Sound On

Alfie Kohn writes:

“There’s something perversely fascinating about educational policies that are clearly at odds with the available data.  Huge schools are still being built even though we know that students tend to fare better in smaller places that lend themselves to the creation of democratic caring communities.  Many children who are failed by the academic status quo are forced to repeat a grade even though research shows that this is just about the worst course of action for them.  Homework continues to be assigned – in ever greater quantities – despite the absence of evidence that it’s necessary or even helpful in most cases.”

Beyond Homework

Alfie Kohn isn’t just writing about homework, he’s writing about how decisions are made in education. The first sentence nails it: policies in education are not being influenced by available data. Decisions are made on whims. Someone tried something, and it seemed to be ok, so they kept doing it. Or it is simply considered “conventional wisdom” that a given practice is the best approach. But actual research is being done in the field of education; it’s just that, for some reason, people aren’t letting the research guide their practice.

Research In Education

Granted, research in education isn’t perfect. It’s not appropriate to raise children up in an isolated chamber only to expose them to a certain thing at a certain age. But you can assess two groups, try something one way with group A, a different way with group B, and see which group has better achievement in the end. It’s the best we can do, and it’s leaps and bounds above “but we’ve always done this way.”

Research In Music Education

Dear Music Education Professionals: please check out the work of Dr. Edwin Gordon, especially the tome Learning Sequences in Music.

The Data Is Out There

It is my hope that parents, teachers, and especially policy-makers in education seek out research, and not just know it, but let it influence their feelings, their thoughts, and their actions.

The past two weeks I have had the pleasure of achieving Level 1 Mastership Certification in Early Childhood Music through the Gordon Institute of Music Learning and the University at Buffalo. The two courses addressed the theory and practice of music learning.

Lectures By Dr. Edwin Gordon

Each morning featured lectures on Music Learning Theory right from the horse’s mouth. It was great to hear Dr. Gordon speak live and in person, and experience the physical manifestation of his voice and sense of humor, which comes through so clearly in his writing.

The most valuable aspect of the experience was Dr. Gordon’s regular demonstrations of the results of his research. It’s easy to read words like “continuous flowing movement,” but to see it demonstrated can be quite striking.

Dr. Gordon’s enthusiasm for research in music education and fervor for the practical applications derived thereof (and likewise, his overt antipathy for traditional beliefs and practice in the music education world) were an especially memorable component of his talks.

Although I approached class as a fan of Dr. Gordon’s work, it is clear that many of my classmates have become “converts,” as they were forced to confront stupidity latent in their thoughts and conventions.

Now I Know How To Flow

Jennifer Bailey and Natasha Sigmund led a class on the practical applications of Music Learning Theory in an early childhood environment. It’s something that cannot be learned from a book, or even a video, because it is such a visceral experience.

Applying Music Learning Theory is very challenging, because there is so much to know and do. You need to know many songs and chants which serve as a vehicle for a variety of meters and tonalities. You need to assess children’s responses, understand what level their brain is functioning at musically, and use that knowledge to respond back appropriately. The entire session must flow. You expect nothing from students, but go to them and bring them along with you musically if they are ready. Taking all this into consideration can be a paralyzing experience!

More Challenges

Having class each day was difficult. Normally, as a student I like to take my time reading, carefully organize my notes and review them before class, and in general, take my time – that is a critical mantra for me in my own experience of learning. Unfortunately, with class going on each day, I found myself struggling to complete assignments, practice, and really comprehend what was going on. But I know that the philosophy of the class was just to feed me enough information to keep me going on my own.

Another challenge was embracing simplicity in the construction of songs and chants. Sophistication is the natural result of a culture that embraces it.

Finally, I have a new appreciation for having gone to college away from home. As I attended my first graduate classes while living at home, I found “everyday life” interfering with class on a regular basis. Going to school out of state and living in dorms fostered an environment where I could really leave everything behind and focus on academics. While of course I made time for friends, they too were immersed in an academic life experience.

People

My classmates came from Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland to Searcy, Arkansas, USA, and everywhere in between. What a turnout! Time with the “dormies” was fun, musical, and overall well spent. Come on back to Buffalo any time! And of course, class would be incomplete without the illustrious Dan Reitz, whose musicianship and depth of thought never fail to incite.

Deception

While the certification and practical applications focus on early childhood with occasional ventures into classroom and even instrumental music education, the class was actually about how people learn music from the beginning. It is not chronological age, but musical age that matters. Thus, the knowledge gained through class is (for better or worse) applicable to even chronologically mature students. This class is appropriate for everyone, even if early childhood isn’t your “thing.”

Conclusion

The certification workshop, with all its ups and downs, was an overall excellent experience that I recommend to anyone. The concepts I learned will be developed into methods and applied to whatever sort of music learning environment I decide to become involved with. Also, class counted as the first six of 33 credits towards a master’s degree, so I am on my way towards a formal application to the program by February, 2008. Lastly, classmates: please keep in touch, and best wishes to you all!

