AHBAND TRUMPET SECTION!

2009-08-17T21:23:00.000+08:00

hello(:
remember to write in the notebook.
in case you still dont know what to write,
write in your goals for each month. (it can be to be able to play a high note, a particular scale, a particular warmup, a verse from the song or etc)
i will collect it at the end of every month to check.
there will be chocs given out if you manage to achieve it :D
so be dilligent!
toodles(:

2009-07-26T21:15:00.001+08:00

HEYHEY!

Heard that sec1s recently praised by Mr Chua for finally able to hear youall, congrats!
Continue to work hard okay xD

As for main band ppl didnt reli hear anything about youall but work hard nevertheless okay. I heard my two asl working quite hard to improve so jiayoujiayou!(:

most likely going to see see uall on thursday so must go sects okay haha, cos nande i can go visit(:

all the best for ndp fanfare and treeplanting if there is!

dUN siansian, if prac very boring then uall zi high crack some jokes but dun too obvious later kena scolding okay lol.

SEEYOU!

-VANCHIA!

2009-07-06T20:25:00.003+08:00

HELLO PEOPLE.

I SHALL HELP TO LIVEN THE BLOG.

I BOUGHT SECTION FOOD.
HAHAH, OKAY ITS QUITE RANDOM TO SAY THIS.

YOU ALL CAN TAKE AND MAKAN OKAY ;D

不曾努力争取最佳成绩，那永远不会是成功。
唯有自己放心思，自己去努力，才会感到光荣，才会有满足感。
这才是真正的成功，而是属于你自己的成功。

:D

QIANLIN :D

2009-06-28T21:05:00.003+08:00

hello(:
OBS was fun.
bye(:

2009-06-20T12:03:00.002+08:00

hi people! just to tell you guys, youall AREN'T hopelessly lousy! the standard may not be there but at least, by self practicising, youall will be able to improve!

im sorry i didnt spend enough time trying to correct your playing, but honestly what i can teach you guys, it's very very VERY limited.

but anyway, focus on your weak points when you self prac! i hope youall can self prac at least once a week, and maybe during sectionals sl can teach youall the pieces? im just suggesting, so see what you guys think might work for youall lah.

anything, feel free to ask me! i may not be able to go back, but i'll definitely reply to your msgs haha! :)

jiayou!!!

weiting :)

2009-06-18T23:32:00.001+08:00

Okay i shall post something.

STUDENT CAMP WAS FUN!

HAHA okay something more relevant, uall ah, pls improve faster okay, june holiday's going to be over and yet i dun see any significant improvement! pls spend more time to self prac kay if not we ah, reli become lousiest section! whatever weiting told uall ytd or mr chua told uall all the time, remember and do it, write down on the score or memorise it. i know there's much holiday homework for you to do and band's occupying alot of time, but pls learn to balance okay, can do it de(: whoever's embrochure is still wrong pls spend time to change, just buzz everyday can alrdy. i've always got a problem: during warmups my embrochure is correct cos warmups are relaxing but when playing songs my embrochure very wrong cos hor no time to think abt whether i using correct embrochure anot haha and it's becos i nvr practise enough to get use to the correct embrochure! so huh if uall dun want to be like mi must reli train hard okay okay! have regular checks on ur embrochure.

I realise that uall dun have confidence, n i had the same problem too, mine is becos hor i always thought that trumpet very loud and AA and i scared that i will play the wrong stuff and attract alot of unwanted attention haha, hope uall noe what i mean, so i always dun dare play liddat, that's why nvr play solo b4 lol. this is very wrong, even if u think u suck at playing u must play loud(when needed) and with confidence so that u can improve okay, so that ppl can point out ur mistakes(:so dun be afraid and just play! count properly and come in on time, dun lag, i told uall b4, follow whoever's conducting, not 1st trumpets. if u follow 1st trumpets u'll lag behind.

hm and for god's sake pls do remember the songs' melodies! ppl who noe music can read scores and just play easily but hor for ppl who cant reli read scores or rhythm sucks the only thing u can do is memorise! that's what i do haha. my sightreading not very good so whenever there's a new piece i'll try to memorise the melody and fingering, then when playing i can just look at the conductor. so hor even if u ask mi what are the notes for a particular part in impressions of japan or overture i can tell u i duno, cos i memorised fingering and tune of the songs! i duno if this is good or bad but this is how i learn a piece of music haha, hope it'll be relevant to non-music ppl(: it's quite a good way of learning i think haha, although ur sightreading MAY not improve xD (mine did btw hehe)

