Herseth Lesson Notes.

[dbacon]

Herseth lesson notes.
Notes taken by Tim Kent during lessons he took with the master, Adolph Herseth.

The Practice Session and All Playing.

Practice long tones in all registers and volumes.
Overlap single tonguing speed with double and triple speeds.
Solfege--Sight sing--buzz excerpts and studies.
There are appropriate times for beauty and crudeness - use both.
Sound is criterion for how you do this or that.
Melodic playing is very, very important. Know the importance of TONE, even in technical passages.
Play tunes in high range, also pick off high notes for practice.
Remember-shaky high range can be due to letting up before hitting the note--rather take the lump and blow, that is the only way to be great. If you let up on all the notes, endurance is lost, and the overall sound is sickening.
Be consistent, and NEVER PRACTICE BUT ALWAYS PERFORM.
Never have any tension in the body when playing, just learn to always relax.
Don't favor slurs, and in fact, DON"T FAVOR ANY NOTES.
Only practice in 45 minute sessions, that is what Bud does.
There is nothing wrong with your chops, your mind is messing them up. High register is no more physical than low, it should be as easy and sound just as good. Don't make such an issue of it. This habit must be worked out and will eventually go away, however there is only one way to get rid of this bad habit, and that is to apply concepts every day in your playing.
Play arpeggios to get all ranges to sound good by being in tune and listening to the sound.
Play Bud's exercises; like singers do.
Don't think mechanics at all on the high range, just play and listen.
When a note sounds beautiful, it is in tune(and vice versa)
Approach on the lines of good sound and intonation will come there too. The ear will do all the work if you let it.
Say "tay" on the lower register to get away from the tubby sound.
Increase air on the lower register. D and B are good examples of good low range sound.
D, E, and E flat - let them float up to where they belong.
Don't think, just play beautifully. Your ear will tell you, and do all the work for you if you allow it to. Don't try to place notes, but let them go where they want.
After working on the mouthpiece, do the same on the horn. Play everything from excerpts to to pop tunes on it to do things musically. Remember you are performing these pieces, and not practicing them.
NEVER PRACTICE, ALWAYS PERFORM.
When encountering problems, technically or musically, sing them and play them on the mouthpiece. Then transfer this singing through the horn. Also, add words for added expressiveness, and sing these words through the horn. When a person sings, he does it in a naturally musical way.
Always take 10 minutes or so off after the first 15-20 minutes of playing (the warmup).
Rest, like Bud. FEEL FRESH ALL THE TIME.
Project a message when you play, never impress with mere mechanics.
Put words to everything.
THINK ONLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, NOT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!
Practice solos much more than drills or exercises for tonguing. Every time Bud learns a new solo (or rehearses one) it adds a new spark to his playing. Vocalize through the horn. Get a message across to the people - tell them a story, an interesting one. REMEMBER THINGS THAT YOU DO NOW WILL BECOME CONSISTANT LATER AS YOU APPLY CONCEPTS.
Pulse the primary point - it keeps the music moving, and makes the overall sound more musical.
Practice all three forms of tonguing; only use legato for extreme double and triple tonguing, to make this tonguing move very fast.
Slur all technical passages first so you get the tones in mind.
Do same as above for staccato passages also.
In all technical and lyrical passages, remember that first and foremost is
TONE QUALITY and MUSICALITY.
When playing slowly, remember that tongue and fingers have to move as fast as usual.
Everybody comes in late after rests, do something about it.
Keep dynamics through phrase, and keep dynamics consistent.
Keep slurs smooth, don't jolt them - they are easy.
High range is not a seperate part of trumpet playing, yet most players make such a big deal of it. It is not any more physical than any other aspects of trumpet playing, rather it should be just as musical. Just move the air more and keep a good sound, and it will always be there.
High C is not sharp, it's high C. No notes are naturally sharp. Just play and listen for the best sound and you will be in tune. It is very important that you think sound and not intonation. The intonation will be there if the sound is.
It is important to hear the note played before playing it. If you do, it will be there.
High range - don't just think "high" before you play and expect to be able to play it.
On releases - know how long you want to hold the note, and then stop it. Don't just hold it until it stops.
On soft playing - play soft as if you are playing loud. Flow air the same as a forte.
Picture the whole phrase before you start to play. Do this all the time.
Every note must have direction - always must be going somewhere.
For high range, just use good air flow, with ease of middle and low registers.
Practice a tune in all registers. Do this often, it will tell whether you are using the right concepts.
Balance exercises with solos (music)
Practice a session on just the mouthpiece.
Tonguing has to be 5% consonant and 95% vowel. To much tongue inhibits the air flow. Use no more tongue than in normal speech, and release air immediately.
Think SOUND always - loud and soft.
Never practice- always perform.
Practice various ways of articulating everything. (excerpts, solos, etc. i.e. slur Petroushka solo, tongue Schlossberg #18, etc.)
Get the sound you want in your head first, then play it. Listen as much as possible.
Send a message when you play.
USE ONLY MECHANICS TO THINK OF PLAYING AS A WHOLE, AND BREATHING, AND ALL THE REST IS MUSIC.
Play by sound, not by feel.
Never work harder than necessary for a desired result.
Do interval exercises (all articulations).
Accent is not more tongue, but more air.
For etude practice, get them clean slowly, then speed them up.
Melodic playing is very important. Know importance of tone (even in technical passages).
When you get high horns, play tune on them, then take low horn and play same pitches the same way. You will forget which horn is which.
Relate little horns to the big ones. The same concepts apply.
WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, BE PROUD OF IT. PUT YOUR HORN DOWN AND STARE AT THE CONDUCTOR. UNLESS HIS EAR IS GREAT, HE WON'T KNOW. IF HE DOES, FINE!
NEVER PRACTICE, PERFORM.
Don't just listen to yourself on ensemble playing - let the ensemble help you on your entrances so you can be part of it and not playing along with it. All accompaniments will help you to play. Have them in your head so you just don't play out of context.
Listen to good artists, and know what you want.
A trumpeter's life is risky, and you have to be able to take those risks. No great playing is accomplished if a person is afraid of playing. To be timid or favor notes or ranges is running away from that risk.
DON'T THINK YOU HAVE PROBLEMS TO WORRY ABOUT IN YOUR PLAYING, JUST CERTAIN ASPECTS OF YOUR PLAYING AREN'T PERFECTED YET. DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING IN YOUR PLAYING, JUST ENJOY IT!
Practice on the mouthpiece every day before your regular session. Walk around and play anything musical (no drills) from excerpts to pop tunes. Concentrate on being very musical on these pieces, and most important, on a very LARGE SOUND on the mouthpiece.
The mouthpiece, because of the lack of divisions, it is possible to go over all ranges, and it forces you to use your ear. Also in emergency situations, it can be used as a substitute for regular practice on the horn.
Play a complete session on the mouthpiece once in a while. This keeps you from getting hangups on the horn, and improves everything from sound to articualtion.
Whenever you are having problems on any piece, play it on the mouthpiece.
Play no drills on the mouthpiece, only music.
REMEMBER - BIG SOUND ALL THE TIME.
When taking a breath, pronounce the word "ho" yet inhaling at the same time.
When using this method for practice, put hand on stomach and chest - it should move out on its own due to lungs filling up.
For getting the feeling of an absolutely open airway and flow, put one end of a toilet paper roll in mouth and inhale - note the equal ease of inhaling and exhaling.
Breathe from low in the lungs rather than from the chest. If done correctly, the stomach will go out on its own.
To get a big sound, it is imperative that the air flow (or movement) is greater. The pressure of air flow is not what creates the big sound, it is much the same as violin, which creates a bigger sound when the bow is moved faster across the strings then from pressure on the strings.
Release air immediately - don't hold it.
Differences between cornet and trumpet - there is none due to modern methods of construction. Most of sound difference is due to bends in tubing, rather than conical vs. cylindrical bores.
Stravinsky pieces - in world premieres of many of his works, Stravinsky said that cornets need not be used because of little difference between them and trumpets.
Keep your horn free from ANY dirt inside. Clean it weekly if necessary. Clean mouthpiece daily. Clean horns and mouthpieces so nothing is ever in the horn.
To have good all around range you have to have good pedal tones. This is due to more and better vibrations producing more harmonics and a richer sound.
Slur pedal tone from octave, finger according to chart below:
C - open, B - open, Bb - 2, A - 2, Ab - 1, G - 12, F# - 23, F - 13, Eb - 123
Play pedal tones on both Bb and C horns (harder on Bb)
Slur and tongue down from normal notes an octave to pedal, so you have an in tune note to relate it to.
Don't overblow, just blow to get the best sound.
Do Carnival of Venice starting on pedal C
I would rather jump right in and make mistakes than be timid.
Essence of Bud's lessons is that he builds ego, attitude, and musicianship. He lets the technical things work themselves out.
Have the attitude of "I can play anything". This is necessary for great trumpet playing.
Always, after hearing someone play something, say "I can do it better, or if not better, different."
Whenever you have difficulty technically, think of the passage more musically, that's what is wrong.
The reason Herseth is better than you are, is not that he tries harder, but he thinks musically. It is amazing what the chops can do when you get the head out of the way!
Don't over-warmup for a performance; always go in a little under warmed up. Just warmup as low and high as the piece will go, that's all, then quit.
On any orchestral excerpt, study the scores and listen to recordings. Remember that Bud really believes in listening as a teaching guide to good playing. Never play any isolated notes in orchestra. Always be aware of the color that you add and know your role. Know what is important. Remember that there are different interpretations ( that is important). Don't just go by one recording.
Always be heard - no matter the dynamics.
When studying the score, know how it is to sound, and don't change unless the conductor forces you to. Don't wait to be told, if he isn't taking your tempo, change it.
For your own personal satisfaction, DO THE BEST JOB THAT CAN BE DONE!
IT IS NOT A MATTER OF BEING BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, HOW CAN YOU LOVE TRYING TO BE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE. PLAY FOR YOUR OWN SATISFACTION, AND FOR OTHERS ENJOYMENT.
IF I COULDN'T PLAY THIS THING AS WELL AS IT COULD BE PLAYED, I WOULDN'T PLAY IT!!!!
Don't think of auditioning for a job, or against someone, just offer what music you have to offer. If they like it, fine. If not, that's fine too, go somewhere else. Just make music and enjoy yourself. If you do get excited, apply it to the music and not to the situation. Your goal should be to play as well as Bud, not to have a particular job!!!
Be anxious to play, not afraid to play.
Sound is criterion for how you play and whether you are doing things right.
Say "tu" with the tongue for fast and nice sounding tonguing. This keeps it out of the way, or it will hinder the sound. It also keeps multiple tonguing faster and more even. Do lip trills daily for strong and more dependable high range.
You never really know how much Doc and Bud hurt when they are playing, just play beautifully and forget how it feels.
Don't only try for musicality and precision in performance, try all the time as in performance. REMEMBER - NEVER PRACTICE, ALWAYS PERFORM.
LIVE!!!!! Play and show you are alive, and have something to say to the audience.
The horn is just a megaphone of yourself, show them how you feel!
Don't overblow. Take it easy. You will play better if you don't actually blow so hard, and concentrate on the actual volume of air for a BIG SOUND.