Teacher Education programs – that is, when someone goes to college to become a teacher, are relatively successful in the United States. Students attend classes on learning theory and educational psychology, which are strongly geared towards how people develop language and analytical skills. So everything’s cool… right?

Enter Music Education

The problem with Music Education college programs is that they “outsource” their educational psychology learning to the college of education. Unfortunately, the way people learn music is very different from the way people learn language and analytical skills. So most people who go to college in a Music Education program never gain insight into how people learn music. They may learn some techniques in so-called “methods” classes, but a sequence of learning objectives wholly appropriate for musical environments is rarely found.

What I Got

My Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree is actually 75% of a music performance degree + 75% of a non-music degree in education. The only “purely” music education classes I took all fell under the guise of techniques for teaching early childhood/beginning band/jazz ensemble/clarinet/etc. A comprehensive examination of Music Learning Theory was more than sorely absent. Music Learning Theory should have been the core of my studies.

What Needs To Happen

Music Education programs in colleges need to stop outsourcing their learning theory studies to the college of education. They need to bring all of their learning theory instruction “in house,” and make Music Learning Theory the core of every degree in Music Education. So called “methods” classes need to be exchanged for real methods classes, emphasizing above all the order of instruction; not just what to do, but most importantly, when to do it. Lastly, all teacher education programs (not just music) need to focus on bridging the gap between theory and practice.

People have become complacent with the idea that college cannot prepare a student to be successful in “the real world” of music education. Why should we settle for this? Music Education professionals need to work hard to improve the quality of their teacher education programs.

Heal The Wound

Even if Music Learning Theory wasn’t the core of your collegiate studies in music education, you can make it the focus of your studies now. Take professional development classes and courses from (links go to their GIA event calendars) Dr. Edwin Gordon, Dr. Christopher Azzara, and Dr. Richard Grunow, or get your administration to bring one of these educators to your facility for professional development. Share the cost and knowledge with neighboring school districts and music programs. Browse and ask questions on the forums at the Gordon Institute for Music Learning. Check out Jump Right In, a music education method, to see Music Learning Theory applied in practical ways. Read Eric Bluestine’s book The Ways Children Learn Music for a palatable written introduction to Music Learning Theory. After you have become acquainted with the elements of Music Learning Theory, read Dr. Gordon’s book Learning Sequences in Music.

Now get busy!

The trumpet can be quite a beast. Endless hours are spent practicing. Because of that, most trumpet players would like to see progress like this:

When in reality progress looks more like this:

Because the trumpet is such a beast to play, many players are looking for any sort of help they can get to increase their rate of improvement. Because it’s relatively inexpensive and easy to change, many players turn toward a new mouthpiece.

The True Role of the Mouthpiece

The shape and size of the mouthpiece change the character of the sound. A mouthpiece that is too small will give you a tone that is not your best. However a mouthpiece that is too big will often encourage you to work too hard. Trumpet players start to do weird things (unconsciously) to compensate for fatigue. So the best mouthpiece to play on, for most mortal earthlings, is in the middle of the road. Everything else should be considered specialized equipment.

Middle of the Road

By middle of the road, I mean a (Bach sizes:) 7C, 5C, or 3C (Schilke sizes: 11, 12, 13C4, respectively).

Bach Size Notation

In Bach size notation, the number is the cup diameter (higher number – smaller rim) and the letter is the cup volume (A is big, F is small).

Schilke Size Notation

Example Schilke size: 13C4c; 13 is the cup diameter (bigger number = bigger diameter), C is the cup volume (A=small, B=large), 4 is the rim contour (1=rounded, 5=flat), and c is the backbore (a=tight, e=large). Because standard sizes are omitted, this size would actually be written 13C4, because c is the standard backbore.

Specialized Equipment

The whole idea of trumpet equipment is this: you want to approach the instrument the same way all the time, but change your equipment to facilitate the appropriate tone quality. You want the right tool for the job, because otherwise you are going to end up creating a strange unnatural technique to make up for it. The 3C-7C is going to be fine for 90% of people doing 90% of playing. A very advanced high school student who happens to play lead in jazz ensemble might consider, under the guidance of a private instructor, a smaller mouthpiece to facilitate a bright tone to carry through the ensemble and a smaller cup volume to facilitate extended upper register playing. I play a Schilke 12A4a for lead and a Bach 7E for piccolo trumpet.

For 95% of playing I use a 7C. While I may be able to get slightly more overtones in the sound with a 3C, I am shooting for perfect technique and I don’t want to make a big compromise in technique for a small benefit in tone.

Also, I play on gold plated rims. Contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with aesthetics; I am allergic to nickel which is a common ingredient in silver plating. If you are not allergic to anything, save your money and get the usual silver plating. I also have a plastic mouthpiece which is especially nice for playing out in the cold.

