Dan Jacobs: Writings

CHOPS AND CHANGES (#5)
(Learning to Improvise on a new tune) by Bobby Shew

The following sequential process is something I've worked on and been using with some notable success in teaching about improvisation. Naturally, some of my students are beginning to intermediate with regard to their playing levels. Any decent jazz musician would probably tell you that it's impossible to "teach someone how to play jazz" and I would agree totally if we look at it in a literal manner especially with reference to the essence of the art form. However, I know there are many things that can be referred to with regard to this activity and this information just might open up some doors of perception for a student and get them headed down the "correct path" of self-learning and ear training which perhaps might enable them to learn to improvise well someday.

Most of the young players I've come in contact with are seemingly searching for some sort of short-cut or magic formula that will make them sound impressive and that will keep them from playing any "wrong notes". This is really a big problem with our educational sytem. I've spoken of it prior and will no doubt continue to speak of it until it goes away. For now, I'd like to submit the following process as a simple, yet sometimes tedious and demanding method of getting more deeply involved in the basic understanding of some of the academic materials used in learning to play jazz solos.

I think it's necessary, or at least helpful, to be able to understand music in all stages in order to fully master it. A chord is simply a static SOUND. It can have duration but it doesn't require motion or movement to satisfy its definition. The PRIMARY level of understanding must start with a VERTICAL, or up-and-down way of recognizing each chord. This chord has primary chordal tones, i.e., 1st (root), 3rd, 5th, and 7th. Even MORE primary to this is the TRIAD, i.e., root, 3rd, 5th with no 7th. In jazz, almost all chords have at least the basic four notes aforementioned. Moving onward, the chord then has extensions, i.e., 9th, 11th, and 13th, either in natural state or altered as lowered (flat) 9th or raised (sharp) 9th, raised (sharp) 11th, and lowered (flat) 13th.

Having dealt with the VERTICAL approach and information, the next possible approach is more HORIZONTAL. This would include the addition of the scales from the syllabus that apply to each chord. This horizontal approach eventually involves forward movement thru various chords, the scale changing to match each chord "change". This can possibly lead to more linear motion in your soloing. Once you feel more comfortable with the chord scales, then the REAL essence of improvising is moving into true LINEAR playing where you strive for melodies that fit in yet flow not only thru but almost above the harmonic structure of the tune. The real beauty of going thru this step-by-step process is its effect on your ability to "hear" the changes and THE TUNE. Ear training is probably the most vital (and overlooked) aspect of any musical training program from my point of view and it is with that point in mind that I've devised all of the routines & exercises. So much could be written here about all of this but for now, let's move on to the process. As you put it into practice, try to find your own personal needs and make your own decisions as to how to use it. The intent here is not a musical cloning. Learn to THINK and OBSERVE.

1) Learn the MELODY of the tune. Play it over and over until you can play it without reading it. If possible (and preferably), LISTEN to a recording of it hopefully by a GREAT PLAYER. Also if possible, seek out OTHER recordings of the same tune, even if in a different key and different style.

2) Get the correct chords for the tune. Fake books are not to be trusted so learn to develop your ear to check and eventually you should be able to transcribe the tune AND changes.

3) On a piece of music paper, vertically spell all of the chords. If you're new at this, start with triads only, then add the 7th after triads are done.

4) On your instrument, play these spellings , up and down. Keep repeating them until you are comfortable with them, i.e., 1-3-5, 5-3-1, then invert them in several ways, i.e., 3-1-5, 1-5-3,5-1-3 . The add the 7th and play them 1-3-5-7,7-5-3-1 up and down. When somewhat comfortable, do the inversions as above, i.e., 1-5-3-7,7-3-5-1, 1-7-3-5,5-1-3-7, etc. Take your time, play them slowly. Use a metronome to help develop rhythmic-"time" control as you develop harmonic skill. For playing triads, play quarter note and two eighth notes in each bar.

When there are two chords in a bar, then play two eighths and a quarter for each chord.
when you go to four-note chords, play four eighth notes on each.

