NTC - Butler Masterclass Notes

tromba mann · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:27 am Post subject: NTC - Butler Masterclass Notes

I took notes during Barbara Butler's wonderful master class at the NTC Friday afternoon. It was a free and public event, so I feel ok about reproducing the notes here. If anyone feels otherwise, I can take it down. If anything, it's an advertisement to get in line to be one of those 5 lucky souls who'll make it to her studio this fall! Stuff in brackets is me either clarifying something or editorializing.

I took these on an iPhone using the notes function, so grammar and syntax are iffy...enjoy!

Butler Master Class

What makes a musician/music special?
1. Sound – beautiful, clear (no air or junk) some vibrato, singing ringing resonant sound. Well used in the [musical] phrase...have a voice in your playing.
2. Clean and attractive articulation – must be gorgeous.
3. A refinement of the playing – who can play ppp after fff.
4. It's the music – feel it; say something; don’t just perfect the notes. Feel the music inside.

Play to turn the judges into an audience...say something don't play to not mess up.

Health - good playing health...be on the road to good health [this is a very important part of her philosophy – has to do with playing health but I suspect she also means being healthy overall in body as well – would love to learn more on this one]

The four things that are important to “making it”:
1. Talent
2. Work ethic
3. Intelligence of work ethic
4. Persistence

Warm up
1. Start with air breathing exercises.
2. Then buzz – going for perfect response (using the mouthpiece) can you do air attacks? Then you have control of your embouchure
3. Then tone/sound...use your ears...hear yourself. Listen out front of your bell. First page of Irons, stamp...long tones.
4. Then Flexibility...be able to touch all 36 notes from anywhere to anywhere at any volume or articulation.
5. Then repertory (excerpts or solos, etc.). Don't go here until all else is good.

What do successful students have in common?
1. Fierce determination, intensity of purpose, willpower, incredible focus while playing
2. Being special and musical, being an artist not an athlete
3. Competitive but in the right way…they inspired each other and competed but it was inspiring not harsh...good people to work with... good citizens –were able to bring it and focus on playing well but not hoping the other one messes up.
4. Worked harder than most people. Consistently.
5. Were in a hurry to make it.
6. Beautiful sound. Polished sound. Not all giant sounds. No clones.
7. Fast learning curve...learn from every performance and experience. Took musical chances.
8. Unusually committed while performing...more afraid of being musically average than missing a note.
9. Mentally hear yourself playing it perfectly then play it.
10. Always a student. Went to everything recorded everything.
11. Were engaged.
12. They never quit.

Look at the back of the hall before you play to remind you whom you are playing for. [Reference to playing out to the hall not to the end of the bell]

Correct tongue position: say the word hut then tah. That's where your tongue should be. [Everyone in the room did this in perfect unison out loud!]

Record yourself daily!! Tape where the audience is. Clarity, intonation, dynamics...[become a fierce critic of your own playing]

Air is first! When nervous or tired this goes first. Also tension.

The air doesn't do the tonguing it's a constant stream. The tongue does this. Aim for fast energetic air in a constant stream. “Tah” puts the tongue down not back.

Take something tongued and slur it first. Then legato tongue. Then the written way.

Project the sound...bounce it off the back wall. Don't play from the center of your chest or close to the body.

Put the energy at the front of your sound. Push everything out in front of you not close in to yourself. [She mentioned Chris Martin as being especially fond of this]

Take the adrenaline out of your body and put it into your sound.

Tension is death. [Neck and throat tension is death.]

You don't pull the air back to coordinate with the tongue. You adjust the tongue to the fast energetic air.

Ride the airstream...everything is always in motion...like a leaf riding on a river...liquid in motion. Play through the notes.
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Scooter Pirtle · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:45 am Post subject:

Thank you for posting this. It's brilliant.

Also, I commend you on your iPhone note taking skills.
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TrentAustin · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:54 am Post subject:

pure gold... thanks for posting.
-T
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hotorangetrumpet · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:10 am Post subject:

Thanks for sharing this!
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mthengst · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:23 am Post subject:

Please, Never, EVER take this down:) The masterclass was amazing, I have been checking youtube for video clips about every hour. Thanks for the notes!

wvtrumpet · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:37 am Post subject:

Very happy that you shared this information!!!! Thank you!!!!
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loudog · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:52 am Post subject:

highbrassplayer · Veteran Member Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 332 Location: TN

Wonderful! Thank you!!!!!!

YayPR812 · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:09 pm Post subject:

I miss Northwestern! haha
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mikeblutman · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:07 am Post subject:

You say that when you're in Syracuse weather ... how much do you miss Chicago winters when you're laying on the beach in Miami?! Good luck in Syracuse!!! Go get it.

ndelson · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:45 am Post subject:

Thank you for this.

So, throat and neck tension is death. I've been dead for many years now, so were any suggestions about how to reduce or eliminate throat and neck tension offered? I'd love to hear them!

daDavemeister · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:52 am Post subject:

"No Clones"

What does this mean? Does she mean don't try too hard to sound like someone else?

As for the phrase "tension is death"

I'm always battling this like crazy. I feel like it's the one thing really holding me back
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mavrian22 · Veteran Member Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 147

Yeah, I definitely think "no clones" refers to not trying to hard to sound like someone else. Ms Butler wants you to take the best parts of other peoples playing and incorporate that into your own sound. Don't spend the rest of your life saying I am going to sound exactly like "x." Also it refers a little bit to some peoples idea the NU is producing the same player over and over again and it is their "model" that is having success. It is many individual successes.

tromba mann · Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:52 am Post subject:

When she said no clones, she was referring to the variety of beautiful sounds she has (and has had) in her studio. That there is no one sound. I should have made that clearer - iPhone note taking is tricky business!

She didn't get into how she would correct the tension thing (that I can recall).
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