Reinhardt and Caruso Together

[DanEuph]

First off, I'm acutely aware of the differences between these guys' approaches and how they often contradict each other, but hear me out! Recently I've been doing some experimentation I'd thought I'd share. I've always found it hard to switch off the analytical part of my brain, it's something that I have to fight all the time, not just in music! In conjunction with doing plenty of Reinhardt, (courtesy of a great lesson with Mr. Labarbera) I've been using Caruso to basically solidify the good habits that I'm working on. I have set parts of my practice where I do the Reinhardt drills, then I spend some time doing six notes, lips mouthpiece horn, and note tasting etc., focusing entirely on the subdivision and letting my playing "just happen."

I did a gig yesterday and my bumper said it was the best I've ever played, and today went just as well. Any of you guys or girls also do something similar, or have any similar things you do in order to get your playing as natural as possible? Keen to hear thoughts!

Dan,

[donovan]

I've posted about this phenomenon before. Once Reinhardt has you playing right, then all the stuff from Caruso, Stamp, Chicowicz, et Al are available to you.
_________________
Donovan Bankhead
donovan@erniewilliamson.com
www.erniewilliamson.com

[DanEuph]

[JayKosta]

[Irving]

DanEuph, I think you answered your own question. It is working for you do keep doing it. I sometimes Carusify Reinhart. You can subdivide and tap you foot on the pivot stabilizer and the track routine, and any other metronomic exercise.

[donovan]

The suggestion to Carusofy the Reinhardt materials is actually a very good one. Practice the efficiency/timing aspects of Caruso with the Reinhardt routines - that could be effective.
_________________
Donovan Bankhead
donovan@erniewilliamson.com
www.erniewilliamson.com

[donovan]

[JayKosta]

[donovan]

Reinhardt is the only method I'm aware of that comprehensively exams all major facets of brass playing, EXPLAINS the variations of human anatomy and how it effects our playing, and helps one to go down the path for optimum brass playing. Every other method out there is either guessing, or merely describing the way the author plays, which is only useful if you have similar physiological characteristics to the author.

To put it another way - I've been consumed with playing the trumpet since 1985. While I had more success than some, I always had MAJOR obstacles to my playing that kept me from playing at the level I desired. Since discovering Reinhardt and taking lessons, those obstacles are finally removed and I'm playing more or less at a professional level, as an amateur.

I've taken lessons with numerous teachers, and while many would help with a nugget of wisdom or knowledge here and there, I still had the major playing issues. Now, I can go back and re-interpret my lessons from Bobby Shew, Roger Ingram, various Jacobs/Chicowicz students, et al and actually put those principles to use.

In short - Reinhardt has been a game changer for me. Louis Dowdeswell said it best - after taking his lesson with Chris LaBarbara he realized every thing he thought he knew about brass playing was wrong.
_________________
Donovan Bankhead
donovan@erniewilliamson.com
www.erniewilliamson.com

[Doug Elliott]

"Reinhardt" is all about playing with correct form, or mechanics, for each individual. That can and should be applied to anything and everything you play. His routines are designed to help establish "correctness" but it's not in any way necessary to use his routines beyond that.

Virtually every other "method" is about rituals like the foot tapping or doing specific things that really have nothing to do with playing correctly, and cause people to become dependent on those rituals.

It's unfortunate that so many people think of the Pivot System the same way when it's not.

[DanEuph]

[Doug Elliott]

No contradiction, it's necessary to alternate "corrections" in the practice room with "just playing" until the corrections become second nature.

[DanEuph]

[Doug Elliott]

I would not try to answer that question because everybody's different, but I would say it depends on several things. How it's taught, and how much resistance to the idea the student has. I've seen some who think it's ridiculous and don't even try. But the way that I teach it, most people get it right away.

[DanEuph]

[BeboppinFool]

This has been a good exchange. I’d like to add that while your embouchure is still developing (and Doc used to say that if you didn’t have the G above “high C” any time and all the time, then your chops were still developing) it’s counterproductive to combine approaches.

Once you’re there, then you’re “bulletproof” and you can pick and choose those other things that others teach. But while you’re getting there, picking and choosing might result in a chop spin.

My own “Caruso” experience was in 2000 when I had moved back to NYC. It was suggested that I study with Laurie Frink to straighten out my embouchure (my trumpet embouchure was certainly not fully developed at that point). I did her stuff religiously for several months, and yes, my endurance immediately improved. However, my flexibility and range stiffened up and began to falter. I had gone on a summer tour with the Will Rogers Follies and by the end of that tour was struggling. So I went back to my Reinhardt drills, and within three or four days I felt good again for the first time in weeks.

I do not stray from the Reinhardt stuff now since it’s the only path that has ever given me favorable results consistently, short-term and long-term. As a relatively new IIIA I’m definitely sticking with what has always worked for me.
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Puttin’ On The Ritz

[Irving]

I suggested that it might be helpful to do certain Reinhardt exercises like the pivot stabilizer using foot tapping and subdividing. Nose breathing is already incorporated in the exercise.(a technique that Caruso and Reinhardt both used). I don't see how this would impede the exercise from working. Neither Rich or Doug has offered a concrete reason, other than Reinhardt didn't incorporate foot tapping into his system. What about using a metronome?

I like the Pivot System and have taken a couple of lessons from a well known teacher. I also took one lesson with Laurie Frink. I'll take any helpful information where I can get it. Granted the approaches are different, but in this specific case I can see where sub dividing the beat might help in muscle coordination. I don't see how only working on one system will necessarily benefit more than using ideas from various systems. Especially when the original teachers have already passed on.

[Doug Elliott]

I have taught former Caruso students who literally couldn't play without tapping their foot. "Muscle coordination" in no way requires a beat.

[BeboppinFool]

I have never tapped my foot while playing, and I have noticed through the years (wow, over 50 years of playing professionally) that the guys who do it have some of the worst time-keeping ability of anybody, especially on gigs where the entire band is sightreading. They tend to drag the tempo down. I've seen that time and time again and am always grateful that I was never a foot-tapper.

I agree with Doug's statements 100% as well.
_________________
Puttin’ On The Ritz

[DanEuph]

Nice replies here! Thanks! Yeah, I agree with the foot tapping, I often have to do recordings in England on wooden floors/stages, so foot-tapping would incur a swift bollocking!! I had a lesson with a very "reputable" Caruso teacher once, who told me to add subdivision into all aspects of my non-musical life, including power lifting at the gym, subdividing four up, then four down... That advice ended up in the 'bull**** Bin' pretty quickly... I'm comfortable up to triple F (easy on a euphonium, my Father always says...!) But keeping the legs in the middle range is hardest, I've found.

Out of curiosity, you pro-playing guys, do you do some sort of Reinhardt-oriented exercise every day, or do you find you only need to touch upon it when you need to?