An important point with this routine is to play them at first by looking at them but then look away from the page and play them by ear, remembering what you played when reading . This enables your "ear" to learn them, not only your eyes and fingers.

5) Using a play-along recording (or just a standard jazz recording if you don't have a play-along), play the spellings along with the recording. Repeat several choruses until you gain a degree of familiarity and comfort. Also play the melody several times thru.
It's a good idea to alternate a melody chorus and then a spelling chorus, back and forth. There is an old adage in music, "Melody dictates Harmony". They work together but melody always helps stabilize the harmonic movement thru the tune and helps you develop the "inner ear".

6) Get a copy of the Scale Syllabus and figure out from the chart which chord scale applies to each vertical chord. Write these out for each chord on a separate piece of music paper. Play thru them slowly, once again up-and-down and then reorganizing the position of the scale tones , i.e., play the notes in several different sequence alternating the intervals around and around. Extend past just one octave. Alternate & experiment with different rhythms, i.e., some sustained notes, some 8ths, some quarters, etc. Suggest you start with 1-2-3-5 of each scale as eighth notes.
Make them SWING!

7) Using the recording, play thru these scales, chorus after chorus being sure to alternate intervals so it doesn't sound like you're just playing scales. Experiment with rhythms, etc., as above. It's OK to leave space here and there... whatever you WANT. Remember, we're playing MUSIC here. Make things have FEELING.

8) Go back to your basic spellings of the 1-3-5-7 vertical chords. As you play the recording, you now need to learn to spot common tones and voice leadings in the chord progressions. Select any chordal tone from the first chord of the tune and sustain it as long as it applies as a PRIMARY (1-3-5-7) chordal tone as the chords go by. This is known as a common tone. If it does NOT apply, it is no longer a common tone but is now a VOICE LEADING. That means that if you do not move it to a chordal tone, you will be playing the "forbidden wrong note". Common tones and voice leadings will teach your ear the connections between the chords. Typically you will find simple things like if you pick a 3rd, it will likely become the 7th of the next chord without moving and sometimes the 7th will become the 3rd. It is always nice to sit back and take a look at these analytically just so you start to understand the inner workings of tune construction. During this exercise, you'll mostly be playing only whole notes and perhaps half notes. These are almost like sustained "string pads" under a melody. Each chorus start with a different chordal tone so you find several different "pathways" thru the tune.

9) Repeat this process with chordal extensions and alterations called for in each chord change. These are considered SECONDARY chordal tones. As you approach the extensions, it's OK to eliminate the lower basics of each chord in order to concentrate and facilitate dealing with the extensions. After some degree of comfort, try combining Primary and Secondary tones. Always remember THE MUSIC. Try to gain as much horizontal and linear movement as you gain but try as well to combine vertical with horizontal -linear lines . Don't forget the RHYTHMIC aspects. It's gotta feel good!

10) Sit down with some music paper and write several melodies that work with this chord structure. Try to write melodies as if you were planning on adding singable lyrics later.

11) Using your ear, play the tune in several other keys, starting with the melody and then learning to "hear the tune" as you improvise in different keys.

NEXT TUNE!!!!!! ENJOY and Good Luck! @ Bobby Shew, 2001

(Editors note: I read this interview with Marvin Stamm in ITG Journal recently. I was struck with how similar my own concepts about music, teaching and life are with what I read from master trumpeter and teacher, Marvin Stamm. So I'm including a few quotes that resonated with me to help spread the message even further.) - Dan Jacobs

"As a musician you never really reach your goals. Every time you approach that point, you find that your goals have changed, moved farther out, and expanded to something else.

A CD is, or should be, the musical documentation of where an artist is at a certain point in his or her musical growth. Many artists lose sight of this and view a CD as their path to stardom. Not only is this an erroneous concept, it will also lead to great disappointment in most cases.

The recording industry is, and has been, in great disarray for a number of years, especially regarding the jazz idiom. Be true to your music and let that lead you where it will. Don't ever sacrifice the integrity of your music.

After achieving a certain level of mastery, focus more on the making of music rather than that of focusing on just the trumpet. We have an enormous number of "super technical" players today, but a smaller number of true musicians. Maybe it is now considered an outdated concept, but the lesson as I learned it was - always - the music comes first.

