Random Stuff

[jpellett]

I read this thread a few months ago and it really got me to approach my sound in a new way. I have been working to gain control of my overtones and can now usually hear and adjust the levels of 3 or 4 of them at a time. My sound has definately improved, but with this new awareness and control of my sound I am basically at a loss for what to do. It's no longer "does it sound good or bad?," but "is this harmonic too loud?, is this one too soft?, should they really be this present?, etc." Sometimes I can almost make the fundamental disappear and have the sound be almost entirely overtones, which seems like it means that it is a very resonant sound, but is it a good thing? I'm guessing no, but when I listen to Reinhold Freidrich I often think that his sound is almost all overtones with very little fundamental, though I've never heard anyone else that sounds like that. I figure that taking some lessons with a player with a great sound, now that I know exactly what I'm listening for, will be a big help, but I would still appreciate any thoughts on the matter.

On a related note, in the few months that I have been focusing like this on my overtones I have started to developed perfect pitch. It usually takes a bit of mental effort and sometimes over a minute of really concentrating on the sound, but I can now almost always identify a note I hear or sing a random note. I realize it may be a coincidence that this happened within just a few months of my new focus on sound, but is it common for Mr. Adam's students to develop perfect pitch? Before this happened to me I actually almost posted this question because I assumed that with his intense focus on sound it would make sense for his students to develop good ears.

Jason Pellett
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http://www.jasonpellett.com

[Billy B]

Some great observations. There is a great diference between listening and really hearing. I remember that in one of my first lessons with Mr. Adam we sat quitely and he had me name the various sounds I could hear. As my concentration increased I could hear more different sounds, down to the clock ticking, the birds outside the window, etc. Rather than listen for specific overtones, I prefer to think of it as listening to the details of the sound. Not listening in this way is why so many state that this concept doesn't work. They hear what they think is a good sound but they really aren't listening to the details.

Your statement that you can make the fundamental almost disappear is exactly the type of sound manipulation that Mr. Adam uses in a lesson to correct a student's playing. He adjusts the sound from student to student and from lesson to lesson depending on what he hears in each student's sound on that day.

Your ability to hear and identify pitches is directly related to what you are doing. Mr. Adam says trumpet playing is 90% mental, 9% air and 1% evrything else. So when warming up we are doing so in the same way. Putting the mind in the right place is the warm up. After a short time on the horn, sight singing pitches becomes automatic and should be practiced with everything we play. Mr. Adam also reminds us that we will only become as good a trumpet player as the development of our ears.

I am not sure that actually identifying which overtone is predominate is neccessary, but perhaps the idea of the color of the sound is. I know that Karl Sievers likes to describe sound in terms of color to his students. A purple or golden sound, etc. can sometimes help something click in a students mind. I have had Mr Adam mention that "golden sound" many times.

I would suggest getting some lessons with John Head or better yet go to Bloomington and get with Mr. Adam. It is always better in person.

Thanks for asking these questions. It always gets me thinking in the right way.
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Bill Bergren

[grooveduke]

[Jonny Boy]

Nice work guys!

JB

[PH]

up

[jpellett]

I just read one of Pat's old posts where he says:

[PH]

Jason-

Yeah, Baby!