tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70201846022463618322024-02-19T16:39:29.263-08:00Ye Olde Music MajorYeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-59181612675598872822019-05-14T14:31:00.000-07:002019-05-14T14:31:04.114-07:00The Real Time Reality Check- Using Tech to Move You ForwardHappy Summer!<br />
<br />
For me, it was the end of the first semester of my new graduate home. I love it there. It's going to be a place for me to continue to grow as a musician and educator. Everything was great.....except my jury comments.<br />
Our clarinet professor is a firecracker. She's a student of Cohen, a former member of Pershing's Own, and (though a very nice and decent person) is honest on a level most students aren't always ready to experience.<br />
<br />
Simply put, she kicked my butt.<br />
<br />
"GET THAT Db IN TUNE!"<br />
"Your sound gets really bright and pinched at forte"<br />
"You didn't subdivide that passage well at all!"<br />
(These aren't direct quotes....well the first actually is...but you get the gist)<br />
<br />
I read through a lot of her comments and agreed with what she said. These were issues I knew I was trying to address? Others, though, I thought "How did I miss that? I thought I was playing that rhythm correctly! What am I doing wrong in the practice room?".<br />
<br />
Understand, I have some pretty serious goals for the fall. I need to shore up some issues. If I'm missing major things about my playing in the practice room, I need to figure out where they are and how to fix them.<br />
<br />
There are obviously disconnects and I need to find them.<br />
<br />
I'll bet I'm not alone here.<br />
<br />
Now, let me be clear here.<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>I am NOT being negative!!!!!!!</u></i></b><br />
<b><i><u><br /></u></i></b>
I'm about getting better. I cannot being any more direct than that. I love music. I love practicing. I love playing my horn. I am GRATEFUL that I've had these opportunities.<br />
<br />
I just need to do it better.<br />
<br />
So, this morning I was thinking about how best to locate those practice room disconnects. I picked up my iPad to use the ole google machine on the interwebs to find some practice technique and....saw the camera.<br />
<br />
Duh.<br />
<br />
Now I record myself from time to time. I have a decent little microphone. I have good headphones. Why not simply record myself practicing?<br />
<br />
Understand, I'm not talking about recording and reviewing an entire practice session. That would be painful. What I'm suggesting is this:<br />
<br />
Record 1-3 minute segments of your practice and immediately, IN REAL TIME, review those recordings so, IN REAL TIME, you can address what you hear.<br />
<br />
I'm starting simply. I use The Tuning CD for long tones. I'll do 'spot checks' of working open fifths through the full range of the instrument at varying dynamics. Where are intonation problems? At what level does my tone spread? Where are response problems? <i>Am I hearing something as in tune when it really isn't?!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Next, scales and patterns with a metronome. Is the scale even through the full range? Is the subdivision totally exact and in line? Are there exactly four sixteenths per quarter note?<br />
<br />
I thought it was.<br />
<br />
I bet I'm not the only one who misses things in the practice room.<br />
<br />
So, think of these recording segments is that good but reaaaaaalllly honest friend: The one who tells you when you shouldn't wear that outfit. The one who tells you directly when you put your foot in your mouth and don't realize it.<br />
<br />
Stay 'old school' when you practice. Fundamental work should always always ALWAYS be the basis behind getting better. However, we have so many tools available now that we didn't just a few years ago.<br />
<br />
Let's work smarter AND harder.<br />
<br />
Get to work!<br />
<br />
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-46462164191753896042019-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:002019-04-26T15:12:21.923-07:00It Ain't About Being in the Club..WOW! What a week!<br />
<br />
This week my new graduate home was host to some of my heroes; The Moanin' Frogs.<br />
<br />
If you are in music (or even if you aren't) and haven't heard of this amazing sextet, you need to look them up.<br />
<br />
They are a FORCE in chamber music. They are enormous talents and showmen on a level that few ever attain. They cross genres with ease....seriously, they're just bad asses.<br />
<br />
So, what in the world does this have to do with the title?<br />
<br />
Well, part of my grad duties included playing chauffeur to guys who I really admired. Oh darn, right? In the days spent with them, however, I was reminded that for all my years on this planet, I often still don't get it.<br />
<br />
<br />
You see, when I returned to school and realized how the saxophone world, the music world, and the concept of promotion had changed through social media, I quickly gobbled up all things saxophone. I added tons of saxophone majors and professors on platforms like Facebook and saw their education and careers unfold in ways I would have never been able to my first time around.<br />
<br />
From seeing all this, I panicked. How was I going to hang with these folks. How was I going to compete with their success when I was too old to do competitions like MTNA and others? I was focused, I was determined. I decided that all these folks were in some sort of club to which I was an outsider. "I have to get into that club", I decided. "It's the only way I'll succeed."<br />
<br />
Man I was ridiculous. Sharing any perceived success, constantly humble bragging, promoting myself to the nth degree. I look back at myself and my state of mind just 3-4 years ago and shake my head. I was ridiculous.<br />
<br />
Even when I began to get grad school offers I was worried and had to look at it from the angle of 'Is it the RIGHT grad school to get respect from these guys?'<br />
<br />
<br />
Here, kids, is the simple answer (and one I was too caught up in everything to see).<br />
<br />
WHO CARES?!<br />
<br />
The practice rooms in Ann Arbor, Michigan work in exactly the same fashion as the ones in Bloomington, Indiana, Memphis, Tn., and Cleveland Mississippi!<br />
<br />
The point is that I (and hopefully, you) am doing something that I love and striving to improve at it.<br />
<br />
So why did this week remind me of that fact?<br />
<br />
Well, here I was, with musicians whom I held in the highest regard and we were just hanging for a few days in between lessons and rehearsals. In talking to them I heard the same dreams, desires, fears, and confidence issues that I have. They're worried about getting better. They're worried that people will enjoy what they do. They're thinking about the future and wondering what it holds.<br />
<br />
In fact, the primary difference between these giants and yours truly?<br />
<br />
They've had more time in the practice room.<br />
<br />
So....if you're like I was.....if you're trying to be in some sort of mythical social media based music success 'club', just stop......practice hard, love what you do, and get out and make friends who share your interests.<br />
<br />
I did this week. It's so much more satisfying.<br />
<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-52740082501351695352019-04-24T13:06:00.000-07:002019-04-24T13:37:08.863-07:00Big Dreams, Small Moves: The Daily Approach to Success.I'm currently listening a recording of a star in the making.<br />
<br />
Lilah Senibaldi gave her junior flute recital at the University of Tennessee-Martin last night.<br />
<br />
Remember that name. She is going to be a star.<br />
<br />
<br />
Look, I'm not going to name drop....but I know stars. I can just tell. She's going to be one.<br />
<br />
I've known Lilah for a few years now and saw her having one of the problems that I still struggle with at times. We both want to be GREAT musicians. We both want to be great....RIGHT NOW. Lilah was having problems the summer after her freshman year. You see, she was already 19 and not in a major symphony(yes, really). In her eyes, she wasn't at a Paula Robison or Julius Baker level so she was just a hack.<br />
<br />
Like me she thought the path to greatness was the equivalent of a 100 yard touchdown pass in football. If it didn't happen all at once and in a very short time it wasn't going to happen at all.<br />
<br />
This isn't logical nor is it realistic but then, musicians rarely use logic or spend much time in reality. It is part of our DNA, I think, to have unrealistic dreams and set unreachable goals.<br />
<br />
If you're an educator please PLEASE do nothing to squash that. Instead, offer this advice:<br />
<br />
Look at runners: Marathon runners train for years to shave a few minutes off their time. Middle distance runners do the same in seconds. For a Carl Lewis or Ussain Bolt, trimming 2 hundredths of a second in two years is a darned miracle.<br />
<br />
That's an interesting perspective, isn't it?<br />
<br />
The point here is to never stop chasing greatness but do so with small victories. Are you a hundredth of a percent better at your craft today than yesterday? Is the passage which was just stopping you in your tracks yesterday a little better today?<br />
<br />
This is PROGRESS.<br />
<br />
If, every day you improve a little...even an infinitesimally small amount...how will that add up?<br />
<br />
Achieve big dreams with small moves, my friends.YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-51568587957795925202019-04-18T16:22:00.000-07:002019-04-19T06:05:08.568-07:00Prove Them Right! Avoiding Toxicity and Embracing Your Support SystemI'm a few days away from a birthday. This makes, well, more of them than I care to admit.<br />
<br />
<br />
No, in case you were wondering, I'm not a big fan of aging. That said, one advantage of getting older is that the ability of self reflect seems to be enhanced over time. I don't know if you'd call it 'wisdom' in my case; as it seems to always take place after the fact. That being said, it does lead to some positive thoughts and a better mindset a good bit of the time. Example-<br />
<br />
<br />
I was thinking this morning about my return to school in January of 2013 and my path since then and I have to tell you, the more I thought about it the more one sentence resonated in my skull.<br />
<br />
<i>I cannot believe how fortunate I am.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I shouldn't have had the opportunity to return, but I did.<br />
Tennessee-Martin didn't have to accept me into their program, but they did.<br />
My parents didn't have to help me afford school, but they did.<br />
J. Berry didn't have to hire me to work at Interlochen after a quarter century absence, but she did.<br />
Mark McArthur didn't have to let me into his studio as a graduate student at UNLV, but he did.<br />
Following Mark leaving UNLV, Dr. Chris Beaty and the faculty at Texas A&M University-Commerce didn't have to allow me to transfer into their program mid year, but they did.<br />
Nicolas at Marca Reeds and Tatsuro at Marmaduke Music didn't have to be as kind to me over the past year or so as they've been, but they were.<br />
<br />
The more I think about it, the more I realize that there's a 'Team Andy'......and it has a pretty darned big roster. This is really changing my mindset about things by the minute.<br />
<br />
In the past, I've used detractors and naysayers as motivation- "I'll show them!"<br />
<br />
Now, the "I'll show them!" is a statement of affirmation for Mom, Dad, my teachers, my friends, and everyone in my corner. It simply means, "I'm going to bust my butt to prove you right." More than that, it means "My success is your success, too!"<br />
<br />
So, that brings us to the second part of the title.....avoiding toxicity.<br />
<br />
There will always be detractors. Leonard Bernstein had 'haters', Serena Williams has folks who claim she isn't that good. More than this, sometimes situations themselves just aren't healthy and one needs to be objective and learn to recognize a toxic environment when it appears.<br />
<br />
That takes time and experience and.....listening to your support system. They can often tell a bad scene even when you can't.<br />
<br />
So, what to do when you recognize a situation as being toxic? Well, first, try to figure out if the toxicity can be corrected. What or who is causing the issue? What steps can be taken to correct it?<br />
<br />
Here's the big one - Don't be afraid to walk away. NO situation is permanent. NO school is worth being miserable. Yes, you can find another program (if it gets to that).<br />
<br />
The POINT is you are studying music because you love it. Even the tough, frustrating situations are supposed to be positive and encourage growth. If they aren't, get away from them.<br />
<br />
Your support system will understand. That's why they are your support system.<br />
<br />
Prove them RIGHT.<br />
<br />
Oh yeah, I have a little website that I'd be honored for you to check out. You can get there at the link below!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/view/andyaustinsaxophonist/home?authuser=0" target="_blank">Andy Austin Saxophonist.</a>YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-53701454059830447982019-04-02T18:26:00.000-07:002019-04-02T18:26:33.568-07:00How to Use Instant Gratification as a ToolWe do live in an instant gratification world now, don't we?<br />
<br />
I laughed at myself this week. After a several month hiatus I started posting on here again....<br />
<br />
<br />
....and noticed myself getting SO FRUSTRATED when the 1000 views per article became 40-60 views. I kept periodically checking and thinking 'Why did my audience abandon me?!'<br />
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<br />
Ok the massive narcissism aside (Really dude? Your 'audience'? 1000 views is hardly 'viral'!) is it that important that people provide me that instant gratification by reading my thoughts RIGHT THEN? Is what I'm writing so drenched in insight and wisdom that they must absorb it immediately? I started to realize that it isn't so much a conceit issue as it is the way we're now groomed in our society. We must have that feedback RIGHT NOW! We need that gratification NOW!<br />
<br />
<br />