I intend to maintain my honesty in the face of a world that seldom appreciates honesty, and to encourage others through my music and my writings to do the same. As long as this is what my life is all about, it will have deep meaning and much joy for me.

Expectations and responsibility - two very important words in my life - are words you don't hear much today - in society, in families or in school. But for me, they were a source from which so much emanated. If these words were again invoked into family life and into the schools of our great country - in fact all of society today - what could we not accomplish? And maybe solutions to so much that we find of great concern to all of us might appear."

- Marvin Stamm
Quotes from an interview in International Trumpet Guild Journal Vol.29, No. 4 June 2005
Website: www.trumpetguild.org

HOW TO FIND THE CENTER OF YOUR HORN'S PITCH:
By Mark Van Cleave

Pitch: While playing a long tone, bend the pitch up and notice the tonal change that occurs. Bend the pitch down and notice that the tonal change is not the same as when the pitch is bent up. A sharp note has a distinct tonal change that is different to the tonal change of a flat note. These tonal colorations are good to listen for when checking resonance. Even subtle changes in tone color can guide you back to the exact center of the pitch, and to greater resonance. Learn to hear pitch shifts by tonal colorations. 

Resonant Oral Cavity: While playing the first note in the exercise below (G), open and close your teeth slightly. A "WA - WA" sound or movement. You will hear that as the teeth are closing, the sound changes to a tighter, pinched sound. As you open the teeth, the sound becomes thin. You will also notice that somewhere in the middle, the sound jumps out of the horn. You have just matched the resonant properties of your oral cavity with those of the horn. This is the point of greatest resonance.



Example:

Play the same G. Find the center of sound. Now lock your embouchure and do not let it move. While your embouchure setting is locked, slowly play down chromatically. Do not change anything (be honest) ... Jaw, air, mouthpiece pressure, horn angle, etc.. Listen to the tone quality as you go down. You will notice that by the time you have reached low C, the tone has thinned out as well as the volume of sound (resonance) has also been reduced. This is because your oral cavity is resonating a G and you are trying to play a low C. You have to adjust your oral cavity for every note. 

When making adjustments, you will want to match both the resonant setting of your oral cavity and the pitch you are producing with the horns tuned pitch in order to produce the maximum resonance. 

Long Tones: On each long tone, find the correct oral cavity setting by physically adjusting the opening between the teeth, as well as by the sound. Listen for the center of the sound. Memorize this sound (tone color). Once you have found the center of each long tone, hold this sound and memorize the setting. Repetition will turn these settings into reflexes.

HELPFUL TIPS I LEARNED FROM BOBBY SHEW

Below this message are the two Bobby Shew works on "Developing the Trumpet Section."
Enjoy.

BOBBY SHEW'S NOTES on
"Developing the Trumpet Section"

A Basics to a successful section
I. Ability to work as a team.
a. Ego-loss vs confidence.
b. Learning to listen with your soul.
c. Mental attitude re: learning.
d. Personal goals vs. the job.
e. Personal ethics vs. Group ethics.

B. Hats (individual specific duties)
I. Lead player
a. Disbursement of power
b. Relationship w/ sax, bone, rhy. sections.
c. Ability to communicate freely and honesty w/ section.
d. Quality of
1. Sound
2. Phrasing/Time feeel
3. Consistency
4. Flexibility
5. Taste
II. Support players .
a. Responsibility towards book.
b. Respect for:
1. Lead player
2. Other section players.
3. Leader
4. Self
c. Patience re: moving up/"big chance".
d. Complete understanding of lead players "hat".

C. Sectional developmental activities
I. Practicing
a. With the rhythm sect.
b. Playing the book w/out rhythm.
c. Recording sectionals for analysis.
d. Individual work on trouble areas (personal responsibility).

II. Rotation
a. Passing parts so that each member grows as a team.
b. Giving everyone some Jazz to play so' growth can occur.
c. Trying different styles.

