Malte Burba??

tyearian · New Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 2

I'd like to know more about Malte Burba and his approach to trumpet. But except for article on OJ's website http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/articles/burba/ and trumpeter's own website there doesn't seem to be much available on-line.

Is anyone familiar with his books, Brass Masterclass and Teach Your Body to Blow? Are they significantly different? Would you recommend either of them?

I've also read that his approach might be hard to learn through his books alone and that instruction from a Burba-trained teacher or a Burba workshop would be helpful/necessary? Would you agree with this assessment?

Finally, does Burba ever come to the U.S. to either perform or do workshops?

Thanks.

oj · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 3:09 am Post subject:

I have the books. The problem with books is that when there are things you don't understand you cannot ask the book. This is IMO the case with these books. It will give you informations but not enough to really "get going".

I know people who have attended Burba's workshop. They tell me you need to attend the workshop to get into his method - then you can use the books as a reference. His teaching is also very detailed, so you will have to spend quite some time with it - no quick fix there.

Malte has been in USA some years ago, but I think he gives seminars mainly in Germany.

Ole

trumpetgeek234 · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 3:31 am Post subject:

My teacher, a student of Günther Beetz has taken lessons from Burba. His approach seems to be purely static, it tells you that you have to do all things a certain way and no other way. It also seems like music is basically excluded in his teaching.

I have read his book and my impression and the impressions of others are that the book is written nicely and makes sense and it tends to make one get into this, but actually for me the approach is not acceptable. For example it tells you that you have to hold weights with your lips.... This and certain other exercises are the routine, it is a "totally off horn approach" in the first few stages. Then if you are able to do all those exercises (tongue, embouchure and air-exercises) you have to put them in this EXACT way on your horn. It doesn't leave you any room. While you start on those off-horn exercises you have to keep practicing your previous approach in a seperate session. Basically in his approach you learn to form you embouchure a certain way and hold weights with it. You learn to lie on your back and breath in and out and you learn to say vowels in a certain way..... but you don't learn how to play the trumpet......not to speak of the music.....!

The book also sais that his students play in the best orchestras and such, but actually I don't know anyone who that would be....

I know students of him who can play very loud and quite high, but thats basically it and I wouldn't say thats all too great....

[ This Message was edited by: trumpetgeek234 on 2003-06-02 06:41 ]

oj · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 4:17 am Post subject:

Hi again,

On TPIN is a guy, Ingmar, who is a student of Malte. Perhaps we should ask him to give an opinion here?

There are several "schools" that address developing basic skills on brass as the first thing. They have some good points IMO: if you have physical problems you need to solve them. But, as soon as that is ok - the main focus need to be on music. As Arnold Jacobs says - Song is 85 %

Ole

schiccolo · New Member Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Posts: 1 Location: Germany

Well,
here we have just about every negative stereotype I can think of. All I want to say is this much: go to a masterclass to find out for yourself if what you've heard is true. You'll be surprised to find out that many facts have been twisted and turned for whatever reason.
Trumpetgeek, you must admit that your post has a condescending tone towards Malte's teaching.
I understand you're scared of the weights picture in the book. Don't worry, none of his students have the lip trainer and none will need to use one. I'm sure that your teacher did not hold weights with his lips in his lessons. All I use is a pencil - that after practicing for two years without a pencil. Besides, there are many people who do isometric exercises.
The off-horn exercises are absolutely not to be transfered EXACTLY to the horn. The body can do this and will do this intuitively.
If I wouldn't learn to play the trumpet, I wouldn't go to have lessons. Why I would I want to learn to play the trumpet if not to make music?
For me it works great. And I think Malte is a great teacher.
Regards,
Ingmar

oj · Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2003 1:30 pm Post subject:

Thanks Ingmar,

.. that was really a quick response.

A few lucky ones, the so called "naturals" can go directly into music without doing a lot of special exercises. But sadly, lot of players (most perhaps?) have problems that is never solved even if they attend wellknown Universities or Conservatiories. I have personally been contatcted by people who studied for years interpretation and music. But they never got helpt with basic playing problems. One guy told me he still had range and endurance problems, two of the 3 things that according to Armando Ghitalla defines a good working embouchure (the third, or first, is good tone).

Some player have even told their stories on the net, like Sigi from Germany (see one of Callets websites) or Tofanelli from Italy who was almost ruined by a professor but who finally was helped by the late Ghitalla (see Roddy's website)

Good to hear from you Ingmar!

Ole

peterm · New Member Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 3

Hi,
I joined his workshop some times ago. I can tell you don't waste your time and money. During the workshop he was asked by a student to play a clean silent F3 and he couldn't do ... tried it with a swallow mouthpiece leading to a really ugly sound and with a deeper one he couldn't hit it.
This day some guys from Yamaha also joined the session because they thought he was the right one to do a series of Yamaha advertising workshops ... he never got that job.
You can imagine that he was pissed off for the rest of the workshop and did not answer the student's question seriously. Instead of he asked them to play in front of the others and told them that everything was wrong. You see he's also a nice teacher.
Related to his books I can tell you that a lot of things there are well known. E.g. read the book "The science of breath" (you can d/l it from rhoddy). The stuff he added isn't usable without guidance.

[ This Message was edited by: peterm on 2004-08-15 13:18 ]

oj · Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 2:39 am Post subject:

peterm,

I have read Burba's books and also the one you refer to, "The science of breath".

In what way are these books related?

Can you give us some examples (quotes)?

Ole

P.S.
I have "The science of breath" online here:

http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/exercise/breathing/

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

A perfect candidate for another dedicated forum.

trumpetizer · New Member Joined: 13 Aug 2004 Posts: 2

Hi from Germany,

i can tell you only that i heard from many guys who joined a workshop with burba that they didn?t recommend it...
All say the same :
- His playing isn`t that good (bad sound)
- He teaches only ONE way for all people, so it helps only a particular type of players
- He doesn`t accept critism and gets fast very unkind

I`m sorry to say that but his teaching is really unprofessional...

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

He'd fit in fine over here.

PowerSpectrum · Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 1:29 am Post subject:

To the german members of TPH:

Who is considered as belonging to the best teachers in Germany/Austria/Switzerland today?

trumpetgeek234 · Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 2:25 am Post subject:

I am glad i am not the only one critisizing him!

I think great teachers in Germany are Günther Beetz, Uwe Köller, Reinhold Friedrich and Matthias Höfs. Probably a lot more, but those are who come to mind right away.

trumpetizer · New Member Joined: 13 Aug 2004 Posts: 2

...Ingolf Burghard, Bob Lanese for Jazz....

peterm · New Member Joined: 12 Aug 2004 Posts: 3

Hi oj,
what I meant is the physical and physiological approach. You can find it throughout both books
and it's also mentioned in the introduction of "Brass Master Class", page5. Of course "The science
of breath" isn't up to date here anymore.
Besides, I read a pretty good successor with equal title by Swami Rama, 1979 with very
detailed explanations.
Anyway, maybe this approach lead also to similar ideas concernig the "Nostril vs Mouth
Breathing", chapterVI/page7 ...