Raised by My Drum Corps

[CourtOfHonorMember]

I had a trumpet lesson today, and my trumpet teacher is trying to go against the phylosophy that I have been taught in corps. I learned to play trumpet in corps, and my teacher is trying to change my embourcre and everything. I like what the brass leaders have taught and are teaching me and I don't want to change. What should I do?

[BMBob]

I would go with whatever your private teacher is telling you. This person is working with you one on one and has a better insight to your specific problems than most people would in a corps, teaching a style to an entire line. You're in college to learn, and one important thing to learn is that there are many different approaches out there...to everything...and there may be more than one that works. This new style of playing could open up a lot of new possibilities for your musicianship.

[vferrera]

that sounds familiar. When I was in h.s. I started taking private lessons with a guy who was a very accomplished player (Curtis School of Music plus played professionally in Chicago Lyric Opera). Unfortunately, he was an embouchure nazi who thought what worked for him must work for everyone. He played with a clenched "Farkas" embouchure - flat chin, etc. I studied with him for 4 years and made no improvement. My tone, range and endurance all sucked from trying to keep my lips taut. After I stopped taking lessons, I started experimenting on my own and found some things that worked better for me than his approach.

This is not to say that you should quit the private lessons. You should definitely be open to new ideas. Try different things and see what works best for you. Maybe this guy can point out some things your corps instructors didn't think of. Try it for a while and see what improvement you make. But if he comes at you with a one-size-fits-all approach to embouchure technique, then, yeah, run for your life.

[Shadow_7]

Without specifics, it's kind of hard to suggest. Generally, go with what you like, but more importantly what sounds good. If you want to do the studio thing, then go with what fits in that arena. If all you want to do is drum corps, then go with what fits for that medium. Just bear in mind that there are differences.

In corps, you're not likely to be playing a horn manufactured in the 1800's. Most likely it will be something less than ten years old that you will have in your hands. And it's probably not expected to last another twenty years. In that regard it's probably not an expensive horn, or even one of the best available to play on. The mouthpiece you play on is probably a comprimise between comfort and risk.

I have several mouthpieces that are better playing pieces, that I would not want to march with. For a variety of reasons. Be it potential blood shed, or lack of a drum corps sound. Or just a lack of recovery time for the expected venue. While in a studio, those methods and pieces would bring home the bacon for all intents and purposes.

I haven't been one to have a lot of lessons under my belt. And even those that I have had, I really haven't had the time to make the most of them at that time. But if you respect the person who's giving the lessons, you should probably head their advice. If you're on equal footing, you should probably take it with a grain of salt.

Not having many lessons given or taken under my belt, there's many things that I know I can work on based on what I can record of myself and play back. With things like audacity and ardour, anyone with a personal computer can do that sort of thing. Even if you end up using a pair of headphones as the microphone. While a private instructor will know more about what it takes to get to their level of playing, you know more about what it takes you to get to where you want to be.

[G-horns]

I had a trumpet lesson today, and my trumpet teacher is trying to go against the phylosophy that I have been taught in corps. I learned to play trumpet in corps, and my teacher is trying to change my embourcre and everything. I like what the brass leaders have taught and are teaching me and I don't want to change. What should I do?

Are these private lessons part of your trumpet major? If so, my recommendation is to do your best to accomodate the teacher. Unless you feel the teacher is completely contrary to everything you ever learned about playing (and I sincerely doubt that) you will be best served by "playing the game". Next semester, maybe you can change teachers.

If you are taking these lessons outside an academic setting, the circumstances are quite different. If you aren't comfortable with what the teacher is proposing, then it is time to find another teacher.

[JimF-LowBari]

Does the teacher seem willing to discuss any questions or is he or she the "Do it because I said so" type? If the teacher is willing to talk it out maybe you could ask about the differences and why the teacher thinks you should change. Key here might be how you ask. In other words saying "I'm asking because I want to understand this better" is a lot better than "Hey, why do you want me to change?".

Guess it depends on the teachers attitude.

[BMBob]

It has been my experience that most brass players going into college undergo some pretty big embouchure changes. I played with a mirror on my stand for about a year to make sure I wasn't slipping. It feels very uncomfortable at first and may seem like taking a step backwards due to loss of range and endurance, but in the end, it usually ends up pushing your abilities much further. I stand by something I said in my last post - you're in college to learn new things, not practice what you learned in high school/drum corps. College professors and professional players have made it to where they are because they know what they're talking about - go with it.

[Shadow_7]

College professors and professional players have made it to where they are because they know what they're talking about - go with it.

Unless you're one of a handfull of instrumentalists in a mostly vocal college. Always nice to do a jury with vocalists telling you that you're using too much air. Granted that education and talent don't always go hand in hand.

[CourtOfHonorMember]

I respect both my drum corps leaders and my teacher. It's hard for that reason. I guess you can't really make money from marching corps, so I will have to play somewhere. I have thought about jazz alot, because of the Blue Devils, but I like jazz because you don't have to be able to see to play it except for the charts. Orchestral stuff is so hard for me because of my sight problem. As far as my teacher, he doesn't really let you talk. It's like a silent rehearsal in corps, he offen says no questions, just play.

[G-horns]

As far as my teacher, he doesn't really let you talk. It's like a silent rehearsal in corps, he offen says no questions, just play.

No questions? How can you learn?