Private lessons

[Greatest Trumpeter]

How many of you here take private lessons?

I have, but only for a sort time over the summer. I was going to get lessons by some guy my teacher recomended, but it wouln't have been worth the time it would have taken to drive there very week. It was also on a school day. I've been asked if I take private lessons by people and they all have been suprised that I don't take private lessons.
_________________
SCHILKE
"O Music, sphere-descended maid
Friend of pleasure, wisdom's aid" -William Collins

"So live that you can look any man in the eye and tell him to go to hell." -Anon

[Goldenchops55]

I have been taking private lessons for 2 months now and it has helped me a LOT. I was exposed to a lot of material that he never saw until college. He has helped me increase my Technical skill 10 fold. I have also gotten a lot more intensity in my sound, and it is much fuller. I think it is a great Idea to take private lessons. Private teachers can really help you a lot in all aspects.

[trickg]

I've never really taken any lessons aside from the six months I spent at the Navy School of Music in Littlecreek, Virgina (Norfolk) Although I seem to have gotten along ok in the playing that I have done both as a civillian and in the military, I think that there are some things that I would probably be doing much better had I had some private lessons early on. A good instructor can see things that need to be fixed and can give you the tools to fix them without fumbling around and figuring it out for yourself.

If you have the means, I highly recommend it.
_________________
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

[pedaltonekid]

I have had the good fortune to have studied with many fine teachers. If you can arrange to do this on a regular basis it can do wonders for your playing. You must still do the work, but to have someone who is adept at identifying weaknesses in your playing and helping you correct those problems can be invaluable and make your time spent on the horn much more productive and enjoyable.
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Best Regards, Play Well!!

[cgooding]

A good teacher can do wonderful things with your playing. Don't get me wrong, it is you who have to do the work, but the teacher will get you going in the right direction. I have been taking lessons for almost ten years. Even when I was getting paid to play my horn every night, I still took lessons. There is always more we can learn, and always room for improvement. I never would have gotten to where I am, for whatever that's worth : ) without the help of wonderful teachers.
I suggest you do whatever you can to get a good teacher. Even if you have to drive somewhere every two weeks or so, it will be worth it if you are serious.
_________________
"We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams."

[weezintrumpeteer]

I have taken private lessons for about a year, and I HIGHLY recomend them. Like someone else said, my technical ability has increased by a factor of 20! Before the lessons, the etudes in the back of the Arbans book were impossible. Now I can play 3 of them! Also, my upper register has improved, because of correct practicing. At each lesson, we do 15-30 mins of sight reading; jazz, classical, you name it, we've done it. This really helps by putting you into situations that you have never experienced before.

Anyway, I highly recomend them.
_________________
'70 Selmer Radial
'70's Getzen Eterna Cornet
'47 Martin Committee Deluxe #3
'06 Monette B993

[_Don Herman]

I take private lessons and they're the best thing I've done for my trumpet playing. I started with Jim Donaldson, The Schilke Loyalist, who is a great guy, great player, and just a bit too far away for regular lessons given my schedule. (He was very accomodating, meeting at his office on Saturday for lessons, and being there even when I was almost two hours late due to a snowstorm on the way!) Now taking from David Zuercher, Principal of the Colorado Springs Symphony, a fantastic player, great guy, much in line with what Jim taught (and a Jacob's student) plus close enough for weekly (more or less) lessons over lunch.

Edit: Forgot to say that the WORST (yes, I shouted! ) thing I did for my playing was to wait so long before seeing a good teacher. Got all my bad habits back really quickly, and still struggling several years later to build new and improved ones.
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Don Herman/Monument, CO

[ This Message was edited by: Don Herman on 2002-04-12 23:33 ]

[sean007r]

I want to, but finding the right instructor is the key!
I sure hope none of my old instructors are not reading this!

I've had two instructors since I've returned to the horn and one when I was in High School and I think I've found a new one, but...
He is really really far, at least an hour, (by car)! However, if you talk to, or read any books about any realy good player, they will always say... "why pay a cheap price for a good instructor just because they are close?

For me I need someone that kicks my ass and gives me a hard time.
A great player that just gives me a rotuine or two won't do anything to inspire me because I know I can show up next week and "just get by". I need someone that wants ME to do well.
I need an instructor that is willing to throw my money back in my face and tell me me to go home when I show up un-prepared! Someone who wants to be a freind but to be in charge of the day!
I heard once that a good trumpet instructor should/would make a good "head shrink"
and probaly a lot cheaper!

Just my 2 cents!


