"TALENT" and the "SECRET" to improvement

John Mohan · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2002 3:29 am Post subject:

The following was part of a reply I made to Tom Turner. It's buried at the bottom of the 2nd page of replies to his very cool "improve twice as fast" posting. Well, perhaps I'm an egotistical bastard (perhaps?

), but I think part of what I wrote merits its own topic:

I think what Herbert L. Clarke wrote 66 years ago rings just as true today:

"The secret of success is knowing just HOW to practice, WHEN and WHAT, to improve."

Or, as Claude Gordon simplified it to, you need to know:

"HOW TO PRACTICE, WHAT TO PRACTICE AND WHEN TO PRACTICE!!!"

When I first started studying with Claude, one of my biggest worries was that since what he was teaching me was working so well for me, and worked so well for his many other students, how could my increasing skills make any difference when there were so many others also benefiting?

Well, I found out that in the long run, it was the "long run" itself that filtered out the competition. Impatience stops many careers dead in their tracks. Not being willing to practice 4 or 5 hours a day for YEARS and YEARS erodes the dream many have to play professionally (that's 4 or 5 hours a day after years of slowly building up the endurance necessary to actually practice 4 or 5 hours a day).

You want to know what I think is the main reason I don't play as well as Doc Severinsen or Arturo Sandoval (yet)?

Because I didn't always practice with as much dedication and self-discipline as I should have. So I’m a “late bloomer”. That’s okay.

To all of you:

Forget about "talent". If you have the desire and the willingness to practice and work at it, until it develops, then YOU HAVE THE TALENT!!!

And some lessons with me wouldn’t hurt.

Sincerely,

John Mohan
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Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
1st Trpt for Cats, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, Evita, Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

...John's right! -- it's 'How' you practice... not 'What!'

Rgds. Roddy o-iii<O
ex West End of London Lead Trumpet....

http://members.aol.com/RoddyTpt/

tom turner · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2002 11:33 am Post subject:

Hi John,

What's this stuff about calling yourself an "egotistical bastard?" I'd be carefull doin' that, for someone wrote a song about that in subject around '68 that was sung by Mac Davis.

It's a cute little ditty in 3/4 time, maybe you heard it. The first sentence of the song is its title too:

Oh Lord, It's hard to be humble,
When you're perfect in ever-ree way!
When I git up I look in thu' mirrerrrr,
Ah git betterrr lookin' each day!

To know me isssss, to luv me,
I must beeeee, a hell of a man!
Oh Lord, It's hard to be humble,
But I'm doin' the best, that I can!

Anyway, when I hear someone talking about ego, I think of that song and it makes me laugh! It's very good to laugh!

Have a nice day!

Tom

Quadruple C · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Nov 2001 Posts: 1448

[ This Message was edited by: Quadruple C on 2003-09-23 21:27 ]

trjeam · Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2002 5:31 pm Post subject:

Thank you john. I needed to read this. At the school we ( the trumpet section) always talk about how we will never be as good as Doc or Arturo but if we put the hours and dedication I think we could. I have never any talent I have always had to work hard to be good at something. But sometimes i just feel like as if I am going no where. But ever since I got the book " Brass playing is no harder than deep breathing" And reminded me of what I have gone threw to get at my level.

gappingr · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 7:38 am Post subject:

I've got a slightly different take on the "forget about talent" or "I'm not talented, I have to work hard" or "I'm not as talented as fill-in-the-blank-superstar". We talk about people being naturally talented, people with the ability to make playing the trumpet (or some other activity) seem easy. While it's true that these people give the rest of us an ideal to aim for, I prefer to look at it from a different point of view.

When I was in high school, I ran cross country (yes the sport of masochists). We, like most teams, had a couple guys who were considerably better (more talented) than the rest of us. Our top guy could run a 4:15 mile, while I was running a 5 min mile at best. However, cross country is a team sport and is scored by the finish place of the top 5 runners. That is, if your team finishes in places 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 you get 26 points, and low score wins the meet. So a team with one great runner and a bunch of hacks, would never score well. On our team, the coach called those of us who were #3, 4, 5 on the team, the "meat and potatoes" runners. We made up the bulk of the score, and our performances determined the outcome for the team and in fact, were more critical than the superstar's race. The difference between first and third place for him matter a lot less to our score than if I slipped from 23rd place to 35th.

