Candidate A, Candidate B..and my Time Travel Mind-Reading Machine

Now approaches the season when high school players contact me about trombone lessons. Usually at the top of their agenda is the upcoming all-state audition.

Often the audition solo starts out with a soft passage..that's the case this year.

Imagine two people auditioning against each other.

Candidate A - plays a good soft dynamic but doesn't get a good sound

Candidate B - gets a good sound but doesn't play soft enough.

Yes, I know you all want to be Candidate C who plays both with a good soft dynamic AND with good sound. Suppose you can't quite do that...yet.

You have two approaches.

Always sound good and player softer and softer

or

Always play soft and sound gooder and gooder

(ok, grammer purists..."better and better"...whatever)

So, that student is in the lesson with me and I have to give advice. I can either say:

"No matter what, get a good sound even if you have to play a little too loud."

or

"No matter what, follow those dynamics even if your sound is a little weak."

What's the right advice?

Well, I only need to hop into my new-fangled contraption the...

TIME TRAVEL MIND-READING MACHINE!

(early prototype shown below...patent pending)

I simply jump into the machine, travel forward in time and read the judge's mind as to which is the higher priority. Then I zip back and let the student know which way to go.

Easy.

Until the final product is available, I recommend that you spend more time learning to play soft with a good sound. I've heard it's possible....theoretically.

Don't lose the sound as you add the sizzle

A quick thought...

We all want to deliver a compelling performance.

We all want a good sound.

Sometimes that pursuit of musical excitement can get in the way of the good sound.

Sometimes that pursuit of good sound can get in the way of musical excitement.

Don't lose the sound as you add the sizzle.

(and don't lose the sizzle as you improve the sound)

This seems to be something I constantly struggle with. I have had too many performances where, in going for musical excitement I lose control of my sound. It's all about maintaining that beautiful balance.

ITF Reflections #2: Bousfield, volume and timbre

Here's another interesting tidbit from Ian Bousfield's master class at the International Trombone Festival...

He described a 'typical' comment from an American player:

"I like this trombone. I can go from soft to loud without the timbre changing too much"

He contrasted this with a typical European player:

"I like this trombone. I can go from soft to loud and get a nice change in timbre"

So, in his view (if I understand correctly), Europeans want a greater variety of timbre in their playing.

Here's a corollary idea - as a trombone gets louder, the sound gets brighter. It would seem that, from Bousfield's perspective, Americans view this as a problem and Europeans view this as an advantage.

I could imagine an American complaining, "This trombone gets too bright when I play loud."

I could imagine a European complaining, "I have to play too loud to get the brightness I want."

A while back, I got called on short notice to fill on playing principal with the Charlotte Symphony. The main piece on the program was Symphonie Fantastique. The guest conductor (who was Swiss I think), kept egging me on to play louder and shorter. He also asked me to attack the notes with more and more accent. We were sitting right behind the trumpets and the first trumpet was none too pleased with my assault on the back of his head. Whenever I backed off, however, the conductor got on me to play out more. He even said, "First trombone, I want you to play those notes as loud and accented as possible." (not something you often hear in an orchestra rehearsal).

Finally, I opened up more and played in a style I would normally reserve for the loudest shout sections in a jazz band. This evoked a big smile and a 'thumbs-up' from the conductor while my trumpet colleague's ears turned red with anger. Tough spot to be in.

Looking back on it, I wonder if the conductor was wanting a more brilliant sound and I was just having to play that loud to give him the timbre he wanted.

Interesting.

Frisbee Tone

Here's an analogy I sometimes use...

A note starts with a little wobble and then settles down and steadies. This sometimes makes me think of a frisbee. Notice that, when thrown, a frisbee sometimes wobbles a bit before settling down.

If only we could get right to the steady tone and bypass the wobble.

Why does the wobble happen? Well, I'm not sure there's one reason. I notice this more often with bass trombonists.

On lower notes, I often see students blowing with an air stream that is too fast/forced. Other times it seems as if the lips are trying to buzz the wrong pitch and need to be "fixed" into place by the instrument.

How to fix that wobble? Buzz some notes and make sure they're centered. On the instrument, try some breath attacks. Make sure you don't use an explosion of air to start a note.

Tone vs. Sound

OK, I'm going out on a limb here.

We often use the terms "tone" and "sound" interchangeably.

For me, someone's sound seems to have more components than than just the timbre of the sound waves emanating from their bell.

What do you think of this diagram?













Why the question mark by vibrato? I think vibrato plays a role in phrasing as well. Some players incorporate it as a fundamental component of the sound, others employ it more to move a phrase along. Vibrato seems to live in both worlds.

I invite all comments/criticisms.

