Reprints from the

International Trumpet Guild Journal

to promote communications among trumpet players around the world and to improve the artistic level of performance, teaching,
and literature associated with the trumpet

TRUMPET TECHNOLOGY
MICHAEL ANDERSON, COLUMN EDITOR

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PRACTICE TECHNIQUES

BY LUIS ENGELKE

October 2007 • Page 57

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 TRUMPET TECHNOLOGY
MICHAEL ANDERSON, COLUMN EDITOR
Trumpet Technology is an expansion and refinement of ITG’s previous column titled Web Site Reviews. This column will con-
tinue to examine Internet locations of interest to trumpet players. It will expand to examine developments in the technology
associated with trumpet. Ideas and suggestions should be directed to: Michael Anderson, Wanda L. Bass School of Music, Okla-
homa City University, 2501 North Blackwelder, Oklahoma City, OK 73106 USA; website@trumpetguild.org

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY PRACTICE TECHNIQUES

BY LUIS ENGELKE
or centuries, technology has influenced humanity and adjust, rather than correcting intonation visually by align-

F both positively and negatively. While Alfred Nobel

questioned whether his invention, dynamite, would
be used primarily to advance civilizations or improve weapon
ing a digital or analog representation of pitch accuracy. Drones
offer the pedagogical benefits of ear training vs. visual acuity;
additionally, these pitches accommodate just intonation
machinery, today’s musician must choose between practicing instead of only equal temperament with tuners. Similar to vari-
with a digital metronome and checking fantasy football scores able speed recorders, drones also have been used for decades,
on the Internet. Indeed, technology provides increasing dis- and many of today’s tuners with audio output possess the
tractions that make devotion to musical endeavor more diffi- capability to sound all twelve pitches. However, a computer
cult; however, several recent innovations offer significantly with discipline-specific software possesses a capacity to sound
improved pedagogical benefits. A few include variable-speed drones with countless different timbres, versus a simple unat-
playback without pitch alteration, practicing with drones of tractive and dull sound wave provided by most tuners. Practic-
different timbres, and studying mixed or changing meter pas- ing with different timbres further enhances ear training and
sages with sequenced loops. more readily prepares musicians for actual performance condi-
Musicians often assess their own performance via record- tions (see sample drone exercises).
ings. In fact, reel-to-reel and other varying-speed tape rec- One might compare practicing with a tuner or with various
orders have been used to assess performance at various speeds timbres to hitting balls on a driving range or on an actual
for decades but with a change in pitch. Recent digital recorders course. When hitting golf balls on a driving range, conditions
offer varied speed playback without pitch alteration. Commer- remain relatively stable; however, when a golfer plays on a
cial models exist; however, this procedure is easily accom- course, overcoming different hitting positions becomes a con-
plished on a computer with freeware (gratis software available sideration: with different stances (because a golf ball is higher
for download) or open source software or lower than the golfer), different lies
(also available for free, but with the “Recent digital recorders (where a ball is resting on grass or embed-
capacity for third parties to access code ded in rough), and constantly changing
and reprogram or enhance an applica- offer varied speed playback pin positions. Similarly, musicians must
tion’s function). Recommended open constantly tune to different timbres
source software allowing multiple-speed without pitch alteration.” because music constantly shifts through
playback includes Audacity. This appli- various orchestrations and other variables
cation’s tempo feature permits users to adjust the speed of affecting pitch such as balance and vibrato. These somewhat
recorded excerpts without changing pitch. Audacity can be unpredictable conditions are best prepared for through varied
downloaded from the web (http://audacity.sourceforge.net). timbre drones. See Instructions for Downloading and Loop-
In general, open source software is recommended over free- ing Drone Audio Files for step-by-step directions. Within
ware because multiple persons have an opportunity to create only a few practice sessions, looped drones are likely to
updates; hence, the application is more likely to be supported become the most played files on any musician’s iTunes song
through later versions necessary for evolving system software. list.
With a computer, microphone, and Audacity, setting up vari- Commercial sequencing and notation software such as Dig-
able speed playback without pitch change takes only minutes ital Performer or Finale, or even simple applications such as
(see the step-by-step list included later in this article). Jazz GarageBand, hold the capability of creating short audio files of
players might import short passages using this method when drones. For those not wishing to create their own drones,
transcribing solos. audio files of sustained organ sounds are available for down-
Many musicians advocate performing with drones for tun- load (http://wwwnew.towson.edu/music/trumpet). Exporting
ing, rather than observing a digital or analog tuner. This com- these audio files allows looping for any duration. Playback in
prises a reference pitch (usually tonic or dominant) being iTunes and other audio software provides this capacity. These
sounded through an audio system for musicians to listen to particular drones are set in several octaves as follows:
© 2007 International Trumpet Guild October 2007 / ITG Journal 57
 practicing with a fast metronome beat set to subdivision (for
example, 5/8 meter with a metronome set to eighth notes)
served as one viable solution. SmartMusic accompaniment
software and play-along recordings now provide excellent solu-
tions for learning compositions with mixed meter. As Tech-
nology Editor Michael Anderson wisely suggested in the Octo-
ber 2006 Trumpet Technology column, compositions not
currently available for SmartMusic are importable by users
who input the music into notation software. However, simple
and costless alternatives exist for those not versed in the latest
technology or lacking time to input entire compositions or
even specific passages.
Commercial and freeware sequencers allow looping of short
rhythmic patterns. Inputting a small rhythmic pattern into a
Example 1: Octave drones loop may be used to create a “mixed-meter” metronome. Or,
several combined patterns may be used for music with chang-
All twelve pitches are available for download at the previous-
ly mentioned web site (see included directions for download-
ing and using the generated drones). Audio files of approxi- “Inputting a small rhythmic pattern into a
mately thirty seconds can be looped as long as needed. The loop may be used to create a “mixed-
several octaves presented are useful for clarity of intonation in
any register. Practicing with drones improves aural awareness meter” metronome.”
and facilitates correcting intonation. Idiosyncrasies inherent
ing meter. While this does not provide the entire accompani-
“Practicing with drones improves aural ment, such practice loops assist in steadiness of tempo and
evenness of rhythm in changing meter. This process diminish-
awareness and facilitates correcting into- es preparation time to a few minutes because entire works do
nation.” not need to be inputted. More importantly, these rhythmic
patterns or sequences serve as references for future study at any
tempo. A few recommended sequencers, available gratis,
with one’s instrument, necessary pitch alterations because of include TR-x0x and Pro Tools Free. The following web site
chord tendencies, and one’s own quirks become audible and lists links for these and other commercial and freeware se-
immediately addressable. quencers (http://www.synthzone.com/midiseq.htm). Sample
Another benefit to modern technology is that it provides sequences for Halsey Stevens’s Sonata for Trumpet and Piano
alternatives to studying mixed meter passages. Previously, and Fisher Tull’s Three Bagatelles are also available on the pre-