Okay what else... ah n hor i think uall like dun reli like trumpet? cos i dun see the sense of urgency in uall to improve urself. this is very unhealthy and i duno how to solve this but only by being able to play well then will u like the instru. it's very true, u see ah, so many sec1s (not refering to this batch only, previous batches too) dun like band, and most of their reasons is bcos they cant play the instru well. it's damn frustrating when u cant play well, i've gone thru that b4. okay so in order to love ur instru or band, u must be able to play well. u see ah, if u cant play well then everytime u go band u will worry abt alot of things "oh no, later they play el camino real i duno how to play then how, later mr chua scold mi again, later ppl look at mi again, later the conductor ask mi to play alone then how... blah blah blah" so how can u be happy abt going to band? so in order to throw away all ur worries and play happily u must play well, know all the songs by heart okay, so wad must u do again? SELF PRAC!(: be as pro as whoever u think is pro, aim to be like him or her. must set a goal for urself okay. last time when i was sec1 i look at the sec4 seniors playing so relaxingly n i thought to myself "wah omg they so good i dun think i can ever be like them" and u noe what's my definition of good that time, being able to play tuning note! but look at mi now, although still not up to their standard but still not bad right hehe. so so so anything is possible(:

Okay so ppl build up ur confidence and get to work okay, i look forward to see a brand new super duper pro trumpet section!

-vanchia!

2009-05-30T10:21:00.003+08:00

HI ALL!

okay seems like youall are going to play sesame street or sth (since the prev person posted so many videos relating to it) and i seriously hope youall don't find it hard.

if it's the version i remember, then.. IT'S NOT HARD AT ALL. as in, seriously! i've sightread this VERSION before, and it's not hard. in fact it's quite soft LOL haha.

just to remind those who ever read this blog, how good a trumpeter you become depends on yourself, not your sl/seniors/alumni. not that we trying to push the blame away but it's true! we can teach youall EVERYTHING in the world (if that's even possible), but if youall dont want to be the best section, there's no way WE can make you to be the best.

so jiayou! make good use of the holidays to brush up on your playing :D

i'll try to go back and see you guys!

weiting :)

2009-05-30T00:08:00.001+08:00

Here's some videos to give u a better understanding of sesame street so u can play better(:

PEANUT BUTTER!

SING A SONG!

SOMEBODY COME AND PLAY!

C IS FOR COOKIE!

SESAME STREET THEME SONG! U can ignore the back part of the video(:

Here's one for I Could Have Danced All Night!

vanchia!

2009-05-29T22:16:00.000+08:00

Here to post again(:

Okay hope that whatever i told uall today got into your head. please really start practising hard okay, i dun want uall to be the lousiest section in band, we must be the best! Must be more more more confident when u play, dun be afraid to play wrongly, it's better to play something than dun play at all cos at least u learn from ur mistakes.

For now the section's weak in basically everything, i reli dun want to say it but it's the truth. I admit that it's my fault too, i didnt do my best so now hope that i can "atone" for my mistakes.

For a start, i think uall shld start on fundamentals. Fundamentals i've to agree is the most boring thing to train but without fundamentals, u cant play anything. Some tips:

1. Bring home your mouthpieces and buzz for at least 10mins everyday to strengthen your mouth muscles. In this way ur lips wont go tired and out of control easily when u play for a long period of time like for example concerts, where u'll have to continuously play many pieces. it'll be better if u practise buzzing without mouthpiece, just ur lips.

2. Long tones. Damn damn damn important because it helps you refine your tone and train ur stamina. while holding notes try to listen and get the tone you like and prac on it. uall can start from 12secs per note, start from low G and go up the scale chromatically until the highest note you can reach. use a stopwatch, more accurate than mental counting. Many people say that practising long low tones can help you pitch higher, i duno why i works but it really works. so get ur low notes solid before you proceed to holding high notes.

3. Tonguing. Without tonguing you can never play a song. When practising tonguing use a metronome. Can train ur tempo as well. try to learn to tongue as fast as possible so that u wont get tongue tied easily. but dont rush things, start with slow tempo then slowly increase speed.

