Characteristic Studies

[baroquetrumpeter]

Earlier today I decided it's high time I started to work on a new solo piece or 2, and noted a lack of more "technical"-style pieces that I know fairly well. So I opened up my Arban's and started shedding on the first Characteristic Study. I'm curious though, is there any particular "order" or difficulty, or are all of them written with the same basic idea? I think in a week or so I'll have it down, nothing out of my league, but I wonder as to how they're structured.
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Patrick King

[Derek Reaban]

Patrick,

Chris Gekker has a great approach to working on the Arban Characteristic Studies. Attached is a web link to take you to his Summer Practice 2002 article at Ole's site:

http://www-it.hive.no/oj/musikk/trompet/practice/gekker/

He recommends a 14 day cycle for the Characteristic Studies, and certainly that will be a great goal when you are ready for it. However, until you are at that point, the suggestion that he provides in the article about "working backwards" is a tremendous benefit in the time management aspects of practicing. When Chris sent me this article, I took it to heart, and modified my somewhat haphazard approach to learning new literature. Start from the back and learn the last line perfectly, then move back a line and learn that one. Once it is down join it with the last line. Work in this way until you are at the top of the study. This approack really works!

When you are doing these on a 14 day cycle, he suggests moving into the Sachse book for transposition work. His thorough approach in developing his practice day (for himself and his students) has made quite an impression on me.

Enjoy and good luck!



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Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona

[ This Message was edited by: Derek Reaban on 2003-07-25 15:15 ]