Subscribe RSSWhat kinda of Trumpet did Miles Davis play? What key and which product line?
Q: I want to start playing jazz trumpet and want to follow in Davis' footsteps. What kind of trumpet did he play?
A: From what I remember, Miles played custom made Martin Committe trumpets.
As far as mouthpieces go, Holton carries the Heim 2 mouthpiece which is supposed to be the same size as what Miles played. I played on that mouthpiece for about 10 years and it had a great sound, but switched a few years ago to a Warburton system. Some quick research on the web indicates Kanstul made a limited run of what they call an exact replica of Mile's mouthpiece: http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/content/view/4241/39/
Also I must agree with four_to_the_fourth_power (first one to answer). Buying a new horn can be an expensive prospect, Martin Committee's for example are > $1500. If you really want to follow in Mile's footsteps, an exact replica of his horn and mouthpiece won't hurt, but it won't make you sound like Miles. I recommend trying a bunch of different horn & mouthpiece combinations until you find the sound you're looking for. And of course, there is no substitute for a good practice regimen.
Another thing I suggest is familiarizing yourself with all of his recordings (be patient, there are many). Try to transcribe some of his solos as well. you'll find he uses some melodic devices in many of his solos throughout his career. For example, check out his frequently used pattern of up one half step down a whole step up one half step down one whole step, a type of broken descending chromatic scale.
I highly recommend picking up his autobiography. It won't teach you how to play like him, but it will definitely give you a deeper understanding of him. There are other biographies and documentary films you can check out, but I would go for the autobiography first.
Lastly, it's good to want to follow in any great jazz musician's footsteps (especially Miles), but try not to forget that what makes a jazz musician great is the uniqueness of his or her own voice.
Hope this helps,
-Jivechops
The brand makes very little difference; most manufacturers offer "student," "intermediate," and "professional" quality models. Learn the basics before you put a lot of money down on a pro horn; a great horn will make a great player sound better, but a poor player sounds poor no matter what he's playing.