[_Don Herman]

Thanks, Dave -- lots to think about! - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[dwm1129]

[a441]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting.

[sfenick]

I actually posted this on TPIN a couple of years ago......and you would not believe the unbelievable (but well-deserved) flaming I took. I posted it without Mr. Kent's or Mr. Herseth's permission. No less a trumpeter than John Hagstrom (yes, the second trumpet in the CSO) called me on it. I spent quite a lot of time apologizing profusely, and still am not sure if I was ever forgiven for it. At any rate, I love the wisdom contained in these notes, and try to apply it every day to my own playing. Despite the criticism I took, if it helps another trumpet player get better, I think it is worth it!
Thank you,
Steve Fenick

[dwm1129]

[sfenick]

His gripe with it was that I did it without asking permission, and he also passed on Mr. Kent's irritation as well. As I said, any flaming I received was very richly deserved. Even if it was for a noble reason, I should have known better to post it without asking. I was especially mortified to think I had offended Bud Herseth, because I really look up to him and admire his playing.
Steve

[oj]

Steve,

I took this TPIN-post and placed under my Herseth tribute page. Hopefully Hagstrom & Co have taken it out on you

I don't think Bud is surfing the net, so he will not see it - I guess he uses his time on the golf court. But if he sees it, I hope he think it is ok.

Ole

P.S.
Here is another post, that Bill Dishman sent to TPIN:

http://abel.hive.no/trumpet/tpin/Trumpet_Commentary3.html


[ This Message was edited by: oj on 2003-09-23 05:55 ]

[trumpetchad]

I heard from Mr. Herseth that most of the list wasn't true, i.e., he never said those things...

[_Don Herman]

The whole issue was debated on TPIN for some time. Steve and OJ are pretty reliable sources. There was plenty of opportunity to claim that the notes were wrong, but I do not remember any such. They are lesson notes, after all, taken over a period of time, and include a lot of off-the-cuff (if interesting) statements. They echo similar statements made by Mr. Herseth in ITG articles and masterclasses/lectures various people (not I, alas) have attended. At this time, I have no reason to doubt their authenticity. When did you speak with Mr. Herseth about them?

Curious - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[trumpetchad]

I had the privilege to attend a private dinner with Mr. Herseth and about a dozen other people, including Steve Hendrickson (National Symphony and former Herseth student) at last year's National Trumpet Competition in Washington, DC. I overheard them talking about it.

[_Don Herman]

trumpetchad (interesting choice of username...) -- OK; thanks for clarifying! I'll leave it all up for now, as there's lots of good info that may have been said by Mr. Herseth, and it's an interesting read nevertheless. Your disclaimer will serve as a caution about 2nd or 3rd hand info.