"Note Shape" refers to the degree of attack at the front of a note as well as the kind taper at the end of a note.

"YouTubin" for Tone

OK, I had a "first" today: YouTube as a teaching tool.

I quickly linked to YouTube to help make a point about a relaxed, beautiful low range.

What songs did I search?
Ol' Man River and
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.

Enjoy (and think about resonance!)

Paul Robeson




Bing Crosby

It seems so simple...

I'll start with a story from a former student. He was studying with Jim Markey and struggling with Bolero. Then Markey said something that seemed to really help (I'm paraphrasing here, of course)...

"Can you make that sound better?"

Hmm, so simple it seems silly. But.....it worked.

I tried it today in a few lessons. When the student seemed to be wrapped up in some detail or other, I'd simply suggest, "Can you make that sound good?" or "Make those notes sound good."

..... it worked every time.

Shouldn't this be obvious??

Still, I even tried it on myself and...it worked.

Sometimes the simple stuff is the most profound.

Try it:
In your next practice session, remind yourself, "Make each note sound good."

As Jacobs would say, "Make every note worth $50."

(of course, with inflation, each note has probably risen to $72.50 or, if you're using gas prices as a model, $465.99)

Bowling for Tone

Great masterclass by Matt Guilford today! I took notes and, time permitting, will post them here.

In the meantime, here's an image that has popped up in teaching lately:

I like to think of "letting go" of the tone. Start it full, and let it roll.
For some reason, this makes me think of a smooth delivery in bowling...

Well, use it if it helps.

Alessi Seminar Notes, Day 9, ...the Last Day

Please note:

These entries from the Alessi Seminar are not a literal transcript. I took written notes and then typed them up. I have made every effort to be accurate but, as you might expect, each blog entry is a meager substitute for actually being there.

Remember that many of the things Mr. Alessi says in these masterclasses are in the context of addressing the needs of a particular student and should not be seen as universal mandates to be mindlessly followed.

If you are serious about pursuing musical excellence on the trombone, there is no substitute for actually attending one of Mr. Alessi's seminars. You'll be glad you did.

On this final day of the Alessi seminar, we had the usual morning warm-up (it was my turn to do the warm-up for the participants), the last masterclass and, in the evening, a great party at an area restaurant.

I should note that I have been describing the schedule for the participants. Each afternoon the auditors had masterclasses running, I believe, from 2:30-5:00. These classes were run by Pete Ellefson
Although I didn't attend any of Pete's classes (hey, I need to practice sometime!) I spoke to a number of auditors and they said he did a great job!

This morning's schedule was:
Adam Johnson - Jongen Aria and Polonaise (2nd half)
Daniel Brady - excerpts
An auditor - Mahler's 3rd
An auditor - Rota Concerto
A final chat with Mr. Alessi

Here are my notes:

• When you perform, don't put the stand in front of you. "The audience wants to see you, not the stand."
• For a rapid dotted-eighth, sixteenth rhythms, he again suggested pulling the tongue further back in the mouth.
• He talked about the importance of focusing your practice both on the technical side and the musical side. "You have to pay homage to each one and then they become one." He doesn't believe that, if you only focus on musicality, the technique will come.
• "I think that air flow and relaxation comes from good musical decisions."
• He talked about the need to perform more than just the orchestral repertoire. "Where do we get to express ourselves in the literature? Maybe once every three years."
• He talked about trombonists being "a little bit lazy" in not getting together often enough to work with pianists. It really bothers him to hear any trombonist play out of tune with the piano.
• He reminded the student to always keep things interesting, dynamically.

The Creation

• After the student's momentary false start, he said "Once you commit yourself to that first note, it has to come out." (no matter what it sounds like)
• At one point, he asked the student, "Would you vote for that?" (in an audition) Later, after the student had made a few adjustments he commented that he would have voted for that last performance in a professional audition.
• Don't ever play tentative. Just go for it.
• If you get nervous and start to hear those voices in your head, "replace the voices with musical things." Start thinking about the tune and then just start playing. He demonstrated by singing a passage then breathing and playing in time.
• For the rests in this excerpt, he advised the student to breathe through the whole rest, not just at the very end.