III. Precision
a. Marking parts properly.
b. Pacing of lead player.
c. Blend
1. Pitch
2. Levels of intensity
3. Mutes
4. Flugels
d. Selecting the right guy for the job.

IV. Learning/Experience
a. Listening to live bands.
b. listening to records.
c. Private study
d. Practical experience.



BOBBY SHEW'S NOTES on
"Further Notes on Developing the Trumpet Section"

Considering that quite alot of good material has been written on this subject, I'm not certain whether or not I'll be able to add much new data, but hopefully another point of view might be of some interest and hopefully can be used as a rough guide line to building a musical section. There are probably as many methods as there are teachers or trumpeters, but all trill be found to contain much of the same material and concepts or it just won't happen. Any attempts to be more contemporary still require a strong foundation built on roots that are no different than those established by Louis Armstrong and many others of that era of jazz.

TEAMWORK
The section id only a part of the whole, and must not lose sight of this basic function. All efforts should be directed toward contributing to making the BAND sound good, not to show off one's own talents such as playing louder than the others, screaming out tons of high notes, looking good for the chicks in the front row, etc.. True acknowledgement will come for being a part of such a good team, and will come to the individual in a manner that he can take pride in. Each guy in the section has specific duties just as if he were a member of a football team; he has his own "hat" to wear, and it doesn't say "HERO" on it:
It takes a great deal of hard work on each section member's part to have e really exceptional team and if you don't expect it to be exceptional, you maybe shouldn't be doing it. So first approach it with the intention of your section being GREAT and then proceed with that attitude. This will help keep everyone thinking that way.Any wise lead player knows that his section can make him sound good or bad. Even if he is very strong and stable, a poor.section can turn a pleasant experience into alot of brutal work for thdt player. I have the greatest love and appreciation for those guys that have made me sound worthy all of these years. In addition, an exceptional lead player can and often must make a lousy section sound better than it is . Just realize that it will always work better if everyone in the group jumps in and helps get the job done as musically as possible, as easily as possible, and as much fun for all concerned as is possible. Therefore, one must learn to do this without being on a big ego trip. Admit to your weaknesses so that you can handle them and grow out of them, rather than hiding them so that you never confront improving them. Much confidence can grow out of honesty, and for sure musical integrity will come from it.

MENTAL ATTITUDE
As with most people, you will probably experience times of positive thoughts and times of negative ones. Ideally, it 'would be nice to have only the positive ones but I wonder if the game would be quite as interesting or as much a challenge. So Just accept the game and play it without taking it so seriously as to get up tight about yourself. If you resist the negative thoughts or try to fight them, you'll find, I think, that they'll only get bigger and harder to handle. You've gotta learn to deal with them without shifting the majority of your attention to them. I suppose one gray to do it is to not try to handle your fears in the middle of playing a chart; best to wait until after the gig:
Your personal involvement with your horn and with music in general is of tremendous importance to your success and your happiness. I have often felt as if I were married to music; I am committed to it, and try to work with it and make it work for me, all the while keeping my level of affinity high by not blaming my failures Problems on the Art or the instrument.This kind of emotional involvement has taught me much about myself as a person. I believe that this kind of love for music will enable you to accomplish much in a shorter period of time, and will bring you a great deal of happiness.