3-digit security code

58 ITG Journal / October 2007 © 2007 International Trumpet Guild

 Example 2: Audacity, open source software for Windows or Macintosh, allows playback at different speeds sans pitch alteration.

E-flat Trumpet

Drone (Concert Pitch)

Example 3: E-flat trumpet performance poses numerous challenges in regard to intonation.

A tonic drone (concert A-flat) sounded during the performance of the above phrase serves as
an excellent reference pitch. Concert E-flat, the dominant, represents another useful option.

viously mentioned web site (http://wwwnew.towson.edu/ available for free. Even metronomes are now available for
music/trumpet). download online. With minimal investment, other opportuni-
Multiple speed playbacks, intonation studies with varied ties exist: amazingly, fewer than 1.5 gigabytes hold twenty-five
timbre drones, and mixed meter sequences serve as excellent years of ITG Journals and complete trumpet and cornet parts
practice aids. Establishment of a home studio with all of these to nearly five hundred standard orchestral works (The Orches-
features costs virtually nothing since most musicians already tra Musician’s CD-ROM Library, Volumes I – VII). Finally,
possess all of the necessary devices, and sufficient software is when technology provides more distractions than assistance, or
more than one hundred EMails disclose nothing but spam,
remember that a great Maurice André recording on
YouTube.com is just one click of the mouse away.
Extras
Example No. 2 (Audacity Software)
Example No. 3 (Sample Drone Exercise: Second Movement
from F.J. Haydn’s Concerto in E-flat major)

About the author: Originally a native of Brazil, Luis Engelke

is currently professor of trumpet at Towson University in Bal-
timore, MD. He performs more than 100 engagements annu-
ally as a soloist and orchestral/chamber musician, serves as
Music Reviews Editor for the ITG Journal, and is a Yamaha
Performing Artist.
© 2007 International Trumpet Guild October 2007 / ITG Journal 59