Face it, we've become the society that has drones deliver Amazon packages to us in a few hours because two days was too long to wait. We're the society that yells at the microwave after 3 minutes because whatever crappy food we're waiting on isn't ready. We want everything right now!<br />
<br />
I think this is something that really frustrates young musicians in the practice room. "I've been practicing a month now! Why am I not a virtuoso yet?!"<br />
<br />
So...I started thinking about that. This is, oddly enough, not an area where I have a huge problem. I don't have to have instant gratification in the practice room. Sure, it's cool on those days when my tone is particularly rich or everything is just 'clicking' technically but I've managed to get the mindset that it is indeed a process and I'll get there when I get there if I keep working. However, were I one who required such instant I would suggest this.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's a simple trick; used as an instant gratification reward for getting your crap done in the practice room. So let's put together a scenario......<br />
<br />
Pretend your practice schedule includes the following for a particular day..<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Warm ups</li>
<li>Long Tones</li>
<li>Harmonic minor scales in 4ths</li>
<li>Bob's Big Book of Etudes #45</li>
<li>Movement 3 of the Big Giant Concerto measures 55-70.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Ok, add this to the end: 5-10 minutes of whatever YOU want to play IF, and only IF, you successfully put in the work on the scheduled work. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ok, so it isn't technically INSTANT gratification. You do have to wait an hour or so. That said, after just an hour of effort, you get that prize. It's something to look forward to on days when your motivation isn't as high.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Give it a try.....and read my blog! (Or don't....I'll keep writing them regardless...)</div>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-67644716749504067162019-03-31T14:05:00.000-07:002019-03-31T14:05:09.848-07:00It's Just Hard Sometimes...Writing this blog can make me feel very vulnerable sometimes.<br />
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<br />
I often delve into my own frustrations, my own fears, my own weaknesses. It's scary stuff....<br />
<br />
<br />
....almost like being on stage can be scary stuff.<br />
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<br />
This is one of those vulnerable moments because to make some points I have to let you into my psyche.<br />
<br />
The past few years have been very difficult for me as a player.<br />
<br />
You see, my last year or so of undergraduate study was crazy. I had confidence on a level I'd never had before. I was a showman on stage. I was winking at the accompanist, working the crowd, and was never afraid to cut loose. I won the concerto competition, was a featured soloist in the jazz band, and received Performing Artist of the Year awards from my school.<br />
<br />
<br />
and then grad school started and everything took a nose dive.<br />
<br />
I didn't have a single what I thought to be good or even DECENT solo performance. One was a borderline disaster. The rest of the studio seemed to think I was a joke. Hell, most of the department seemed to think I was a joke. The thought of stepping on stage was just terrifying to me.<br />
<br />
It was almost a blessing when I received word from my major professor last summer that he was no longer going to be teaching there. It was my out. It was a way to start over. "I'll take a year off, work, and practice my tail off.", I thought. I was in contact with several programs whose teachers, for whatever reason, still saw potential in me and I thought I could get in somewhere else.<br />
<br />
That year turned into about three months.<br />
<br />
I had an opportunity fall into my lap. The professor and I shared a common teacher. We got along really well and the school seemed like a good opportunity. Besides, my girlfriend was already doing grad studies there in clarinet. How perfect was that?<br />
<br />
My initial audition was just for the professor since it was over winter break and no other professors were in town. It went fairly well. He made a video to show the others. It was enough to get me in; at least for the semester.<br />
<br />
I had a follow up audition a few weeks ago. It also apparently was enough to get me in but I still lacked that feeling I'd had in undergrad where I walk in <i>fully believing </i>that I was about to blow minds and change lives with what I was going to do with my horn.<br />
<br />
Now, I have my first public performance here in a few weeks for a composer's conference. It's a world premiere. To say I'm not yet comfortable with performing this piece is an understatement.<br />
<br />
So where am I going with all this?<br />
<br />
<br />
Well for starters, I cannot fully put my finger on why things went so cockeyed at my first grad program. I just know it did. What I CAN do is work on how to get out of the funk I'm in. This is what I think is relevant and just might help others.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I'm in a funk because I care so deeply about what I'm doing. This is my life. This is how I best tell people who I am. This isn't just important. This is ME. This is the biggest part of who I am.</li>
<li>I'm in a funk because I miss the thrill of performing as a soloist. I used to champ at the bit to get on stage. I need that back. The thrill of being on stage and truly entertaining people is something I must have in my life. </li>
<li>I'm in a funk because I don't want to let down those in my corner.</li>
</ul>
Now, even though it's taking me a while to really internalize the following statements, this in the reality on which I need to focus.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Because I care so deeply about what I'm doing, I have a bad habit of setting impossible standards for myself. This is a process and what I hear as a horrible performance isn't necessarily what others hear AT ALL. </li>
<li>Two extra years of practice means my ear has continued to develop and details I previously either didn't hear or didn't know to notice are now ever present while I play. It means I'm continuing to grow as a saxophonist and a musician.</li>
<li>Those in my corner only want the best for me and only care that I work hard, succeed, and find happiness.</li>
</ul>
<br /><br />
I think so much of the time our growth can be difficult and painful because we make it so. Our fear, our doubts, our inability to just let go just get in our way. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It means we care. It means this is something that matters to us.<br />
<br />
I don't have a real answer on how I'm going to get my confidence back to where it was in the spring of 2016. I just feel that my first real step was this admission and knowing I'll find my way back.<br />
<br />
If you're having the same issues, I hope you find your way with me!YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-29986415597612594932019-03-27T21:02:00.000-07:002019-03-27T21:02:05.859-07:00Your Reputation is YOU.So, yeah, this is a continuation of my last post.....which not so many folks read. It's amazing what happens with a hiatus.<br />
<br />
The more I look around each day the more I'm reminded of one of the cool things about being back in school later in life:<br />
<br />
<br />
Man I am sooooooo glad social media wasn't around when I was 19.<br />
<br />
<br />
Seriously, I doubt I would have made it through school or gotten a job ANYWHERE. I had a penchant for humor when it wasn't appropriate, inappropriate humor when it was even less appropriate, and just a general penchant for sticking my foot in my mouth. Impulse control issues, ADD, and social media are a bad combo.<br />
<br />
Over the years I've gotten better but still, I'm always learning. You see, young grasshoppers, wisdom is acquired slowly....and all too often....very painfully.<br />
<br />
So where am I going with this?<br />
<br />
It's pretty simple, kiddos, there is SO MUCH MORE to the field of music than how much you know or how well you can play.<br />
<br />
I had a conversation with undergrads recently. They asked me, as a saxophonist, the biggest difference between when I started years ago and now. I explained, the difference is pretty striking...<br />
<br />
When I was an 18-20 year old, there were three or four universities where the true bad asses resided. I mean, the guys who could really PLAY. There was Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, North Texas, maybe a smattering of others. Oh, and it was either jazz or classical. You didn't see guys who could really do both.<br />
<br />
NOW-<br />
<br />
EVERYONE can PLAY. I don't care if it's the professor at PoDunk State U in Bumblesnort. They are likely a beast and, more often than not, they can not only play classical lit at a high level but solo over ii V I's with ease.<br />
<br />
It isn't just enough to be good anymore. EVERYONE is good. High schoolers are beasts now.<br />
<br />
This isn't meant to discourage anyone. Keep working and you'll get there. I tell myself that daily. The point is that there's so much more to this whole thing. Here's what is important.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Remember that your words AND deeds follow you. Everybody knows everybody. You may not think so but yeah, the music world is much smaller than you think.</li>
<li>The above is especially true on social media. The internet is forever and screen shots are a thing. You might have deleted the ugly thing you impulsively posted but yeah, people probably saw it. Someone might have saved it.</li>
<li>You're going to screw up. You might screw up badly. OWN IT. Say 'Yes, that was me.' Apologize, mean it, and do your best to make it right. The response will be remembered as much if not more than the gaffe.</li>
<li>Work your butt off. Yes, it's ok to relax. Yes, we all need breaks. The problem comes when the breaks aren't the exception but the rule.</li>
<li>Treat your classes like job training. This is supposed to be your career. Treat it as such. </li>
<li> Choose your battles. There are ways to handle situations; especially with professors. If you pick a fight with a professor (of course I don't mean physical here) you are going to lose. Even if you think you win; that will follow you. There are ways to handle things. Be professional. Follow protocols as outlined in your student handbook.</li>
<li>As a followup to the above statement. If you skip class with the excuse "The professor doesn't teach to my learning style." or "The professor doesn't know what they are doing." you just lost any argument you had. How would you know what and how they're teaching IF YOU AREN'T EVEN THERE?!</li>
<li>It isn't enough to want the gig. It isn't even enough to earn the gig.<b><i><u> You have to continue earning it every single day.</u></i></b> The people who do that.....those are the ones who are consistently successful. This applies to Dean's list, chair placement, rank in the studio, a job, whatever. Simply put in the work.</li>
<li> Try to be someone who's pleasant to be around. I know some folks are introverts. I get it. I am somewhat of an introvert myself; though I often come across as outgoing. You don't have to be the life of the party. You simply need to be professional, easy to work with, and pleasant to be around.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Folks, being a success comes down to two things. Attitude and effort. I know I'm not the first one to tell you this. However, everyone needs a bit of a reminder and for someone to occasionally impart wisdom gained over the years....and often the hard, painful way....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Keep your game face on.</div>
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Get to work.</div>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-4327539576255245642019-02-23T19:37:00.000-08:002019-02-23T19:37:06.555-08:00You Are What You Do- The Professionalism Pep TalkYeah so it's been a while....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So where have I been? Ok, well, I left Vegas, moved back to Tennessee, moved to Texas, began teaching middle and high school saxophonists, and then had another graduate teaching assistant position drop in my lap.....<br />
<br />
<br />
.....and in the middle of all that, I've been watching and listening to college students from many many schools. (I just pictured Commandant Lessard from the <i>Police Academy </i>movies. Yes, I'm old.)<br />
<br />
Here's the thing, folks. Many of you could use some guidance, an attitude adjustment, a swift kick in the posterior; however you prefer to phrase it...<br />
<br />
Ok, the name of the blog is Ye Olde Music Major and this may be the official "Get off my lawn" entry.<br />
<br />
<br />
The facts are the facts folks. When you enter school as a music major you might be following your passion. In the real world, though, you're also training for a career. Were it simply about passion, I would have had a doctorate in the 1990s. I'm speaking from experience here. I have done the stupid things about about to list. I've paid for them. Read and absorb what I'm about to tell you and perhaps you'll follow a smarter path.<br />
<br />
<b><u>STEP ONE- SHOW THE **** UP!!!!!</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Seriously, I don't know why this has to be mentioned. For starters, YOU'RE PAYING FOR THESE CLASSES. I get it, as a freshman or sophomore things like music theory and music history don't seem very important. THEY FREAKING ARE!!!!! You WILL use them. You WILL use what you learn in class piano. This stuff is important, guys. Even if you're lucky enough to perform for a living you'll need to know the history behind what you play so you're stylistically correct. You'll need to know how harmonic progressions work. You'll need to be able to conduct effective score studies.<br />
<br />
You need to show up and be prepared when you do. I'm not saying you have to have it mastered every class. That simply isn't going to happen. You'll struggle in some areas. We all do. The point is to show up, with a good attitude, prepared to the best of your ability, and you have to try. Oh, by the way, you have to have good grades to graduate. Schools hiring band directors do tend to look at your grades and if you're looking at grad school....well, schools do care about GPAs.<br />