Fountains of Rome

• Be sure to start your breath early enough so you are ready to fire on time.
• He used the phrase "always three to one" to describe beat groupings:

• He suggested that, in this excerpt, perhaps the breathing should not be symmetrical and predictable.
• To improve intonation consistency, he suggested playing this excerpt (and others) very slowly at least once a day to "sweep the area for pitch."
• He cited a quote from virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman, "The slower you practice, the faster you progress. The faster you practice, the slower you progress."
• Concerning how many breaths to take in these sostenuto passages he advised, "You have to be a magician and figure what you need and what you don't need."
• Don't lose time on the half notes in an effort to "make them as big as a house."
• All these details, (especially rhythm and intonation) separate the 2% from the other 98%.
• Concerning an early breath taken in the passage shown above, he said, "When you get to the main event, why would you want to breathe after that first note?" He pointed out this was the time to show off your stuff.
• Regarding your sheet music, he advised us to save everything we ever play. Then, in the future, you can take the music back out and restart where you left off.
• Don't be late after taking breaths. The time has to be solid when you come up to breathe.
• Concerning the process of fixing an out-of-tune passage by identifying a problem note he said, "What's the main culprit? Find it."
• Concerning keeping the low brass section rhythmically tight in one section he advised placing the sixteenth note directly on the downbeat:

• Get an ipod and make a collection of the orchestral repertoire. Get three of four versions of the same piece. "It's kind of a monumental task but start with one piece and build from there."
• He noted that a lot of bass trombonists don't bother to learn the score. They just know the excerpt passage.

Mahler 3

• He noted that this is a tricky solo to play. "With this solo, you have to go for it but not go out of control."
• Make sure the air doesn't get too fast. He recommended, "A nice big sound, nothing more than that." He also advised, "Don't blow yourself out of the pocket."
• Building on this idea further he advised us to retain our good sound. He pointed out, "There's a slot where every note goes. Are you in that slot?"
• He talked about remaining calm even though the music can become very intense, even threatening. He advised us to separate ourselves from the music somewhat so we don't become too involved and lose control.
• As a demonstration of relaxed air, he held up the student's hand and blew warm air against it.
• In describing the ideal attack, he raised the analogy of a stereo system already playing music with the speakers turned off. You flick the speaker switch on and you get "immediate sound."
• He also advised that the notes should "sound like bricks" and not become distorted.
• He doesn't feel that alternate positions have much value here. "Go for the best possible sound, not convenience."
• In playing loud, he said, "Less, sometimes, is more." He gave an analogy of great golfers and their effortless approach.
• He also suggested that one might practice this excerpt in the manner of a Bordogni etude noting that, "we forget that these things are melodies."
• For younger players, he suggested not starting out trying to play too loudly and then add volume over time rather than trying to hammer away at it.
• He demonstrated the excerpt, observing, "You see, I'm using a lot less energy than you but it's twice as big."
• He broke one passage down into its component intervals stressing the importance of correctly hearing these intervals.
• He noted that a lot of young players tend to play sharp. He cited two possible causes: blowing too fast and measuring off the bell with the finger.
• For younger players, he said that now is your chance to get the notes in tune. Then it will sound bigger later.
• When going to the low A, you're not supposed to increase your air speed. Decrease it.
• In trying to get the student not to move the bell around so much he suggested, "try to make your amplifier more consistent."
• "Things sound better when it feels easier. There's a direct correlation."
• In not crossing that fine line between exciting and out-of-control, he suggested the "2% solution." I believe he meant playing a loud passage 2% softer. Just back off a bit.
• When you see the music get exciting, don't lose control. He used the phrase, "fortissimo with some intelligence."
• Peter Ellefson observed from the audience that, as he watched the waveform of the audio software recording the masterclass, it was possible to actually see the difference in tone between Mr. Alessi's tone and the student's. Pete also noted that more effort doesn't necessarily translate into more sound.
• Joe advised that student to "take a snapshot and ask yourself, 'Is this best sound I can play with?' "

(end of Mahler coaching)

• Concerning tongue placement in the high range, he noted that, the higher you go in the scale, the more tongue placement is important.
• He pointed out that, as a general rule, when you play louder, use less tongue. The opposite is true for playing softer.

At the end Mr. Alessi came out to sit in the audience and field more questions. He had many more stories to tell and wonderful pieces of advice but I opted not to take notes at this point.

I guess you just had to be there.

This is the end of my written notes for the Alessi seminar.

A Final Comment:

I would like to thank Mr. Alessi for conducting this seminar. I was consistently impressed not only by his spectacular playing but his consistent work ethic and clear commitment to helping each student.

I had heard stories of Mr. Alessi's intensity and was quite nervous about playing for him for the first time. As one former student put it, "He sets the same expectations for you that he sets for himself." Throughout the week, I found him not only intense but very positive. When a student played well, he was quick to praise them. On many occasions, he would say something like, "That was perfect," or "Very nice playing." You knew that this wasn't hollow praise of the "atta- boy" variety. If he praised you, you had earned it.

If something wasn't up to standard, he wasn't going to let it slide. But I never found any of his criticisms throughout the week to be anything less than fair and professional. If his own playing wasn't up to his personal standards he would try again and sometimes apologized to the audience if he didn't feel he was playing well enough. (I should have such bad days!)

