Dan Jacobs: Writings

THE BALANCE of DISCIPLINE & FREEDOM IN JAZZ by Bob James

Note: (this critique was given after Bob listened to a piece performed by the Ithaca H.S. jazz Band directed by Kevin Smith)

You guys just sound fantastic! I was thinking, is this really a high school level? Students? Most of you are what? 15 - 16 – 17 years old? Fantastic! Wish I had that opportunity when I was in high school. We had a pretty good music program but we had nothing in the way of jazz education in those days.

I think things have come a long way since I was growing up and there are a number of places that teach jazz now. I always had mixed feelings about it, like jazz education to me in some ways was kinda a misnomer because what I always loved about jazz as opposed to classical music was the freedom and the fact that you got to do what you wanted to do that is not always written down. When you’re in a classroom there is a little bit of discipline involved particularly with a big band situation.

I was the most impressed with this piece that you did what I like, which was to . . . you had the control over the discipline of the arrangement but you also had the bravado to relax in the spirit of having fun. You’re playing music that under a lot of circumstances, people would want to be dancing to it. So the biggest thing, immediately for me that I liked was, thank you very much, you were taking care of business right from the first measure. This kind of piece is really hard too because from the count off, instantly you have to get into the groove. He goes 1,2,3,4 and then instantly you have to be in this Latin groove and you did it, you nailed it! And that makes a complete difference with the way the piece is going to come off because everybody is ready to go, sets up the solos and so on. I thought that was very cool.

Dynamics, I love the way that you played with a lot of dynamics and saved your loud stuff for when it’s really appropriate to be loud. Some jazz falls short for me in that area maybe more than any other area because very often you’re playing music that is not completely written down in the sense that you have to play forte here or a crescendo there. My experience is, even with big band charts, dynamics are usually pretty minimal and you have to work out internal in that you decide for yourself whether you’re going to make a crescendo and whether you’re going to make the music more dramatic. Music becomes so much more powerful in an ensemble when there is a clear sense of where you’re going dynamically.

I felt that in the solos, quite obviously the man with the experience was the man who could really drive home things in the solo area and I think he showed all of you how you can start with just a brief statement, when you’re playing a solo, which lets people know that you’ve got the ball. And then it becomes a little miniature composition, which, the way this arrangement was played out, it has to build. Dan took his time, he knew that there was going to be the moment when the background ensemble was going to come in underneath, which is sort of a built in crescendo in his solo, so he saved some of drama of it for when the background stuff was coming in. All you guys were playing dynamics behind all the solos really, so that they all built. I loved that.

Those are the things that I thought of. I don’t have anything else major to say in terms of being a critic. My short role of being a critic is over. I’d rather be back there playing the piano rather than telling somebody else how to play music, particularly in the jazz area because jazz has a million different ways that it can be expressed, that’s another thing that I love about it. It isn’t just one big style or one individual way of playing it, it’s a very free spirited kind of music and that’s the way all of you approached it. I’m very happy to see that. I would have been disappointed in a jazz program that was too constricted, too disciplined. Even though you’re high school students when you should be emphasing practicing and becoming disciplined because this is the best time of your life to do that because later on when life gets too complicated, you probably won’t practice.

So just for whatever it’s worth, my own feeling about this genre is that it’s best when it has a very good balance between discipline and freedom. Too much discipline then it loses it’s feeling of uninhibited, free-flowing, jazz spirit. If it’s too free, without discipline supporting it, then to my ears, it becomes chaotic and an excuse for not being fully prepared. If you have the chops, you practice, if you have the discipline, then there is a great deal of being able to relax and be free and enjoy the free spirit of jazz in that way. I encourage you to do plenty of the practice because the freedom will flow easily out of that.

One other thing, it’s interesting that the improvising part to some people might seem like it’s easy because theoretically you can do whatever you want to do. That’s the whole idea of improvising; you can just be yourself and act spontaneously. But at the beginning stages of learning about that, improvisation can be the most mysterious, the most difficult to teach, I’d like to sit in on one of Dan’s classes because the times when I’ve tried to do anything in terms of teaching it, I find myself tongue-tied. I never had a method when I learned how to improvise. For some of us it’s a kind of an instinctive thing and you feel comfortable with not knowing what’s going to happen next. A lot of very good musicians, classical musicians are still mystified by the concept. They’ve spent their lives practicing and practicing to perfect something that is a known, written out thing. But, if you just told them to play something without knowing anything about what is going to happen, they would be at a loss to do anything. I can imagine, without hearing Dan’s classes, that what he will have to offer in that way, is some kind of a foundation, a place to start from so that it isn’t just chaos, so that it isn’t just this unknown situation, so that you have weapon, so you have phrases, so that you have knowledge so that when you have the opportunity to jump out there and start something new, you have all things to work with and it isn’t just a complete random effect.

Dan: It’s freedom, but within certain, specific guidelines.