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Which leads me to my next point...<br />
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<br />
<b><u>STEP TWO- LEAVE YOUR ATTITUDE AT THE DOOR!!!!</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
I don't care how good you think you are. I don't care if you really are that good. If you have serious attitude problems or are an habitual flake; people aren't going to want to work with you. A positive, humble, professional approach will take you much further than just having 'chops'. There are a ton of folks with 'chops' who have to keep their chops at home because people don't want to work with them.<br />
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<b><u>STEP THREE- COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY</u></b><br />
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A lot of issues in college departments simply come down to communication issues. This isn't just with students either. Professors and administrators are equally guilty. Do your part to avoid this. Email is the preferable means of communication. It gives you a record that you did your due diligence in any situation. Covering your backside in this manner gives you an answer to questions caused by communication problems.<br />
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<b><u>STEP FOUR- ASK QUESTIONS</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
Yes, this is part of communication but important enough that I feel it needs to be mentioned separately. If you don't understand something, ask. If the professor, conductor, or administrator doesn't do an adequate job of answering the question, ask again. If they blow you off, ask their boss. Remember that you pay to attend school there. They should remember that too.<br />
<br />
Ok, here is a MAJOR caveat to that paragraph.<br />
<br />
Faculty is there to teach and guide you. They aren't there to spoon feed you or do your work for you. Neither, by the way, are graduate assistants. This isn't middle school. Suck it up, buttercup. Some things you have to figure out on your own. If you show up for a lesson having practiced an hour or less total for the week; a teacher can't make you play better. If you don't come to class, a review session isn't going to suddenly provide you with all the info to do well on an exam. This is called learning to be a professional.<br />
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<b><u>STEP FIVE- LEARN YOUR INSTRUMENT</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
One of the most maddening statements I hear in music is "I shouldn't be asked to work so hard on my instrument. I mean, I'm just going to be a band director.". Real talk: If I hear a student say that, I will NEVER hire them nor will I recommend them to anyone for a job. If I cannot trust you with one instrument, why should I trust you to lead 40 or 50? You don't have to master your instrument to be a good music educator, true, but you have to try like hell. It makes you a better musician. It teaches you problem solving skills that you can then pass on to your students. Lastly, if you set such low standards for yourself as an instrumentalist, then how on earth can you set high standards for your students?<br />
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<b><u>FINAL STEP- WATCH THE BRIDGES YOU BURN</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
My undergraduate professor, Dr. Doug Owens, once said and explained that statement in a studio class and it has stuck with me ever since. In the age of social media, we (myself included) do a fantastic job of putting our foot in our mouth and losing coming common courtesy and decency. I'm not saying that one cannot go on social media and express themself, debate issues, what have you. I'm saying that the wrong statement, even one made in jest, can come back to haunt you. Take care in how you act and what you say publicly. Remember that you are in training to be a professional musician; whether on the performance or educational end. People need to have a high opinion of you because you will need them to help you get jobs, into grad school, etc. The folks you see every day are going to help you get a job, or not. Your reputation is the most important thing you have. Keep it good.<br />
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<br />
So, yeah, this blog was a bit of a rant. I felt it was needed and better you read these words than learn the hard way....<br />
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<br />
.....like I did....YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-5025495327450702512018-09-17T15:02:00.002-07:002018-09-17T18:10:16.445-07:00So, Let's Talk About Gear....I would normally thumb my nose at an article like this........<br />
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<br />
People spend way too much time worrying about gear. They'll see someone performing on their chosen instrument and immediate wonder what equipment is being used. What horn, what mouthpiece, what reed, what bow, what strings. So many folks are more worried about the gear than the work. So many strain to see the make and model of the instrument and miss a wonderful performance in the process. To these folks the fact that Jimi Hendrix played a Fender Stratocaster was the reason for his sound, not that he came up with a unique style of playing guitar.<br />
As an active member of many social media saxophone boards I see it a lot. Folks are more interested in the mouthpiece and horn used by, say, Joel Frahm than what he does in his practice time. More than this, we have folks who spend thousands trying to put together the exact same gear as their heroes in an attempt to catch the same 'lightning in a bottle'; not understanding that even the most talented of these folks spent hours upon hours daily for YEARS to arrive where they were. Their sound was the result of sweat more than gear. Chris Potter would sound like Chris Potter on a student Bundy saxophone with the stock mouthpiece. Understand that a wind player's sound comes from the wind player, not the instrument. One can even see it with pianist. Chick Corea would sound different than Herbie Hancock even if they played on the exact same piano. Every single great musician develops a unique voice due to who they are as a musician; not due to the gear they use.<br />
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That said.....<br />
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<br />
I LOVE GEAR!<br />
<br />
I'm fascinated by it. I want to know how things work. I love discussing it. I love exploring it. I can't wait for Paul Haar's online publication <i><a href="http://thesaxophonist.org/" target="_blank">The Saxophonist </a> </i>each month because he does such a great job of approaching gear reviews from not only an academic standpoint (Professor Haar is Professor of Saxophone at Nebraska) but a real world 'trench knowledge' standpoint as well.<br />
<br />
Now, having made my admission I want to drive home a few points.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I have spent years playing and studying the saxophone as well as music in general. I have a degree in Saxophone Pedagogy and I'm in the process of transferring from one graduate program to another. I have spent years learning to play. I have spent years developing my sound and my style. A different horn, mouthpiece, etc isn't going to change that. Grabbing Tim McAllister's gear would no more make me sound like Dr. McAllister than grabbing a Conn 10m tenor would make me sound like Dexter Gordon.</li>
<li>My interest in gear is more about EASE of playing. I am looking at ways to play in a healthy, pain-free manner until well into my 80s.</li>
<li>I try out gear with no illusions of a 'magic bullet'. I just enjoy seeing how things work.</li>
</ul>
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Now, full disclosure time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I am an endorsing artist for Marca Reeds. Additionally I have working relationships with Marmaduke Music out of Japan and Key Leaves. To that end, I have received free gear from those companies. I talk up their products on social media quite a bit. I do so, however, because I'm a fan of their products. I use Marmaduke's straps and harnesses exclusively now. I do so because I have neck problems and their products allow me to play pain free. I endorse Marca Reeds because they are the best most consistent reeds I've played. I use Key Leaves on my horns because they help keep keys from sticking and with that will extend the life of some of my pads. I am a fan of all three companies because they are good companies owned by some of the genuinely good folks in the industry. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So, let's talk about some ground rules for gear.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Being a 'gear head' is fine as long as you understand that EFFORT creates the sound, not the GEAR.</li>
<li>Make sure your equipment is in good repair. A well set up student horn will blow the doors off a poorly set up pro horn ten times out of ten.</li>
<li>Just because your hero plays a certain set up doesn't mean it will work for YOU. I picked up a $450 mouthpiece from a student of mine this spring. All I could do on it was squeak every five notes. It was simply a bad mouthpiece for my embouchure/oral cavity.</li>
<li>If you spend more time worrying about gear than approach to the instrument and/or practice time, you're doing it wrong. $1000 mouthpieces don't create a great sound. Long tones do. </li>
<li>Time spent on fundamentals will help you more than the best mouthpiece, horn, etc. </li>
<li>If you pick gear, do so based on good information, advice from folks who are truly qualified, and for the right reasons. Will the product make playing easier or more comfortable? Will it help keep your instrument out of the shop? These are the truly important reasons to get a piece of gear.</li>
<li>If you are a high school student, stop reading and go practice.</li>
</ul>
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</div>
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Because I mentioned the companies with whom I have endorsement deals/relationships, let me provide their information</div>
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<a href="http://marcareeds.com/" target="_blank">Marca Reeds</a></div>
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<a href="https://marmaduke-english.jimdo.com/" target="_blank">Marmaduke Music</a></div>
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<a href="https://keyleaves.com/" target="_blank">Key Leaves</a></div>
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Ok, you've read about gear. Now, get to work!</div>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-71818857127047400042018-08-14T16:18:00.000-07:002018-08-14T19:50:50.023-07:00Year One: Survival Tips for First Year Music StudentsWow! This is a new one for me. This topic was a request! I've never received a request for a blog topic before so it's exciting and made me have to think. Usually, I'll just wake up or have an event which inspires me to write about it as I feel it might help some folks. In this case, I don't know why I didn't think of this before so, Alissa, here's your blog!<br />
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<br />
Ok. kiddos, rule one. I'm going to put this in all caps so you see this. IF YOU THINK MAJORING IN MUSIC IS LIKE HIGH SCHOOL BAND OR CHOIR BUT ALL DAY LONG YOU.ARE.WRONG. I can't put it any clearer than that. Hopefully that was made clear by the University ahead of time. So, let's get to tips.<br />
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<br />
Now, there's a strong possibility (if you're an instrumental major) that you'll be required to march. That's ok, there's usually scholarships involved and, if you're at the right program, some pretty cool travel involved. So, this means band camp, right? Here are some band camp tips.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Be yourself. I know that sounds silly but some folks think you have to establish yourself as one of the 'cool kids'. The days are long and hot. Don't worry about being anyone but yourself</li>
<li>Make sure to hydrate. This should be common knowledge but some people still forget and have problems</li>
<li>For goodness sake, I know this will be the first living away from home experience for many of you but don't go get hammered at night. Besides all the legal and school related problems, you'll feel like hammered dog crap the next day. It isn't worth it. </li>
<li>There will usually be auditions for concert ensembles at some point during or right after camp. Yes, you need to prepare. Yes, you need to take them seriously. No, you won't likely be principal as a first year and no, it isn't the end of the world.</li>
<li>Do NOT use your good horn on the field. It isn't worth it.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Ok, we got band camp out of the way. Let's talk about fall semester.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Being a music major is busy....like REALLY busy. The better organized you get, the better you'll be. Remember, even if you get loans, grants, or scholarship, you are PAYING to go to school. You are training for a career. Yes, you want to have fun but you're there to do a job. Stay on top of things. Digging out of a hole as a music major is no fun. </li>
<li>If you're staying up all night to complete an assignment.......well.......hope that four hours of Call of Duty was worth it. That's not to say don't have down time or play games. Get your business handled first. Then you can play, watch TV, or socialize guilt and worry free.</li>
<li>Yes, even as a music ed major you have to practice.....a LOT. Even as an Ed major you are majoring in your instrument. Time in the practice room makes you a better teacher. Besides, you get good at the very thing that brought you to college in the first place and learn works you never thought you could.</li>
<li>Your instrument needs to be serviced and in good shape. If you're a woodwind player you need a good stock of reeds. I like the Marca brand (full disclosure, I'm a Marca endorsing artist). You're going to have to buy music, reeds, and other accessories. It's one of the expenses of being a music major. </li>