Mr. Alessi was consistently hard-working, polite, highly focused and completely sincere in his efforts to help everyone who attended this seminar. This set a tone of mutual respect and professionalism that made the seminar a very positive learning experience for everyone involved.

As Pete Ellefson put it at the beginning, some students say they can't afford to attend this seminar. He added that, if you are serious about making it as professional musician on the trombone, you can't afford not to.

I agree.

Alessi Seminar Notes, Day 4 (part 1) ... Rhythm is King

Please note:

These entries from the Alessi Seminar are not a literal transcript. I took written notes and then typed them up. I have made every effort to be accurate but, as you might expect, each blog entry is a meager substitute for actually being there.

Remember that many of the things Mr. Alessi says in these masterclasses are in the context of addressing the needs of a particular student and should not be seen as universal mandates to be mindlessly followed.

If you are serious about pursuing musical excellence on the trombone, there is no substitute for actually attending one of Mr. Alessi's seminars. You'll be glad you did.

This morning's master class featured the following performers:
Casey Thomas - Wilder Sonata (starting with the last movement and working back)
Miguel Rivera - Sulek Sonata
Josh Bynum - Salzedo Piece Concertante
Quartet (Compton, Rivera, Lange, Bremer) - Spaniola AMS
Orchestra Section - Passages from Wagner's Die Walkure

Here are some comments (I took a lot of notes!):

• He pointed out that all is not lost when you feel nervous. When you feel nerves kick in, don't panic.
• "When I go on stage, I like to put myself in a little box." I believe he was referring to a technique for screening out distractions while performing.
• He recommended that aspiring performers should get on stage more often and get used to dealing with nerves. Don't just do one recital a year, do six a year.
• For a rhythmic passage in which a long note was followed by triplets he used the phrase: "pre-authorize the triplets." (in other words, think triplets during the long note).
• For phrasing, he suggested one might a circle a note in the music and then aim at it.
• "Sometimes you just have to tear licks apart." If a passage is giving you trouble, extract a segment of it and see if you can play it ten times in a row perfectly. If you miss on the tenth time, start over. Then take the next fragment and do the same. Then, put the fragments together.
• Concerning slide grip, he suggested a very natural grip of just 2 fingers and the thumb.
• Concerning about slide grip he suggested that, in softer legato passages, you should hold the slide more gently. Later, he said, "When you play the Rhenish (Schumann Symphony No. 3 the soft trombone chorale) you're going to hold the slide like you have a little bird in your hand."
• At other times (especially during moving passages requiring accuracy he suggested you might want to grip the slide a little harder while staying relaxed. He demonstrated how one can firmly grip a pencil and still stay relaxed. "A firm slide grip improves the connection between brain and slide."
• He recommended that any trombonist serious about auditions should have the main excerpts memorized.
• "Everything is coordinated by rhythm." (for example, breathing, embouchure, slide, etc.)
• Don't just practice short phrases. Play something like a Bordogni etude all the way through to promote air flow.
• As a suggestion to a student whose sound he wanted more projected, he used the phrases "Don't be gun shy" and "Warm up the room."
• Musically, he warned that we shouldn't go into a state of "suspended animation," a place where we are floating but nothing is happening musically.

Here was one funny exchange:

Joe: "You're not playing for the president of the United States. You're just playing for trombone players."

Student: "I'd rather play for the president."

• Focus on accurate rhythm. He had a student sing along with the piano part to ensure the rhythm was accurate.
• It's one thing to guess at something. It's another thing to know it.
• There's no point in trying to play it if you can't sing it.
• He re-emphasized this simple saying, "Rhythm is King!"
• If your rhythm isn't solid, how are you going to know when to move the slide, when to breathe?
• He also pointed out that a better slide grip will improve rhythm.
• He warned against breaking the wrist in slide technique because it leads to uncoordinated playing.
• "There's bad health and good health on the instrument." Elements of brass health include such things as posture, slide grip, how you inhale, etc.
• Before you perform a piece, you have to know the score.
• "I'm writing all kinds of cues" (in his music) He even invited us to take a look at the solos he performed Monday night to see how many cues he had written.
• He used the phrase "ear marks" to describe points in the score he listens for in order to not get lost.
• He described his preparation for the Rouse concerto which doesn't have a piano reduction. To get ready for this complex piece he even hired Jim Pugh to create a midi file of the score so he could practice it. He pointed out, "I like to have everything prepared a month before."
• He expressed admiration for Christian Lindberg. "He's way beyond me in terms of the amount of information that is thrown at him."
• He stressed the importance of listening to great singers. At one point, he asked a student, "How many Frank Sinatra recordings do you have?"