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You must, above all, maintain your belief in your potential, and never minimize your abilities at all. Don't get to the point of tolerating ceilings or limitations aS to how far you can go. Your own thoughts will be the only thing that can and will hang you up. As you develop and reach goals (and you've gotta learn to recognize WHEN you do reach them), you'll have to put new goals out in front of you or the game is over. Keep looking forward to these new and bigger goals and ...AVOID GETTING HUNG UP ON YOUR PAST ACHIEVEMENTS. Once they're done, they're over with. It's OK to recall them for lots of good reasons, but if you get hung up, you'll find yourself sticking your abilities at that level and your outward growth will slow down. Surely you've seen or met guys who are musically stuck in a given era or style of music.
The average person it seems, spends quite alot of his time minimizing his strength and abilities. Therein lie about 90% of your problems with your horn. So, the sooner you can become aware of this, the sooner you'll be able to eliminate it,. and therefore succeed in accomplishing everything you set out for. HOWEVER, there are a few sand traps along the road that will try to keep you from knowing, but these have no real power unless you give it to them as in the earlier mentioned case of resisting negative thoughts. One of the traps in setting goals is that you can skip a gradient approach to success and find yourself in over your head. If you set such an extremely high goal and standard for yourself that it keeps you frantically racing as if to put out a fire, you'll miss alot of the fun of being a musician, and can prevent you from being objective about your growth and from enjoying your PRESENT TIME abilities. More simply, if ALL you see is your "ultimate" goal, you'll be constantly putting yourself down as you play in present time because it'll always be compared to the ULTIMATE goal rather than to how you're actually playing at that moment. The ultimate hopefully trill always be changing anyway and I dream sometimes about becoming a "perfect" player, but as long as I keep creating new levels to climb to, I'll never be perfect and will therefore have plenty of good reasons to keep playing and studying.

COMMUNICATION
Communication is the key ingredient in music of ANY type. It really doesn't seem sane to play to oneself of to the music stand or wall. So the person(s) at the receipt point is as important to the experience as you are. It's the emotional reaction to your creation that completes the action. The emotional communication takes precedence over style and technique. You need plenty of technique, but only enough to execute what you hear and feel. S0, study emotions ; it'll intensify your playing.

Another area of communication that's very important is in your ability to communicate with the other guys in the band. In fact, if you have trouble with this, it'll show up in your playing. You're in a sense "rapping" with people when you play. If the entire band maintains a high level of communication, the affinity will be high for each other, the "vibes" will be right, and the band will swing: It might be worth mentioning here that lots of people apparently misunderstand communication in thinking that they must just talk, talk, talk, when in reality, the art of listening is super important and can help to smooth out your relationships with other people. This then will increase your ability to listen in the section to your lead player of the rhythm section or Whatever. Do you see the point? It all fits in together and the picture starts to clear up end make sense.



p. 3
WEAR YOUR OWN HAT
As mentioned earlier, each team member has his own specific role, job, or "hat" to wear in the section and/or band. It's easy to say teamwork, but very seldom does one see a truly great trumpet team. The following are a mild., first attempt at clarifying these hats in a basic manner.

LEAD PLAYER
The World Book Dictionary,in part, defines lead as: 1. a. to guide; to show the way by going along with or in front of: b. to serve to guide 4. to be a way or means of bringing something to a particular condition or result.

Clearly it can be seen that a lead player has a big "hat" to wear. It consists of
a). being able to interpret the music in the correct style;
b). communicating openly with respect and affinity for the other members of his section;
c). being consistent enough to provide predictability for the rest of the band, especially phrasing and style;
d). being strong enough to "crack the whip" to get the band off of the ground and poppin' rather than merely playing the notes, but being sensitive enough to play gently when called for especially being able to tell the two apart);
e). being a good jazz player because the most musical tiny to play a lead part is as if it were a jazz solo in ensemble form. This is how to make it swing.
f). delegation of power.

Regarding a), this is just versatility and experience. An important point, though, is that if at arty time the lead player has difficulty with the style he must freely admit it and proceed to find out how it should be done even asking other guys in the section. It might be that another player could do a more stylistically effective job and it would be wise of the lead player to pass the part so the whole section and band sound better on the chart. Think of the right guy for the job.

On c), this comes through alot of experience and lots of listening to other than the "Top Ten" current bands. Try to get around to lots of rehearsals and concerts to hear live music and dig how the pros pull it off. Ask them if you can do it without being a pest. Alot of it is gaining the confidence and the horn/mouthpiece thing off of your mind so that you can play without being mentally distracted by your own thoughts.

As far as b), it's a common sense thing BUT takes alot of work on your part to pull it off. Avoid "games", jealousies, etc.; if they show up, don't wait for the other guy to straighten it out. All of this Junk can really spoil a dynamite band, and prevent you all from having one of life's greater pleasures playing good music pith some good friends.

