A Closer Look: Protec iPac Double Trumpet Case

After trawling the internet for a new trumpet case, I came across the Protec iPac range. These cases are available double and triple versions with or without wheels. They contain removable velcro blocks that allow you to create the prefect fit for your trumpets and accessories.

I chose the double case so that I was able to carry my Bb trumpet and mutes or Bb and Eb trumpets.

Space for two trumpets or trumpet and mutes

Removable velcro blocks help you create the perfect fit

The case itself is very well made with a nylon exterior, outside pocket with organiser and comfortable shoulder strap. It is also possible to attach protect backpack straps to the case (at an extra cost) however I found the case too bulky to go on my back.

Comfortable Shoulder Strap

Sturdy Handle and Strap Clip on Side of Case

Interior Storage Pockets

The outside pocket is large enough to hold a couple of mutes and contains a small inside pocket that although small, is just large enough to hold valve oil and slide grease as well as some pencils. Unfortunately this pocket is not big enough to hold any music unless you want to leave the pocket unzipped.

The case also comes with two removable velcro double mouthpiece pouches that will stick to the roof of the case.

This is a good choice if you are looking for a protective double trumpet case at a slightly lower cost than other brands. The downsides are that the case is quite heavy, even before there are any trumpets in it but it will certainly protect your trumpets from any bumps!

See the full Protec iPac range here.

Getting Motivated

I am usually very good at keeping up my practice schedule and I wanted to share some tips to help everyone feel more motivated to practice.

If you practice you get better. I continually tell myself this. Think of the goals you have, whether you aspire to be a professional musician, head off to a music college or gain a seat in a band. The only way you will achieve any of these is by practicing. I myself dream of going to a music conservatoire and I know that I need to practice hard to achieve this. I find it helpful to make a list of things I hope to achieve by the end of each week, this means I know exactly what I have to practice and gives me something to work towards every time I sit down to practice. Give this a go, we all know how enjoyable it is to be able to cross things off a list!

Watch videos of people playing on Youtube. Every time I am working on a new piece I like to find several different performances of it. This not only helps me to get an idea of how to play it but also makes me feel motivated to practice the piece.

If you have time, break your practice sessions into more manageable 'chunks'. I typically have four individual sessions each day. This is important for trumpet players to give your lips time to rest but also useful for other musicians in order to keep practice sessions more interesting. Work on something different each time and don't keep them longer than 40 minutes. This will also help you to keep more focussed and achieve more.

Let me know how you keep motivated to practice.

Having Confidence

I am a shy person, I always have been. In orchestras I have always been around older players who were obviously much better than me and this always made me doubt myself and my ability. Us trumpeters are known for having a huge ego, but I have certainly never had one.

Not to blow my own trumpet (excuse the pun) but I am a good player. Yes I have some areas that I need to work on and I am still developing as a trumpeter, but I can play. I have however realised in the last few months that my confidence is what has been holding me back the most. In orchestras I find myself playing down if I feel that I'm not exactly playing right. My teacher told me earlier today "people will forgive you for playing the wrong notes, but they won't forgive you for not playing at all". So I thought to myself, this year is the year I show everyone exactly what I am capable of and I plan to stick to this.

I truly feel that confidence is the key to being a great musician. When giving a performance, you need to be confident. Do you ever watch a professional and think wow they look nervous? No because they look beyond this and just enjoy the performance. I'm not saying they don't get nervous, they just believe in themselves and show everyone exactly what they are made of.

Nerves are something that I have been battling with my entire trumpeting life and I think I am finally starting to deal with them. Never doubt yourself, this is probably the worst thing you can do before a performance. If you think the worst then there is a chance that the worst could happen. Be positive, it helps (honestly). Personally I think that the best way to combat nerves is to perform as frequently as you possibly can. Take up every opportunity you can to play in front of an audience, even if you don't want to, just keep telling yourself it will help in the long term.

Never, ever doubt yourself and show everyone what your capable of.

Music Gifts I Received for Christmas 2013

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I certainly did and wanted to share some of the music related gifts that I received with you all.

Jo-Ral Copper Bubble Mute
This is the gift that I am most excited to receive. The mute has a beautiful rich sound and is especially perfect for jazz musicians.

Denis Wick Cup Mute
This is a mute that I have used before, but never owned. It is a very popular mute used by many professional musicians. The cup is adjustable, making it very versatile.

Protec Triple Mouthpiece Pouch
I really love this mouthpiece pouch. It is made of a nylon material, is very sturdy and definitely has enough protection for my mouthpieces.

Protec Single Mouthpiece Pouch
I wanted this for my cornet mouthpiece and as with the triple pouch, it does the job perfectly.

Claude Gordon's Systematic Approach to Daily Practice
This is something that I have had my eye on for a while and I am very happy to have received it. It aims to build up your range, endurance, stamina etc over a year. It contains 52 lessons, each to be carried out for at least a week. I want to do a full review of this product once I have tested it out for a few weeks. One thing I will say after trying it out today is that each of the exercises are very time consuming, but if you are serious about improving your technique then I would definitely recommend having a look at this book.

Music Journal
I also received this beautiful little A5 music journal. It has very thick cream-coloured paper, each double page spread including lines to write on as well as staves to jot down music. A highly recommended gift!

Music Calendar 
With 2014 fast approaching, I also received a musical instrument themed calendar. It contains beautiful illustrations of many different instruments and is a perfect size for me (note that it is about A5 size).

Revising for GCSE/A-Level Music

1. Know your pieces. If you have set pieces, make sure you listen to then over and over again until you have a complete idea of the structure, any of the main features and characteristics - know exactly where they occur and what instruments etc. are playing where.

Tools: mind maps, cue cards with bar numbers on, Annotated scores (in colour) and power points.

If you need to learn a specific ABAC etc. structure, create colour coded cue cards with each section letter on. Listen to the music and hold up each card at the correct section in the music.
Create a table summarising each section of the music. Keep the notes short and use key bar numbers. Learn this table and then try to recreate it from memory.

2. Practise. Do all the practise papers that are available to you. If you have essays in your exam, ask your teacher to give you more questions to do and hand them in to be marked. Do them under timed conditions.

Look at example essays and compare with your own analysing what you could have done differently.

Good luck for exam period. Don't give up it will be over soon. Make sure you revise until you can revise no more.

Would anyone be interested in some A-level music resources if I was to upload them to my blog?