different purposes and I would just try to make things work even if they didn’t want to, which I now realize is the wrong way to go about selecting equipment. This brings me to a very important topic and an anecdote to help try to prove my case. I bought a very specific, specialized trumpet from a friend that was designed to be an orchestral Bb and pair well with the matching C trumpet model in this brand’s line. Now, I truly believe there isn’t much this horn can’t do, but I definitely feel that it favors larger mouthpieces in general to achieve the purpose for which it was built. There are many factors to consider such as bore size, bell, leadpipe, and instrument weight, as well as many others. I’ll take a few horns and give some examples of mouthpieces that might work well with it and why.

May 7, 2020 No Comments

When to Buy Which Trumpet? Classical Edition

Last time we discussed instruments that would be good for those of us who primarily want to play jazz or commercial types of music and left it by discussing studio musicians who may need to do it all. This leads us nicely into the classical side of trumpet playing and the instruments needed for that work. In order of importance here are my suggestions. (Your timeline may vary. Please consult your teacher/professor on when it is appropriate to purchase these instruments)

Apr 17, 2020 No Comments

When to Buy Which Trumpet? Jazz/Commercial Edition

I’ve got some news for everyone: I am a trumpet junkie. I have always been fascinated by different brands and models and have even experienced many cases of FOMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to my equipment. I’ve taught several students and have had to have this conversation many times and have even asked for personal recommendations. Today is just a quick look at what instruments you should purchase and when, depending upon your musical path. While it is super difficult to give a recommendation without hearing people play or know what their interests are, I will give some fairly general model recommendations from the “Big Three” brands of trumpets along with a few special suggestions when needed. Today we will discuss instruments needed for those who want to primarily be Jazz/Commercial players and they will be in order of importance. (Your timeline may vary. Please consult your teacher/professor on when it is appropriate to purchase these instruments)

Apr 3, 2020 No Comments

How To Keep Your Trumpet Clean

To further clean your instrument remove all valves, slides and caps from the trumpet. You may submerge the trumpet in warm water (should be noticeably warm but not scalding hot) with mild dish soap such as dawn. Let the instrument sit for five minutes and then use your valve casing brush and snake brush to remove excess dirt and debris from the trumpet. Absolutely DO NOT force the brushes into smaller spaces such as the valve ports or the ends of smaller tuning slides. The crook ends of the 1st and third valve tuning slides can be cleaned by running water through them. Once all easily accessible areas of the trumpet have been scrubbed thoroughly rinse the trumpet in warm clean water and let air dry. Once the trumpet is dry you may then apply your necessary lubricants to moving parts and reassemble. Stay safe!

Mar 20, 2020 No Comments

The Case Against Beginner Buzzing

To start with, this is not an anti-buzzing campaign. Over my years of working with students whether it be privately, in group settings, or even observing other teachers working with them I have come to a conclusion: I think having your beginning trumpet players mouthpiece buzz is harmful to their development. Here’s why.

Mar 5, 2020 No Comments

Deciphering your ISSMA Sheets and Other Feedback

These past couple weekends have been going full tilt with ISSMA Solo & Ensemble events. You’ve all worked hard on your solos. The ensembles large, small, and mixed have all been rehearsed. During this long period of preparation from November until now, you have probably heard many thoughts about your solo from your band/orchestra/choir director, friends, or private teachers. How do we take the things they have said and apply it? Is there really anyone out there that can read judge’s handwriting on those ISSMA sheets? What if your judge accidentally compliments your Baroque style when you are CLEARLY playing a classical era piece? There are ways to take all the comments you receive and organize them into your plan of attack when going to state.

Feb 6, 2020 No Comments

What’s Your Favorite Orchestral or Concert Band “Cover”?

One thing I love about music that is performed by orchestral or concert band musicians is that we get many different interpretations and sounds from them. There are so many different recordings that are great and while people usually have a favorite recording, it’s not quite the same as popular music where Stairway to Heaven is usually best done by Led Zeppelin or wanting to hear Lizzo perform her own material. This week I wanted to share some “classical” music, and the recordings that I personally enjoy and even strive to emulate.

Jan 23, 2020 No Comments

Mute Madness!

Happy Thursday, everyone. Today’s topic is one of my favorite to talk about: Mutes. As stated by Philip Smith, former principal trumpet of the New York Philharmonic 1978-2014, “A trumpet player can never have enough mutes of varying types, shapes, sizes, and materials”. With that being said, as trumpet players (and other brass players who may be reading) we are often asked to use a device called a mute while playing certain music. This does not always mean making our sound softer per se, but changing our timbre. Today we’ll talk about the most common mute we are asked to use: the straight mute.

Jan 9, 2020 No Comments

Mouthpieces and how to choose, “Unpopular Opinion Edition”

Raise your hand if you’ve had a band teacher or private instructor tell you that you needed to go from your 7C to a 5C, then to a 3C, then to a 1-1/2C and so on and so forth. Ok, now that we’ve all put our hands up, let’s get down to my unpopular opinion: There is no set progression for mouthpieces. They are not like shoes where you start with a size 5 and eventually get up to a size 12. As discussed earlier on October 3rd, 2019; we talked about some factors that help us choose mouthpieces. Today we will briefly discuss a couple of those and other things to think about when testing mouthpieces.

Dec 13, 2019 No Comments

What Books Should I Get For Lessons?

When I meet with a new student for the first time we always discuss what books they need to have for their lessons. Here are five method/etude books that are essential for good foundations to unlocking your full musical potential through the trumpet. Complete Conservatory Method by Jean Baptist Arban Widely considered by many to be “The Trumpet Bible”, this is usually the first book suggested by private instructors if you are serious about studying trumpet due to the amount of material that is covered. Any technical aspect of trumpet playing that you will need to succeed will be in this book including nice songs, wicked characteristic studies, and classic cornet solos such as Fantasia Brilliante, Norma Variations, and Carnival of Venice. Technical Studies by Herbert L. Clarke Mr. Clarke presents exercises that combine several fields and can be utilized for many things. The infamous second study can be played in several tonalities, or you can begin working on playing softer while going higher. The final etude from the fifth study is very challenging as well.

Nov 21, 2019 No Comments

Interested in Studying Music? A Guide To Finding Your Path

You’ve made the choice: you love music and want to pursue a career in the music industry! Great! So now what? At this point you need to determine which University, music program, and major are right for you. There are more music degrees than just performance or music education. Other music degrees include: Music production or recording technology, music therapy, music business, arts administration, music history, and music theory/composition. Some universities collaborate with local businesses to help offer a degree in popular music theory, analysis and composition. When researching your potential future, you have several resources at your disposal to find out information and some of the work can even be done at home with your parent/guardian.

Nov 7, 2019 No Comments

Recital Reflections: Claiming small victories over performance anxiety

I have never liked recitals. Or auditions. Even playing my solo for Solo & Ensemble. I have always been more comfortable performing when there was at least one other person on stage with me. Some people will tell you if you get nervous it means that you aren’t prepared enough but I think that statement is not entirely accurate.

Oct 17, 2019 No Comments