The remainder (d) are mostly a matter of experience where you develop them, and require much space to go into further here but, I would like to express a point of view : I Would hope that anyone trying to become a lead trpt. player should hope to be able to string or cook ( mostly a tray of saying good time and relaxed way of executing the part )j, and not concentrate so much on just the high register. There are many kids waning up today that have lots of high chops but I rarely hear a student who can "lay it down". So there's work to be done, for sure!



p . 4
SUPPORT PLAYER
As was stated earlier, a smart lead player knows the true value of having an exceptional section in 1) making his job easier, 2) making him sound better, and 3) having a good time with the music. So a good support must learn to be totally unselfish towards the overall team effort and must develop a terrific set of ears. You must learn to get "inside the head " of your lead player and play right along with him, but,just under; never blow so hard that you can't hear everything your lead player does, even those little turns and things that are on the lighter side. Playing up to your lead player doesn't mean blasting as hard or harder.., the lead player will naturally be working a bit harder because of being the higher voice. As a section player you'll eventually find the "slot" where it feels comfortable. If the whole section is overblowing, the band will sound rotten, the pitch will make your spine rattle, and this is a perfect occasion to start having chop troubles. When in doubt, lighten up a bit until you can really hear everything and then play there : You must have personal and professional respect for your lead player and be willing for him to be right. He'll have to make the decisions and keep some degree of order in the section, come up with riffs,etc., and he'll need every bit of help you can give him Anyway way that's your gig : You have a big responsibility toward the band to see to it that you play the book the very best that you possibly can and you have a big responsibility towards your own personal integrity as a musician. One last thing on this..; without a doubt I it's understandable that every section player would like to have the lead chair, but when it's your time it will come . The message is : be patient, be prepared and be cool ! Just go ahead and have a good time, take your life with some leisure, and enjoy it as a musician.

On the subject of pitch, there are more frequent problems with pitch in jazz/pop/rock than with more classical forms, many of which are due to the excess volume that is required and the addition of electronics in the rhythm section. I think that the acoustic bass is easier to tune with because of it's sound quality ; the electronic bass (or fender) doesn't center as well. There are plenty of exceptions and if you're fortunate enough to work with a fender bass player that does it really well, savor every moment. Alot of it is just the overall volume of the rhythm section. It can make you pump your brains out. Thru a much trial and error you'll find your own easy of dealing with it. Just be aware that's it's possibly there, and remember to avoid blasting just to hear yourself. It makes the problems worse. Also realize that possibly all of the horn players will be is the same stew, so just back off and try to get thru it.

Another area that really needs more development is the area of alternate fingerings. One needs to master the science of acoustics to get the job done right however, here are a few things that might get you started. These also ray not necessarily apply to each person or situation,, but worth checkin' out. When you play a high D in an Eb key, it resonates or vibrates differently than the sane high D in a D chord or any other chord for that matter. In one key you night want to play it open (o) While it could work better with 1st valve in another key. With this we have the difference in intervals between the 1st part and the other voices in the chord. A high D played over an A should work better if played open because the A tends to be sharp and by playing the D open (also sharp) the intonation will line up better within the band. Also if the 2nd voice is voiced too close to the lead the vibrations are too close to each other and tend to eradicate at least in part, the tonal center of the horn.


