Playing Without Music

[jhatpro]

Do you:

Find it easier to play without music in front of you?
Like your sound better when not reading music?
Have any thoughts about why this might be true?
Have any suggestions about how to make it as easy to play with music as it may be without?
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[TrumpetMD]

[jhatpro]

I agree. I also find I play and sound much better when I'm playing freely and not necessarily something I've memorized, although I'm sure my ear is steering me through chords and scales I've internalized.

What I've come to realize about playing without paper (or these days, a screen) is that I'm much more relaxed which results in better sound, better phrasing, better endurance and an altogether more satisfying experience
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Croquethed]

Several years ago, I asked my wife for the big 1200-song fakebook for Christmas.

After I got it, I realized it was so big because it had 1200 songs nobody wanted to play. At least it had darn few that interested my old blues/rock carcass.

So I started playing everything by ear. And everything improved.

Were I to find a good theory class that could explain some of the more complex things like why Miles or Morgan or Clifford, etc., played these particular notes in a long solo, the notation would likely help a lot. But for the simple hour-a-day bluesy noodling I do, I find playing by ear a joy.

[GeorgeB]

Playing memorized music and playing by ear are two different things.

In my youngster days ( early 50s ) I could play the accordion and harmonica by ear. I tried to do it with the trumpet but I never really knew for sure if I was getting it right so I studied music and the trumpet and pretty much stuck to sight reading every time I played.

This was the case even after I played lead for a small combo doing teen dances, weddings and what not for about 12 years. Even though I did so many songs over and over and knew them by heart, I still just felt more comfortable having the music in front of me. I would play from memory on occasion if someone at a family gathering would ask to play a song I knew. But I was never comfortable doing it.
_________________
GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[Richard III]

Recently I was working on a project. I have a 1903 Conn Wonder. I thought I would try and play it with a late 1800's mouthpiece. Very small diameter. It took a lot of concentration to play it. Add music and I lost the focus. Take the music away and back it comes. There's something to that when trying to learn a new instrument, skill or whatever is new to you.
_________________
Richard

King 1130 Flugabone
King 12C mouthpiece

[Turkle]

When playing improvised jazz, I personally find knowing the shape of the tune by heart to be essential for a few reasons.

First, playing without music is a sign that you actually know the tune well enough to make original spontaneous musical statements over/through it.

Second, looking at the music and thereby engaging the visual apparatus is taking brain bandwidth away from your ears, and 110% attentive listening is essential for being able to react instantly to the musical ideas of your collaborators.

Third, when you really know a tune well enough you really don't even have to think about "which chord" is coming up, you really just hear the "shape" of the harmony and can thereby freely create spontaneous musical statements within/without it.

Now, with all that said, sometimes you need to look at the music during a performance of an original or unfamiliar tune or if you're forced to play something in a singer or guitar player's key. It happens.

For music that is not spontaneously created, reading while you play is just fine. Playing in a brass quintet or something? Read the music.

But for music that is spontaneously created in the moment by a group of musicians, you need your ears, brain, and heart wide open to the demands of the room and the ideas, rhythm, and harmony of your fellow musicians. And frankly, staring at the music just gets in the way of that.

Good luck, cheers.
_________________
Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3.

[jhatpro]

Some great replies - thanks!
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Rapier232]

Wish I could, but for me music is essential. No music, no play. I don’t like jazz at all, so never needed to make stuff up. I can only play The Last Post from memory and that’s it. It is a skill I wish I had, but fortunately not one I need.
_________________
"Nearly as good as I need to be. Not nearly as good as I want to be".