Roadkill

It’s important to have an accurate aural model of a good trumpet tone in order to develop good playing technique. When I was younger, I listened to a lot of flugelhorn playing and really enjoyed the warm, mellow sound the instrument made. While you should not try to control your sound (you should discover your own natural tone using good technique), consciously or not, I began to imitate the flugelhorn sound with my trumpet playing. I ended up playing with my slide pushed all the way in and using the biggest mouthpieces I could find; a Bach 1”X” (larger cup volume than A) and after that a Monette B1-5D (often confused for a toilet bowl). This helped me get that warm, dark, flugelhorn-like tone I was looking for. It also led me to a tone very uncharacteristic of a trumpet and strange habits to compensate for my quick fatigue, as I was swimming in those mouthpieces! They would be appropriate for a professional orchestral player who knew how to use them, but not for me as a lowly high school student. I would have saved a lot of energy and frustration if I had just invested in a flugelhorn mouthpiece at the time to get that flugelhorn sound.

Roadkill Café

Sometimes younger students have old equipment that has survived from a relative’s days in the school band. A raw brass horn is ok, but be careful of a mouthpiece whose plating has worn down; it is very possible to get lead poisoning from an un-plated brass mouthpiece. Even if the equipment is well plated, if it is strange or otherwise unidentifiable, I always steer students to the middle of the road.

Goldilocks and the Three Trumpet Mouthpieces

Why are you still reading this? You should be practicing! I was just joking, but in reality, any time spent mulling over the question, “will this new fangled piece of equipment help me get better, faster?” is time better spent practicing.

No new piece of equipment is going to turn you into Maynard Ferguson or Wynton Marsalis.

Your equipment should help you and work for you; make sure you are not the one working for it.

If you are a mature player working in a special situation, then you need specialized equipment. If not, just get your 3C, 5C, or 7C and get to work practicing.

Listen to live, un-amplified trumpet performances regularly (even if it is just your instructor) to help you develop a strong, sound aural model of what a trumpet really sounds like, but otherwise let go and discover your true sound on the instrument.

If you really want to sound more like a flugelhorn, just get a flugelhorn already! Short of that, a flugel mouthpiece will dramatically alter your tone.

Ultimately, stay in the middle of the road and don’t let students play on anything unnatural. Good luck and happy practicing!

James Thompson’s “The Buzzing Book” is a valuable asset for brass players. The book comes with treble clef notation, accompaniment cds in Bb and C, and most importantly, Mr. Thompson’s detailed instructions on how to use the exercises. The Buzzing Book helps players at any level discover correct mechanics through modeling and guided practice on the mouthpiece and horn.

Notation

The notation is large and clear. Each exercise is preceded by a few critical bullet points. They are meant to be played twice; first on the mouthpiece, then on the horn. The mouthpiece should stay on your face through the entire exercise - the player is supposed to only breath through the nose in order to extend the same “middle G” setting through the range of the horn. This definitely takes some discipline. I don’t always breath through my nose, but I do always try to keep the idea of “same setting” with me throughout the exercise. Another discipline issue is holding the mouthpiece with both hands so as to strengthen (psychologically) the mouthpiece-horn connection. I’m planning on picking up a berp to help with this. The notation is riddled with detailed instructions (e.g., “glissando as gradually as possible,” “never let the notes sag”) to coach the player through the exercise as effectively as possible. Each exercise strives to go beyond the normal range of the horn, frequently a C (below the staff) down to F gliss, using all 3 valves + slides extended.

Accompaniment

The accompaniment cds feature a harpsichord/organ/piano combo composed by Tadeusz Kassatti and recorded by Kevin McPeak. The organ especially creates a template for your sound: it provides an encouraging palette to paint with overtones. The accompaniment really shines in that each track is preceded by James Thompson modeling the exercise. This provides the player with a strong aural model for both the mouthpiece and horn. The value of this feature cannot be underestimated!

Word

James Thompson’s verbiage is another critical component of this book. It’s easy to overlook the words and get straight to the exercises; just what any aspiring player would do, right? Get to the practicing? However we know that being mentally aware of the skill you want to develop is the key to improving. The notes on habits, thinking in the present time, air/lip balance, a single embouchure, etc. are an invaluable resource. Read many times, practice many times. Discovering the written instructions kinesthetically takes time.

To Buy Or Not To Buy

While a bit expensive at over $20, “The Buzzing Book” is a daily resource for my playing. If there is one thing that has improved my playing more than anything else (short of collegiate level instruction), this book is it. I am still discovering and refining mechanics using this resource. No player is too advanced for it. Bottom line, you are a fool to keep practicing without it!

James Thompson

James Thompson studied trumpet with Richard Longfield, Ray Lichtenwalter and finally, with Roger Voisin.

After a distinguished career as principal trumpeter with several orchestras including Montreal and Atlanta, James Thompson, laureate of the 1979 Maurice Andre International Competition in Paris, also enjoys a career as a soloist. As principal trumpeter he has recorded over 80 CDs.

Professor of trumpet at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY since 1998, James Thompson is considered one of today’s grand masters of trumpet pedagogy.

The Buzzing Book for all brasswind instruments, and Bandroom Buzzing (for group instruction) are two key volumes intended to help develop correct playing techniques at all stages of brasswind instrumental apprenticeship. The Buzzing Book is published by Editions Bim.