GR Consultant David Thomas
Dave, how did you get started on trumpet?
In sixth grade, the school band director went around to all the classrooms and
played trumpet to recruit for band. I thought the sound was so clear! I was
hooked. The school didn't have a trumpet, though, so I ended up playing the
euphonium until the end of seventh grade, when I got a trumpet of my own.
I quickly took to the euphonium and within a couple of months, was performing in
front of the school band. I got a lot of individual instruction from the band
director but moved out of state in seventh grade and had to teach myself
trumpet. I was absolutely awful. The euphonium was so much easier and more
intuitive for me. In spite of how tough the trumpet was, I still loved it.
My high school band director told me I should quit the trumpet and stick with
euphonium, because the trumpet wasn't my "true calling". Of course, I didn't
listen to him. I started taking lessons with David Gauger, the principal
trumpet of the Tulsa Philharmonic, previously the principal of Hong Kong
Symphony. He was a very good player and a very serious person. However, I was
15 at the time and I didn't understand how to practice, or how to solve my own
problems. Gauger eventually got too busy to teach and recommended that I
study with Steve Haefner,
the new second trumpeter.
Steve had just arrived from the Eastman School of Music after studying with
Charlie Geyer. Steve was a profound influence! During our first lesson, he
looked at me and said, "You could be a great trumpeter". I was shocked. No one
had ever said that to me. Steve started me on Arban's, Clarke Technical
Studies, and Earl D Iron's Lip Slurs, Russian etudes and Rubank advanced
etudes. Steve was so enthusiastic and caring-he would literally yell at me with
excitement if he liked how I played something. I did what he told me to do,
practicing 30-45min/day. After one month, I won a city-wide audition for the
only trumpet opening in the Tulsa Youth Symphony. A month after that I beat 50
trumpeters to take first chair in regional honor band and then went on to win a
spot in the All-State Orchestra. I owe a lot to Steve and he is still one of
the greatest trumpeters I have ever heard.
Where
did you go to school and with whom did you study?
My senior year, I applied to U of
Wisconsin Madison, Wichita State, and Kansas University, and auditioned for the
Navy Music Program. I was accepted to all four but thought the Navy was the
best option. I enlisted, went to boot camp (even played trumpet in the boot
camp band) and attended the Navy's School of Music in Virginia Beach. I loved
the school and studied with Norman Norris, a great classical player who had
played with the NY Met and was a lot like Haefner. He had me doing a lot of
Charlier, Arban's, and Vizzutti Methods.
I got stationed in New Orleans, performing in a big band, concert band, brass
quintet, jazz combo, and of course as a bugler. I was the youngest member of
the band-most had their bachelors or masters in music. I got my ass seriously
kicked by some great players. I performed a wide range of music, doing about
3-5 gigs a week, in addition to rehearsing 3-6 hours a day. The Navy experience
helped me get work on cruise ships after my enlistment was up. That was the
toughest playing I have ever done and was probably the most valuable experience
for my development musically. I got to practice with and learn from guys that
played with Maynard Ferguson and Ray Charles, as well as some of the
top musicians from New York. It was all hands-on and there was so much pressure
to do things flawlessly. The musicians were so skilled and mature. My playing
got a lot stronger and I got to see the world in style-the time of my life!
What trumpet playing challenges did you have to overcome?
I had problems with everything. GR's attack studies and leadpipe drills
helped build range and play correctly without too much mouthpiece pressure.
When done properly, the Adam's routine (long tones, Clarke studies, and
Schlossberg drills) help tremendously with tone and evenness.
Who are your musical influences today?
Miles, Stevie Wonder, Stan
Getz, Sting, Branford, Tower of Power, Wynton's classical recordings,
Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy, Cleveland under Szell, Chicago under Solti,
Mussoursky, Mahler, Bach.
What gigs do you play? Any interesting gig stories?
I've played in funk bands, latin bands, jazz
combos, big bands, brass quintets, philharmonics, cruise ships bands. One of my
most memorable gigs was backing up a Chinese hammer dulcimer player off the
coast of India. Entertainers were hard to come by and he came on board and
wanted to do Brubeck's Take Five. He played Desmond's solo verbatim except it
didn't swing. It sounded like Dr. Evil singing the Macarena.
Do
you teach or conduct clinics?
I've taught over 10,000 private lessons. Clients range anywhere from 9 year olds to college professors. Beginner to pros. I've taught clinics at elementary schools, high schools, and colleges. I also manage my own school of music, www.davidthomasschoolofmusic.com.
Describe your first meeting with GR.
GR was generous enough to spend 12 hours with me. It was the greatest trumpet lesson I ever got. I got a serious butt kicking. I thought I knew a lot about the trumpet. GR explained the facts of playing and what causes mistakes. He also explained the limits of players and equipment and how to discern between equipment issues and playing issues.
As a GR Consultant, what are the typical playing / equipment issues you see with customers?
Too much mouthpiece pressure, neck tension, and manipulation of the embouchure. Most issues stem from a mismatch in equipment and a misunderstanding of how the trumpet works with the mouthpiece and embouchure. Not only did GR show me how to diagnose equipment and playing problems, he showed me how to train and fix them.
Any final thoughts?
I believe that everyone has music inside of them but some feel they don't have the "talent". That word is thrown around way too much. A good teacher and diagnostician can bring the music out of a person and, most importantly, build self- confidence and consistency. I feel that's what GR's research and training has done for me, and that's in addition to his unbelievable mouthpieces. GR has taken the voodoo out of trumpet playing and given concrete, tested solutions. In the years I have known GR, he and his entire staff have shown the highest levels of integrity and character, always working harder and caring more about others than themselves. I became a dealer with the goals of learning from GR and helping others the way GR has helped me.
Dave Thomas is available for GR Consultations and Trumpet Lessons.
(651) 270-8776