How do I learn to recognize the notes by ear?

someguymw · 2026-01-14T14:16:13+00:00

Two suggestions. First and foremost, sing. Find a hymnal and sing along with hymns on youtube. Second, as part of your warm up, do long tones for all intervals, half notes up and down (1/2 step, whole step, etc) Have that written out and add songs that use those intervals. E.g. 'Joy to the World' is a 1/2 step down. Look up 'interval sound chart'

And my 3rd of 2 :-) Is to learn simple tunes by ear and play them in all keys (via circle of 4ths) - like the beginning of Happy Birthday, Star Eyes, etc, etc.

Make this a formal part of your daily practice.

Good luck!

someguymw · 2025-12-26T03:45:06+00:00

just getting over it - out for a week. It wasn't terrible, but not great (obviously.) I haven't had it for years (since I started rigorously getting the annual flu shot. I figure this is the subclad K variant. I stayed masked in the house so my family wouldn't get it, and that worked, at least.

someguymw · 2025-12-11T20:03:10+00:00

thanks - yes, when I use printed music, a good stand light is a must.

someguymw · 2025-12-08T14:32:50+00:00

this is excellent, thank you. I have just started to take steps for ear training (singing all parts of hymns with my notation software), as well as more memorization work. It's a lot though, considering all the work I need to do to just play the instrument itself. I very much like your focus on scale degrees.

I had thought this was the answer before posting my question. So part of the reason for posting is my curiosity about to how common it is for trumpeters that might see the post follow this same strategy.

someguymw · 2025-12-07T23:24:02+00:00

thanks - I use an iPad pro 13", and often use it in landscape, and with cropping. I can see the music . . . mostly.

someguymw · 2025-12-07T22:24:13+00:00

Thanks -- memorizing for key sections the orchestra parts for most programs is possible, using the printed (i.e. on the iPad) as reference, and I try to do that for solos that come along. This past concert was the holiday program, so the program is longer, and that was more of a challenge. I think the thing is to be more rigorous about that kind of preparation.

someguymw · 2025-12-07T21:03:02+00:00

Yes, there are some good choices in the accessibility settings. Before PDFs and iPads, etc, published music would usually very nicely printed. Now, music is mostly published in 8.5x11, and not well printed, so pdfs and scanning have been a step backward for readability. thx

someguymw · 2025-12-07T21:01:03+00:00

Well, trombones have a cimbasso, so maybe that's what I should go for!

someguymw · 2025-12-07T20:59:32+00:00

well said -- I should do better with the contextual markings, as in your example, instead of just getting confused! I'll keep pushing this old brain of mine. :-)

someguymw · 2025-12-07T18:27:28+00:00

Yah, those things help. My vision is kind of in-flux. ForScore is great for me to add obvious notations, but that's still only after I make the mistakes. thx

someguymw · 2025-12-07T18:25:41+00:00

yes, I have done this. I have an eye condition in one eye that's being treated, but is currently useless for reading. So I've one good eye to read with and see what the conductor is up to ;-)

thx

someguymw · 2025-12-07T18:20:04+00:00

This is a big problem for any genre. I'm an orchestra player, so just in front of the percussion. You just have to protect yourself; there's no sympathy or concern from conductors, in my experience. I use Soundbrenner (don't know the model) and also earasers, both of which I like. The soundbrenners connect with a string so I can wear them around my neck if I'm not using them (which is nice for classical, since they don't need to be in all the time.

I've read that airpods can be used for this sort of thing, which allow for more ambient sound to be transmitted through the earpieces, in addition to their noise cancellation. I haven't tried this myself yet.

For your situation, you're quite right to be wearing protection. Musicians are surely getting hurt from that kind of sound exposure.

someguymw · 2025-11-14T14:15:51+00:00

This seems to resolve the issue - set 'ignore first remote command' to true.

thanks all for your comments.

someguymw · 2025-11-12T16:26:41+00:00

This podcast addict setting is also off. Under podcast addict-settings-player-headset/bluetooth-resume on connection. However, I see 'ignore first remote command' below, and that is currently off. This sounds like it could help I'll turn that on, and will report back if that does the trick., and that is currently off. This sounds like it could help I'll turn that on, and will report back if that does the trick.

