How to prepare for a lesson (?)

[ATrumpetBrony]

Hi, everyone!
I have noticed that while I'm decently satisfied with my tone, and technique, my note-reading and endurance leave quite a bit to be desired.
So I have now arranged for myself a set of 4 lessons with a good friend of mine who plays in Wayne State's Jazz Program - fantastic player.

However, the important thing to go through is figuring out WHAT I should come prepared with to the lesson in terms of information that can help get to the root of problem fast. I'm thinking that at the very least, I should take a copy of my current practice schedule, my goals, a list of what has helped me, where I struggle...
I'm additonally curious as to what I can do to be able to take what I learn and transfer it over to other instruments- namely, trombone.

But what do you guys do? I've never had a 'real' lesson in my life, so even though I know what to expect from videos and just generally interacting with high-level musicians, I'm not quite sure what is sort of 'best for my own good'.

Thanks!
_________________
ATB

It's not what you play...
It's HOW you play

[zaferis]

Best answered by the lesson giver.

For me: something lyrical, something technical, something you've worked through and something you're working on. And have available any warm-up/routine/technique study materials that you're currently using.

Having a goal in mind (general or specidfic) and note book would also be handy

Tone/intonation, Rhythm (time), and mechanics will become apparent regardless of what you're playing.
_________________
Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[trumpetchops]

I would prepare a couple things and just play. The teacher will hear things you don't. Record the lesson and after you practice for about a week, listen to the recording and see what you forgot. Then, go back and do it again. Each time you'll hear more of what the teacher hears and go to the next level. I found when I go for lessons like you are doing, the teacher doesn't tell me more than I can handle. Each time you go back the teacher will bring you to the next level.
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Joe Spitzer
Monroe Ct.

[Brad361]

Largely because most of my students are in middle and high school, I can count on one hand the number of times a new student has come into a lesson with goals in mind. So I suspect that if you show up to your first lesson with questions and goals, the teacher is going to be pleasantly surprised.

Just give some careful thought to the areas of your playing you want to improve, make a list on paper and bring that to your lesson. You might also bring any method books, études and solos that you have, also bring some blank manuscript paper. Be open-minded, ask questions.

Best of luck!

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[Nonsense Eliminator]

I'm not sure it makes a lot of sense to go into a lesson with particularly specific goals. Obviously, if you're taking a lesson to work on a piece of repertoire that makes sense, but otherwise, the whole point of taking a lesson is that your teacher will know (and notice) things that you don't. If you go in with too many preconceived notions about what needs fixing and how it should be fixed, you may not get the best results.

Obviously, you can't help but have ideas about what you'd like to fix, but I wouldn't be too stuck to them. Presumably, you're going to play something, and the teacher is going to say, "Here's what I think you need to work on." That may or may not line up with exactly what you think you need to work on, and maybe at that point it makes sense to have a conversation, maybe starting with something like, "I've been more concerned about ______, what do you think?" It could be -- and often is -- the case that a teacher will notice something more fundamental that's causing the symptom you've identified as a problem.

I would have something (or a few somethings) ready to play that honestly show how you play. There's no point playing something that you've honed over twenty years and sounds way better than anything else you've ever played in your life, and there's not much point in playing something that is likely to simply elicit the comment, "Well, you need to practice that." If there's something that you've been working at diligently and don't seem to be able to conquer for reasons you can't understand, that's perfect.

If there is weirdo stuff in your routine, maybe bring that along, but you don't need to bring Arban, Clarke, Schlossberg, and so forth.

In a nutshell: the best lessons I've had are ones where I heard something I wasn't expecting. Make sure you're open to that experience. When it comes to taking lessons, the customer is NOT always right!
_________________
Richard Sandals
NBO

[trumpetchops]

[Nonsense Eliminator]

[Andy Del]

What Richard says.

Arriving for a lesson with a shopping list of what YOU think needs to happen in a lesson is not going to help. Arriving with music to play does.

The reason for this is one does not KNOW what they need to learn / relearn / hear, etc. That's why you're taking a lesson! And while we are at it, a series of 4 lessons? This is the same sort of mentality as dictating what you wish to learn. Make it open ended, and save your pennies. You will get a lot more out of the lessons if you do.

cheers

Andy
_________________
so many horns, so few good notes...

[ATrumpetBrony]

Thanks a lot for the good brainfood, guys! Gives me lots to think over. I suppose I was under the impression that lessons were more to address individual aspect of playing in general. But would one have to be working on etudes and piece that target certain aspect of playing? There’s just a LOT I don’t know.

It’s pretty embarrassing to say it really, but as silly as this might seem, I don’t really have a pure “own repertoire” of books and things that I read beyond stuff from the internet or from trumpet parts from my church's big band (which can range widely in style and difficulty). I have a Sigmund Herr book of etudes, a couple Essential Elements books, and a PDF-copy of Clarke.