p. 5

Just as important is the fact that the A can also be played with alternate fingerings all of which do similar types of things to the intervals, which incidentally, is what you're doing when you tune up ....listening for the intervals of the voices around you. The lead player, surprisingly enough to zany beginners, gets the strength of his intonation help from the bass player. And it does well for the rest of the section to listen not only to their lead player, but to the bass as well. First policy, however, is go with the lead player. As you expand your ability to hear more things going on at the same time, you'll start to notice that the baritone sax and bass trombone will be further support for the pitch if they've tuned well to the BASS, (in addition to their section leader. Most people run off to a piano to tune up, but in most clubs the pianos won't be consistent and besides, the band will tend to scttle into it's own Pitca, mostly based on the bass. Believe me, there's alot more to working in a big band than meets the eye. It's not all shuckin' an' jivin' ham in' around busy being hip, etc.; it takes alot of responsibility to the job and yourself, so things like the above are worthy of your attention. Eventually you'll get to the point of being able to hear any one or all of the parts in the entire band while you're playing, and being able to control what you want to hear within reason.
Suggest that each make up a chart of alternate fingerings. Figure the= out or, your ova if you rust, but at least explore the other areas of the horn. I've thought several ties ....wouldn't it be ridiculous if at some time in the past, someone,at random, came up with the set of fingerings that are "accepted by the very finest" and these having been carried on for ages being the only ones taught, and then discovering that the original chart had been his translated and we've been using the wrong set all these years : Aside from that, there are many more sounds to be developed on the horn and all seem to me to be a part of playing it COMPLETELY. Many jazz players use numerous alternate fingerings in their solos for added ease in executing certain licks or whatever. The quickest way to start figuring them out is using the harmonic series of any valve combination ,(all of them, in fact); don't forget to use 3rd by itself. After you've figured them out a bit, test them at a rehearsal, but keep quiet about at first; don't get into a group discussion and get other guys in the section favoring you or whatever. You just want to try them in a natural way to see if they really help. If they do, then let the other guars know what you've discovered; they'll hopefully be happy to receive it. Some will, others won't at first (or ever), but go straight ahead and do your job.

DEVELOPMENT
Practicing has had a bad reputation with many young players (old ones,too) for as long as there was something to learn, and it's worth trying to figure out exactly why, because I've never been one for practicing at least in the conventional ways that we pick up from God knows where. I realized one day that we are never really taught how to practice or for that matter, how to even sit down and learn anything at alb.. Somewhere in the basics of education, probably in pre-school, children should be taught how to study so that the doors will always be open for them. As far as practicing an instrument, it all ties in with one's ability to study.
When you sit down to put together a trumpet section, you had better plan on a considerable bit of sectional rehearsing, naturally depending on what level you're working with, but even at a professional level, lack of it can make or 'break your section. There are many things about ear training and just


P.6

playing in general that can possibly be learned only here. You wouldn't believe the difference in a section that has suddenly had a sectional after having been together for awhile without one. They shouldn't be a regimented experience. I don't believe in having the leader there or anyone as far as that goes. It should be a private meeting of the minds of the section and should be attentive, purposeful, and loose. NO conductor is best. In some cases, especially in lower levels of schools, it's cool, but as soon as you've got them going, get out of their way and let the kids take their own responsibility for themselves and their section. They'll possibly goof off a bit, but they'll get into it at their own natural speed and they'll end up being much stronger in the long run. A couple of embar concerts will do wonders for getting some sectionals going. At the higher levels, the familial relationship is vital in executing some of the professional level music, so it's good to start building the foundation for this kind of communication at an early age.
As far as more technical things, a guy playing an inside part may never have the joy of knowing what it sounds like or what it has to do with the arrangement until he gets to play it in a sectional. It'll help each person learn to play better pitch, time, phrasing, all of it in fact. Also a good idea in school situations is to let everyone get a chance to play a lead chart and a jazz solo. Learning is EVERYONE'S right.
If you're able, occasionally record the section and all sit down and listen to it; you'll find some interesting things, I'm sure. Just avoid getting too particular about yourself, or rather, whatever you dos avoid getting into a self put down trip. Nobody' s (fortunately) perfect but it's OK to try to be as long as you know that if you ever achieve it, the game's over. I prefer to play the game. I hope you do too!

Thank you.

Bobby Shew
1/21/76 NAJE
www.bobbyshew.com

PLAYING THE TRUMPET
By Robert Baca

Learn How to Play the Trumpet
Playing the trumpet, or any instrument, should be an extension of you. Jazz, orchestral and solo styles, while taking a lifetime to perfect, become much easier without fighting the fundamentals of the instrument. We have all suffered from the mistake of recovering from wasted practice time spent trying to work up a piece that was physically over our heads. In your practice day, spend a good portion on fundamentals and in music that is close to your ability level. Once you begin to feel comfortable with the fundamentals of playing, the lifelong journey of learning to express music in different genres becomes much more enjoyable.