Now to translate into music. Those of us who are not Doc, Arturo, Maynard, Wynton or whoever, are the "meat and potatoes" of the trumpet world. We are the ones the general public has the opportunity to hear in person most often. We are the ones who bring music into their lives. While the superstars are important, both as models for our own playing and as promoters of the instrument, it is the regular, hard working, still trying to get there players who are the most important. We're the ones who get to play 2nd or 3rd part in the local symphony when Doc is playing solo when in town on tour. We're the ones who bring music, and most especially trumpet music, into daily life.

Don't ever get down on yourself for not being the superstar or the naturally talented guy that makes it look so easy. Be proud to be "meat and potatoes".

Rob
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Rob Gappinger

One needs only two tools: WD40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use WD40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.

Yoinks · Veteran Member Joined: 10 Nov 2001 Posts: 258

Yes, work is what it takes. Now, we all know how good of a multiple tonguer that Rafael Mendez was. However, in the beginning of his career, this was his weakest point in his playing, according to him. Later it became known as one of his strong points. How? I was listening to a documentary type audio CD where they would play songs and then have stories and such and commentary. His wife said that in order to fix this, he would sit and play double tonguing excercises out of the Arbans book like a man posessed. He would get out of bed at six in the morning, and start double tonguing before he even got out of his pajamas. She would bring him lunch, and he would still be practicing in his pajamas. Finally before bed, he would quit, and go to sleep, still in his pajamas from morning, and with untouched lunch and dinner still sitting there next to his music stand. Now that is what dedication can bring you!!!

trjeam · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 4:44 pm Post subject:

histrumpet · Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 5:04 pm Post subject:

Rob,
I agree with what you are saying, at this point I would describe my playing as hamburger but I also have to agree with the other posts. One day I would like to be the Porterhouse!! I think it is very important to have a desire to be the best you can be, everyone can agree on that. It is also important to enjoy playing the music. We may never be at the top of the pile but we can bless others with our gifts. " Meat and potatoes" doesn't sound all that bad, I have been called worse.

Bruce

wayne2 · New Member Joined: 18 Nov 2001 Posts: 4

Hey your right on.Pratice is the most important thing a trumpet player could do to become a good or great player.Bunny used to pratice nine hours a day when he was 15 years old by the time he was 20, he was one of the best players.Now how many players pratice nine hours?My grandmother told me he practice Arbans and clarks as a kid ,his grandfather was the town conductor for the town band and was a cornet player himself.Bunny Berigans grandfather was a german who was taskmaster when it came to how to pratice and what and when,he made Bunny pratice correct or do it over and over.I feel if one does have the disire and does put in the pratice they cannot but become a good or great trumpet player.But dont fool yourselfs the greats all pratice relentlessly.mY Teacher Carl Ruggioro who was Docs friend said Doc told him he would pratice day and night,this is good stuff to know because some will think either you have or you dont.But if Doc did not pratice day and night for years would he be Doc?Myself when i slow down the pratice time i start to slide backwards in my playing so i dont allow myself to miss pratice anymore.WAYNE

Cozy · Posted: Sat Jan 19, 2002 10:03 am Post subject:

Mr. Mohan,
Thanks for the "secret," the inspiration. Yep, it's practice...Less typing, more playing.

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Cozy www.cozychops.com

sean007r · Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2002 11:25 am Post subject:

FYI

My instructor told me that Doc has a multiple hour warm-up????

I met Arturo last year and while he admits he had time to practice, even if only an hour, he is playing multiple hours a day for something/someone!

And here I WAS, less than hamburger, complaining that I'm no good and yet I could not commit to one hour EVERYDAY!

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~iii<0 Sean 0>iii~

[ This Message was edited by: sean007r on 2002-01-24 17:10 ]

trptsbaker · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2002 10:28 pm Post subject:

Doc doesn't really warm up. He just never stops playing, ever.

PhilA · Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2002 12:48 pm Post subject:

Practice is the most important, yes it's true, but I think that natural talent manifests its self within that practice as well as performance. You probably don't know that you have a talent for music, or maybe call it something different, but it's there. It's that rush you get every time you open the trumpet case, and when you can tell that you are having a good day. Talent is being able to play with emotion rather than just getting the right notes in the right order. Talent is the desire to play, and the will to go on when you don't feel like you're getting better. THAT is talent. It ain't mythical, it ain't magical and it doesn't make you better all by it's self. It makes you so desperate to be better that you slowly become it. That's what I think anyway. I may be wrong - hell I'm used to being wrong - but it's a theory of mine.

All the best
Phil

Greatest Trumpeter · Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2002 3:50 pm Post subject:

I sometimes wish I didn't have so much natural talent because I sometimes use it as an excuse for not practicing as much as I should. But then again.
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"O Music, sphere-descended maid
Friend of pleasure, wisdom's aid" -William Collins

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