Eric Miyashiro | Warm-up excercises for trumpet players | Interview | Thomann

I was fortunate to play in a few trumpet sections with Eric at Berklee in 1983. He was as sweet and kind then as he appears on this video. He is a natural teacher and helped me improve my music reading. He had a powerful presence and was wise beyond his years, even though he was only 20yo then.

This guy is amazing. He was lead trumpet in the "McDonald's High School ALL-AMERICAN Band" the year I played in it. McDonald's corp use to sponsor the band of 2 HS students from each state. It was very competitive, and it was an extremely high level ensemble. We performed in Carnegie Hall. Eric Played he Hell out of the Jazz Band Lead Trumpet book!!! AND he was a VERY nice guy too. If you read these comments Eric....Hi, this is Joe the Principal French Horn player from Miami, FL. I am now a Yamaha Artist as well! Great to hear this awesome interview! You're still "The Man!" All the best my friend!

Eric is the complete package deal. He has a fantastic warm, fat sound whether he's playing low and midrange or off in the stratosphere. His jazz chops are magnificent -- listen to some of the runs he does in his solos --- it's just so delicious to listen to - and as an arranger, he is top shelf. How can someone be so humble? His contemporary horn players also love him.

I just started playing the trumpet at age 41 and I cannot believe it took me so long to discover how great of an instrument it actually is for me. I loved to sing before I started playing, but somehow, playing the trumpet opened up my vocal range and I can now sing harmony, simply by training by ear on the trumpet. I am worried about my lips. Already I feel the inside of my lips getting raw from the pressure of the mouthpiece. Listening to Eric Miyashiro talk about his progression into music is so much like me, and his way of doing things, his approach is how I approach music too, like your friend and teacher. Glad I found this interview!

I had the good fortune to stand six feet away from Eric while he rehearsed Maynard's version of MacArthur Park. He navigated the entire chart beautifully, and when he played that famous bridge—wow. The few times I've chatted with him, Eric's been incredibly nice and just plain cool. Phenomenal player, good guy.

I love the fact that he wasn't afraid to admit his mistakes and the way he approached them. Cool, dude!

Eric sounds to me like a very kind, soft spoken man. I'm very impressed!

A real good interview. It was great to hear Eric’s story and opinions on the trumpet. The interviewer was great because he let Eric talk a lot.

What a wonderful interview! Eric you're far too modest! If you had problems playing lead for Buddy, I've yet to hear a clip showing that on all the Youtube videos that feature you on his band or any others for that matter. When I played lead trumpet on Buddy's band in 1984, at the end of our first tour I developed a major cut on my upper lip. Buddy told me, "Kid, put some Nu-Skin on it! " I looked at him like he was crazy, as it had just come out and I'd never hear of it. I discovered it's very much like SuperGlue!™ Idiot that I was, I went to the nearest drug store, bought it and put it right on the cut just before going onstage. Though it did hold the skin together like cement, it was so brittle, I couldn't get a sound from the horn, because it wouldn't allow my lip to vibrate! I thus had to pull it off, making the cut worse than before, but I somehow tried to play with less pressure and more efficient breath control and somehow God got me through it, until the end of that tour which was only a few days away! I learned to play smarter and let my wonderful 2nd trumpet player Dana Watson do the heavy lifting, though I never laid out of any unisons, just dropped the volume to influence but let him lead those sections, so that I could play the key lead parts with command without running out of gas. Love your Maurice Andre story and your comments on warming up! The only thing I might slightly differ with you about is the Claude Gordon Systematic Approach which saved my career after I had a really terrible slip and fall accident. To me of all the grunt work "chop" books, Claude Gordon at least also has one playing; Arban's, St. Jacome and Herbert Clarke materials with it, so it does include more actual music than say the Louis Maggio System or James Stamp (which I also like along with Boyde Hood's mouthpiece buzzing exercises). In the last couple years I re-discovered open buzzing (without the mouthpiece) and like you, prefer to start with it! You are essentially correct! it's far better to find a way to musically play in the upper register incrementally like Maynard did picking a melody and transposing it into higher keys after mastering it in the lower key, than just pursue them like a power weight lifter. Have a great remainder of your European tour! Wishing your lip speedy healing! You're on of today's finest trumpeters, need I say more?

Eric, you made a great decision when you refused to study with the negative teacher at such a young age. I am sure that many of us might have gone farther had we been smart enough to do the same. You are a great example to all of us. Thank you!

very interesting fellow that Eric Miyashiro

What a fresh breeze..his obsession with music..boy, it’s stunning. His approach to instrument, clearly opposite to many brass musicians. I feel Eric can play on any horn and be a champion. Specially, I like his thoughts about warm up v.s good tone memory, PHENOMENAL! (‘french horn amateur here, me playing in between jobs, biotech is stress, my horn is a getaway…)

It is so amazing that Eric learned to play trumpet without lessons! He is such a great player and has such a beautiful sound/tone. Great interview. Thanks!

Wow. Mouth piece warm up so contrary to what all brass teachers ever said but his explanation makes perfect sense.

He's a national treasure.

Mr. Miyashiro seems like such an interesting guy to me. I definitely look up to him not only as a trumpet player, but as an individual.

Eric seems like such a kind, down to earth guy, what an incredible trumpet player!!!!

My mom her cousins husband is friends with Eric and it is great to see this many people knowing him!

I've watched this interview a number of times over the last view years and it gets better every time! Thank you, Eric! Such a valuable set of ideas and experiences!

I first heard Eric when we were in high school in opposing football/pep bands at a game. Their band played "Gonna Fly Now" and I heard the Maynard solos flying away. I grabbed a pair of binoculars from someone, looked at that person playing the Maynard licks, and said to my friends, "Damn, that girl can play!" Although Eric didn't have his signature long hair yet, his skin was very... shall I say... smooth. I met him a few years later, as he was really making a name for himself locally. Since then, it was great to see him flourish year after year to international heights as he is now. Great guy. Right on Eric! Thanks for posting this interview... great perspective on horn playing... as always. Aloha!!