• In a very impressive demonstration of the power of listening, he began sight-reading Salzedo's Piece Concertante. It quickly became clear how closely he was listening to the chords in the piano part. Once or twice, when the pianist played a wrong note, he stopped and looked over at her. Even while sight-reading, he knew that the chord couldn't be right.
• For one particular chord he said, "See, I put a little vibrato there because I like that chord. Listen to that chord, that really turns me on!"
• He pointed out that, although he had never played the piece before, he knew what to do because he was listening carefully to the piano part.
• Keep the embouchure corners consistent. Look in a mirror every day. "You have to create a more stable environment."
• For high, soft playing: "The key is the higher you go, the less energy you use." He suggested that we listen to "high-floaters" like Bill Watrous and emulate their style.
• He enjoys going through a piece and finding alternate positions to facilitate the music.
• He demonstrated a segment of Bolero (the ascending B-flat, C, D-flat) and played the C in third position instead of first. With regard to getting up into that partial he joked, "You either pay now or pay later."
• He said that we don't talk enough about diminuendo and playing softer.
• "When you play softer, relax." He told a story about an old episode of the original Star Trek in which they were trapped in a force field until Spock suggested that perhaps they could escape by relaxing. "I remember that being a very pivotal time for me."
• When you want to play soft, breathe more slowly. He recalled a childhood memory of floating in the pool, a "dead man's float."
• Breathe in slowly and trust that the soft note will come out.
• "It took me a long time to realize that you have to respect the melody." Melody is king (...along with rhythm).
• Joe talked to us about his new trombone. He is trying out a new Edwards design that uses a traditional rotor valve. He added that he was trying to get away from a giant, wide sound. He stressed that we should make sure our sound doesn't get too wide.
• He commented on the recent bass trombone auditions for both the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Upon comparing notes with the Met audition committee, they found that they had both heard a lot of players with giant sounds they couldn't control. He also noted that Paul Pollard, the winner of the Met audition, was the runner-up to Jim Markey in the NYPO audition.
• "Keep you sound contained where you can handle it"
• For the famous dotted Ride rhythm, he likes to use the word "Tympani." The main thing is that you don't get to the 16th too soon.
• He reminded us to to visit our soft playing every day.

That's all for now...

Alessi Seminar Notes, Day 3 (part 2) ... Attack and Response

Please note:

These entries from the Alessi Seminar are not a literal transcript. I took written notes and then typed them up. I have made every effort to be accurate but, as you might expect, each blog entry is a meager substitute for actually being there.

Remember that many of the things Mr. Alessi says in these masterclasses are in the context of addressing the needs of a particular student and should not be seen as universal mandates to be mindlessly followed.

If you are serious about pursuing musical excellence on the trombone, there is no substitute for actually attending one of Mr. Alessi's seminars. You'll be glad you did.

Tuesday evening was another masterclass. The performers:

Nathan Dishman - Stojowski Fantasie

Sam Schlosser - Tomasi Concerto

me - Arrows of Time, Mvt 1 (and the beginning of mvt. 2)

Quartet (Sprott, Perrier, Rodriguez, Lantzy) - Ewazen Myths and Legends

Orchestra Section - Strauss Alpine Symphony and Bruckner 8

Since this was my turn to perform, I missed Sam's Tomasi.

Here are some comments:

• You have to maintain a core to your sound as you decrescendo.
• It is good to buzz in front of a mirror with a visualizer rim.

During one of the participant's sessions, Joe went into some very detailed embouchure analysis. I think it best not to include comments here because they were specific to the needs of this individual

These next comments were concerning my performance of Arrows. He had some nice things to say but, of course, his best gift to me was to dive right into some of my bad habits and point them out. This was great for me because I had been unaware of the some of these habits.

Here were some of his comments (as best I can remember them)

• Point straight out into the hall. You don't need to make eye contact with the pianist. They can see you and will follow you.
• In trying to be musical, don't flare individual notes. Think of the bigger phrase, the larger "architecture of the phrase."
• The pedal D at the end of the first movement might not be such a great idea. It' better to just play the trigger D in the written octave.
• If you're playing with a great sound, stay within that sound. Don't get outside of that good sound.
• "You're like Popeye, you don't know your own strength" Don't play like a bull in a china shop.
• Even at the peak of the phrase, always keep a singing sound. Don't let it get too intense.

He also had some very nice things to say but I don't think it's appropriate to go repeating that stuff here.

Moving on...