<li>Yep, gen ed classes are a pain. Take them seriously. Don't kill it in theory class but fall behind on the path to graduation because you skipped a bunch of psych 101 classes.</li>
<li>Here's a life tip based on things I did when I was young and what I heard when I went back- NO ONE CARES WHAT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL BAND DID. They're fun memories, be proud of them, but recognize that your classmates likely all have great high school band/choir memories. No one is going to hire you because of your high school band. Get it?</li>
<li>Theory, piano class, ear training, music history may all seem pointless to you at first. They are all important and yes, you will be using all of them down the road.</li>
<li>(edit credit to Annias Haney) Those classes all tie in together. You'll see it in the end, like a good movie but with more ear training and analysis.</li>
<li>Learn to listen (to something besides pop and DCI shows). Learn about not only the major players on your instrument but major players on all instruments as well as major band and orchestral works. Create a culture of curiosity in yourself that you can then pass down to your students down the road.</li>
<li>Remember when I said to get your business handled first? Yes, do that. Yes, be organized. It's so important, though, that you schedule yourself some down time. YOU NEED REST. You need physical rest. You need mental and emotional rest. Burnout sucks.</li>
<li>Learn to say no. Some professors, band directors, etc will use you for their own projects to the detriment of your academic performance and sanity if you don't learn that word. Remember that YOU pay THEM. Yes, they're your professors. No, they do NOT control you.</li>
<li>Be respectful to your classmates and professors. Burning bridges is dumb and can hurt your career. Drama is just dumb. </li>
<li>Exercise- yes, it's important</li>
<li>Don't have a diet which consists solely of cheeseburgers and pizzas. Try to get some healthy foods in your diet</li>
<li>SLEEP. Yes, hanging with friends at night is awesome. Yes, homework needs to be done. However, your health is more important. Sleep deprivation hurts performance, makes you feel like crap, and is just no fun.</li>
</ul>
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These are some thoughts. I encourage and invite other music majors and former music majors to join in.</div>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-40466614300730400662018-07-31T06:42:00.000-07:002018-07-31T07:57:47.116-07:00Music School Questions, Part TwoThis is a continuation of Part One (obviously). If you need to read Part One, I'm a little put out that my writings aren't the center of your universe already. That said, the link to it is HERE (<a href="http://yeoldemusicmajor.blogspot.com/2018/07/picking-music-school-some-questions-you.html" target="_blank">Part ONE</a>).<br />
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So, let's continue with some things to ask or at least ponder when choosing a school.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Is the professor one which demands a certain brand of instrument, mouthpiece, ligature, etc be used by every student in the studio? This may be a deal breaker for you. It may not.</li>
<li>How involved is the student in the selection of Repertoire? Look, there are some pieces considered 'standards' which the student is going to be expected to play. However, in my opinion, the student should be given some input into what is being assigned. How'd you like going into a senior recital with sixty minutes worth of music that you absolutely hate just because the professor assigned it to you? No thanks.</li>
<li>Are there 'professional development' classes offered? Think things like billing, purchase orders, fundraising, skills you might need as a music educator but aren't generally taught in regular classrooms?</li>
<li>For the education majors- are you being given assistance in preparing for the Praxis exams or are you basically on your own?</li>
<li>What is the reputation of the school locally? Regionally? Nationally? This comes into play when applying for jobs or post graduate study.</li>
<li>What are the marching requirements for undergrads? What are the scholarships there? Does marching band interfere with concert bands? I know of programs in the past that didn't even have a wind ensemble in the fall due to marching. THAT'S what I mean by interference. (By the way, I'm in no way bashing college marching bands. They can be a great and rewarding experiences with even some very cool travel from time to time!)</li>
<li>What are the job responsibilities as a graduate assistant? Understand that there will be work and time spent on your part. However, make sure that you'll have time to do what YOU need to do first. You're there first and foremost as a student and you are there to improve as a musician. That isn't to say you cannot gain skills from your jobs as a grad assistant. Absolutely, you can.</li>
<li>Is there time for YOU? You need down time. You need time to exercise (yes, as a musician you absolutely need exercise). You need time for your other classes, to socialize with friends. To not end up as a quivering, burnt out ball of anxiety? Ask current students tough questions.</li>
</ul>
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</div>
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This is a shorter one but I'll see if I can't put together a part three soon.</div>
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YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-61759517835894890912018-07-21T08:56:00.001-07:002018-07-21T10:20:20.634-07:00Picking a Music School? Some Questions You Need to Ask. Part One.I'm sitting in the instrument room on a rainy day at Interlochen Arts Camp listening to young musicians practicing. It's nirvana. It reminds me that many of them will soon be selecting a college. I'm convinced that there needs to be some 'Picking a Music School for Dummies' books. Really. There are so many questions that need to be asked and so often the prospective student has no idea that those questions are even questions. The same could be said for prospective graduate students. Often, the thought of getting accepted by a program becomes the driving force; without first thinking "This is a great, respected music school but it is the best one for ME?". There are questioned which should be asked and answered before a decision this big can be made. Otherwise, the student's experience will be less than optimal and, sometimes, things can become toxic in a hurry. When one is talking about the amount of time and money involved as well as the impact on studies or a career down the road, be deliberate and avoid hype.<br />
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<ul>
<li>What is the success rate for students? What are the alumni doing? How many are in grad school or doctoral programs? What's the job placement rate for Education majors?</li>
<li>What are the performance opportunities there? How much time does the student get with their instrument?</li>
<li>Is the school proactive about bringing in guest artists for master classes? Will the student have the opportunity to participate?</li>
<li>Talk to the students there. Are they given good direction? Is their development the most important thing in the mind of professors or do those teachers have 'pet projects' or agendas which interfere? ( yes, sadly, that question should be asked)</li>
<li>If the student is a prospective grad student looking for an assistantship, is the assistantship guaranteed for the duration of graduate school? GET THAT IN WRITING.</li>
<li>Is the major professor tenured? Is there a possibility of the professor leaving? On the other hand, is the professor riding tenure to retirement (Meaning, how aggressive is the professor in helping to develop the student, perform themselves, and growing the studio?)?</li>
<li>What are scholarship requirements? Are there scholarships which simply aren't worth the time requirements? (Yes, this can be a thing)</li>
<li>Will the student have the opportunity to get some teaching experience; either through teaching private lessons or working with local schools?</li>
<li>Are there good repair techs within a reasonable distance?</li>
<li>Are there enough practice rooms? This is a big one. One wouldn't think it would be a problem but if there are a dozen practice rooms and a few hundred music majors it can be an issue.</li>
<li>What hours is the building open? Is there adequate access?</li>
<li>Talk to the students again. How much drama is in the department (this can usually be determined over pizza)? Is there drama between studios or professors? You don't want to walk into a toxic situation.</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
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I'll have more questions to ask in Part Two: The Search for more Scholarship Money</div>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-9918324010068236432018-07-19T05:43:00.000-07:002018-07-19T05:43:00.238-07:00Jury Duty- Making Heads or Tails of Your Jury SheetsAhhh summer break....<br />
<br />
I'm enjoying another summer at Interlochen Arts Camp and while preparing my summer practice schedule went back to review my jury sheets from earlier this month. I'm trying to identify areas of need and the jury sheets provide some insight into areas of development for me.<br />
My jury day was......interesting. I had recently been diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea (which was of no surprise to me or anyone who knew me) and the second sleep study, the one to determine which level of CPAP device I needed to correct the apnea, was scheduled to begin about five hours following my jury. I was looking forward to both my jury, for which I felt exceptionally well prepared as well as the sleep study, where I could finally work towards relief from the condition.<br />
Thirty minutes prior to my jury I was in a practice room warming up when I got a call from the doctor's office. I figured it was to confirm the night's appointment and answer. '........insurance company denied payment on the study. Your out of pocket would be $1200.......'<br />
This was THIRTY MINUTES before my jury.<br />
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<br />
So.......<br />
<br />
Walk into my jury. Graduate juries are a bit longer than undergrad and as such I'd prepared Lennon's <i>Distances Within Me</i> as well as Boutry's <i>Divertimento</i>. These are stylistically different pieces; with the Lennon being very introspective and often full of angst (as the title would suggest) and the Boutry being much lighter.<br />
I used to dislike the Lennon. Now, with more life experience, it speaks to me like few other works and has become one of my favorite pieces. The Boutry I enjoy but it's just good music. It isn't cathartic, musically, like the Lennon was to me.<br />
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<br />
Yeah, so I mentioned the Lennon having a lot of angst? With the news I'd just received it was a bit moreso than normal. I get it. I was upset, I did too much with the bigger dynamics and my sound spread a bit. I WAS UPSET. I WAS FURIOUS...FRUSTRATED....feeling despair.<br />
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By the time I got to the Boutry I was a bit better; having worked out some of my frustration during the Lennon. Still, one of the comments I received on a jury sheet floored me.<br />
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I expected some of what I got. I could even hear it as it was happening and was too emotional to rein it in. "Sound spreading in higher dynamics. Some intonation issues.' I fully expected that. Then I read one which had me shaking my head in disbelief.<br />
<br />
A faculty member had started a new section for the Boutry and began with "Ahhh, this is more YOUR STYLE of a piece'<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>WHAT?!?!?!?!?!</u></i></b><br />
<b><i><u><br /></u></i></b>
Yo, dude! I just put my heart and soul and everything I am into the composition you just heard and something based on French cafe jazz from the mid 20th century is more 'my style'? I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud when I read the statement.<br />
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Here's the deal, though. That was that professor's OPINION. That's what that professor HEARD.<br />
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What's the point of all this?<br />
<br />
Well, you should take your jury sheets seriously. There is likely something pedagogical in there which you can use to improve. Moreover, if you're playing a piece and doing things which stylistically are just wrong......and all of the faculty comment in a similar fashion....ok, look at how you played it and work on your style.<br />
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Having said that, a comment such as that? That is an opinion. That person may have the title of Doctor of Musical Arts but that doesn't make them necessarily right. That's often when you need to return to your professor (especially as an undergraduate) and ask about the statement.<br />
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Moral of the story- Sit down with your professor. Go over the comments- the good, the bad, and the weird. It's one performance...a snapshot of your playing. Don't dwell too long on the good or the bad. Take the useful bits and remember that professors aren't perfect or necessarily right. This isn't a subjective issue. There are a lot of things which in music aren't 'right' or 'wrong'. With juries, worry about the things that are and remember that YOUR voice as a musician is no less valid than someone else's. If you feel very strongly about the way you phrased a line and can defend that eloquently; then do so.<br />
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Oh, and I finally got the CPAP. I'm no longer nodding off during class...rehearsals...standing in line....YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-75458708063515915832018-04-24T10:27:00.003-07:002018-04-24T10:27:54.044-07:00Sun's Out, Guns Out....Your Summer Practice RoutineSo I'm giving a lesson the other day to a freshman music ed major...<br />
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<br />
...can you believe I'm teaching college level saxophone lessons? My mind is still reeling from that.<br />
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<br />
