Jack Walrath

20 Melodic Jazz Studies for Trumpet

Solo transcriptions can be an interesting document of a person's style but are also so personal and idiosyncratic that one can get frustrated in trying to play them without mistakes. This book contains a series of studies to extend the playing and reading techniques, to illustrate harmonic and melodic shapes and possibilities, bolster endurance, and most of all train the ear to hear moving often intricate melodic lines in a musical sense. These pieces are structured in a way that challenges the registers of the instrument but also allows the student to learn how to pace him/herself. The shapes of the line will naturally show the practising student where and how he/she can rest while still playing. The studies could serve as tutti passage or solos for brass and/or saxophones.