• He observed that the trombone quartet can be a vehicle to help your playing because you have to listen.
• He has mentioned many times throughout the seminar how much he loves playing in trombone quartet...one of his favorite things. He strongly emphasized the importance of getting your students to play in quartets.
• In tuning the orchestra section, he advocates this procedure :

Tuba with bass trombone

Tuba with second trombone

Tuba with first trombone

(or similar if there are four bones in the section)

• When playing slow chorales, clearly subdivide in your mind.
• If you go to an audition and you're asked to lead the section, don't over-conduct.
• "When you play soft, try to relax. The worst thing you can do is to tense up."
• To improve rhythm, he is a big fan of a technique known as "attack and response"
• He told a story about how, during juries, Warren Deck's tuba students always played with such impeccable rhythm. He asked Warren how they did this and Warren described this technique.
  Basically, he demonstrated by singing different passages and, during any sustained notes, snapping his fingers exactly in the time of the subdivision.
  He described those sustained notes as "dead spots" during which rhythmic accuracy can falter. By snapping the fingers, you maintain a clear sense of pulse and subdivision.

That's all for now.

Alessi Seminar Notes, Day 2 (part 2).. Masterclass No. 1

Please note:

These entries from the Alessi Seminar are not a literal transcript. I took written notes and then typed them up. I have made every effort to be accurate but, as you might expect, each blog entry is a meager substitute for actually being there.

Remember that many of the things Mr. Alessi says in these masterclasses are in the context of addressing the needs of a particular student and should not be seen as universal mandates to be mindlessly followed.

If you are serious about pursuing musical excellence on the trombone, there is no substitute for actually attending one of Mr. Alessi's seminars. You'll be glad you did.

In this master class, 5 participants played:
Paul Compton - The Pugh Concerto (mvts. 1 &2)
Weston Sprott - The Grondahl Concerto (mvts. 1&2)
Joseph Rodriquez - Gershwin Medley
Louis Bremer - Sagittarius 2
Nicole Abissi - Martin Ballade

Here are some of my notes:

• Joe quoted Wycliffe Gordon, "You have to be able to sing what you're going to play."
• Make sure your phrase lead to the last note. When you get to the end, don't give up. Finish the phrase. He gave the analogy of a racehorse slowing down before the finish line.
• He pointed out that the hardest thing about music sometimes is that we play with blinders on. Take the blinders off and see the whole phrase. He gave the analogy of bad drivers who don't see the whole road around them.
• Be sure your technique is clean. He pointed out that his teacher harped on him all the time about his slide.
• When working with an accompanist, lead don't follow. He observed that this is what messes a lot of people up when they audition for Juilliard. "They don't drive the car."
• One possible cause for playing sharp is a too-fast air stream. "Personally, I like low and slow" Lower pitch, slower air stream.
• He suggested that the student should try to make the sound reach to the corners of the hall. He then demonstrate and said that, as he he plays, "I'm hearing the hall ring"
• For the tendency to play sharp he suggested that one should let the sound settle down into the pitch. He also phrased it this way, "Let the notes sit down where they want to go."
• Joe said in his own practicing he was thinking of incorporating some pitch bending (with the embouchure) to explore the center and find the sweet spot.
• At one point he advised a student to sing more and take more risks.
• Regarding phrase groupings and the comparison between the small phrases and the larger phrases: he pointed out that the overall phrase mark is the most important one.
• At one point he observed "You have to think, 'I have nothing to lose.' "
• If you want to learn about phrasing, listen to the great singers: Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Nat King Cole.
• "I think when you're having fun, you don't get as tired."
• For high notes, don't use a downward pointing body position. Think of lifting your body (and bell) as you play higher. This gives you a little more leverage. Joe talked about Maynard Ferguson's trumpet players and how they would lean back while playing high notes. He suggest doing a tiny bit of that same gesture.
• One of the keys to phrasing, never do the same thing twice.
• A recital of trombone music can become very boring if a player plays in only one style.
• A common musical problem is that we sometimes crescendo too soon. Often you should wait to start the crescendo.
• Be more aware of the thematic material in the piano part. Know when to back off and let the piano lines come out.
• Avoid the "car horn" sound where the tone has no musical shape. On many long notes, you can let the sound relax.
• With respect to loud playing he observed that it's good to show off your stuff but that it should lead somewhere.
• Regarding slide technique, he observed, "I'm not a "wrist-ey" player. {meaning not so much flexing of the wrist} I like to index with the slide. When I go to a position, I like to have a connection straight from the tone in my brain to my slide."
• Avoid "panic breathing" in your performance. He described breathing as a chance to replenish yourself. Do this every chance you get.
• "Be true to the music, not convenient to yourself."
• Try rehearsing a piece from the ending and work towards the beginning. This way, you have a clear idea of how you want it to end.
• Bad breathing often comes from trying to frantically rush through everything.
• For rapid tonguing, he suggested pulling the tongue back a little (in other words, tongue farther back in the mouth.).
• Have a consistent breath and breathe this one way whenever possible. He demonstrated by playing Bolero and then then Mozart Requiem, pointing out that he takes the same breath in either situation.
• If you open your mouth wide to breathe, you end up closing the throat.

