Style vs. Technique

[jhatpro]

Which is most important?
_________________
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

[Pete]

Jim,

I would think that you need enough technique to play a specific style correctly.

Pete

[jhatpro]

Good answer!
_________________
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

[mm55]

False dichotomy.
_________________
'75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg

[jhatpro]

True.
_________________
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

[pepperdean]

You might wow others in the band with your excess technique but you'd better be able to make music for the audience (the other musicians will appreciate it too).

Alan

[plp]

It better be style, or boy am I screwed.

I have pretty much the same amount of technique I had 10 years ago. The arthritis has pretty much counteracted most of the technical ability I might have gained.

I think it was Clark Terry who said if you can play in time, in tune, and in tone, if all you can do is whole notes and half notes, you can find a gig.

I am living proof of that. We now have two great players part time, as they are keyed into much better paying gigs with several local churches, plus both teach.
They are easily 10 times the players I am, by any metric you want to pick.
_________________
Since all other motives—fame, money, power, even honor—are thrown out the window the moment I pick up that instrument..... I play because I love doing it, even when the results are disappointing. In short, I do it to do it.” Wayne Booth

[area51recording]

for the musos in your band (and your muso buds in the audience).....probably technique.

For the non muso members of the crowd......style. Every time. Ask the average guy if he knows any smoking hot player you want to name. You'll probably get a blank stare. Ask him (if he's of a certain age) if he knows who Herb Alpert is.....

[trickg]

Here's the thing - if you don't have solid technique, you can't even hope to be able to play with any kind of style. Having good fundamentals is what allows a person to play expressively. Otherwise, you are limited to what your technique allows for.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[MrOlds]

If the goal is to communicate with music then style is your dialect and technique is the collection of sounds you use most often in your dialect.

If you want to communicate in many styles or if the style you choose is very broad or complicated you’ll need more technique.

If you’re pithy you need less.

[OldSchoolEuph]

Musical expression without the technique to pull it off is like a building without a foundation - its going to fall down and hurt you.
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com

2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20

[starkadder]

Technique serves stye. The former is knowing your craft, the latter is using the craft to create art.

[cheiden]

Style without sufficient technique is usually painful to listen to.

Technique without style is often tolerable in some settings. Though it's really frustrating to see a player work only on technical skills without working on listening and stylizing.
_________________
"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[area51recording]

How about this....Say you want to paint a beautiful picture for the audience with your music. Technique is the colors on your palette. You want the most vivid, pure, gorgeous reds, blues, yellows, etc......style is actually you painting your beautiful musical picture.....