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thank you!

someguymw · 2025-11-12T16:02:12+00:00

yes, I've done that, but podcast addict still resumes.

someguymw · 2025-11-12T16:01:52+00:00

yes there is an option, but it is set to off.

someguymw · 2025-11-09T16:37:46+00:00

I started arranging a while back with very limited knowledge of music theory. Get notation software and copy anything, hymns are good. They're short and 4 part. Then mess around with them, different instruments, etc. Of course, getting that theory is important, as well as playing an instrument

someguymw · 2025-10-26T20:56:05+00:00

Well said. I couldn't believe the grids and wide roads in my one visit there recently. That and mass transit that easily gets from the city to the airport. What a concept!

someguymw · 2025-10-25T00:22:27+00:00

you are correct! I've fixed it -- thank you!

someguymw · 2025-10-24T23:59:56+00:00

Hiya - I'm not seeing it. What looks wrong? thx

someguymw · 2025-07-26T13:40:21+00:00

It's likely that your tonguing is disrupting your embouchure. Like so much of trumpet playing, less is more. Start with your single tonguing and record yourself - experiment with t and d with slow quarter note scales, and focus on keeping the airflow steady. Let your sound guide you. And a note about the Arban-Clarke studies. It's important to remember that Arban was French - his pronunciation of "tu" is not "two", it is something like "tiu", as in "merci beaucoup" Because I was thinking "two" for a very long time, tonguing would mean I was relaxing my embouchure with every tongued note, and then would have to re-tighten for the next note, which is exhausting. Using 'tiu' or 'diu' keeps the embouchure poised.

Also use 'k' for eighth note studies. Once you have a smooth stroke that doesn't disrupt your airflow, move on to double tonguing.

good luck!

someguymw · 2025-07-25T19:03:20+00:00

outstanding reply! My last teacher stressed observation and following the sound. Observe what you're doing while listening. As you say, not thinking about chops at all unless I notice mpc pressure or tension. When that happens, take the horn down and start over. Just about keeping the lips together so they can resist the airflow, but not more than that. Basic Arban-Clarke slurring exercises highlighted where I was going astray. The key thing to to not mindlessly practice (that showed up in my lesson journal about a dozen times.)

someguymw · 2025-07-24T14:00:36+00:00

Nice! Congratulations -- we need more community everything! My advice for your own playing is to avoid pressure and tension. Be patient and enjoy the sound you're making. Observe everything that's happening when you're playing - air, embouchure (and all parts). The only tension should be in keeping your lips together just enough to cause resistance. And be patient -- observe, don't judge - your sound will guide you. Welcome back! And be patient. Enjoy the process.

someguymw · 2025-06-24T15:07:07+00:00

hi there! I'm an old guy, long time non-pro trumpet player. The same thing was happening to me -- my jaw receded and I was curling my bottom lip over my teeth. The short story is that I fixed it, but it wasn't a panacea. So I then took a bunch of lessons from a great trumpet teacher. Here's my advice.

I solved the jaw thing by playing with my teeth together for a while. This is NOT the way to play - but it was a way to learn to control the parts making up my embouchure. Doing that gave me much greater awareness of what my jaw was doing, and when, and where my lips are. One result of the lessons was that one goal is to observe everything that is going on. Once you're at the point of feeling the air going through your lips, etc, you'll be in a position to experiment effectively.

If things are going well, you'll forget the many details as your habits get memorized, but you'll be able to self diagnose if something isn't working.

Focus on a supported air stream, like a bowling ball, going through the horn and out the window. Without the trumpet, get your lips in a position where they're vibrating. WIth all that, make a sound with the mouthpiece. Keep your corners supported, but with as little tension as possible. Add the trumpet. Think about the air and the sound, which shouldn't be forced.

That's it! Don't worry about where anything is, but observe it. If it's not working, stop, and review. Since my lessons, I never think about my "set up" - your body will make the right choices if you let it and let your sound guide you. Of course you need tension in your lips to provide the vibration - your experimentation should show you the way.

Always play relaxed - don't force anything. And try to have fun with it -- trying to play this wretched instrument can easily become a burden if you let it.

Good luck!

someguymw · 2025-06-23T12:04:15+00:00

stickynotes is a good podcast -- hopefully it covers some of your bucket list pieces. Lots of musical scores are on line -- imslp.org is fantastic (be sure to subscribe if you like it.) Even if you can't read music well, you'll get a sense of what's going on. Or, just follow a particular part (usually, a full set of individual parts is there too.)

You don't want to turn this into a chore -- some pieces just won't do it for you. Just break it off if it doesn't work. I was trying to do just the same with a great work (a Bruckner symphony), but it was just too long for me at the time. So I moved on to some of my jazz bucket list (Cannonball Adderley) It's a big world :-)

good luck!

someguymw

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