Wow, all this from one masterclass. I don't know if I'll be able to provide this much detail about every class (especially the ones I'm playing in), but I'll do what I can.

Oh yes, the recital. Well, what can you say......

he's the man

A new bullseye

Happy Trombone Week everyone.

Here's a new concept I've thought up. I (and other teachers) have often noticed that students tend to hit notes on the high side, causing the tone to be more pinched and less resonant than it could be. Ever notice that students almost always clam on the high side of a note.

Think of each note as a bullseye..









If you are consistently aiming a little high, your tone would be a lot less resonant.

But that's not that new part.

Since we are thinking about the notion of aiming lower to fatten the sound, perhaps a better shape might be an egg shape...












I like this image because it gets across that idea of relaxing down into the fat part of the note.
I tried a google image search for "egg bullseye." This is the best I could find but I think you can get the idea...




















Anyway, don't bend the notes down but DO think of finding that fat, resonant, lower part of the tone.

Goofy Vibrato

Time to head on down to Orlando with the kids. So I guess a Disney spin is appropriate.










Here's a trick I've been using in some lessons. Buzz sustained notes with a ridiculously wide vibrato...one might say a Goofy Vibrato.

I think this helps in a few ways:

1. It helps you develop your normal vibrato.
2. It helps you find the center of the note.
3. It strengthens the embouchure.
   Why? The embouchure corners must work harder to maintain the pitch when everything is shaking around.
   

Make sure that, as you buzz with that wide vibrato, you don't lose the center of the pitch. Also, make sure the air continues to flow.
You can also try goofy vibrato on the trombone (stay relaxed, keep the air moving!)

Simple and Smooth: Beat the Bureaucrat

Here's a simple exercise for building tone and legato technique. I've used it in a number of lessons. It's also nice for warming up.


It seems so simple but it can really help. Here's the point: I find many students can blow with a nice resonant tone until they begin to tongue. The air flows happily from lungs to lips until that tongue gets in the way and fouls things up. The tongue is like some bureaucrat setting up a checkpoint saying, "Hold on just a second here. Before you [air] can get to the lips, you'll need to sign these forms in triplicate."

Meanwhile the poor lips are starved for air and just can't vibrate.

Here's the trick to this exercise: start that half note with beautiful flowing air. Now (here's the key) when you start legato tonguing, use the lightest stroke of the tongue possible. Use a light, minimal "d" and make sure the "ah" is unbroken (well, minimally broken).

Listen carefully to your sound. Does it lose fullness when the tonguing starts?

Keep it open. Keep it resonant. Remind that tongue "bureaucrat" that he just isn't that important in the scheme of things.
We really shouldn't use the term "tonguing" at all. Just gives the tongue an inflated ego.

"Look at me. Look at me. I'm the tongue. I'm so important. I deserve the spotlight."

Tuning, Squacking and that Singer Stuff

I used to teach at Kinhaven Music School. Still, I believe, just about the nicest place I've ever been. Here's a memory I'd like to share...
As I walked around the camp, I could easily hear musical sounds wafting from practice rooms. As I listened to the violin teachers practicing, here's what struck me: how often they stopped to tune so the instrument would "ring."
A friend of mine once switched from trombone to violin. She made the most interesting comment, "I love the violin. It talks to you. It tells you when it's out of tune."

Think of Jay Friedman's comment that he might describe himself as a "professional seeker of resonance."

Another sound floating across the Kinhaven grounds came from the reed room where the oboes would practice. I noticed how often they would interrupt their practicing, remove their reeds and start squacking and whittling. As I understand it, they were seeking that resonant squack..that perfect reed.

We have a lip reed. How often do we stop to buzz in the middle of our practice sessions, looking to maintain that perfect buzz.

Even singers seem to spend a lot of time singing those descending glisses. Let me guess....seeking resonance?

Stopping often to tune ... to seek resonance. Finding that sweet spot where the instrument really rings.

How often do we trombonists do this?
How often do we just try to muscle the horn?

Observe the pusuit of excellence on other instruments.
Adopt the best habits
Teachers are all around you

Back to the Big Four: F, C, T, D

Seems I've trod this ground before but it bears repeating.
Here are the big four...
F
Fundamentals

• Do you have a resonant, centered tone in different registers?
• Can you play in tune with yourself and others?
  
• Can you hear the notes in your head before you play them?
  
• Can you keep a steady tempo?
• Can you subdivide correctly within that tempo?
• Can you begin the notes cleanly?
• Can you control all these elements as you play.. high and low? ...loud and soft? ...fast and slow?