_________________
TTFN
~iii<0 Sean 0>iii~

[ This Message was edited by: sean007r on 2002-04-13 07:29 ]

[dales]

I take a lesson every two weeks. When I started playing again about eight months ago, I took a lesson every week. The lessons are helping me listen to myself more critically and play more musically. They're also helping bring my sound around and balance my practice. They're additionally helping me be objective about my progress and my expectations, which enables me to have an appropriate level of confidence and pride in what I'm doing. Furthermore, because my teacher is a successful working freelancer, the lessons offer good examples of professionalism at work.

I took lessons from my freshman or sophomore year of high school through my college freshman year, after which I put the horn down. Because I'd had a crash and burn experience with playing, I considered lessons essential for a return to playing, to make sure I didn't learn and reinforce bad habits.

[ This Message was edited by: dales on 2002-04-13 19:24 ]

[ This Message was edited by: dales on 2002-04-13 19:26 ]

[jkramb19]

I take lessons every couple of weeks from Pat Harbison and he has helped me soo much in only two months. He is the nicest guy you will ever meet.
_________________
Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.

"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender." Vince Lombardi

[trjeam]

hey guys I have a question.. What I should I look for in a private teacher??

[jakepainter]

trjeam

i reckon you should look for a teacher that plays the way you want to play. If you want to be a BALLS ON THE WALL lead player, find someone that is a BALLS ON THE WALL lead player !!

If you want to learn how to play a double C, why go to a teacher that can't play a double C themself ? I did this for ages and didn't get any better.

I've also had a couple of teachers that have actually said "you have the wrong lips for playing high" If anyone ever says you can't do something beacause of a physical trait get the hell out of there and don't go back!

just my thoughts

jake

[Tim80]

I have taken my first lesson with Charles Raymond. Needless to say I need many more.
_________________
All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.
Voltaire

[Lex Grantham]

I took a trumpet lesson from Clint "Pops" McLaughlin in August, 1999 and recently reposted the lesson writeup in the Pedagogy section of the TH forum. With regard to the posting, Clint responded about his giving lessons and how important lessons are for conscientious players.

An excerpt from his post:

"Perhaps the biggest problem that most people have is they have conditioned themselves to believe that they CAN'T do certain things on the trumpet. Teaching airflow, compression, aperture control are almost worthless until the student stops believing that it is impossible for them to do it. (This is almost not possible to do on your own, After all you are the one who set your limits.) I teach students how to build themselves up and how to take down the mental brick wall of playing limitations. For some students that is the most important thing."

So he is saying that students can experience much difficulty in trying to teach themselves without the presence of a teacher who can sit across from them and catch their mistakes very readily and help to correct them.

Sincerely,

Lex Grantham


[ This Message was edited by: Lex Grantham on 2002-04-14 12:51 ]

[PH]

Don Herman-

Tell Zuercher I said hello! We went to school together back in the '70s. He should be able to tell you lots of colorful stories about my misspent youth.

[dbacon]

DB

[brnt99]

I am wondering how many people have been lead astray by a private instructor.When I first got back into playing the trumpet I asked around at local music stores if they knew of good trumpet instructors and was given some names.I tried two differant instructors. Both were young, recent graduates of music programs. Both made a living selling music supplies.Neither had any training at being a teacher.Both were lousy communicators and motivators who were supplementing their income until they made it as pros.I was a pigion--a quick buck for both of them.There are a lot of people out there who figure that since they know how to play the trumpet they are therefore qualified to teach.There is a whole differant skill set required for teaching than for playing.I have read some real horror stories on this and other boards where hacks led people down the wrong path.

[jakepainter]

[quote]
On 2002-04-14 17:35, brnt99 wrote:
I am wondering how many people have been lead astray by a private instructor.

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i've been to a few lousy teachers in the past, and probably still would be going to them, if it wasn't for good old TPIN and Trumpet Herald

forums like the trumpet herald are so good because they empower you with knowledge, and enable you to compare what your teacher is telling you against what techniques other players are using.

Now, when a teacher tells someone to "smile when they ascend" they can look that technique up and see that most people think its garbage

because of forums like the Trumpet Herald its harder for lousy teachers to get away with it !!

[Greatest Trumpeter]

I wish I didn't move to CA because I had a GREAT teacher. I"ve never personally meat someone who was better. I just wish that back then I was more serious about playing the trumpet.
_________________
SCHILKE
"O Music, sphere-descended maid
Friend of pleasure, wisdom's aid" -William Collins

"So live that you can look any man in the eye and tell him to go to hell." -Anon

[Tim80]