As we only have a few lessons left this summer, my student and I were discussing ideas for how to approach improvements over the summer. This gave me the opportunity to express a series of ideas which had been bouncing around in my head for some time. I like the ideas so much I'll share them with you now.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>First- Let's be real:</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
Yes, you can take small breaks during the summer. It's healthy and even productive to give your brain and body a rest. That does NOT mean leave your instrument in the case all summer. If you are someone who thinks this is a good idea, I question your desire to be a music major. So yes, SMALL breaks. Go to the beach, go camping, do something to relax and give batteries some recharging. Then, get ready to hit it.<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>The Assessment</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
This is the part where you either have to take a cold look in the mirror or have your teacher help you. Where are areas where you need work? What are fundamentals which need some extra attention? Assess and then plan-<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>The Week-long Attack Plan</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
Ok, let's rewind to winter break. I was back home and my mom was sick....REALLY sick. As such, I didn't really leave home much during the break. During this time, I tried something new with scales. I went slow on just my major scales and worked them over and over (see my blog entry about Mozart's Magic Beans). I practiced them until I could get each, slowly (50-60 BPM on 16th notes) ten times in a row perfectly. I did this for a week straight. Do you know what happened? Without going over 60 beats per minute, I added 20 beats per minute to my top tempo on major full range scales. Let that sink in....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u>I ADDED 20BPM TO MY SCALES IN A WEEK NEVER GOING OVER 60 BPM!!!</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><u><br /></u></i></b></span>
Ok, so here's the plan.<br />
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Each week you're going to go through fundamentals: Long tones, scales, voicing, your normal practice routine. THEN:<br />
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<br />
You pick a concentration for that week: Scale Variations, Articulation, Arpeggios, iiVIs for the jazz guys (I think everyone should try them), what ever facet of your playing you feel could use work. Then, you spend a week slowly working the snot out of it. IT'S JUST A WEEK.<br />
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As my professor, Mark McArthur, told me about scales:<br />
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"Practice them like you never want to have to practice them again!"<br />
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When you ......let's pretend you decided to focus on scales in 3rds....<br />
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Treat them the first day like you've never seen them before. Set the metronome slow, almost painfully slow, and try to really LEARN them. INTERNALIZE the movement from the first pass through.<br />
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You aren't learning scales. You aren't learning articulation. You are learning your INSTRUMENT. Treat the whole process like this. After a week, pick a new focus. I guarantee, after a week, your skills will improve...seriously.<br />
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A final thought: Something else you can do during the summer is work on your level of physical fitness. Playing a musical instrument is a physical activity. Getting in better shape does make playing an instrument (particularly a wind instrument) easier. Improving your levels of strength and flexibility lowers the likelihood of an overuse injury and allows you to play for longer periods without discomfort.<br />
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<br />
Get to it.<br />
Have a great summer.<br />
Get it done!YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-48618693548796568142018-03-22T13:41:00.001-07:002018-07-28T05:13:33.988-07:00Music Major 'Whys' and the Answers to ThemBeing a music major is tough....<br />
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Seriously, at my alma mater music education, along with nursing, were the two most hours intensive courses on campus. There are people who believe it to be a joke major, until someone explains to them the hours involved. Having said that, there is a question often asked in music department student lounges across the country....<br />
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"Why do we have to do all of this crap?!"<br />
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As someone who is both a graduate student as well as a classroom music educator, let me give you some clarity on classes you might not see the need for at this point in your young life. Once I explain, you still might not like the class but hopefully will see the point therein. Here are common questions I've heard-<br />
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"<i>Why do I have to take so much theory?!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I'm ashamed to say that I used to think like this; even as a non traditional student. Why do you want to take something I love and basically turn it into.....math.....?!<br />
Ok, you likely won't use every single bit of theory knowledge you attain as a working professional in the field of music. Jobs aren't usually won or lost based on who has the better ability to distinguish between Italian and German 6ths, ok? However, you will be amazed how much quick arranging you will be called upon to do and the ability to recognize cadential points as well as the form of a piece of music will be of use to you more often than you realize. I strongly urge this. Ask questions and learn the theory to make you a better musician; not just do well on the tests. Furthermore, I get it, some people work hard and still struggle with theory. To you I suggest (because I do too), find the cadences and work backwards from there. If you can find a definite IV-I, V-I, or deceptive cadence, you have a good starting point.<br />
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"<i>Why do I need so much ear training?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Duh, because 99% of what we do is about listening. Ok, here's a real world scenario. You have a concert band piece that you'd really like to program for your ensemble. It's out of print and you're missing both the score and an all important Eb Clarinet part. You did find a good recording of another ensemble performing it. There's one of a few hundred reasons for ear training. Don't think you'll never have to create a part for a student. It's also about recognizing the aural differences between major, minor, diminished, augmented, modal, etc. That ability will be important and you WILL use it. There is a lot of thinking on your feet in the music world. Improvisation isn't relegated to playing. You'll have to go to plans B,C,D etc quite often.<br />
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"<i>Two years of piano? REALLY?!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Yes, really. See the above two statements about arranging and coming up with parts out of thin air. The piano is a great stable source of tones for you to use. Besides, what happens if the job offer you get includes a choir? You need some basic piano chops. They will help you out quite a bit.<br />
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"<i>What in the world is Music Technology"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
There are a lot of opportunities here. If you take the course seriously and learn basic composition and recording software you can, say, easily put together pep band arrangements for your group. You can also record rehearsals and, using multiple channels/microphones, isolate sections to a degree to catch what you might not with the whole group playing. Even if this course isn't in your school's curriculum, you might want to read up on software like Finale, Sibeleus, Muse Score and Audacity and Garage Band for basic free recording softward.<br />
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"<i>A Year of Music History?!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
It should honestly take longer. Yes, I know that the first 1000 years after the Stasimon Chorus is pretty boring and lots of the chant sounds the same. That said, 1: You're majoring in music. You need to learn about it and 2: You learn a lot about styles with a well taught music history course. This is applicable when you start programming transcriptions with your ensemble. You have to know how to be able to teach Bach, Berlioz, and Debussy too. It's about far more than your ensemble just getting the notes right.<br />
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"<i>Why do I have to do marching band?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Well, if scholarship is involved, there you are. I would say things about school spirit, duty to the program, stuff like that but honestly, I have nothing. Most of us had to do it. Find ways to have fun. I wish more programs would use the marching band to actually TEACH marching band and turn it into not only a performing ensemble but a lab class as well. Explain the ins and outs of drill design when setting drill, things like that.<br />
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"<i>Why am I required to practice my instrument so much"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
It's actually fairly ridiculous that some music majors believe that the half hour before your lesson is adequate weekly practice time. I say this with no reservation- If you're one who thinks like that and believes "I don't have to get good at my instrument, I'm just going to be a band director." then you really need to question why you're there. You practice your instrument so much because a HUGE percentage of the knowledge and wisdom you acquire as a music major occurs when you're alone in the practice room. Besides, solo performance gets you ready to stand on the podium. If you can't handle playing one instrument in a room with 50 people then how are you going to handle 50 instruments being held by people who aren't you?<br />
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<i>"Why do I have to do so many scales?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Don't think of it as learning scales. Think of it as learning your horn. Fundamentals...(repeat after me kids)....Fundamentals never never EVER stop being cool. If you can play major and minor scales at 120+ (along with their variants, 3rds, 4ths, etc) you are well on your way to beast mode from a 'chops' standpoint and should have little difficulty with most of the lit which is placed on your stand. This is another thing it took me a while to really internalize. With scales, as with learning anything else musical, rule one must be to take the ego out of the equation. Get them clean and precise with a good sound. That is SO much more important than speed. When you finally work your scales up to 120 bpm or more they should simply sound like you recorded them at 60 and played them back at double speed. Precision, accuracy, and smooth movement from note to note are the goals here. Speed comes later.<br />
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"<i>Why do I have to play solos in front of people?!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Guess what, kids, even if you're a music ed major, it's a PERFORMANCE based field. You need the experience 1: Performing in front of an audience (guess what you'll be doing as a director) 2: Working with either a collaborative pianist or small ensemble.<br />
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I invite other folks to add their ideas here.<br />
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<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-84635209696338490012018-02-19T11:05:00.001-08:002018-02-19T11:05:12.067-08:00Zombie Myths and Bad Habits Perpetuated in the Band Room. C'mon Music Educators!Some ideas just don't seem to go away.<br />
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As music educators I believe most in our field really do want to see their kids succeed and thrive. However, we seem to shoot ourselves in the proverbial foot from time to time. Often, it's by repeating the same statements or ideals made by our band directors. Hence, we have what I call 'Zombie Myths'; the myths which just don't seem to die! Beyond that, we often pick up some of the bad habits that we observed (but didn't necessarily know were bad) through our band/orchestra/choir directors or our private instructors. Our heroes aren't perfect, y'all. Neither is their teaching philosophy. As a music educator, or future music educator, one must look at the dogma of your teachers with a critical eye. Let's get a few of these zombie myths out of the music room.<br />
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<ul>
<li>Some scales/keys are harder than others. FALSE. C# major has the exact same number of pitches as C major. If we start treating them the same, perhaps students won't stay awake the night before an audition hoping the judges don't call B or F# in the scale portion. I think as music educators we sometimes look as some keys as harder than others because that's how WE felt in the same situation. Let's get past that.</li>
<li>High school band is all about marching trophies. No, it's learning how to be a musician and play your instrument. I came from a high school marching program which was very successful. Do you know how much that impacted my life as a musician the second the last contest was over? ZERO. You can enjoy marching band, perhaps even prefer that end of the field yourself. However, if you make that the central focus of your program, you are doing your students a great disservice. Enjoy the Blue Devils but look to the Chicago Symphony and President's Own Marine Band for more inspiration.</li>
<li>Step up instruments/mouthpieces/reeds are one size fits all. STOP THAT. No, not everyone needs the same brand/model horn. No, saxophonists don't all do best on the Selmer S80 C*. No, all clarinetists don't need to be on a 3 1/2 strength reed by their junior year. Educate yourself on instruments and accessories outside of those you majored in in college.</li>