As weird as it may sound, the more discipline you have, the more freedom you can have as well . . . there are so many directions that you can go.

Bob James

(transcribed from a live critique given by Bob James)

Music Tip - May, 2004

The musical tip of the day is "only play notes that YOU like and want to play!" Sounds simple but not so easy to always do yet therein lies the way for you to communicate YOUR inner self and that's what people really want you to do, trust me. Don't ever deny yourself; only you can deliver your message. Once you achieve this ability - to play honest notes - you are already successful! The rest will follow and simply takes persistence and passion, two other important success ingredients. And by all means practice your music fundamentals as you will need these tools but they are useless until you play the notes you want to play. Amen - John Novello, keyboardist, educator

Wayne Jackson is the trumpet player that co-founded the Memphis Horns
with tenor player, Andrew Love. They are the most recorded horn section in American popular music and have played on over 300 hit records. Wayne also has a great book out called, "IN MY WILDEST DREAMS" that is a wonderful text on his experiences in playing with everyone who is "somebody" in the business! Wayne is a great player with a beautiful sound, great technique and is a wonderful guy.

ADVANCED LONG TONES:
By Mark Van Cleave

When you played the first G in the first long tone exercise, you had to do a certain amount of assuming that you were in tune with the horn. In the advanced long tone excercizes, you will compare the pitch of the target note with the pitch of surrounding notes. This will give you a better idea of the horns tuned pitch. The closer you can get to the horns tuned pitch, the more resonant your sound will become.


As in Long Tone Exercise #1, The first long tone here is G. This is the target note. When playing these exercises, blow through each phrase as if you were only playing the target note. Blow evenly, do not gun or blast out the top notes. Listen to the notes surrounding the target note for pitch and sound quality. This will help you find the center for the target note. The last note should be held just as you would a normal long tone. Memorize this set. Keep the air relaxed and even.


Things to listen for:

1. Tone quality. As in Long Tone Exercise #1, listen carefully to the tone color. It is possible to hear a single note and to determine if the player is sharp or flat to the horn by tone alone. Learn to make physical adjustments based on the sound. 

2. Intonation. Your best sound will occur when you are playing in tune with the horn. Tune the horn carefully and then play to the horn's intonation. If you are playing low D or C sharp (or any other bad note on the horn), you will have to change the resonant frequency of that note by moving a slide or slides in order to play in tune with A 440. 

3. "Clicks." When moving from note to note you are changing the harmonic slot to be resonated. Push the valve down quickly, and listen for a "click" between each note. These "clicks" are easier to hear when playing slurs, but listen carefully and you will learn to hear them even when you are using the valves. These "clicks" also tell you that you are playing in the center of the harmonic slot.

Advanced Long Tones #1.

1. Big breath.
2. Relaxed exhale.
3. Compare pitch of surrounding notes to help determine the target note's exact center of the harmonic slot.
4. Push valves down very quickly.
5. Listen for "clicks" when changing notes.
6. Blow through each phrase as if you were playing a single long tone. Do not blast out top notes.
7. Hold last note until you reach "negative air."

(The G is the "target" note or long tone note.)

This is a video of a concert I did on trumpet and flute with the Middleville H.S. band on May 8th.


http://www.ghsjazz.blogspot.com

BLUES LYRICS - Hollywood style
by Jack Sheldon

Woke up this mornin' . . . and both my cars were gone . . .

BOB BROOKMEYER: ON IMPROVISATION

First, improvisation. To wean students away from cant (accepted wisdom) I find that reminding them that all music is "song-based," (from Buddy Bolden to Cecil Taylor), is helpful. We wallow in decades of beautiful songs, giving us so much linear and harmonic instruction that to ignore it is criminal.

I once asked a student, years ago, to play a "standard" -- he replied "how about 'Bolivia'?" Now Cedar Walton is OK, but "STANDARD???" It shook me up. Standard songs are so-called because they have weathered time and assault from hostile forces AND they can be used as a barometer on how well the improviser can improvise. Somebody running "Giant Steps" doesn't tell me shit -- a pass on "Stella" and I have a very good idea what's up after 16 bars.

The fascination with the "Steps" was in place when I returned in 1978 -- it still looks like a bunch of II-V-I's, but then at 71 I may be missing something. However, since 40,000 tenor players can do Coltrane clone imitations, I have begun to feel a little more secure in working at being, as much as possible, an IMPROVISER. I make up stuff without an agenda.

Regardless of context, I try to "sing" through the horn and I try to react to my circumstances -- to play WITH people, not AT them.

Anyway, there MUST be a belief that EVERY note matters. You (the player) must love every single note, for if you mumble, the sense is gone. Compare to acting -- no diction, no job. The production of one complete sound then offers the position that two sounds are possible.

So, As Thad Jones said, "Mean What You Say!" And learn to say it well.

