First Suite Trumpet Duet for Beginners

Description

First Suite Trumpet Duet

By Eddie Lewis

I try to write as much modern, experimental music for beginners as I do for the other skill levels. To keep track of this, I have a spreadsheet that helps me see what’s been done and when still needs to be done.

Some of those techniques cannot be done at the beginner level, only because of the range limitations of the beginners. But this technique works brilliantly for the beginners.

When you listen to the demo, listen to the harmonies. They are not unpleasant to the ear, but they are not tonal.

Why Write This Stuff For Beginner Trumpet Students?

So, here’s the way I see it…

If I use my techniques for compositions of all levels, then the students at the lower skill levels will be getting advanced training, sometimes many years before they have an opportunity to perform one of the more exciting works.

In a sense, this is necessary because the parts in these modern, experimental compositions are awkward to our traditionally minded minds. The fingerings are tricky. The harmonies, while not striking, are atypical.

If someone has been practicing these compositions since they were beginners, then there will be a lot less of an adjustment time.

Modern Techniques and Modern Sounds

When I use the term “modern” to describe my own compositions, it’s different from the way other people might use that term. That’s why I will often use the term “experimental” instead. When I write modern music, I don’t use traditional modern techniques. For one thing, those “modern techniques” are almost 100 years old, now, and can hardly be called modern anymore.

No, for me to say that the music I write is “modern” means that I’ve used some experimental techniques that I invented. The technique I used for this First Suite Trumpet Duet is the same technique I used for the following compositions:

• Beware of Modern Oracles
• Darkest Night, Brightest Light
• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
• Phantacita March
• Three Famous Soldiers (The first to use this technique.)
• When the Joy of the Lord Kick In

Interestingly, the technique itself does not influence the sound of the composition very much. Not to the extent that one might expect. The compositions on the list above all sound unique from each other.

I love this technique, but it does have its limitations. I won’t go into detail here, but it’s those limitations that force the technique to be so interesting, and to give each of the pieces the opportunity to stand out as something entirely unique. They are even unique in comparison to the other pieces composed using this technique.

Practice Suggestions

Here are a few recommendations for working on the First Suite trumpet duet.

• Use a proven practice technique to learn the music..
• Be conscientious of breathing. Don’t let the breath destroy the music.
• Note the differences between the three movements in tempi and dynamics.

First Suite Trumpet Duet Play-Along

There is a free trumpet play-along video for this First Suite Trumpet Duet arrangement. We publish these free play-along videos for educational purposes, but they also offer a wonderful opportunity for prospective buyers to take the piece for a “test drive”.

First Suite Play-Along Video

Click the following button to go to that video:

If you are interested in more of these play-along videos, then the best way to access them is on our other website, EddieLewis.com.

First Suite Trumpet Duet Skill Level

The skill level for this First Suite Trumpet Duet is beginner. We have two beginner skill levels, this is the first of those two. It is called the Trumpet Pioneer Skill Level.

At this level, the highest note is tuning note C and the smallest rhythmic value is quarter-notes.

Something worth mentioning is that the experimental stuff should only be done at the end of this skill level. I like to give these assignments to my students only after they have learned their scales, thirty different songs and a bunch of short etudes. This experimental stuff will always be one of the last things they practice before they “graduate” to the next skill level.

First Suite Trumpet Duet Score Video

Alternatively, we also have a score video for First Suite Trumpet Duet that you can access by clicking HERE. The score allows you to see and hear the duet before you purchase it.

You can use the score video as a substitute for the play-along video. You can even use it to play the second part. But that’s not what it’s for. It’s meant to give you an opportunity to look and hear the piece.

First Suite Trumpet Duet Performance Video

Below is a performance video of our First Suite Trumpet Duet arrangement. The purpose of the performance video is so that you can see that the parts are genuinely playable. In our modern times, it is too easy to write music on computers without ever knowing if the music works. We make these live performance videos to demonstrate that the duets are indeed accessible.