My Experience With SA

B6L · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 5:29 am Post subject:

Just wanted to drop a line to everyone thinking of trying SA.
I went through the book the first time in 1992 with out any access to a teacher( I was stationed on Guam with the Navy band) the results were wonderful ,I could spend alot of time explaning details but the best way to sum it up is total connection with the trumpet. I thought since this systamitic type approach worked so well there must be even better ones on the market , thus began my long trip down some "different" roads , 37-weeks to double C, Quinque, Brisbois Trumpet today,etc. etc. Using the discipline I learned from SA I practiced these routines to the letter, and had decent results, but nothing like SA. Around 1996 I saw the light again and went through the book for the second time , again with much better results then all those other methods put together. still thinking there is more out there I used SA as a model and wrote my own 1 year practice routines using method books by Sandoval, Vuzzitti etc. but they never seemed to work as well as CG. So here it is 2002 and I am on lesson 12 in SA and really having a GREAT time playing!
I play full time in the U.S. Navy Band stationed here in Napoli, Italy and though we have a fairly heavy amount of gigs and travel I still get the routine in every day , many times in some very odd places and difficult conditions.
The biggest thing I can about SA is that it takes all the guess work out of practicing , and once you get a few months into the lessons you will find the trumpet becoming less and less in the way and you will have more ability and confidence to play more music (that is the goal). plus if you dont have access to a good teacher just buy yourself a good recorder and SA and you will be fine!

Nate

_PhilPicc · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 5:42 am Post subject:

What's SA?

Regards,
Philip S.

B6L · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 5:55 am Post subject:

Systematic approach to daily practice By Claude Gordon

_PhilPicc · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 6:38 am Post subject:

Thanks B6L.

Philip S.

Bill Hicks · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2002 11:20 am Post subject:

Nate,

Pick up Claude's other books also. "Daily Trumpet Routines", "Velocity Studies", "Toungue Level Exercises" and most important "Brass Playing Is No Harder Than Deep Breathing". The "Deep Breathing" book is very good in explaining how the system works and how to practice. The other books are used as extensions to SA If you want info on how Claude set up routines or have questions, I'd be glad to help any way I can.
_________________
Bill Hicks
Claude Gordon student 1970-1987
Harry James Orchestra 1976-1979
American Music Theatre 1997-2008
Big Band Nostalgia 1990-2010
www.billhickstrumpet.com

trjeam · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 4:20 pm Post subject:

I am only on lesson 8 of the book. It's my first time of going threw it and I must also say that SA is truly worth its money. I have seen great improvement in my playing. I even included a little log on my web site about my SA experience. So whenever I get time I write down new stuff that I have learned or just write about what I'm working on.

_________________
George Ayala

http://trjeam.tripod.com

[ This Message was edited by: trjeam on 2002-02-27 19:21 ]

B6L · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2002 10:31 pm Post subject:

Along with blowing till no air is left in all the part 1's , a huge help is playing all the Clark ex. in one breath as Clark and Gordon explain
Nate