Smith-Watkins Bb
Will Spencer Bb
Eclipse Flugel
Smith Watkins K2 Cornet
JP152 C Trumpet
Besson Bugle

[Seymor B Fudd]

Since the band of my life (63 years now) is a brassband I have been forced to use music in front of me. But - it´s mandatory that you learn your part almost by heart if you want it to sound musical! Difficult runs, intricate fingering demand this. Playing a solo - I learn it by heart to the extent that I can play without looking at the music - but since stage fright may appear - (nowadays gone) I´ve always wanted to have the sheet in front of me. I´m not an improvising guy, but I can play some standards, play some improvised licks not reading at all - this is often very fun playing in a little group (or even one or two "solos" in the big bands. Since we have many original scores the solos should be played as is - e.g. String of pearls, April in Paris - but same thing there, I can play them by heart not looking at the sheets at all, standing up, eyes closed.
Playing in a church, like at funerals I also try to learn by heart, while having the music in front me.
When it comes to playing in big bands I have the same policy; mostly I´ve played lead; doesn´t take long before I have memorized the music (many orginal swing scores I´ve played ever since late 60:ties so I know them by heart, not looking at the music - however I have the music in front of me.
Long solos, such as I can´t get started I play all by heart, closing my eyes, entering that "state".
So, for me I´ve found that you will have to learn the music almost or entirely by heart to make it become music - the overall scope/feeling/phrasing but personally I prefer having the printed sheet in front of me.
In the brassband it´s mandatory that you follow even the smallest gestures of the director, so being occupied with reading simply is out of question.
_________________
Cornets: mp 143D3/ DW Ultra 1,5 C
Getzen 300 series
Yamaha YCRD2330II
Yamaha YCR6330II
Getzen Eterna Eb
Trumpets:
Yamaha 6335 RC Schilke 14B
King Super 20 Symphony DB (1970)
Selmer Eb/D trumpet (1974)

[Andy Del]

As an undergrad, I was challenged on using music to perform in a solo concerto setting. I thought it would make no difference, and was comprehensively proved to be wrong.

Not only that, I was trying my hardest to play better with the stand in front of me! The prof doing this was not very popular, so his insisting I play some of the opening of the work and whipping the stand away (this was in front of the entire B.Mus course student body. A rather large performance masterclass we had weekly) saw me do my best to not let my POV down.

I failed. It was clearly better without music to the entire audience!

Cheers

Andy
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so many horns, so few good notes...

[Denny Schreffler]

[Craig Swartz]

I ws ablle to play trumpet/cornet by ear almost from the first when I was a beginner at 10 years of age. I've never been sure why, the skill bled over into all of the other brass and woodwind instruments as I learned to play them along with students during my 40 year teaching career.

In Iowa HS competition prior to 1980 or so, State Contest rules demanded solos be memorized (or played sans written music on the stand) if one aspired to earn a I or I+ rating. It was NBD for me as I, for the most part could play about anything I'd heard somewhere in about any key long before I ever saw it as a written page. There is no doubt in my mind that I was much more free to express the music as opposed to accomplish the technique in such performances. As I always try to instill in my students to this day: In the competitive music world, everyone will be able to play all the notes, rhythms. and written nuances. It is those who can also create emotion and interest by adding the actual artworkthat will win out.

I believe the actual "music making" is much more simple once the performer is long past the need to rely on written sheetmusic on a stand and can therefor concentrate on the musical expression and nuance from the perfromer's "heart" rather than those black dots which merely represent that which the composer has put down on paper so others might be able to perform his/her/its work. Regardless of what the nuevo "experts" say about "multitasking", most of us posess minds that can only really concentrate on one thing at a time. If w must put all our energy towards playing the notes/rhythms/written dynamics and nuance, our actual musical experience in performance will be greatly diminished.

While I have the parts on the stand when I perform with the orchestra or in other ensembles, I make certain that I do not have to totally rely on them andd seek to play sans written music whenever I can. Good luck.

[kalijah]

A skilled player should achieve the point where the music sheet is just directing you to play something you already know well. And not only notes but style and nuance.

Even also to the point where "memorization" is not rote but just playing what you have heard and can aurally re-form in your mind.

Most (not all) classically oriented players do not develop this degree of aural skill as improvisers do. They also limit their interpretive and stylistic language, even though refined.

At the same time many jazz improvisers (not all) do not fully achieve refinement of approach.

Personally, I am striving for the most expressive result, regardless of style, reading, improvised, memorized, whatever the case.