[Trombone-l] Blazhevich Clef Studies

[Paul Kemp]

While I agree with much of what the piano pedagogues have given us over the
past 50 years, being a pianist myself, I disagree that exercises are
useless. Repeating them without a definite musical purpose in mind is where
the problem comes in. 

I'll use an analogy from the game of pool. The very first shot that must be
mastered is the stop shot, where the cue ball stops dead in its tracks after
making contact with the object ball. This can only occur when the line of
the shot is absolutely straight in. The stop shot must be learned from all
distances, which means that the further away the cue ball is from the object
ball, the lower the cue ball must be struck in order to insure that the cue
ball is SLIDING, not rolling, when it hits the object ball. If it is
rolling, the cue ball will follow the object ball. The cue ball picks up
friction from the cloth. 

Now, why is it necessary to master this all important shot? Because it is
the foundation of all pool shots. If the shot is not straight in, the cue
ball goes along the tangent line at 90 degrees, and this is extremely
helpful in know where the cue ball is going to go. 

So, one drill that is extremely helpful in mastering the stop shot is to
using the side rails, place the cue ball one diamond from the object ball,
and make the shot in the corner pocket, making the cue ball stop. Then, make
the cue ball stop when it is 2 diamonds from the object ball. The side
pocket counts as a diamond, and if you can get the cue ball to stop when it
is 5 diamonds from the object ball, you have great control of that shot. 

What I'm trying to say is that the hitting the cue ball just ever so
slightly below center is the most common shot in pool. It comes up in every
game. It is the foundation of cue ball control. 

I've seen pool players that practice drills, and I've seen pool players that
just play games. The ones that practice drills will win the largest majority
of the time. The drill situations come up in games all of the time. I have a
great friend who practices playing safe. I've seen him play games where he
leaves his opponents in very nasty places. With the modern rules in 8-ball
and 9-ball of cue ball in hand when you commit a foul, playing safe is more
crucial than ever.  

The trombone players that have a mastery of technical skills to the point
where they don't have to think about them are the ones to be most feared at
auditions. I've seen it happen time and time again. Then, and only then, can
they totally concentrate on making music. 

Paul Kemp            

-----Original Message-----
From: trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu
[mailto:trombone-l-bounces at maillists.samford.edu] On Behalf Of Richardson,
Timothy Mr. DAC USAG Franconia DPW
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 10:26 AM
To: JENKINS,JOHN J; Chris Waage; trombone-l at samford.edu
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Blazhevich Clef Studies

I'm not sure there is much benefit in going through worst case scenarios
that you are unlikely to see, given that practice time is finite and there
are nasty scenarios out there that you are sure to see.

This probably also applies to exercises in 12 keys.  Realistically 3 or 4 is
all you will play for most styles.  Doing the other eight feels like paying
dues, but probably the benefits are not worth the time.  

It is interesting that in piano there is a large school of thought that says
exercises are useless.  Technique should be learned solely through the
repertoire.  Technique learned through the old standards (Hanon, et al) is
subtly different and most of the time spent on it is wasted, when you could
be playing music and getting the same or better results.

Of course piano has such a large body of literature you can easily find a
series of progressively more difficult pieces to answer any need.  Trombone
may not have that advantage.  But some of what we do may not be productive.
If I do lip slurs in all 7 positions, knowing I will never use more than 3
of them, is that the best use of what time I have?  Not sure.  

-----Original Message-----
From: JENKINS,JOHN J [mailto:posaune at ufl.edu] 
Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 19:59
To: Chris Waage; trombone-l at samford.edu
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Blazhevich Clef Studies

I like how the Blazehvich book gives you a rigorous workout (mentally and
physically) and gets you prepared for a "worst case scenario", but the
problem is that there ISN'T a worst case scenario in most literature (i.e.,
there aren't excessive/frequent transitions into all 3 clefs), which leads
me to feel that the Blazehvich book is highly useful, but not necessarily a
necessity. 
There are many other books that would be just as useful.



John Jenkins
University of Florida
Grad Teaching Assistant
M.M. Trombone Performance Candidate
118 MUB P.O. Box 117900
Gainesville, Fl 32611-7900
352-745-8185
posaune at ufl.edu


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