<li>If your students know the shows of the last four DCI champions and zero pros on their instruments, they're doing it wrong. If you don't know at least 2 major names on each instrument to share with your students, YOU'RE doing it wrong. </li>
<li>The families/band boosters are their to support, not run, the band. You might occasionally need to gently remind them of that fact. See my statement about marching band. </li>
<li>Yes, you should still maintain chops on the instrument in which you majored. Show the kids that you love music so much that you still want to play, too. Besides, if YOU play at a high level in front of the kids, it might inspire THEM to play at a high level.</li>
</ul>
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<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-3212196451262934692018-02-08T13:03:00.001-08:002018-02-08T13:03:39.545-08:00It's About the Music, Period.Greetings after a short absence!<br />
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I was busy trying an interesting concept. Write less, practice more 😋<br />
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Having said that, the practice has been pretty specific to once and for all address deficiencies in my fingers and articulation and is slowly but surely coming along, thank you very much.<br />
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I have to keep reminding myself of that last bit....."surely coming along". I still have so many ingrained insecurities about my ability and fall into a lot of self fulfilling prophecies. I have a feeling that though my personal journey as a non-traditional student may be slightly unique; the insecurities certainly aren't.<br />
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This leads me to my lesson this week and a statement which has been a complete game changer for me.<br />
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I was preparing Karel Husa's "Elegie et Rondeau" for a recital performance this week and my professor, Mark McArthur, was listening to a run through with my pianist. Afterwards, in his commentary, he pointed out a series of glissandos in the Rondeau and said something to the effect of "What you did with these glissandos didn't fit the piece at all. Why did you perform them like that?". I responded that I was just trying to play them cleanly. Mark explained something fairly poignant to me......that I was worried about simple glissandos because I had such little confidence in my technique and then said something that sounds so simple on the surface but has caused a complete change in my mindset this week. I didn't write it down when he said it. I should have. However, the gist of the statement was this:<br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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<b><i>Never base your musical ideas or interpretation on what you think your technique is capable of doing. Instead, base your technique on what musical ideas you want to express.</i></b><br />
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It's a simple enough statement but for me, it was a total eye opener.<br />
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Yes, you need good technique.<br />
Yes, you need a good sound.<br />
Yes, you need to have solid reading chops.<br />
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Mostly, though, you need to have the ability to serve the music and use it to say what you and the composer wanted to say. If something gets in your way, don't allow it to affect the piece. Instead, get in the practice room and work the problem until you can get past it and just play.<br />
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Work hard<br />
Get better<br />
Just play and let nothing get in your way.YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-32978760615561512782017-12-07T14:12:00.000-08:002017-12-07T17:11:20.746-08:00Finish the Sentence and Defeat the Demons.I am one big ole hypocrite...<br />
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<br />
There, I admit it.<br />
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Here I sit, putting on airs of being the bastion of positivity on this blog...having my classmates always coming to me to be the word of encouragement (looking at YOU, Lilah) and...truth be told...<br />
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<b><i>I'M A GIANT MESS!</i></b><br />
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It's simple. I put a ton of pressure on myself and spend way too much time in my own head. I live or die on every single note; let alone every performance. I'm aware of the risk I'm taking and it has creeped into my head and sits there lurking 24 hours a day. It decided to hop down off the bookshelf in my brain and tapdance on my ego during last night's lesson . At the age of 47, a combination of exhaustion, fear, frustration, and health issues took over and for the first time I can remember I cried in a lesson. Mark was great and was as much counselor as professor but I left with my tail between my legs.<br />
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This morning's practice session wasn't much better. I was dropping notes, missing things I shouldn't, getting more and more frustrated and not able to calm myself. Furthermore I was too stubborn to do the very thing I tell y'all to do and walk away. Finally, I was to the point where I couldn't play the opening two measures of Ibert's <i>Concerino da Camera</i> cleanly because my left hand was just so tight and because I was just so angry and frustrated with myself. I realized where I was, put my horn up, and went to get lunch.<br />
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It was on the walk to lunch that I had the worst thought and then what alcoholics call 'a moment of clarity'.<br />
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The worst- " Why the **** did you think you could do this?! You will NEVER make it as a saxophonist! NEVER!"<br />
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The moment of clarity began with one word--- "UNLESS"<br />
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"Unless you can learn to relax and work through these sticking points, in which case you'll be just fine so work on those this afternoon".<br />
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Wow. That was a simple answer. That one word, UNLESS, just changes everything.<br />
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"You will NEVER lose weight.....unless you improve your eating habits and exercise."<br />
"I'll NEVER be able to afford that car....unless I stop going to the bar every weekend and lay off the new video game purchase every other week."<br />
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Now, does this choice 100% guarantee that I am going to have a fabulous jury on Monday and that I'm going to be a huge success in music?<br />
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No.<br />
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However, do you know what it does do? It puts the proverbial ball back in my court. It gives ME the control again.<br />
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I'm going to take my 'unless' and head back to the practice room to knock my demons out of the way.<br />
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Find your demon beating word<br />
Finish your sentence<br />
Get it done.YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-5054319080235194412017-11-02T11:36:00.000-07:002018-07-28T10:24:39.980-07:00So Who Decides What's Hard?I had a good lesson last night....<br />
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<br />
Mark and I spent an hour working on Berio's <i>Sequenza IX</i> and Christian Lauba's <i>Prelude to Vertigo</i> (a multiphonic funky groove!). I walked out of the lesson thinking "Now I'm finally playing some real GRADUATE LEVEL lit!".<br />
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.....am I?<br />
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<br />
What makes this grad level literature? Sure each work is challenging for various reasons but is it something that requires a piece of paper from a University stating that I'm worthy to delve into these works? Are these pieces actually more challenging than other saxophone works by, say, Ibert and Ingolf Dahl or are they just different?<br />
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Who awoke one morning and decided that Lauba and Berio only wrote pieces for grad level and above?<br />
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I think this is a mentality that I'm slowly see change in some studios<br />
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(Hey guys, I think the thoughts about mindset here are appropriate for every instrument but I'm a saxophonist so I'm going to use saxophone stuff to make my points, sorry.)<br />
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So, back in the 1960s the saxophone virtuoso, guru, Supreme Leader of the Jedi Council Donald "The Don" Sinta released the album <i>American Music</i>. It was, and still is, one of the 'gold standard' recordings for classical saxophone. It's sort of the <i>Kind of Blue</i> of the genre...it should be one of the first in a saxophonist's collection.<br />
<br />
....but let's talk about what's on the album...<br />
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On this recording you had THE high level saxophone/piano lit of the mid 20th century; works by Paul Creston, Bernard Heiden, Warren Benson, Walter Hartley.....this was, for the time, grad level.<br />
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Now, high school kids play the pieces....WELL.<br />
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What changed? Well, I think for starters, we got more people teaching the saxophone at a high level. The second point, however, is I think the more important part...<br />
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WE FORGOT TO TELL THE KIDS THAT THIS MUSIC IS HARD!!!<br />
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If you don't instill a 'Oh man this is going to be hard' mindset in a student and instead instill a 'Man, a new piece! This is cool!' mindset, how much more could they accomplish?<br />
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<br />
A good example involves a couple current freshmen at Arizona State. Dr. Chris Creviston brought in Matt and Tina this year and they are already tearing it up. Matt has already performed Edison Denisov's Sonata and Tina, by all accounts, is absolutely killin on John Anthony Lennon's <i>Distances Within Me.</i> Now, these are 'traditionally' hurdles for grad school students and they are being handled well by a couple of kids who just a few months ago were in high school. Do you think Dr. Creviston assigned these pieces and then said 'Just so you know, these are ridiculously hard and only grad students should play them.' ? More likely he assigned them and said 'Get it done!'.<br />
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Another example is one of my professor's own students; Philip. Philip is currently a high school senior and I recently heard him perform one of the two 'heavy' pieces from my senior recital; Yoshimatsu's <i>Fuzzy Bird Sonata. </i>Do you think at any point Mark said 'Yeah, this is for seniors in college!'?<br />
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What's the point? Well, perhaps....just perhaps....a lot of what's considered 'this level' or 'that level' as far as music literature has to do with stigmas and old mindsets.<br />
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Don't let someone else's mindset interfere with your goals. Challenge yourself. Get the chops and play the lit.<br />
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Get it done.<br />
<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-57295907959502422232017-10-31T14:24:00.002-07:002017-10-31T14:24:41.447-07:00Lock It Down- Success....Simplified.We all have goals....<br />
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Some are lofty, some not so lofty, and some exist only in our dreams (I'm never going to be the reincarnation of Cannonball Adderley and perform with Miles...). However, we have them and are usually looking for ways to achieve them. Often, these dreams are also the source of our greatest frustrations. How do we get there? How do we achieve what our heart so badly wants to achieve?<br />
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The answer is simple....but not easy...<br />
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We lock down fundamentals to the point where we can get out of our own way and do what we want to do with our instrument.<br />
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<br />
I know...I know....<br />
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Some are you are already saying 'but....but...I already do scales. I already do long tones. I already do etudes!'<br />
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Ok, do you 'do' them or do you approach them with the same mindset that you would your dream concerto?<br />
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You see, so much of what we do in the practice room ends up being 'instrumentalist on auto-pilot'. Yeah, we do scales. Yeah, we do long tones. Yeah, we do articulation work. How much effort do we REALLY put into these things, though?<br />
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"Thought of the Day: In music, it can all come down to whether or not you love practicing your scales." - Dr. Timothy McAllister<br />
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Now, I don't know about ALL but he isn't far off here. You MUST give the fundamental work as much love an attention as you do your favorite lit.<br />
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So you do long tones? Really? Can you play the lowest note on the horn with as wide a dynamic range and as in tune as you can the top note on your horn? Is there a significant difference in timbre? Do you have the control needed to play anything in the lit?<br />
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So you do scales? Really? Are your scales at 120 bpm as smooth and even as they are at 60 bpm? How about 130....150....200? How about 3rds, 4ths, arpeggios, whole tone? You get the idea.<br />