Practice
Bill Adam, my trumpet teacher (retired, Indiana University), constantly reminded me that trumpet playing is a development process. There are no short cuts or sunken treasures to be found, only consistent practice and hard work. On the other hand, it's easy to lose sight that exercises are only a means to an end, and not the end themselves. Constantly listen to your sound concept and concentrate to keep it on track as you increase the difficulty of exercises, etudes and solos that you practice. Try to play musically with every note. Start the day by practicing simple exercises, like long tones, so the untrained mind can focus in properly on the sound and instruct the muscles where to go. Practice exercises that begin in the middle register and expand in both directions. Like a physical workout, slowly increase the musical demands at a pace so that the sound will always keep the clarity achieved in the middle register. If our concentration can stay focused, the "rough edges" of yesterday's playing will have no consequence on how we sound today. When our muscles are ready, they will perform correctly.

I practice three sets a day. The first set includes a routine of exercises to help quiet my mind and even out the rough edges of yesterday's playing. (Mr. Adam gave us a "routine" to help us refine our fundamentals. The routine was a series of exercises that would alone be useless without having Mr. Adam interject his personal interpretation of how they apply to each individual student. It was a kind of apprenticeship.) The second set is my musical session filled with etudes where I focus on what happens "in between the notes on those music pages." The third set (often at night) is usually filled with Arban's exercises, duets or jazz playing. It is better to exercise where you are not too anxious with your concentration. Sound quality should be the determining factor for speed, expansion of range, volume and the number of exercises to play. The sound must stay free in the higher range and technical exercises must remain relaxed. Because of performance demands, these factors may change daily and therefore practice must change accordingly.

Get a Good Teacher
Only through time and experience can we develop a deeper musical concept. Exposure to recordings, live concerts and actual performance situations are important but cannot replace studying with a good teacher. Living in Wisconsin, fishing is a favorite pastime of mine. When I first began learning the sport, I bought several books on the subject that discussed weather, lure choice, sonar, lake temperature, water conditions, etc. The books detailed how to properly hold the rod, provided casting exercises and even explained how to sense if there is a fish on the line. While the authors made money from my book purchases, I did not catch fish with any regularity until an experienced angler volunteered to take me fishing. He observed my actions and made suggestions like "Pull fast, but not that fast" and "You may think you have it on the bottom, but you don't. This is what it feels like to be on the bottom" and "Not yet, not yet, not yet. Now!" Simply put, there is no substitute for a good teacher.

Equipment
We refine our performance style for a lifetime, but as the difficulties associated with basic technique fade away and our sound consistently becomes centered, the actual instrument will have an influence on tone quality. As a performer and university instructor, I play a wide range of musical styles. A Bach Stradivarius trumpet delivers a very wide spectrum of musical color. The bright colors necessary for a Broadway pit orchestra or a rock session, and the dark colors necessary for the second movement of the Haydn Concerto with piano accompaniment are easily achieved with this instrument. Eventually, with perseverance, range, accuracy, time, technique, and flexibility, all reach acceptable levels through the efforts you make in practice. At this point, your sound concept can make all the difference for an audition or performance. Music is a lifelong challenge we never conquer, which is the very reason we find it so satisfying.

I hope these concepts will make performing easier and eliminate difficulties created by thinking too much. Many of these ideas I learned from my trumpet teacher, whose common sense approach to trumpet playing has produced an extraordinary number of professional players and teachers.

About the author
Bob Baca currently serves as associate professor of trumpet and director of jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He has performed with the Buddy Rich Big Band, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams and with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He also freelances in the Twin Cities. Baca is in demand throughout the United States as a Bach clinician. His article Sound Advice appeared in the Spring 1992 edition of Bach Brass Notes. Bob performs exclusively on a Stradivarius model 180S37 with a Bach 3C mouthpiece. "I use the same trumpet whether I'm playing in a big band, symphony orchestra or for a solo recital. The Bach medium-large bore model facilitates production of a large, full sound with projection. It also allows for the flexibility of adapting my sound to fit the idiom."
Robert Baca