I guess from my own viewpoint, I’m looking to clear up those few things I can hear with my untrained ears. But I’ll instead leave it to the teachers expertise to make it clear what I need to practice.
However, I have a bit of an idea about where I’d like to “end up” hopefully in terms of what I can do, sound and play. Is that a haughty mindset, maybe?
Should I rather just do what the teacher says and allow myself to sort of be ‘subject' to the 'natural way' things end up, rather than making it clear what my end goals might be, or what kinds of areas/styles/etc. I particularly feel the need to improve in to be able to do what I’m hoping to be able to do? Then he could possibly guide my path and tailor-make it a bit better to match the direction of my goals.

But I’m not entirely certain - you guys give lessons: what is it like to come to a student who says, “I want to play like Ole Edvard Antonsen”? (not that I’m necessarily that naive as a student - but I’ve got my own notes, tempos, and abilities that I do want to reach! I don’t want to stand in the way of my teacher, but I DO want to have his teaching carry me as far as I can go. I want to learn whatEVER he has to teach me - but I also want to be able to end up a certain type of player after all.)
_________________
ATB

It's not what you play...
It's HOW you play

[Nonsense Eliminator]

As much as we sometimes break down trumpet playing into a bunch of discrete skills, pretty much everything is connected in some way, and a great variety of problems relate back to relatively few fundamentals. It's certainly reasonable to have goals -- you want to improve your sight-reading and endurance, those are good "big picture" goals -- but sometimes the best path to those goals leads in unexpected directions.

Perhaps an example will clarify. Often, people on TH ask about improving their sight-reading. Many seem to expect a book or method will be the best response, and some don't seem interested in anything else. A teacher might listen to them play and observe that the reason they're not good at sight-reading is (1) they aren't hearing the music before they play it, (2) their sound production is inconsistent and unreliable, (3) they don't know their scales and arpeggios, or a combination of those items. So one might go for a lesson on sight-reading and be sent home with instructions to practice long tones. That's where it's important to be open-minded.

As for what you play in your lesson, it really doesn't matter much. Just have something that will give your teacher somewhere to start.
_________________
Richard Sandals
NBO

[Brad361]

[Nonsense Eliminator]

[Arjuna]

Let your teacher teach you.
Go into the lesson with a positive attitude and an open mind ready to learn and grow.

It is good to bring in the classic books, Schlossberg, Clarke, Arbans, Stamp and Irons are good examples. It saves time and shows you are ready to really study the trumpet. A good teacher will give you a well balanced routine to practice based on the classic books.

You said you wanted to work on sight reading and endurance.
Regardless of a player's goals everything to master and learn are fundamentals.
This is the solution to your problem. You have not mastered the fundamentals, yet.
All great players have mastered them and this should be the goal of every player.

[Brad361]

[cheiden]

I would prepare a concise list of your current situation. If you're not prepared to do that then you could waste a bunch of time rambling. You should be able to quickly tell...
What you do to warm up and how often
What you practice, and how long and how often
What type of ensemble playing you do and what challenges it presents

If you're largely self-taught and unstructured then I'd expect you'd leave with a new daily routine and specific aspects of each drill to focus on.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[dstdenis]

[MusicFit]

Keep it simple. New students come to me with one or two things they can play. That's all I need to hear. From very little your teacher will pick up tone, rhythm, flexibility etc. He should have some material for you to play. Lastly, ask them if they want you to bring something specific. Have fun!

[ATrumpetBrony]

I really appreciate these most recent replies, guys. They sum up more specifically what kind of stuff I can have prepared to take with me to the first lesson.
The guy himself said that he wants ME to come prepared with what I want to work on- and that he himself prefers teachers who don't drag you down with stuff that you don't necessarily want or need.

I suppose I'll make mention to him that *for the moment* I'm not really working towards being able to play anything specific, I'm just looking for tips on what I can do to improve. Thing is, I'm making a lot of progress really quickly lately, and my practice routine seems to be working, as my sight-reading is getting better, my tone, endurance, control, and technique have all improved of late, and my motivation has been solid as rock- and increasing- since I started my routine this past summer.

But I don't play in any groups or anything regularly, so I don't have a lot of reading material; I practice a LOT of scales and Clarke in many configurations- but in a way, I don't have anything to really practice for really.
I'll be joining my local community band as soon as I arrive home, and of course, doing some for-fun recordings and stuff.

Thanks again for the recommendations. It seems to be pretty straightforward- I understand what things i need to take with me, but I've mostly gotta be transparent with the teachers and find out what HE is expecting.
_________________
ATB

It's not what you play...
It's HOW you play

[Dan O'Donnell]

Bring a list of questions with room below the questions for you to write the answer. This will allow you to get all of the info from the teacher without forgetting due to being nervous etc.. I did this with my 2 hour lesson with Arturo and to this day I reference my notes frequently.
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God Bless,
Dan O'Donnell

"Praise Him with the sound of the Trumpet:..."
Psalms 150:3

[Billy B]

Just go to the lesson and let the teacher do their work.
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Bill Bergren