C
Concept

• Do you know exactly what the piece should sound like?
• Do you know where you are going to breathe?
• Do you know where to crescendo? ...whether to use vibrato? ...how much accent to use?
• Do you know exactly what slide positions you're going to use?
  
• Have you heard multiple recordings of the piece?
• If a solo, do you know the piano part well?
• If an excerpt, do you know the piece as a whole?
• Do you know the meanings of all the terms?
• Can you close your eyes and hear the precise sound of someone really "nailing it?"

T
Tension

• Are you aware when tension builds in your body?
• Is your posture well-balanced?
• Is your playing a natural extension of relaxed breathing?
• Is your tongue relaxed? Your throat? Your shoulders?

D
Distraction

• Are you so focused on the music that you don't notice what is going on around you?
• Have you quieted any "inner conversations" about your playing, good or bad?
• Are you " in the moment?"
• Do you "disappear into the music" as you play?

I'm sure I missed a few but this seems to be a pretty good list.

Back to ye old performance equation...
P - I = R
Potential minus interference equals result.
Potential = (Fundamentals + Concept)
Interference = (Tension + Distraction)

Hope this checklist helps.

The Other 99% of the Note

A simple post on a simple concept.
We get so focused on the beginnings of notes that I believe we tend to view the rest of the note as some kind of "placeholder" until the next attack.

In essence, we focus all our attention on the first 1% of each note rather than on the body of the whole.

The attack is not a separate event but merely the beginning of the tone.

When I listen to Alessi play, I'm drawn to how many of his notes have presence but without the attack as a discernable separate entity. When I listen to him, I don't think about the attacks, just the notes as a whole.

I also find it interesting how many of my students can so clearly hear how well the notes begin but struggle to hear subtle variations in how notes end.

Don't ignore the other 99% of the note.

That's where the music is.

Speaking of the Devil

I heard recently that Craig Mulcahy, principal trombonist of the Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra, won the second chair in the National Symphony.
Thinking of the Kennedy Center Opera brings back two memories: one good, one bad.

First the good:
Years age, I was hired as a freelancer to play some offstage brass licks during a production of Boito's Mephistopholes. Samuel Ramey sang the role of the devil. In one big scene, the devil has his big aria (his triumphant moment). Ramey leaps onto a table (shirtless) and belts out this incredibly resonant sound. Every night, the offstage brass guys would immediately stop chatting and simply listen to Ramey's incredible sound. Since the guy was shirtless, you could see that he was totally relaxed.
It was amazing to hear that much sound come from any human body with so little effort.
I'll never forget it!

Now the bad:
At some points during this opera, multiple brass choirs spread out through the hall play "trumpet calls" back and forth. Sometimes, two trumpets, far apart must perfectly match pure fifths and octaves. Here's the kicker: when we played, we could only hear ourselves, *not* the other ensemble!

Tell me this: how do you tune to someone you can't hear?

Of all the times I've seen trumpet players plop tuners on a stand during the gig (a pet peeve of mine) this was the only time it was really called for. They didn't do it, though.
Not a happy ending: things didn't sound too good and the pit orchestra players were annoyed with us.

This raises a vexing puzzle: one of the pit trumpet players kept telling us: "Remember, the pitch drops when you're farther away!"

Wait, think about that.

WARNING:
TECHNICAL DISCUSSION APPROACHING.
DO NOT READ THIS AND OPERATE HEAVY MACHINERY

I'm not talking about the doppler effect. I'm talking someone standing still 50 yards away from you. When they play a note into their tuner, will it be in tune on your tuner as well? I've heard many professional players insist it will be flat when it gets to you.
But think about it: a trumpet bell vibrates at 440 cycles per second and those little compressions of the air start traveling at the speed of sound towards you. If that trumpet player holds the note for a second, we've got 440 compressions flying through the air. You'll hear a note lasting for a second. If, in fact, they arrive at a frequency of 438 cycles per second, where did those other compressions go.
Hmmm...

Air, BASF and turtles

You know that BASF commercial? It goes something like..
"We don't make the things you buy. We make the things you buy better."

Air is like that.
It won't make your high range, but it'll make it better.
It won't make your articulation, but it'll make it better.
It won't make your tone, but .... you get the idea.

Have you ever heard that story about the anthropologist interviewing the tribal elder who insisted that the earth sits on the back of turtle. The anthropologist asks, "What is the turtle sitting on?" The elder replies, "Another turtle."
The anthropologist asks, "What's that turtle sitting on?"
The elder smiles, answering, "You can't fool me. It's turtles all the way down."

So, if your tone rests on your air, what does your air rely on?
Probably relaxation and posture. What does that rely on?
Probably habits and attitude. Below that?

Turtles?