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Harold Mitchell or Bill Knevitt



 
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BobD
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:08 am    Post subject: Harold Mitchell or Bill Knevitt Reply with quote

I'm a comeback player. I can play a C above the staff but really my useful range extends to only A above the staff.

I'm looking for a method with lessons that are progressive and contain all the fundamentals to improve my sound, endurance, range and articulation. Some methods like Claude Gordon are just too much in each lesson. So I was looking at the Harold Mitchell Complete Method and the Bill Knevitt Crash Course. I'm kind of leaning towards the Mitchell method as the Knevitt crash course lessons seem rather large.

Has anyone had experience with these methods?
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got, and used, the Michell books. If one is inclined to use this exercise here and that exercise/book there, navigate the Arban, have at it. Mitchell, on the other hand, has everything-in-one-location lessons.

The Mitchell is convenient, since it is self-contained. This may particularly appeal to one looking for a compact program or players with some physical limitations in grabbing this book and that to complete the session. I find the lessons very balanced and Mitchell is a good, one-stop-does-all source.

I have not used the Bill Knevitt Crash Course.
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Didymus
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 8:12 am    Post subject: Self-Contained Lessons Reply with quote

I have heard that it's better to tackle Gordon with guidance from a certified Gordon instructor.* It may be the same way with Knevitt, who was influenced by Gordon and whose materials refer back to some of Gordon's methods. You can compare/contrast previews of both the Mitchell methods and the Knevitt crash courses at www.qpress.ca

*I tried starting Systematic Approach without active guidance and quickly felt overwhelmed by how much time it asked of the player. Then I started reading this forum and discovered the posts by men like John Mohan and Eric Bolvin. Mr. Mohan in particular constantly reminded people that Claude Gordon tailored the approach to the student's goals and time available. Indeed, the way they explained it, even the first lesson in SA was never done exactly as it was published in the book.
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Dayton
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The best thing you can do, if possible, is to find a teacher and work with him/her on a routine designed to meet your needs. If that's not possible:

Mitchell's "Mitchell on Trumpet" would be my next choice. I think it is the best "all-in-one" method available, and the easiest to pursue on your own. The lessons are fairly comprehensive for the needs of the modern trumpet player -- the best of any of the methods, in my opinion -- and progress at a reasonable pace. If you do all of the repeats as written it is probably nearly as time consuming as comparable lessons in Knevitt or Gordon.

Knevitt's "Ultra-Trumpet Crash Course" is terrific, but compared to Mitchell I feel that it is a little more skewed toward building range and endurance as opposed to developing the full range of trumpet skills and musicality. Not bad though: range, flexibility, tonguing, velocity....Also, based on what you said about your range, you may find that the last few lessons in "The Developing Trumpet Player" are a better match for you now than the "Crash Course" lessons (which you could progress to).

Good luck!
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gwood66
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Comeback player here as well. I own and have played out of all of the methods you referenced in your post. I chose the the CG path and studied with John Mohan (a previous CG student). You are correct about Systematic Approach, if you do it as written it is a lot of material. Thats because it was really written for the advanced/established player. John started me on a routine similar to the one he posted here with the exception of adding a tonguing exercise. Another modification was spending two weeks on each lesson before moving on.

https://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=113929

Done correctly, any of the methods will work.
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 23, 2019 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The book matters almost nil. What is critical is the teacher. If you will teach yourself, you have a fool for a student.

Get a teacher.

Cheers

Andy
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BobD
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gonna do it on my own for a little while. I'm making much better headway resting as much as I play and stopping before my chops are fried.

Ive had lessons in the past and none of my teachers except Trent Austin and my elementary thru highschool band director Frank DiGiacomo really helped me.
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kehaulani
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 5:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andy Del wrote:
The book matters almost nil. What is critical is the teacher. If you will teach yourself, you have a fool for a student. Get a teacher.

Man, that statement really assumes a lot.
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BobD
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 25, 2019 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A little harsh too.
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Dayton
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2019 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think that working with a teacher as you re-learn the trumpet is invariably a good idea. Having said that, it isn't realistic for everyone.

If your goals are high, you need sustained help from a good teacher. There's no way around that (unless you are Eric Miyashiro).

If your goals are more modest, and you aren't in a hurry to achieve them -- which I think applies to a fair number of comeback players -- you can likely do so on your own. That's where finding a good method becomes relevant.

Good luck!
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