4. Scales. By now everyone should be able to memorise all the scales, how many sharps and flats in whatever scale, start on wat note. If u havent please strat learning now. Can learn from I Recommend. There's a pattern in memorising them quite difficult to explain here sec3s if you know please teach the juniors. Or can ask me xD

5. I know some of you have got difficulties in sightreading. this requires time to learn so during your free time, take out some scores which notes are within your range and play them. Or u can take scores and write all the notes down on top of each note. As time goes by, ur sightreading should improve.

6. Slurs! In my opinion slurs are easier than tonguing. Use total training to help you. or you can do this, play tuning note, middle G, tuning note again, high E, high G, down to high E and then back to tuning note. Then go down chromatically using different fingerings. This is something louis taught me, can widen ur note range too.

7. Tuning. okay since almost everyone has a tuner, everytime u prac on fundamentals or songs, use the tuner at the same time. And seriously must use it kay, dont just clip it to your bell and leave it on without looking at it. occasionally, look at it to make sure u are not too out of tune, as time goes by, ur tuning will improve. using a tuner when holding long tones can improve ur tuning, while u hold, get it in tune and remember the speed of air, the feeling and the sound of the note.

8. I almost forgot, embouchure! once ur embouchure is wrong u cant play properly, not say cannot play but in the long run, u'll realise you cant go further and improve anymore. so check ur embouchure from time to time to get it right. get vanchua to help uall check. sec1s and 2s it's still not too late to change so if u know that ur embouchure is wrong, please work really hard to change. Chin must be flatten at all times and dont dont dont puff ur cheeks. I know cartoon the people playing trumpet always puff cheeks but that is wrong kay.

9. Tone and blending. If this two components of yours is good, even if you play wrongly, it will sound correct. because it will still be pleasant to the ear. It's the truth kay, though you should try not to play wrongly. Tone you can listen to recordings of trumpeters whose tone you like and try to imitate. will work if u keep listen and work hard towards the tone everyday. i suggest everyone agree on the same tone if not huh, one go train classical tone another one go train jazz tone, then it'll be really funny. Right now the whole section's tone is ugh. all different. those who took part in syf do uall rmber what william told us to do to unite our tone? so please do that. stand in a circle, get the person with the nicest tone in the section to start playing something and everyone imitate. Standing in a circle allows you to hear clearer to one another. Blending into the section uall can do chords, blend into one another's note. if u can hear urself damn clearly, u are sticking out so adjust ur tuning, volume or tone. Blending into the band is quite difficult but achievable. i suggest practising with a clarinetist and blend into him or her. this prevents your tone from going to ear piercing and therefore stck out.

10. stamina. Can go running to build it up so that u can hold longer. and train ur stomach muscles and make use of them. dont go doing 100 sit ups everyday but when u play the trumpet u dont use it to play. when playing, use ur stomach muscle to support the note. u can do an experiment. when u feel like shtting go play the trumpet, u'll realise it's dificult to play properly because once you push ur sotmach muscle, ur shit will come out. then go shit everything out and go play again, u'll realise it's damn easy cos when u shit, u push ur muscle and train it, so when u play, u'll naturally use the muscle too. can train by playing staccatos too, make sure every single staccato note u play, ur body will jerk cos u are pushing. quite retarded but it's fun(:

okay i say 10 1st uall must digest everything. everything comes from my brain so some may be wrong, if got wrong correct me or tell the section. And i want everyone to set a target, what u want to achieve by the end of every week and vanchua please make sure they do it and test them b4 u start sectionals officially okay. ur target can be for example memorising all the notes in a song, getting the right embouchure, getting rhythm correct, able to hold a note for a minute or more, pitching higher notes which you cant now, tuning of particular notes perfect or whatever you think you are weak at. Since it's june holiday uall shld have more time to prac so please make good use of ur time kay. this is what i want everyone to do:

write down your weak and good points and set a target of what you want to achieve this june hol. Must do kay, either u write on a piece of paper and pass to vanchua or u can post on this blog, to keep it alive xD plan by week, like week one what i want to accomplish, week 2, week3 and so on. if u duno what u are weak or good at ask vanchua. everyone must get this done by nxt band prac okay, i'll ask vanchua whether uall did it or not.