(note: this is a small exerpt from the article, I would recommend the full text at the website noted)

EMOTIONAL REACTION and COMMUNICATION
by John Coltrane

“I never even thought about whether or not they understand what I'm doing . . . the emotional reaction is all that matters as long as there's some feeling of communication, it isn't necessary that it be understood.” -

QUOTES: JOHN COLTRANE ON MUSIC

Here are some quotes that explain what I'm trying to do musically:

"I would like to be able to produce a more beautiful sound, but now I'm primarily interested in work what I have, what I know down, into a a more lyrical line, that's what I mean by beautiful, more lyrical so it would be easily understood." - John Coltrane, interview from youTube.com

"There are set things that I know, some some harmonic devices I know that will take me out of the ordinary path you see if I use it." - John Coltrane, interview from youTube.com'

“I never even thought about whether or not they understand what I'm doing . . . the emotional reaction is all that matters as long as there's some feeling of communication, it isn't necessary that it be understood.” - John Coltrane interview on youTube.com

QUOTE: A PATH OUT OF THE ORDINARY
by John Coltrane

"There are set things that I know, some some harmonic devices I know, that will take me out of the ordinary path you see, if I use it." - John Coltrane, interview on uTube''

TG Citation for rehearsal / gig infractions

MUSICAL OFFENSES
obnoxiously show-offy warm-up, $25
vibrato on unison passage, $50
failure to swing, $150
sound-checking section mic with obnoxious jazz licks, $15
playing highest note possible during warm-up, $20
raising hand after making mistake, $15
practicing multiple-tonguing not called for on gig, $15
failure to use 3rd valve slide when necessary, $50
being told by Conductor to play louder, $400
taking tuning note up octave, $25
playing B-flat when band tunes on A, $75
blacking out after high note, $20

LEAD PLAYERS
changing mouthpiece mid-song, $15
missing high lick, then mentioning previous gig(s) that day, $25
faking section into early entrance, $10
faking self into early entrance, $20
asking Conductor if it's OK to take this lick up, $25
asking Conductor if it's OK to take this lick down, $400
taking lick down on gig that you took up in rehearsal, $100
missing last note of „In the mood", $200

NON LEAD PLAYERS
missing entrance when lead player drops out on unison, $15
hanging over past lead player on last chord, $100
attempting unassigned high lick lead player biffs, $50
asking lead player what mouthpiece he uses, $75
pointing out to lead player that guy on record took last passage up, $20
attempting to out-screech lead player on last chord, $100
successfully out-screeching lead player at any time, $500


EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS
dropping mute, $10
dropping horn, $20 + repairs
dropping dead, Warning
forgetting pencil, $20
forgetting mutes, $50
forgetting bow-tie or socks, $30
forgetting mouthpiece, $30
forgetting porn mags, $20
playing with screw-on rim, $10
blaming mistake on sticky valve, $25
getting marble or similar object stuck down bell, $75
polishing horn on-stage, $15

CRIMINAL BAD TASTE
quoting Herb Alpert or Chuck Mangione song, $25
casually mentioning to Musical Director of cheap theater that you also play keyboards, $100
discussing how plentiful gigs were in the old days, $50
talking dump on bandstand, $75
talking about great deal on your new horn, $10
hawking old horn on bandstand, $15
having nicer gig bag than rest of section, $10
practicing legit style on commercial gig, $35
beginning sentence with „When I played with Kenton..", $50

BASIC STUPIDITY
playing on Jet-Tone mouthpiece, $20
continuously asking „Where are we ?", $25
drunkenness on gig, $25
stonedness on gig, $50
sobriety on gig, $75
sitting next to Conductor at pre-/post-gig meal, $100
pretending to be friends with Bone players, $10
actually being friends with Bone players, $20
dating Bone player, $75
loaning money to Bone player (oops) (amount loan)
wearing old Maynard Ferguson Tour shirt, $15
wearing new Maynard Ferguson Tour shirt, $25

FLUGELHORN TAPERS

Confused about tapers? We used to be, too! Here's the scoop on flugelhorn mouthpiece tapers. If you are using the wrong taper, you may be experiencing poor intonation and response!

* LARGE Morse taper
Commonly known as Standard Taper, the LARGE Morse taper is used by Yamaha, Getzen, Callet, Benge/King/Conn, Holton and older Kanstul 1525 fluglehorns.
*

SMALL Morse taper
The so-called “Bach Taper.” Bach, Courtois, newer Couesnon, Kanstul 1525 and some European flugelhorns use SMALL Morse taper.
*

FRENCH (straight) taper
Also known as Couesnon Taper, French taper is used by original Couesnons, Flip Oakes "Wild Thing," Kanstul CCF 925, and original F. Besson flugelhorns.

From: www.kanstul.com

BRAD GOODE: THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

ON PRACTICING THE TRUMPET
Playing the trumpet can be a difficult and frustrating experience. Of all instrumentalists, trumpeters seem to go through the most psychological trauma related to basic concepts. We have all experienced those periods when we struggle to achieve what was once "second-nature." Such feelings of bewilderment produce our greatest and most characteristic excuses, such as--"my chops are down," "I'm blown out," or "I'm having an off day."

Many trumpeters will go through life ascribing mystical reasons to their successes or failures, eventually giving up because they "just didn't have it."

The only path to greater success is through knowledge, practice, common sense and patience. If one makes a careful study of the elements involved, the mechanics of the instrument become clear and easy to approach. This school of thought has been called "scientific trumpet playing", and it's subscribers count among the most successful performers and teachers. With regular, informed and purposeful practice sessions devoted to covering the basic elements of playing, the trumpeter can emerge free to think about music, rather than technical difficulty.

WHAT MAKES A TRUMPET WORK?????
Many people believe that the trumpet is a megaphone which amplifies the sound of the mouthpiece or the buzzing of the lips. This can be disproved very easily. First try this; as you are playing a note, hold the horn with your right hand and hold the mouthpiece stem with your left hand. Now, while still playing the note, gently remove the mouthpiece from the horn. Is the mouthpiece buzzing? If it is perhaps you are playing very loudly.

Next, try this; put the mouthpiece back in the horn. While holding the horn with your right hand, tap the mouthpiece gently with your left palm, and try different fingerings. You should hear distinct tones.

These demonstrations should serve to illustrate that buzzing does not create the tone. Although mouthpiece buzzing CAN be an effective practice technique for developing the embouchure,(I do it daily) it usually requires more force than is used in playing the instrument. In fact, it has been proven that the sound is produced by vibrations of the air column within the instrument. Simply put, this means that the slower the air, the lower the note. (Or the faster the air, the higher the note!)

Armed with this knowledge, it would seem that a great part of our practicing should be devoted to controlling the speed of the air stream. (Hitting the right notes!)

WHAT DO THE LIPS DO?????
The lips do provide an important function in playing, but not nearly as important as many people believe. The lips vibrate at different speeds for different pitches, but this vibration is INVOLUNTARY and is a result of the changing speed of the air passing over the lips. If one tries to control the lips, it is impossible to change the position for every note in a fast passage.

So what do the lips do? They just sit there and provide a vibratory medium between the mouthpiece and the teeth. Think of a clarinet; the reed is held tightly in one position by the ligature against the mouthpiece facing. Once it is all set the player does the rest with his or her air. In our system, the teeth are the facing, the mouthpiece is the ligature, and the lips are the reed; held in one position free to vibrate with the air.

In order to ensure that the embouchure remains stable, the lips should be firmed before the mouthpiece is placed. The proper position can be found by pronouncing the letter “M” and then slightly contracting the muscles around the lips.

WHAT ABOUT THE AIR?????
You need a lot of air. The best way to fill your lungs is to take a deep breath, as if you were yawning. Make sure that there is no sound to your inhalation. If you hear a hissing sound as you breathe in, then you are compressing or squeezing the lungs somehow.

A good breath is made up of two parts; inhalation and exhalation. A common fallacy among many players is the inclusion of a third step, making the process inhalation-hold-exhalation. By holding the breath before commencing the tone, one may inhibit the flow of air, resulting in a choked or thin tone.

Now, think about a balloon. Imagine that you blow up a balloon, and squeeze it without tying off the opening. The air would rush out quickly, and the resultant sound would be low and flatulent. Now imagine blowing up the same balloon, and as you squeeze it, I pull the opening taut with both hands. Now you can squeeze the balloon for a long time before the air runs out, and the resultant sound is a high-pitched squeal.

As the air is blown into the horn, it should be compressed in the mouth. The proper oral cavity formation for the trumpet is more like that used in hissing than in blowing out a candle. This is an important point which is often overlooked

In our system, the lungs are like the balloon. You fill them up with air and let them deflate. The differences in resistance at the opening are created inside of our mouths. (Not by opening and closing the aperture!) When the back of the tongue is low in the mouth, the oral cavity (inside of the mouth) is very big. As the back of the tongue comes closer to the roof of the mouth, the oral cavity becomes smaller and more resistant. Thus, the air rushes across the tongue faster, and the pitch goes higher.

This can be demonstrated by pronouncing different syllables. As you say "EE", "OO" and "AH", notice the position of the back of the tongue. Also, try whistling a familiar tune, and notice what happens to your tongue. So, we see that the tongue produces the control over air speed.

WHAT IS TONGUING?????
Tonguing, or articulation, is a function of the front of the tongue. It is a simple concept that is quite often misunderstood. The front of the tongue breaks up the air stream by lightly touching on the roof of the mouth, acting as a kind of 'release valve' for the air. THE TONGUE DOES NOT START THE TONE!! You can prove this by playing a few "breath attacks", starting the note with no articulation at all.

One important point: be sure never to allow your tongue to penetrate between your teeth.

WHAT ABOUT MY FINGERING PROBLEMS?????
These problems have to do with the mental side of playing. If you are having problems with fingerings, challenge yourself with more difficult material. Spend most of your practice time in keys, scales or etudes that are the most challenging.

HOW CAN I GET A GOOD TONE?????
The most important element in tone production is a concept of sound. This simply means that in order to get a good sound, you must have that sound in your "mind's ear" before you pick up the horn. Your sound is dependent largely upon your influences, or upon the sounds which you consider to be desirable. This is a very subjective area, and it is the reason why all trumpeters sound unique.

A sound which is neither too bright nor too dark and also resonates freely will provide the most success. As you progress, you may want to tailor your equipment to help you achieve your ideal sound with less struggle.

To develop your concept of sound, spend as much time as possible listening to recordings and live performances of good trumpet playing. A few good role models might be drawn from the following list;

CLASSICAL PLAYERS
Maurice Andre
Adolph Herseth
Gerald Schwartz
Chris Gekker
Thomas Stevens

JAZZ PLAYERS
Louis Armstrong
Cootie Williams
Fats Navarro
Clifford Brown
Booker Little
Lee Morgan
Freddie Hubbard
Clark Terry
Kenny Wheeler
Terrance Blanchard

CROSSOVER PLAYERS
Doc Severinsen
Vince DiMartino
Wynton Marsalis
Allen Vizzutti
Rafael Mendez
Arturo Sandoval

Your sound might also be influenced by players of other instruments. Some of the biggest influences on my own sound have been saxophone players such as John Coltrane and Von Freeman.

The best practice for tone is usually derived through long tone exercises. Long tones should be practiced at all dynamic levels, with and without varying degrees of vibrato.

Equipment also contributes to tone color. In general, the deeper the mouthpiece, the more low overtones dominate. The shallower the mouthpiece, the brighter the sound will be. A good mouthpiece is one that gives you the sound closest to your own ideal when you are playing freely. THE MOUTHPIECE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR UPPER OR LOWER REGISTER. A trumpet which is neither too large nor too small, and which plays reasonably in tune is most desirable. Different horns may have slightly different qualities, but in the end a horn will sound only like your own concept.

HOW DO I PRACTICE ALL OF THIS?????
A good practice session should be divided into three parts:

WARM UP
TECHNICAL PRACTICE
MUSICAL PRACTICE

The WARM UP is a very subjective matter. This phase should consist of whatever makes you feel ready to tackle some serious playing. Some players feel there is no need to ease themselves into playing at all, while others MUST perform extensive rituals before dealing with any music.

A warm up should be a brief period of time in which you touch on each of the elements of playing. I like to think of the warm up as a mini-practice session, to make sure everything is functioning as it should be. Personally, if I will be performing three or four sets of difficult music, (5 hours) I like to have a nice, long warm up session of 1/2 hour. If my schedule is tight, this routine can be stripped to its bare essentials and can be done in five minutes.

Above all, a warm up is a luxury. It can improve consistency and confidence, but need not be essential.

In the TECHNICAL segment of your practicing, try to spend some time focusing on the individual elements of technique. These are TONE, AIR CONTROL (or flexibility, or tongue-level) ARTICULATION, VELOCITY and some exercises that incorporate all of the elements.

There are many fine books that contain studies relevant to each area, although as you progress you may develop your own methods of practicing. I am including the following list of some of the best available methods, along with recommended studies for each element of technique:

J.B. Arban, Complete Method for Cornet
Max Schlossberg, Daily Drills and Technical Studies
Herbert L. Clarke, Technical Studies
Herbert L. Clarke, Characteristic Studies
E.F. Goldman, Practical Studies
Charles Colin, Advanced Lip Flexibilities
Walter M. Smith, Lip Flexibility
James Stamp, Warm Ups and Studies
Carmine Caruso, Musical Calisthenics
Theo Charlier, Etudes Transcendantes


SOME RECOMMENDED STUDIES

* Be sure to rest as much as you play. The idea is to gear up, not to tear down. *

LONG TONES
Caruso #1
Arban #1-15
Stamp #3
Schlossberg #1-13

FLEXIBILITY
* The term "Lip Flexibility" is a misnomer. It's the tongue level which needs to be flexible. Focus on keeping the embouchure firm and steady. Speed up the air and raise the back of the tongue to ascend, and vice-versa.
Colin any study
Smith any study
Goldman #15,16,17
Schlossberg #31,61,74
Clarke tech. #3

ARTICULATION
*Practice single tongue (staccato & legato), double and triple tongue.
Schlossberg #30,36,88,92
Goldman #1,2,3,4,5
Charlier #1,16,18
Arban Double and Triple Tonguing sections

VELOCITY
Arban Characteristic study #13
Caruso Scale studies
Clarke Tech. #1,2
Charlier #14
Clarke Char. #1

COMBINATION
Arban Characteristic #1,5,6
Clarke Char. #21
Charlier #23
Goldman #19

One or two studies drawn from each category, played thoughtfully and musically should be more than enough for technical maintenance. By challenging yourself to play this material correctly on a regular basis, you should be more than ready for any technical demands you should encounter. Regular technical practice will keep you in touch with the control of your instrument.

The MUSICAL portion of your routine is the time in which to prepare for upcoming performances, learn new material, practice improvisation or simply experiment. During this time, try to forget that you are playing the trumpet. Imagine yourself singing through the instrument, and make everything as musical as possible. It may be helpful to integrate this portion of your routine with a lot of listening to recordings. They will provide you with inspiration and stimulation to try new things.

Remember to make everything that you practice sound like MUSIC. Even during your warm up and technical studies, play as if you had an audience. Strive to make each note pure and vocal in quality. By practicing in this manner, you will develop musicality as a habit, rather than as an inspirational phenomenon.

Most of all try to enjoy your practice time. I tend to use mine as a form of meditation, centering in on myself as a musician. The process of growth and self improvement which you build in your trumpet practice may also build in you, the individual.


Thanks to my teachers Byron Baxter, Vince DiMartino, Chris Gekker and William Adam, from whom much of this material was learned.

posted by i_b_goode at 1:06 PM 0 comments links to this post
The Lost Art of Trumpet Design

During the 19th century, great pains were taken to develop a design
for a trumpet that would equal the cornets of the day as a solo instrument.


Working with Besson, Monsieur Merri Franquin came up with a basic
design that featured a tapered leadpipe and bell to facilitate the
elements of intonation, projection, clarity and ease of playing.


The Besson trumpets of that era were small bore horns, with very
narrow bell tapers.


A 1907 F.Besson trumpet in C was owned by the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra, utilized by solo trumpeters in the group performing
especially difficult passages throughout the entire 20th century.
This horn has a bore size of .445, and a very slim bell with a quick
taper to the rim.


I first saw this horn when I did a gig at Orchestra Hall back in the late
80's. I saw it again in the late 90's at the Schilke factory. It is currently
in the possession of Steve Winans, a.k.a. Dr. Valve. Playing on this horn,
on several occasions, really got me interested in the history of trpt.
design, and in trying vintage instruments. This is, by far, the easiest,
nicest playing horn I have ever played. Schilke copied this bell on his D/Eflat horns.


In my own collection, I have found several American horns which seem
to resemble this early Besson in size and design. Most notably:


1) 1920's Buescher trpts. In particular, model #9 (.445)
2) Keefer or earlier Distin trumpets (.445)

The following trumpets share most characteristics of the Besson, but have
wider bell flares, more typical of the 1920's-40's Besson design:


1) Martin "M" or "#1" bore trpts of the 1920's and 1930's. (.445)
2) Conn 22B, 12B and 24B B flat trumpets. (.438)
3) The King "Liberty" and Super20 models (.445)


In fact, when Adolph Herseth joined the Chicago Symphony, he was
playing a .438 bore 22B.


My pet theory:

The influx of German conductors in American orchestras sparked a need
for trumpets that had the broader qualities of the German rotary instruments. The sound of the "french style" trumpet fell out of favour.


Conn responded with the 2B, originally designed for the players of the
Philadelphia Orchestra. This was a .460 bore variant of the 22B, but with
an important difference- The radius of the tuning slide was made wider.
The effect of this design change gave the player a more open, round sound, and allowed for a more open feeling to the scale.


Bach, Benge and Holton had early success copying the medium bore
French trumpets, But the trend in classical sound forced them to offer
larger, broader sounding instruments. When Bach moved to Mt. Vernon,
he abandoned his Brevete copy, and began copying the Conn 2B.


Although these changes, bigger bores, leadpipes and bells, succeeded in
delivering the desired sound qualities, THE EASE OF PLAYING, INTONATION AND CLARITY WENT OUT THE WINDOW.


Incidentally, the virtuoso jazz players of this era stuck with the smaller
bore, narrower wrap horns, as the physical demands of their gigs were simply too taxing to be achieved on TANKS.

Martin's dual bore concept was introduced in the "Handcraft Imperial" line. This horn had a top slide measuring .445
and a bottom slide measuring .453. This design provides the feel/resistance of the small horn with the sound of a larger
one. Later, they did the same thing with the "Committee" model. My personal feeling, owning both cylinder and dual bore
versions of the Martin, is that a great deal of focus and control are lost with the dual bore. Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie
both played the "M" bore in the 30's, switching to dual bore Committees around 1939. Listen to the recordings of Roy's
Chicago band of 1937. HOLY COW!!! Has anyone ever played more trumpet than that? I recorded "Hypnotic Suggestion"
on the dual bore H.I. My next Delmark release was recorded on the "M" bore. It gave me much more ease, facility, clarity and range.

This begs the question; Is it worth all the added physical difficulty and mental anguish to play a big, broad horn, simply because Fritz Reiner liked his Mahler symphonies tubby? Lately, I've been practicing with the Arban book on my 1939 Keefer.
It makes everything seem eminently easy. Trumpeters of the 1800's and early 1900's were undoubtedly using similar equipment.

My concern in moving to smaller horns was that I would sound smaller or weaker in performance. I have found the
opposite to be the case! The older designs provide better clarity and projection, and my students and colleagues are all
commenting on my apparent improvement in power and range. On the Buescher #9 and the Keefer, the very tight bell flare creates a narrower sound than I am used to making, but both horns cut through bands with greater clarity, and have NO intonation issues. Even the low D and C# are in tune without regulating the valve slides.

Yamaha has made a nice move with the Bobby Shew "Z" model. It's a variant on the "Committee" idea. Schilke makes a superb horn in it's "S42". I'd like to see someone copy the 1907 Besson.

Have we seen the end of regional styles?

Years ago,jazz players carried stylistic traits which marked the tendencies and aesthetics of their musical home towns. From the 1920's until the 1970's, it was
possible to hear and identify these traits, especially in the playing of people from the most active jazz communities. This was, of course, due to the influence of local players in the formative stages of one's development. The established
local heroes exerted great sway over the other local musicians and audiences.

It was to their standards,expectations and approval that the younger musician aspired.

In my own experience as a young player, I traveled around the Midwest listening to the great players of that region. During the late 1970's and early 1980's, regional differences still seemed very pronounced in my mind. Each city had a different characteristic rhythm section style and feeling, and groups of horn players seemed to also share truly distinctive qualities. As I studied the great recordings, I could make the connections to what I was hearing in my travels: A Detroit trumpet sound,as heard in the styles of Marcus Belgrave, Thad Jones, Jimmy Cook, and today in Dwight Adams: A Chicago tenor style, exemplified by Von Freeman, Johnny Griffin, Clifford Jordan, John Gilmore and others: An Indianapolis hard-grooving swing,featured by the Montgomery Brothers, Slide Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, and now by Pharez Whitted: A laid back, almost countrified jazz style heard in Louisville and Cincinnati, typified by Cal Collins, Jimmy McGarry and Jimmy Raney.

Because jazz is now institutionalized, we may be losing these flavors which once made traveling to different regions so interesting. Woody Shaw is said to have commented "Jazz died when it entered the schools." Dexter Gordon said, "I don't know where these kids are coming from. They all sound alike, like they all had the same teacher." Although these statements may sound harsh, to me they have the ring of truth.

As jazz educators, we must be careful not to kill the very thing we love. The standardization of jazz teaching methods is,itself,very unjazzlike. We must also beware of reductionism in the teaching of jazz history. We, by consensus, have limited the players we ask our students to study and emulate to the few we have deemed to be the most important. It has become increasingly difficult to find distinguishable stylistic characteristics separating young, talented players.

There is some promise on this front. The advent of the artist/teacher in university jazz programs is providing much needed perspective. As many schools are adding rosters of adjunct jazz faculty comprised of top local players, the jazz departments are beginning to function much like real jazz communities.

The educational system does not bare the full responsibility for the homogenization of jazz. The jazz media has developed a pop-culture model for the
marketing of new artists. What sounds the most familiar is projected as the most
marketable. Thus, since the 1980's we have been plagued by a stream of highly lauded and well promoted sound-alikes. Now, our students are emulating THESE people.

The booking policies of so-called 'jazz clubs' may also be to blame. The traditional model had established artists leading bands, and young players trying to
make an impression on the older cats. If a young musician could earn their respect,
and gain employment as a sideman,he may later be approached by the manager or promoter for his own booking.

Today's model most often has the venue managed by someone who has no knowledge of the music, whatsoever. His main concern is the bottom line. He accepts tapes and solicitation from all comers, and hires accordingly. Thus,a band of young players may find themselves working without having to meet anyone's expectations. They are left alone to learn the business and the music by themselves. This has resulted in an epidemic of musical relativism.

It's become increasingly difficult to pass the torch, as nobody seems to know which torch to pass. Politics and philosophy seem to be more and more at play. A young player no longer learns by observing the people in his community and attempting
to integrate and distinguish himself.

It's our duty to correct this situation. The music is at stake.

posted by i_b_goode at 11:44 AM 3 comments links to this post
Improvising Melody

When jazz players play an improvised solo, they may use a variety of techniques. Sometimes players think of a scale that matches a particular chord sound and play notes of that scale. Other times, soloists may repeat phrases and licks that they have heard others use, and fit these licks to the chord changes. A player may also invent and memorize his own original melodic material and then insert it at the appropriate time.

These are all good techniques. Most of us experiment with each of these approaches, particularly in the early stages of our jazz study. These methods provide a good introduction to soloing, and give us ways to sound good quickly.

As the student advances and gets further into the music,he or she will certainly do more and more listening to recordings of the greatjazz soloists. As awareness of the art of improvising grows, the student will become aware of the musical depth from which these jazz greats are working. The great improvisers operate on numerous levels at once, and they do much more than simply run scales or patterns, or play their favorite licks.

After listening to a great musician play a solo, I feel that something very special has been communicated to me. Each solo is unique, and it tells its own type of story. Beyond the personal feeling that each player may express,these solos are special because they have made meaningful musical statements.

Certainly, these players have all mastered their chords and scales, they all have great technique on their instruments,and they are polished performers. What makes their playing interesting is that it is always somehow different or new. In other words, they truly are IMPROVISING: making something up right at that moment to fit that situation.

It is not hard to make something up, or do something thathas never been done before. All it takes is a sense of adventure. It is, however, VERY HARD to make up something new that sounds really good, fits the changes and makes a lot of sense to the listener.

One of the primary goals in improvising is to create new melody statements that fit the changes and rhythm, and to link these statements together in a coherent stream of musical thought.

In many ways, great jazz soloists think like composers. After all, our typical process is to remove the composed melody from a tune, and improvise new melodies in its place. The beauty, shape, length,direction, harmonic accuracy and inventiveness of these improvised melody lines are some of the components that hold the listener’s attention, and that comunicate in a non verbal language.

When professional players get together and discuss soloists that interest them, they don’t say things like: "Wow, that guy really knows his scales!" or "Gee, she can really play fast!" What they say is more like: " He plays beautiful lines!" or "She can really tell a story!"

There are definite techniques used in improvising lines.These compositional techniques are very similar to those used by great composers in the classical world. There is a very distinct similarity between the melodic writing of J.S. Bach and the melodic improvising of Charlie Parker. The same principles of melody apply to each genre.

MELODIC CONSTRUCTION

The listener hears harmonic motion on the beat.

What does this mean? It means that we expect some sort of regularity in the sound of our music. When we hear that regularity, the effect is very pleasing and settling. When we do not hear it, it can create tension. Although we often use this tension on purpose, it is in the resolution of the tension that we enjoy its effect most.

The basic principle of good melodic construction can be summed up like this : THE MELODIC LINE ACCURATELY DEFINES THE CHORD PROGRESSION. This means that in listening only to the melody, one can actually hear the chord changes.

The overriding rule is STRONG BEAT / WEAK BEAT. Chord tones fall on the beat, and non-chord tones or chord tones may fall between the beats.

The rules are meant to be bent, and sometimes broken, but learning this simple technique can give you a solid foundation in melodic playing. Here are some ways to practice:

1. Practice writing solos out. You can compose entire choruses on the tunes you are learning. Then you can play these solos. See if you can hear the chord changes going by as you play them unaccompanied. Try playing them in tempo with a rhythm section, or a play-along CD.

2. Practice improvising lines in this way, but do it at SUPER SLOW MOTION tempo. I mean REALLY, REALLY SLOW. See your pathway from one chord tone to the next, and choose a passing tone to fit between the strong beats. At first, strive for long,flowing lines. Continuity is important. Later you can work on doing it with good phrasing.

3. Work on being able to improvise lines at faster tempos. Use your metronome. Start at a slow tempo, but try to get through a complete chorus. Then, little by little, begin to move the metronome marking up.

With some good practicing, you should see dramatic results. With time, you’ll be able to weave lines through changes at any tempo, and you’ll be able to do it accurately.

TELL YOUR STORY

Once you learn to play lines, you can think about MOTIVIC DEVELOPMENT. A motive is a musical thought, complete within itself. This thought has a very definite beginning, middle and ending. The motive is defined by its shape, direction, duration and rhythm. People compare a motive to a sentence.

The PRINCIPLE OF REPETITION in music tells us that any motive which is repeated is inherently reinforced and
strengthened. If you play a nice idea once, it sounds good. If you come back to it, it sounds great! It lets the audience hear a train of thought, and your solo will sound like iis coherently tied together – like you are telling a story. Believe me, people will hear and respond to this AND it will feel more meaningful to you. You will literally be making musical sense.

There are many compositional tools to help you develop your ideas. If you just keep repeating the same phrase, the same way, you will sound silly and quite possibly boring. That is why we strive for REPETITION WITH VARIATION. Any good compositional book or course can help you with these techniques. The big ones are:


1. SEQUENCE
2. AUGMENTATION
3. DIMINUTION
4. FRAGMENTATION
5. ORNAMENTATION
6. INVERSION
7. RHYTMIC DISPLACEMENT

Ask your music teachers to recommend some good resources for you. I personally recommend studying 18th century counterpoint. Try starting with Bach’s two part inventions.

USE SPACE

Observe how the great melodic improvisers use rest as a part of their solos. They allow enough time to elapse, after they have played a phrase, for the listener to accept, hear,and digest that phrase. Sometimes, the space left for rest is equal to the space used in playing. It really adds clarity.