As Todd says (thanks for reminding me, Bruce) -- "In the spirit of music!"
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[Atomlinson]

This is a fine kettle of fish!

Why was there annoyance that they had been published without permission? Because they were valuable "trade secrets" or because they were untrue or inaccurate?

And if they were "bogus", why wasn't that the reason for the annoyance and why no disclaimer?

I believe Tim Kent has not disputed that they are his notes taken from lessons with Herseth and published by himself.

I'm inclined to think they are genuine, and that trumpetchad will need to say exactly what he overheard.

Ultimately we need to hear from Herseth himself or Steve Hendrickson to resolve this matter.

Anyone out there on intimate terms with either of them?


Andrew Tomlinson

[ This Message was edited by: Atomlinson on 2003-09-30 11:35 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Atomlinson on 2003-09-30 11:38 ]

[Atomlinson]

I can't agree with you.

I think this needs to be resolved quickly.

If what trumpetchad has said is true, where does this leave the reputation and integrity of Tim Kent?

Remember, the complaint was that permission to publish it elsewhere on the net was not obtained. Not that it mis-represented Herseth's pedagogy.

As trumpetchad is the only source at present, I think he has got to tell us precisely what he heard, and then we need to have it verified by someone else who was there and is well-known to us.


Andrew Tomlinson



[ This Message was edited by: Atomlinson on 2003-09-30 13:38 ]

[No BS]

Tim Kent was 4th. tpt. in the CSO for a long time. I think his reputation will be just fine. There aren't exactly any earth shattering or contraversial concepts in those lesson notes anyway. Any good teacher would tell his/her students the same things.

[trumpetchad]

Wow this has turned into QUITE a controversy.

Look, I'm only telling you what I "overheard". If you want to take it as speculation, then that is probably safe. Perhaps I should have said it as that because *I* was not personally involved in the conversation other than as a casual listener. I did not ask Bud specifically about the list. He and Steve didn't even discuss it. Bud just mentioned it and the conversation moved on. Bud was sitting right next to me, and I could hear every word he said. I do not have the exact quote. Bud did not seem particularly annoyed about the list. I just filed it away as kind of a "Huh, that's interesting..." kind of anecdote. There were alot of those that evening.

As an earlier post said, most if not all of the points on the list are good for any trumpet player. I suppose the only way to find the real truth is to call up Mr. Herseth and ask him if the list is to be attributed to him and after you hear his answer, you say "thanks" and hang up. But then, that, to me, would be rather silly, as is, in my opinion, this discussion.

[Atomlinson]

No BS

You seem to be missing the point. Of course, all the advice is valuable.

There is a matter of principle here.

At the beginning of the notes at the top of this topic, it states:

"Notes taken by Tim Kent during lessons with the master, Adolph Herseth"

Note the phrase, "during lessons" so:

(1) the notes should have been fairly accurate if made on the spot, rather than afterwards.

(2) Herseth would have seen him writing things down.

I don't expect a exact verbatim account of every word Herseth said, but I would expect the essence or sense Herseth was trying to convey to be accurately recorded.

If what trumpetchad says is true, then it means that Tim Kent has either completely misunderstood what he has been taught in his lessons, or he has deliberately distorted it.

I find this hard to believe.


Andrew Tomlinson

[Atomlinson]

trumpetchad

It seems strange that in your first post you said "I heard from Mr Herseth that most of the list wasn't true, i.e. he never said those things"

Yet in your later post you are now saying: "I do not have the exact quote" even though you say you could hear every word Herseth said.

Either he said it or he didn't.

Andrew Tomlinson

[trumpetchad]

Andrew-

Exactly. Either he said it or he didn't. As I said, I heard Herseth bring it up. No, of course I do not remember the exact way he constructed the nouns and verbs in his sentence. Be serious. Do not get caught up in symantics.

Why don't you do everyone a favor, Andrew, and just call him up and ask him. Then you can write on this message board exactly what the truth is, and you can prove me right or wrong. That seems to me to be the easiest solution. I would ascertain that you feel the most passionately about this subject, so that'd be a perfect job for you.

But, just remember, Andrew, you claimed that for something like this, we need "to have it verified by someone else who was there and is well-known to us." I'm not flying to England to stand there when you call Herseth, Tim Kent, or the man on the moon to find out what the truth is, unless you'd like to fund it.

[Mzony]

"As trumpetchad is the only source at present, I think he has got to tell us precisely what he heard, and then we need to have it verified by someone else who was there and is well-known to us."

Oh come on. These are trumpet anecdotes, not the cure for the Aids virus. Do we really NEED to get so wound up about this stuff.
Enjoy the quotes and believe what you will about their origins.

Mike