Music camps or private lessons?

[mlee43224]

I'm trying to figure out the best bang for my bucks. I'm considering going to a jazz music camp or should I spend the money on studying privately with someone. Any opinions?

[JayKosta]

A lot depends on your current ability as a player, and on the specific type of instruction that would be done at a camp - and the expected participants at the camp.

People here can be helpful if you tell us about yourself, the camps you are considering, and your access to private teachers.

Have you learned basic 'music theory' - a lot of 'jazz instruction' gets into analyzing the patterns of the music and how & why they 'work' in terms of music theory.
_________________
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'.

[Croquethed]

I went to one jazz camp and told the director after two days I was done. Why?

1. I get about an hour a day on my horn at home. They had us playing 3-4, and my lip was trashed after two days. So if you want to go to jazz camp, ask ahead of time how much time the horn will be on your lips, and prepare accordingly.

2. The camp was all-consuming timewise. I went into it thinking I would have time to do some sightseeing and visiting with friends in the area and essentially the camp was a self-contained thing that had you more or less completely occupied from 9 am to midnight with time off for dinner. I did not want to spend all my time reading sheet music in hotel rooms.

3. I was over my head. Lots of returning folks with lots of time in combos, community bands, etc., and I am an hour-a-day noodler. I was simply not ready for the level of musicianship I encountered.

If you are anything like me, then probably a teacher is a better bet. If you already play a lot and enjoy the communal experience of a camp, then check one out. The Litchfield Jazz Camp near me is top-notch and a lot of former campers have made their mark in the jazz world.

[kehaulani]

I love camps. Tremendous amount of stimulation from peers as well as faculty.

Be aware that the curricula at the camps vary, so study the camp info carefully. I've been to four Berklee workshops, and one each from New School and Manhattan School/Amsterdam Conservatory.

In no case in these, were there endurance demands; usually an hour of improv class, one theory/arranging, one of combo.

There were jam sessions in the evening as well as great hangs with other students.

And. if so inclined and you have the extra loot, you can usually wrangle private lessons from camp faculty.
_________________
"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

[Shark01]

Private lessons should be the #1 priority….but I found camps to be very valuable as well. Go get a part time job and save up to do both

[abontrumpet]

[kehaulani]

You can always get enough bread to pay for individual lessons here and there but workshops/band camps require a clump sum up front
_________________
"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

[Dayton]

[Jeff_Purtle]

Both serve different purposes.
Being exposed to great players and seeing how you compare can inspire you to work on deficiencies and the need to correct technique and be exposed to a different musical style like jazz.

Bad technique can only take you so far and having a good private teacher to serve as a coach that corrects and guides you where you wouldn’t otherwise go is vital.

My daughter is an aspiring ballerina and we spend lots of money on the ballet school, pointe shoes, private lessons, choreographers, workshops and summer intensives. When she started at 4 we made sure we investigated the best place to send her and watched how the teachers taught and the results. We soon paid for private lessons. I remember one of her good friends constantly being told to fix her turnout. The girl thought she was ok but the technical issue because more vital later and my daughter got parts that the other girl didn’t have hope of getting. At one point the girl and her mom thought the reason for my daughter getting parts was since we had paid extra money for private lessons outside of class. Soon the girl realized everyone started telling her to fix the issue. You can’t go far with bad technique.

I have watched ballet auditions and one of the interesting parts of the process is how they start with a class of 50 and the leader doing the audition has assistants walking through the others as the leader calls various moves. All of a sudden you see a tap on a couple shoulders and those people are eliminated. After this the lead teacher is left with only people with solid correct technique.

Then, the person leading singles out people and asks for more artistic expression and interpretation and they pick the best from that.

What we do is both a physical activity and art form. To do it properly you have to have knowledge, correct technique, and experiential knowledge to make art. Otherwise, it’s a struggle for the performer and for the audience to enjoy too.

You won’t find one Olympic athlete that doesn’t have a coach they work with regularly because it matters. Here’s an article written by David Bertie that says some relevant things trumpet players often ignore.
https://www.purtle.com/teach-myself-or-take-private-lessons

Be a lifelong learner but have a plan.
Jeff
_________________
Jeff Purtle
Trumpet Lessons Online since 2004, teaching since 1983
MultiTouch book on Claude Gordon
+1 864-354-3223 iPhone w/ FaceTime
Skype: jeff_purtle

[abontrumpet]

[kehaulani]

At the same time, someone who has been sloppy, or ignoring altogether, their lessons may get just the stimulation they need to take lessons more seriously when they return from camp so, I believe, it's somewhat contextual. But no doubt about it, if it's an either/or situation, lessons trump camp.
_________________
"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