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Now, I freely admit, this is an area that I'm working on as well. I must. If I am to play the literature which I really desire to play (and play it at a level which will leave jaws on the floor).<br />
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Fundamentals never stop being cool. Don't do them because your teacher tells you. Do them because if you are going to take the time to learn an instrument then take the time to REALLY learn it.<br />
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Approach fundamentals from that place of joy and discovery. See just how far you can take things. More importantly, notice how much easier your literature becomes when you become a certified '<b><u>CHOP MONSTER</u></b>'.<br />
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Turn on the metronome and the drone. Get your scale book out.<br />
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GET.IT.DONE.YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-82123828540004396582017-10-25T11:41:00.001-07:002017-10-25T11:41:15.056-07:00The Morning After- Dealing With Performances Which Don't Go Your Way.Wow.<br />
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UNLV's Saxophone Studio Recital was last night and, well.....<br />
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<br />
....things could have gone better on my end.<br />
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I walked off stage feeling as if my performance of Ibert's <i>Concertino da Camera </i>would have Jacques spinning in his grave for a few days. I did the right things as far as stage etiquette: Smiled, acknowledged my collaborative pianist, bowed....but...<br />
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inside I was screaming "WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!"<br />
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I walked off stage, into the green room, and just sunk my head into my hands. I was nauseous, I wanted to cry, I wanted to apologize to the audience for what they had to endure.<br />
<br />
So what happened?<br />
<br />
<br />
This is new territory for me.....not having an off performance, but the reason why. I had almost paralyzing performance anxiety last night. I couldn't breath. My hands were shaking so badly that they almost fell off the horn.<br />
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I'm the same guy who, at concerto competition finals back at my alma mater just 18 months ago, was winking at his accompanist in the middle of a performance and was on stage to remind everyone else that they were competing for second place. I OWNED the stage.<br />
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Now, my current performance anxiety issue isn't the point of this blog. That's a journey for Mark McArthur (my major professor) and me to navigate. The point is, things didn't go the way I wanted them to and you know what?<br />
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<br />
The sun still rose this morning.<br />
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So, what do you do in a situation like this? It's time to work things out in your head...<br />
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WAS IT AS BAD AS YOU (or in this case, <i style="font-weight: bold;">I </i>), thought?<br />
Probably not. In fact, if memory serves, the lyrical sections from last night were actually pretty darned good.<br />
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<br />
DOES THIS PERFORMANCE DEFINE YOU?<br />
It doesn't even define you for the rest of the week. No one remembers the games where Michael Jordan went 2-20. They remember the games where he dropped 50 points on someone. This is a journey. This likely won't be your last performance.<br />
<br />
LOOK AT THE BAD <b><i><u>AND THE GOOD!</u></i></b><br />
What happened? WHY did it happen? Is there a pedagogical thing which can be done to lessen the chance of it happening again? Were you simply not prepared? Were you being stubborn about some things. In my case, though I knew better, one of the problems was that the back of my mind had be set on playing the work at the suggested performance tempo because I'm a grad student and I should be able to do that, right? WRONG. I'd only had the piece for a month or so and only gotten three rehearsals with my pianist.<br />
<br />
WAS IT RECORDED? GIVE IT A FEW DAYS BEFORE YOU LISTEN.<br />
Listen with peers and/or your teacher after the wounds have subsided a bit. Allow yourself to be objective.<br />
<br />
<br />
We're all going to have bad days at the office. We're all going to be sickened by them. What we cannot allow is for a bad performance to become an anchor which continually weighs us down. Shake it off, pick yourself up, and promise yourself that the next one will be better.<br />
<br />
This is a journey. If you journey far enough you'll have your fair share of bumps and bruises. The journey makes those scars worth it, though.<br />
<br />
My next solo performance will have jaws on the floor. I promise you that. More importantly, I promise <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">ME </u>that.YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-34352181203227453572017-10-20T18:02:00.000-07:002017-10-20T18:24:17.764-07:00The Non-Negotiables for Wind Player Success.So,<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm preparing to dive down into the orchestra pit for a three performance run of Prokofiev's wonderful ballet <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>. Before I do, though, I wanted to share some thoughts with you.<br />
<br />
You see, one of the cool things I get to do at UNLV is perform in the Wind Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Tom Leslie. Maestro Leslie is a big name in the field and has even been president of the American Bandmasters' Association. One of the things that I noticed when receiving the syllabus to the Wind Orchestra was a list from Maestro Leslie called his 'Non-negotiables'. It was basically a list of rules which, when implemented by the ensemble, would all but guarantee the highest level of performance and success. Here's the list:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR2es8jfGjc104Ks7I6SsSG-LfHp3wKpmQfCVqzGFBxmuIKlJkur6Mt0GrivaWBfjtL_cERjDw214YMv9sCk4pmhYdBkEuhFSaUw1LI1bDluYY5j3D_0Rx0zya5y87oCwm7WxZ1VgY34N/s1600/nonnegotiables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1237" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR2es8jfGjc104Ks7I6SsSG-LfHp3wKpmQfCVqzGFBxmuIKlJkur6Mt0GrivaWBfjtL_cERjDw214YMv9sCk4pmhYdBkEuhFSaUw1LI1bDluYY5j3D_0Rx0zya5y87oCwm7WxZ1VgY34N/s320/nonnegotiables.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
They make perfect sense, don't they?<br />
<br />
It got me thinking "Great! These are good rules for an ensemble but how about for the rest of the day? What are steadfast rules which will all but guarantee success and growth for the wind player?" Well, here's what I came up with....<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u>YE OLDE MUSIC MAJOR'S WIND PLAYER NON-NEGOTIABLES:</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<br />
<ol>
<li>Do some form of practice daily (I include score study, critical listening, visualization, and active recovery in with this. Giving your chops a day off every week isn't a bad idea)</li>
<li>Do long tones, overtone work, mouthpiece work, etc EVERY practice session.</li>
<li>Do scales, arpeggios, scale fragments, or patterns and articulation work EVERY practice session.</li>
<li>Sight read as often as possible.</li>
<li>Use a metronome in EVERY practice session.</li>
<li>Use a tuner in EVERY practice session (By tuner I mean a drone or some sort of fixed pitch. You cannot learn to tune with your eyes).</li>
<li>Play with people better than you as often as possible. (This is a big one.)</li>
<li>Perform as often as possible.</li>
<li>Approach the practice room from a place of joy, gratitude, and curiosity. If it feels like a grind, pack up your horn and come back later. Your mindset is wrong.</li>
<li>Learn active recovery techniques. What we do is in fact a physical activity and repetitive use injuries are real and debilitating. You want to be able to do this for the rest of your life, right?</li>
<li>Learn Alexander Technique, body mapping, or some other method of proper alignment and set up to minimize the chance of injury and maximize playing enjoyment.</li>
<li>Record yourself often. Listen later so you can be objective.</li>
<li>Video yourself often. Look for hitches in your alignment, set up, embouchure, etc.</li>
<li>Tell them you want the gig, then SHOW them you want the gig.</li>
<li>Learn to market yourself as a performer not from a place of arrogance but from quiet confidence and professionalism.</li>
<li>ALWAYS be professional on the stage and in rehearsal.</li>
<li>Maintain balance. Find a non musical hobby. We all need a way to 'get away' mentally.</li>
<li>Learn to say 'no' when you need to. </li>
<li>LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN- Find the best musicians in the world, not necessarily on your instrument, and listen constantly. </li>
<li>HAVE FUN- If you aren't enjoying it, then why are you doing it?</li>
</ol>
YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-46208022267741431782017-10-12T12:26:00.001-07:002017-10-12T12:26:58.474-07:00Thoughts for my Saxo-buddies (Relevant for other folks, too)I got a message yesterday.<br />
<br />
The youngster in question asked me what music I recommended for developing saxophonists. As I was listing some, he messaged something like "Ugh, etudes? I was hoping you'd give me some solos!'..<br />
<br />
Well, my young Padawan, what do you think etudes are?<br />
<br />
<br />
Is this a failing on the part of the student? Absolutely not! I think that, as educators, we are too quick to not put etudes into the same category as the most popular sonatas and concertos. It's MUSIC. In fact, how many pieces of our standard lit (and even lit that most cannot play.....Thanks, Mr. Lauba!) began as etudes? One of the most standard pieces in our literature, Bozza's Improvisation and Caprice, began life in an etude book!<br />
<br />
Who here would pay money for a recording of, say, Taimur Sullivan playing through all 48 of the Ferling Etudes? Were that recording to happen my response would be "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!".<br />
<br />
It's MUSIC! A lot of is is actually really well written music! These composers wrote things for saxophone. We need to show them the same respect and reverence as Ibert, Glazunov, Albright, and the rest!<br />
<br />
Conversely, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with taking a piece of music and using it as an etude. My professor, Mark McArthur, currently has me using Berio Sequenza IX as a 'study piece'. Why? Well, one example would be about five measures in. Mr. Berio expects the player to hold a low B at PP for 10 seconds (yes, he lists the note held for that time frame). You think mastering that won't help my control? My air? Make me a better player?<br />
<br />
<br />
So, back to the original point, what music did I recommend for the youngster?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1581060513&asins=1581060513&linkId=1deb6b9b64c6594fbba315cc7fb57005&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Ferling 48 Famous Studies</a> - This is the 'standard' edition of this text. There is an edition done by the esteemed saxophone virtuoso, Marcel Mule, which features an enharmonic variant on the etudes. It's pricey but excellent. One really cannot go wrong with either, though.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0769233244&asins=0769233244&linkId=501a23c4e53bfb31620b7f7a51e83394&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Trent Kynaston Daily Studies for Saxophone</a>- This is basically fundamentals 'boot camp' for saxophonists. It covers scales, scale variants, arpeggios, long tones, intervals, articulation, and other aspects of playing. It's my go to recommendation for scales until Doug Owens gets his scale book published (hint hint DOUG!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B000ZG6ZR6&asins=B000ZG6ZR6&linkId=f45a8b52925b357cc6735437cc8f4028&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Marcel Mule Etudes</a> - I'm just listing an example here. ANY of his studies are useful.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0874870577&asins=0874870577&linkId=81d6031181ac0302485e36c634a86f36&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Larry Teal- The Art of Saxophone Playing</a> - This is, I believe, the first book anyone should get when they begin playing the saxophone. This is THE how to.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0825811511&asins=0825811511&linkId=c66ee28d822cbfa6235c66f10944f8e7&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Klose 25 Daily Exercises (ed. McAllister)</a> - Another great set of etudes, edited by one of THE guys in the field right now.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ciframe%20style=%22width:120px;height:240px;%22%20marginwidth=%220%22%20marginheight=%220%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20frameborder=%220%22%20src=%22//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=yeoldemusicma-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B007BPJ3UK&asins=B007BPJ3UK&linkId=1eac993ca90dd67feae5e6443b02c7f1&show_border=false&link_opens_in_new_window=false&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff%22%3E%20%20%20%20%20%3C/iframe%3E">Don Sinta Voicing: An Approach to the Saxophone's Third Octave </a> - I considered Racher's <i>Top Tones </i>here as well. I just find the Sinta's book more direct and to the point....kinda like Mr. Sinta...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE8c_Z4g0-s">U.S. Army Field Band - The Saxophone Standard</a> - Boys and girls, this is the greatest value in saxophone education. It's FREE. There is hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of information here.<br />
<br />
These are just a small sampling. There are tons of others. I didn't even list any of the myriad of jazz studies which are available.<br />
<br />
<br />
