[Trombone-l] Playing musiaclly

Thu Mar 2 14:48:16 CST 2006

Another teaching trick that seems uniquely to be a gift that the 
(presumeably) more experienced teacher can give the student:

Undiscovered alternatives.

Say my student is an admirer of one artist in particular or he/she knows 
about several artists. . .I try to find the ones that they have not thought 
about yet.  I'll explain how I understand these artists do their thing. . 
maybe what their philosophy is. . .why they might be considered to have 
merit.   To use a Trumpet example:

Say my student is a fan of Maynard.  I'll point out that they should also 
check out Doc Severinsen.  I'll mention that both players can serve as lead, 
with Doc leaning more toward the conventional range and not the absolute 
stratosphere.  I'll point out the times when both these players demonstrate 
all their different skills.  We'll listen to some things they might not have 
already heard and try to apply the lessons to our own development (e.g. if 
we're just now exploring proper loud playing I might point out that the band 
we are listening to is alternatively playing very loud and much less loud. . 
.with equal finesse).

If the player already knows about Doc and Maynard maybe I'll play something 
by Rafael Mendez.  I'm trying to expand their vocabulary. . .their 
appreciation and understanding of the vastness of music and musical style, 
at the same time I point out the many common elements.

You can go on like this over a great time exploring the entire field of 
music and musical style.  You could, for example get into a whole symposium 
about how trombone players fit into dixieland music. . .I've got just the 
introduction--a couple of excellent Louis Armstrong DVDs.  In it, Teagarden 
and Trummy Young both show how someone might fit in with Satch.   Here again 
I'd probably show some examples of how these small group players are able to 
produce loud playing without sounding obnoxious (unless that is the goal).

Chris

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Tune" <crtune at adelphia.net>
To: "Jackie Harris-Stone" <bassboneladymail at yahoo.com>; 
<trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Trombone-l] Playing musiaclly

> Sounds like you teach very much like I do.  I've found that students
> appreciate it if you find interesting material which illustrates what you
> are conveying.  Example:
>
> I figured out that the LSO, while playing "The Imperial March" in the 
> movie
> "The Empire Strikes Back" was doing a perfect example of loud orchestral
> playing.  The trombone section is playing the melody most of the time, and
> they are in unison.  The "real loud" trombone sound (nonetheless, quite
> "controlled" and impressive) is there and serves as an example of the type
> of sound a trombone section getst when the music is martial and marked 
> loud,
> or very loud.
>
> So, I transcribed the tune and printed it out so all my students would be
> able to play it.
>
> Also, we spoke about HOW to get this sound.  We discussed how there would 
> be
> a need to actually practice loud.  Also, we discussed how this volume 
> level
> requires really putting some effort into blowing. . . BUT we actually back
> off somewhat from the point where our tone is now out of control.  I 
> pointed
> out that the more experience you get, the more you are able to "reach out"
> to very, very loud. . .without going over the cliff into "blatty".    The
> key, of course, is to practice it.
>
> Also, regardless of what you are trying to express. . .sound (i.e. playing
> it for them. . .playing recordings where an orchestra or a player or small
> group is doing what you are talking about) will really do the trick of
> establishing a concept.  We humans have a tremendous ability to remember
> sound.  It may be true that musicians have a natural aptitude for 
> committing
> sounds to memory.  I know I personally will always look at any kind of 
> sound
> that has a new, and/or different quality to it.
>
> Since I'm reading a book that covers this (Bruce Swedien's "Make Mine
> Music") I'd also point out that it is important to have available STEREO
> sound source (of course anything live is perfect. . .but boom boxes come 
> in
> both mono - i.e. cheap and stereo. . .less cheap).  This because humans 
> also
> are great "localizers" of sound.  The direction that sound is coming from 
> is
> also very important.
>
> I especially like this topic.  This can help virtually anyone in 
> music--even
> those not currently playing or teaching, but rather just appreciating (and 
> I
> HOPE this is the largest group of all. . .).
>
> Chris
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jackie Harris-Stone" <bassboneladymail at yahoo.com>
> To: <trombone-l at server5.samford.edu>
> Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 11:09 AM
> Subject: [Trombone-l] Playing musiaclly
>
>
>>A few ideas that have helped for me: (I teach two universities, and a
>>pre-college program, with past experience at various levels from
>>kindergarten to community band)
>>
>>
>>    A. dynamic range:
>>
>>    You can say "play more dynamics until you're blue in the face", but
>> younger players especially don't learn until they've done it, so I get
>> groups to play a passage as loud as they can and as soft as they can, and
>> then find a piece in the music with dynamic contrast to appy it to, then
>> backing off on the "as loud as you can" to make it tasteful. Then THEY
>> won't settle for bland as easily, though it takes reinforcement.
>>
>>  B. Articulation.  Practice, and talk about, different stylistic
>> articulations- do they know what a short and long accent look like?  And
>> bring out the styles- "in this piece,  back off on the whole notes; in
>> this piece, sustain them.  Teach them to play lightly- like mini-forte
>> pianos, and you have a great tool in your arsenal.
>>
>>  C. Style:  I've found in solo playing, really relating moods to talking-
>> an "angry piece" has short phrases, accents, and is generally low and
>> loud- like when you talk angrily- sad pieces are slow, soft, like when 
>> you
>> talk sadly. I've done this with kindergarten and 1st grade classes, and
>> they can change a "mary had a little lamb" that's happy to sad or mad or
>> excited or scared by changing articulation, range, dynamics, and speed, 
>> so
>> your groups should have no problem!  Apply as you wish.
>>
>>    B. Rhythmic shape.
>>
>>    I loved Mr. Abramson's rhythmic elements at Juilliard, and I pass it
>> on, because it's easily accessible to Jr. highers.  Basically,  teach 
>> them
>> the general shape of rhthym in a bar.  Mr. Kleinhammer will disagree with
>> me, but the shape Abramson uses of used of ONE the strongest, 2 the
>> softest, with 3 (4, 5, etc) gradually louder, with a HUGE crescendo from
>> the last beat of the bar to the first makes the most sense to me
>> musically.
>>
>>    Then, teach the exceptions.  In melodies, longer notes accented notes,
>> the highest note in a phrase, the lowest note in a phrase, notes 
>> following
>> jumps greater than a 4th, notes with harmonic tension, ornaments, and
>> syncopations all receive accents (I call it weight when I teach).  I 
>> teach
>> the longer notes, and higher and lowest notes first, then jumps of more
>> than a fourth.
>>
>>
>>  And, the most effective of all, play with them and for them, and play
>> CD's.  I currently have three students each place I teach, so to do
>> quartets, I "had" to join in. (Getting paid to play quartets- not to
>> shabby!)  I think, especially with my most advanced program, playing with
>> them, especially when I'm talking about style, has helped their 
>> musicality
>> more than 100 lectures.
>>
>>
>> Jackie Harris-Stone
>> Bass Trombone, Orquesta Sinfonica de Monterrey
>> Professor of Trombone, Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza,
>> Professor of Low Brass, UANL
>>
>> ---------------------------------
>> Yahoo! Mail
>> Bring photos to life! New PhotoMail  makes sharing a breeze.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Trombone-l mailing list
>> Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
>> http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Trombone-l mailing list
> Trombone-l at maillists.samford.edu
> http://maillists.samford.edu/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l
> 