View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Learson Regular Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2022 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 4:58 pm Post subject: An aha moment |
|
|
Tonight in my practice session I was able to put together the things that my teacher and I have been working on in my last few lessons. My airflow, posture and tounging "suddenly" came together. As this happened my endurance and range we're improved.
Very satisfying. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
jhatpro Heavyweight Member
Joined: 17 Mar 2002 Posts: 10204 Location: The Land Beyond O'Hare
|
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Congrats to you and your teacher, too! _________________ 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 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
GeorgeB Heavyweight Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2016 Posts: 1063 Location: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
|
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 4:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
Nice feeling, isn't it, Learson.
George _________________ 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 |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Learson Regular Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2022 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 10:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
It is a nice feeling.
Thanks guys |
|
Back to top |
|
|
JayKosta Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2018 Posts: 3302 Location: Endwell NY USA
|
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 10:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
So ...
was there something special that led to the ideas being 'put together'?
From your description, the ideas had been worked-on over the course of several lessons, but apparently without much individual effect. Was that because you had not completely understood the ideas, that you were not doing them to best advantage, etc. ?
I'm asking because I would like to understand how you arrived at the point of it all working. Was it a matter of 'explaining in a different manner', just having done enough practice of the items, etc. ? _________________ Most Important Note ? - the next one !
KNOW (see) what the next note is BEFORE you have to play it.
PLAY the next note 'on time' and 'in rhythm'.
Oh ya, watch the conductor - they set what is 'on time'. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Learson Regular Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2022 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 4:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
It's hard for me to pinpoint what exactly caused it to click. I have been practicing these skills separately and together. I guess it was just a result of putting the time in.
I used to play guitar. I remember having times where my playing would go to another level. I liken this experience to that.
Cheers! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Trptbenge Heavyweight Member
Joined: 15 Feb 2002 Posts: 2390 Location: Atlanta, GA
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Congratulations! It is a good feeling. Sometimes it may feel like you are not making progress or things are worse or in chaos. It is often right after this period where things all of sudden click. That is why you should not get frustrated and give uip. _________________ It's the sound that makes the difference! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
chrisf3000 Veteran Member
Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 346 Location: Winnipeg, Canada
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
I still remember in my undergrad my teacher trying to explain for weeks the concept (and feeling) of efficiency. One day I did it and he says, "Yes! That's it!". I was like, "Oh, that. I can do that, no problem". [teacher slaps forehead]
Sometimes the concept needs to be felt in order to get the point across. There's instruction, and then there's experiencing it. I'm so glad you had that a-ha moment. Keep going! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
shofarguy Heavyweight Member
Joined: 18 Sep 2007 Posts: 7010 Location: AZ
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
A mentor of mine (not musically related) had me read the book Psycho Psybernetics. It is a treatise on how our brains work. The main point I remember from the book was an illustration that compared how our own brains work with how the Sidewinder missile works. The author pointed out that the sidewinder does not aim at the target it's seeking. Rather, it's goal is to gather feedback from the heat source. It computes positive and negative data. We might say it this way:
"I'm getting closer to the heat source; I'm moving away from the heat source; correct my trajectory; I'm moving toward the heat source; I'm moving away from the heat source; correct my trajectory," and so on until the missile either hits or misses the target.
This is what causes the missile's characteristic back-and-forth "sidewinder" flight path. Our brains work the same way. We gather positive and negative feedback in order to keep moving toward our target. When the Sidewinder succeeds, its path ends in an explosion. When we succeed, our path ends in a "mind explosion," your "Aha Moment."
I remember several years of vocal technique instruction and practice aimed at blending what is called my "chest voice" with my "head voice," in order to eliminate the vocal "break" that most people experience. Teenaged boys get teased about this when they hit puberty and their voices begin to "crack."
Some years after college, I found myself teaching vocal music at a private school in California. I taught eight hours a day, K-12. One day, I was working on warmup sequences in my car and, for the very first time, perfectly blended my chest voice into my falsetto. No break whatsoever! Aha! It took a number of days before I did it again, but I kept trying to find that very fine alignment of body and effort until I could regularly get it to work reliably. I ended up with four octaves of usable (notice I didn't say "listenable") range. And it didn't hurt to sing for eight hours every day Not one bit.
I'm still trying to duplicate that sort of thing with my trumpet. I'm getting there, slowly. But, not so slowly or painfully as it was in HS or college. _________________ Brian A. Douglas
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Bb Trumpet in copper
Flip Oakes Wild Thing Flugelhorn in copper
There is one reason that I practice: to be ready at the downbeat when the final trumpet sounds. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9013 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
A caveat to the Psycho-cybernetics/Sidewinder analogy is that now, more than ever in my lifetime, there are "cultures" of people who pick what results they want first, then square peg/round hole the predetermined results to.
One of my "Aha" moments came in an unlikely situation. I was listening to a combo in a club and the trumpet player wanted to take an "urgent" hormonal break with one of the listeners. He shoved his trumpet at me and said "Here, play for a while".
I sat in for him and on my first solo I was aware of the absolutely tasteful support the drummer gave me. It was the first time I had experienced such personal support and it determined what I listened for ever since then. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Learson Regular Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2022 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for the kind words everyone.
That is an interesting illustration about the sidewinder missile. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Bethmike Veteran Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2020 Posts: 194 Location: NW of ORD
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Congratulations! That is nice feeling. The result of solid, focused practice. _________________ Bach190ML43
Kanstul 1001
Bach NY7
Yamaha 631 Flugel |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Learson Regular Member
Joined: 27 Dec 2022 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Bethmike wrote: | Congratulations! That is nice feeling. The result of solid, focused practice. |
Thank you! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
nela16trumpet New Member
Joined: 08 Sep 2013 Posts: 1 Location: Boca Raton, FL
|
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2023 2:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That is definitely a nice feeling, being able to understand the concepts and put them together and seeing progress. Congrats! _________________ Marianela Cordoba
Trumpet
Lynn University |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Trumpjerele Veteran Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2019 Posts: 170 Location: Spain
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 2:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
[/quote]One of my "Aha" moments came in an unlikely situation. I was listening to a combo in a club and the trumpet player wanted to take an "urgent" hormonal break with one of the listeners. He shoved his trumpet at me and said "Here, play for a while".
I sat in for him and on my first solo I was aware of the absolutely tasteful support the drummer gave me. It was the first time I had experienced such personal support and it determined what I listened for ever since then.
[quote]
Beautiful story, thank you for sharing it _________________ Notice!!! Amateur musician without formal studies
Trumpet: Yamaha 8310Z
Mouthpiece: the great Yamaha11b4
Sax tenor: Yamaha YTS 23
Mouthpiece: Otto link tone edge |
|
Back to top |
|
|
Jerry Freedman Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Jan 2002 Posts: 2476 Location: Burlington, Massachusetts
|
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 4:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
A few years ago ( I have been around for a while) a fellow who was a regular here and a top tier player ( Buddy Rich) but whose name I forgot and who has passed wrote about his experience with mouthpiece buzzing. At first he was very excited about it but after a few months he changed his mind and decided that it was detrimental to his playing |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|