Just remember, treat etudes and fundamentals with the same reverence as the biggest concerto and listen to yourself grow! Get after it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-20622258839729520852017-10-09T11:31:00.001-07:002017-10-09T11:31:08.764-07:00Old Dog, New Tricks- Bringing Your Practice Routine into the 21st Century.This is an entry which probably should begin with 'Back in my day'...<br />
<br />
This is a statement which, to me, is akin to 'You kids get off my lawn!'.<br />
<br />
<br />
Having said that, years ago, when I was a young performance major at Memphis, a metronome was this thing with a big pendulum style arm and a dial in the back for winding it up. A tuner? Usually the old 'Strobe-O-Conn' , which was about 25 lbs and had a 1940s style microphone. If your program was lucky they MIGHT have a 'Doctor Beat' metronome somewhere. Oh, computers? Yeah, unless you had a Commodore 64 plugged into your TV, the average computer ran about $2500.<br />
<br />
<br />
Times have changed a bit, huh? Shouldn't the way we use technology in the practice room change as well?<br />
<br />
Now, I am in NO WAY suggesting that effective practice routines should be changed. My favorite pedagogical statement is 'Fundamentals never stop being cool'. Long tones are long tones. Scales, arpeggios, and patterns are still just as important now as they were when Mozart was composing. Articulation studies have as much merit as they always have. What I'm talking about, however, is using the current level of technology to better understand needs and how we progress in the practice room.<br />
<br />
Many of my readers don't really remember the days before cell phones and even smart phones have been around for a decade or so now (WOW!). That is some serious world changing technology, isn't it? Yes, they're great for showing the dumb thing you just did on Snapchat but can also be a great tool in the practice room. To this end, most (I think) music students have some form of metronome/tuner installed on their phone. Fabulous. Let's discuss one in particular and the instant feedback it can provide.<br />
<br />
It was just about this time last year that I had a grad school audition here at UNLV and my professor, Mark McArthur (Has it been a year?! WOW!) At the time I was using an app called 'Tunable'. It's a really well done metronome/tuner app. However, Mark turned me on to one called Tonal Energy. Tonal Energy did everything Tunable could do plus one BIG feature. It has a a spectrum analyzer where you can actually see what's happening when you play. Ok, first things first. I'm a big believer in the fact that you shouldn't use the visual aspect of a tuner very much. As the esteemed former sax professor at Michigan, Don Sinta, was fond of saying - "You don't tune with your eyes". Therefore, I believe in doing long tones, and even scales, with a drone. One cool feature of tonal energy is that it allows you to not only play against a drone, but do so with multiple pitches. For example, were you to use a C scale as a long tone exercise, you could set the tuner to drone a C and G; therefore giving you not only the tonic (C) but the dominant (G, the 5th scale degree) to tune against. It makes those ears work a bit harder.<br />
<br />
Ok, back to the spectrum analyzer. This part gets a bit more involved, as it will require two phones, or a phone and a tablet. I use both a small iphone as well as an Ipad mini. I know the Ipad is a bit pricy for a lot of students. For this purpose, I recommend you look at the Kindle Fire. The <a href="https://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20target=%22_blank%22%20href=%22https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GEW27DA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01GEW27DA&linkCode=as2&tag=yeoldemusicma-20&linkId=9ce4ec9e5486f2a2eee80ab1a4fe27ad%22%3EAll-New%20Fire%207%20Tablet%20with%20Alexa,%207%22%20Display,%208%20GB,%20Black%20-%20with%20Special%20Offers%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=yeoldemusicma-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B01GEW27DA%22%20width=%221%22%20height=%221%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22%22%20style=%22border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;%22%20/%3E">Fire HD</a> starts at $50 and will allow use of the Tonal Energy App.<br />
<br />
Ok, plug some headphones in to the tablet and have it play the drone. Set the phone's Tonal Energy app to the spectrum analyzer feature. Watch what's happening? How quickly did you find the pitch? How steady was your sound? These are things the spectrum analyzer will show you. It shows progress but it also makes it impossible to ignore any potential issues.<br />
<br />
Last night I took three screen shots of my use of the Tonal Energy app. The first was my alto mouthpiece pitch of a concert A. The second, articulation work. The third, I did a vibrato study as someone who was just beginning to learn vibrato might do. Here's what they look like.<br />
<br />
First, the mouthpiece pitch:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LhNHjn7x_cuUF0bv5M2RkPXfA9SaCeSrE0Q-4-xjAYW23-YG9pR4OKJpa4NOSnZ0x_ksn1f62GZ0RRt4X4bKccuUBkMlC5ohnATXAu-aFJ8rJm08eU7VRbIohiaoEpDibEY6jsaK1Ib5/s1600/22375636_10155697514716487_57226345_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LhNHjn7x_cuUF0bv5M2RkPXfA9SaCeSrE0Q-4-xjAYW23-YG9pR4OKJpa4NOSnZ0x_ksn1f62GZ0RRt4X4bKccuUBkMlC5ohnATXAu-aFJ8rJm08eU7VRbIohiaoEpDibEY6jsaK1Ib5/s320/22375636_10155697514716487_57226345_o.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
As you can see, keeping the pitch steady and the air steady wasn't easy. It's a work in progress for even advanced players. (I know someone will notice that the pitch listed is F#. I had the tuner set for alto. It's another cool feature). I had a concert a droning through headphones.<br />
<br />
Next, the articulation work:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD41SImaVho6HjXTM_oXij00Mttn628DzhcqsuuaJ8mrOCABPvZ49lkeYW7WH84QqlwszZfK445C4B82dOVnF72qlnVlEvYFOXcNBlkyo14EtmQ2foBnrTtPs5bBT2NAam3-g3zAkjqrUp/s1600/22396365_10155697514496487_1246898765_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD41SImaVho6HjXTM_oXij00Mttn628DzhcqsuuaJ8mrOCABPvZ49lkeYW7WH84QqlwszZfK445C4B82dOVnF72qlnVlEvYFOXcNBlkyo14EtmQ2foBnrTtPs5bBT2NAam3-g3zAkjqrUp/s320/22396365_10155697514496487_1246898765_o.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Four quarters, eight eighths, sixteen sixteenths. Not bad, but I could make it more even. The visual really shows the detail of what I did, doesn't it? Note, I had the metronome on my phone playing through headphones so it wouldn't affect the analysis. The one downside of the app is that the spectrum analyzer picks up every sound; even that coming from the app itself.<br />
<br />
Finally, a youngster learning vibrato:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn415F8QLvNpXLYr2ydMLMxAnQOso9CUTcST9gR2tRDGBp64bnqn0jgki11-PN92xoM8_5YBccgBeLuZ72soTzfeI9FoTXgJt6mdmUfghSsPf0GD9f31ourAQ59LdasQxanO1ZF1eILYsD/s1600/22396839_10155697514451487_581988477_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="1022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn415F8QLvNpXLYr2ydMLMxAnQOso9CUTcST9gR2tRDGBp64bnqn0jgki11-PN92xoM8_5YBccgBeLuZ72soTzfeI9FoTXgJt6mdmUfghSsPf0GD9f31ourAQ59LdasQxanO1ZF1eILYsD/s320/22396839_10155697514451487_581988477_o.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
The overall tone appears nice and full. However, the green line in the middle should be a steady pulse going from slightly below the pitch and back up to the pitch. In other words, it should resemble a sine wave. Something like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiBg0RT53G5F4cFQ-W-txCzHMAX4MPoLTkLWmOKF0b5-fdTyu-vq3VHUR2YHvf4n0Silc2hi43G3cbjB6a3Fgbu9_HAkY9y-1ZEGNIFFBy3d-iVBOTr0bzEchPCXtygNsjncphDqJtrfe/s1600/sine.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="138" data-original-width="589" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyiBg0RT53G5F4cFQ-W-txCzHMAX4MPoLTkLWmOKF0b5-fdTyu-vq3VHUR2YHvf4n0Silc2hi43G3cbjB6a3Fgbu9_HAkY9y-1ZEGNIFFBy3d-iVBOTr0bzEchPCXtygNsjncphDqJtrfe/s320/sine.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, I have no affiliation whatsoever with Tonal Energy. I just find that the more I use it in the practice room, the better some of the fine details of my playing become. It's $3.99 at the moment and if you get it for one device, you actually can download it on all of your devices.<br />
<br />
Take your fundamental work and use technology for instant feedback on where you are and what you need to address....<br />
<br />
Now...<br />
GET OFF MY LAWN!<br />
<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020184602246361832.post-19314400911831727142017-10-04T22:46:00.001-07:002017-10-04T22:48:29.034-07:00Perception, Reality, and the Practice Room: Why Your Practice Routine Stinks.Ok.....<br />
<br />
<br />
.....so to be honest, I have no idea if your practice routine stinks or not; nor will I be able to impart some magical practice schedule to suddenly make you a virtuoso. In fact, this blog will address a certain crowd. It's a club to which I used to be a member.<br />
<br />
<br />
To which club do I refer?<br />
<br />
<br />
It's the 'I stink, everything's terrible, why can't I play this, everything is horrible, I'm never going to get any better club'.<br />
<br />
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I freely admit, when I returned to school to restart my music degree, I was a terror in the practice room....terror to myself that is. I grunted, signed, yelled, cussed, and....on one occasion, kicked my case across a rehearsal hall so hard that it scared several people.<br />
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What on earth did I hope to accomplish with this? What possible good was I doing myself? Unfortunately, I'll bet several of you reading this blog have acted in the past or continue to act in a similar manner. Look, let's be real here. This behavior is just plain dumb.<br />
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Banging your head against the wall only gives one a headache. It does nothing to the wall and besides, the whole 'tortured artist' thing is played out. If you're doing this because you believe that this is part of how an 'artist' should act with some misplaced passion, just stop. Seriously. Stop.<br />
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It's simple- <b><u>Y</u></b><u><b>OU DETERMINE YOUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN THE PRACTICE ROOM BEFORE YOU STEP FOOT IN THE DOOR.</b></u><br />
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Is that clear enough?<br />
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If you walk in the practice room with the attitude of 'I'm never going to get that passage right' or 'This isn't going to be very good' then your best course of action is to turn around, go have your pity party somewhere, and come back when you have the right mindset.<br />
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What IS the right mindset?<br />
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Gee, I'm glad you asked, loyal reader. The right mindset involves a combination of science lab and child's playtime.<br />
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HUH?!<br />
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Ok, let me fill the gaps in that statement. Remember being a kid and playing. Let's say you were swimming. Child you decides "I'm going to swim from this point to that point underwater. Ohhhh, I didn't quite make it. Let me try to take a bigger breath and push off harder with my legs! YAY!!! I made it!"<br />
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What we often did as kids when we were playing was, in a zero pressure environment, figure out how stuff worked and, just as importantly, what doesn't work. We just need to transfer that mindset to the practice room.<br />
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"So you mentioned something about a science lab?"<br />
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Oh yeah, thanks again loyal reader. Here's what I mean about the science lab. What you were doing when 'figuring stuff out' as a kid was simply a rudimentary form of experimentation. What do the folks in science labs do? Exactly. Here's why I mentioned both-<br />
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You take the child like curiosity and enthusiasm and add the documentation of scientific experimentation. Write things down. What works? What doesn't? How did something feel? Most importantly, though, make practice into playtime. "Ok, I hit that low C at piano...I wonder if I tweaked my airstream <i>this way</i> if I could play it at pianissimo?" Make it a fun activity....BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ONE!<br />
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"Well what happens when nothing is working?"<br />
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There are those days, huh? You're tired, you can't focus, or things just aren't coming together for some reason. There are a few options. 1: Put that activity aside and work on something else. Hit it again when your mind is fresh. 2: Go get some water and walk around for a few minutes to reset your brain a bit. 3: If it's a REALLY bad day, pack up your instrument and walk away. Explain why to your teacher, if need be, and assure them that you're hitting it again later (and then actually do!).<br />
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All fields of study have frustrations. You should absolutely try to limit yours. What we do is a joyous thing. We are part of a long and very prestigious tradition. Have fun. Explore. Figure things out!<br />
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Ok, so the next part here has nothing to do with the previous subject. Full disclosure, I'm making a small change to the blog and becoming an Amazon Affiliate. What does this mean to you? Not a darned thing, really. There will be an Amazon Banner on the blog from now on and if I mention a product that's on Amazon, I'll link to their site. This does NOT mean I'm simply going to put products on the blog to make money. However, if I'm talking about reeds, music, etc and Amazon happens to carry them, I'll make a few bucks if someone clicks on the link and buys them. Otherwise, please continue to read and comment. It won't cost you a thing.<br />
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<br />YeOldeMusicMajorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06112023548161179311noreply@blogger.com0