Sorry i know i very nosey, i've alrdy stepped down and i should be studying but hor fang4 bu4 xia4 youall. Please please work hard kay, for the sake of the band and urself, im sure uall dun want mr chua to scold uall every prac right, so prove it to him. he said today that he wants us to be the best section in band, so prove it to everyone that uall can do it. I hope that nxt time i go back i'll hear people sing praises about uall okay okay. Can de la, just put ur heart and mind into it. Work towards BEST SECTION IN BAND OKAY!!! Though i not very good but I'll try to come back and help if uall dont mind(:

vanchia(:

2009-05-05T09:14:00.000+08:00

AHHHH ugly photo!!! anyway hihihi 加油 for mye! wa first time blogging here haha. okay i hope the blog doesnt die lah, it's nice and cute, and thankyou very much for including me! yay lol. blog more often! especially sec1s cuz i seriously dont know you guys except for your names.

by the way, yesterday i was going for my interview for my cca (aka pacesetters but thats not the point), and on the way i heard a trumpet! as in tp band de trumpet lah. so first i was thinking, "wa this person's tone not bad", and later it was "i wonder how's my tone?" and then it became "I MISS MY TRUMPET!!!!!"

sheesh. anyway i'll go back to ahband to play my trumpet! hahahaha give youall warning first, i don't think youall will want to be like "AARGHHH WEITING'S HERE!!!" if you see me in ahs haha.

weiting :)

2009-05-03T23:30:00.000+08:00

YAY!
second person to blog. ;D
GAMBATTE FOR MYES(:
although i know im screwed
but nevertheless ADD LOTS OF OIL!(:

-vanessa!(:

2009-04-27T16:22:00.000+08:00

HEY!

All the best for MYE!

Take care of your instruments at the same time, esp. vivian hor, dont let my tpt rot xD

vanessa(:

2009-04-25T00:03:00.000+08:00

HEYHEY.

Not bad right the blog..

Pls say it's nice.

Cos I spent hours to do it xD

Yea anw i made this blog in the hope that the section can be more bonded together, so please do use it to communicate online kay.

Anw handover i had alot of things to say, but couldnt rmber on that day, so i shall say it here.

1st of all i would like to thanks you guys, for accepting mi as who im, though it might be quite difficult to adapt to me in the beginning. thanks for giving mi a chance to contribute to the section as a SL, I noe i may not be a good one, and i duno if uall had enjoyed my sectionals, but i reli enjoyed being the SL of you ppl. It was a difficult job, as the saying "with great power comes great responsibility", and this is why i didnt dare to joke with youall when i took over. I'll nvr forget the time we went for our 1st section outing, to watch kundfu panda. it was a reli fun day. I'll nvr foget the pride i felt when the policeman (eupho player) said that our section improved the most just a few days b4 nbc. I'll nvr forget the joy we shared when we got gold with distinction for nbc, how we hugged one another and feeling unbelievable. I'll nvr forget the heat we endured tgt for ndp, concerts rehearsals and syf rehearsals. I'll nvr forget the disappointment i felt whenever i look down the section during band pracs and see that no one was ninety degrees. I'll nvr forget the day uall cried on 6th april, u may not see it but it reli broke my heart to see youall crying so bitterly non-stop.
Thanks Sharmaine, for your neverending support when we play 1st tpt tgt, though u sometimes pangseh me xD
Thanks vanchua, for always being so quiet and working hard.
Thanks qianlin, for being so sensible and sensitive during sects, and always helping to teach the juniors.
Thanks vivian, for coming every single time, letting mi know that ahband is still a small part of your heart, and for supporting 2nd tpt alone, i know it's tough, but you did it.
Thanks stephanie, for being such a nice junior, nvr giving me problems and perservering despite ur medical conditions.
Thanks Jolene, for always complaining, allowing mi to reflect what i've done and not done, and for being able to support us by playing 3rd for SYF.
Thanks Leonard, for being so crappy, bringing life to the section and for perservering n coming bck despite having difficulties in rhythm and stuff.
Thanks Eunice, for the fun i had by teasing you, and for always coming back for self prac even during the hols, i still feel bad abt chasing you away during march hols, sorry!
Thanks yanyong, for being willing to join tpt section and allowing me to call you humpty dumpty, i've not called you that for a long time le!

I think that's all i've to say, it's reli damn sad to leave, uall will noe it in a few years' time so pls do treasure your time in the section. The most regretful thing is that i failed to solve the problem in our section. so i would like to say compromise for whoever ppl are, think more of their gd points rather than bad points, and u'll find bandlife more meaningful. Work hard and leave with no regrets!(: