Always ask questions. Always learn. Always enjoy making music.
When people learn about the three major career paths I have enjoyed, I usually get the following reactions.
My responses to their reactions are pretty simple.
“I am glad I was the one that was the firefighter then.”
I realized, almost 30 years ago, that I could teach, but I wasn’t a teacher. My realization was confirmed when I became a high school music teacher 3 years ago and then a middle school band director 2 years ago. I enjoyed teaching the students, however, I had a difficult time conforming to the expectations established by people higher in the instructional food chain.
I had no idea what a common board was, its purpose, or how it would benefit the students. I now know what a common board is, but, in my opinion, the only purpose it serves is for those who enter the classroom to give informal and formal evaluations. They can place a check mark on their evaluation form showing that a common board is present. Some may give a critique about making sure the educator is referring to the common board during the lesson. I know the “theoretical” purpose of the common board, but in all honesty, it serves no purpose. As far as it benefiting the students, a common board shows the current date. The students don’t look at the common board and say, “Hmmm, very interesting. We are learning standard MUS 921.31 today. I feel enlightened and a lot more educated.”
When I returned to the classroom (band room) as a teacher, I realized that I didn’t like being a teacher.
I didn’t enjoy conforming to the expectations set by those who have not taught in a classroom in many years and have lost all touch of reality in what educating truly is.
I didn’t enjoy being told by many who had failed up to their position that they were pulling band students out of class because they were failing. When I resisted and informed them that it wasn’t because of band that the student was failing the other class, I was given a mini lecture about band being an elective and not a core class. I then asked if the student would be taken off of the sports team or teams they were on because they were failing a core class.
I didn’t enjoy being instructed that the standards I placed on the common board were not correct. “You are putting the high school standards on the board, you need to put the middle school standards.” I would always rebut, “The middle school standards are not applicable to the level of musicianship the students have attained. I am holding them to a higher standard.” Needless to say, that didn’t sit well, and middle school standards had to be placed on the board.
Being a teacher isn’t for me. Teacher schmeacher…bleh.
Being a mentor, instructor, encourager, and always a student is my cup of tea.
I enjoy providing private lessons, group lessons, and clinics. Those attending tend to learn more in a less formal setting.
Think about sitting with someone who is a professional at something you are interested in learning. The benefits of sitting next to them and asking pointed questions without receiving sneers or guffaws from other students who think they know it all is invaluable.
“How do I play this passage?” “Why can’t I play higher notes?” “How do I learn to improvise?” “Why can’t I play as well as….?”
Questions get answered when they are asked. A lot of times, people will ask questions to others they feel will answer without judgment.
The older I get, the more questions I ask. I couldn’t care less if the person judges me. I have a question, and I think they know the answer. I will ask the question.
Another positive with being a mentor, instructor, and encourager is that I tell students to make mistakes. If any of my current private or group students are reading this, you will probably shake your head in acknowledgment. I preach this statement to them all of the time.
“In music classes or lessons, the instructors and directors want you to make mistakes. We hear those mistakes and help you fix them. In other classes, if you make a mistake, what happens to your grade? It gets lowered. In music, if you make a mistake, we hear it, help you fix it, and we help you to be a better musician.”
I know that there is a chance that someone from another discipline will read this and disagree with me.
“Our goal is to help the student learn and excel. We teach them to learn from their mistakes and…blah blah blah blah.”
I get it, and I agree. However, if a student makes a mistake in another class, they get the question marked wrong and hopefully learn the correct answer. That way, if they are asked the same question again, they will get the correct answer.
In music, if they play something wrong, we correct the mistake and have them play the section correctly in multiple ways, at different speeds, articulations, and dynamics. We will take that correction and apply it to other parts of the same music or other compositions entirely. We show students that what they have just learned is something that applies to more than that particular “question.”
The biggest question that I have had since I was in 7th grade?
How do I improvise?
I have asked the question and have received a lot of great advice. The advice is always valid and helpful, but I still keep asking.
While in college, I was able to sit in on a Jamey Abersold clinic. It was amazing, and I learned a lot! But, out of my lack of practice and application, I lost a bit of the learning. I would shirk away from improvising when I played in groups when others were strong at improvising. Let’s face it, if you went to hear live music, you would much rather hear someone play a solo that captures the essence of the tune with spontanety and excitement. You wouldn’t want to hear a guy fumble with some low notes, and then, when he felt all was lost, he starts playing notes in the atmosphere to cover his inability to follow chord progressions.
I have asked about improvisation to many people, including Denis DiBlasio, Jeff Coffin, Richard Dort, Fernando Frank, Lee Thornburg, and Richard Vanderburg.
Each person has given me valuable advice, and I have implemented their instructions.
I didn’t ask those individuals about improvisation at the same time. I had the opportunity to ask Denis DiBlasio many years ago when my former band director, Ken Strieby, had him as a guest soloist with his college band. Fernando Frank, well, I talk to him - pester him is more like it - all of the time. What I found was that their advice was similar.
“Learn what notes are in the chords and what notes are similar to the next chord. Bridge them together.”
They didn’t use those words exactly. If they did, that would be too eerie, and it would have been proof that we are living in the matrix. Especially since I had asked Denis DiBlasio the question in January 2011, and I pester Fernando almost daily.
About four years ago, I attended a Jeff Coffin clinic and had a chance to talk to him for a few minutes about improvisation. After moving to Florida and befriending Richard Dort, I realized that they had given me the same advice. I told them that when I see a C7 chord symbol, all I play are the notes C and B-flat.
“Good.” They both said, “You can do a lot with two notes. Start there and gradually expand.”
I have had the opportunity to play in a cover band with Lee Thornburg. If you don’t know who he is, check out the clip of him on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BII4bDt21Uw
He is a great player and a wonderful person. I had asked Lee about the techniques in arranging horn parts and about improvisation. He imparted some valuable knowledge about arranging, the same valuable knowledge that Fernando Frank had also given me, and then told me about improvisation.
“Just look at the key and then play your own tune over the rhythm section. It can be as easy as that.”
I smiled, agreed, thanked him, and enjoyed standing next to him at the gig as he demonstrated what he had told me.
I have played next to Lee a few times, and it is always an honor and a pleasure. I get to watch and hear him apply his skills and years of experience of the horn, and I soak it all in.
For the last three years, I have been playing in concert bands, jazz groups, and about anything else that will tolerate me. In a couple of the groups, I get to play next to Richard Vanderburg.
Richard is a retired architect, a great guy, has a last name very similar to my wife’s maiden name, fantastic trumpet player, wonderful section leader, and an amazing improviser.
For the last three years, I have been in awe of his ability to musically walk around a tune while improvising.
I asked him about the way he improvises, he said, “As long as I can hear the chords, I can stay on top and play a tune.”
After my conversation with Lee, Richard’s comment made so much sense to me. They said the same thing. For the past three years, I have been listening to Richard walk around and play his own tune over the rhythm section with each of his solos.
I had made a conscious effort, since retirement, to become a better improviser. I have such a long way to go, but I am enjoying taking a chorus and creating my own tune each time. There are many times that I will quote something that Richard may have played in a previous solo. I will tell him that I did that, and he will laugh. There are times, I am quite sure, that he thinks I am joking with him. I do enjoy trying to make him laugh, but when it comes to his playing and soloing, I am sincere.
In previous blogs, I have written about the importance of music and how someone doesn’t have to go to college and become a music major to continue playing and learning music. The band I was in back in Indiana, Henle and the Loops, is a perfect example. www.henleandtheloops.com The band consisted of Doctors, Lawyers, Surgeons, and professionals of other studies, including insurance, TV journalism, and many other professions. We played because we loved creating music, and we loved being together as a band. By the way, Chuck, I apologize for not expanding my playing and improvising more in the band. No excuses, and if there is a chance that I get to play with the Loops again, I will enjoy taking a couple of choruses.
A lot of the people that I perform with now had professions that were not musically centered, however, they continued to play music. Richard was a very successful architect, yet he had his own groups and played his trumpet through college. He wasn’t a music major, yet he has impacted people all over the world with his music. He has educated other musicians without being a music teacher. He has encouraged others to be better, learn, and apply the lessons he taught by being a mentor and an example.
If, by any chance, someone in education is reading this blog, please consider this thought.
If a student is having a difficult time in a core class, would it benefit the student more to remove them from a class they are excelling in (Music, Band, Choir, Orchestra) for them to get help, or, remove them from that core class and get them tutoring during that class time? There is a chance that the student may be having a difficult time learning because of the teacher.
Oh my…gasp gasp…how dare I point out that not all students learn the same or that some teachers will not reach all students?
Yes, there are some bad teachers, but there are also some incredible, fantastic, wonderful, and every other positive adjective possible to describe the teachers out there, too. But, keeping a student in a classroom that they are failing in doesn’t mean that they will get a sudden “A-ha” moment and learn the material. Pull them from the core class, get them the help during that class period, and keep them in the classes they are excelling in as a motivation and a way to show that they are being supported.
Richard, if you are reading this, I am not saying that you were failing core classes when you were in school. I just wanted to mention you at the end of the blog so everyone will remember your name and yell for you every time you play a solo.
In closing, please keep playing music, go listen to live music, pay musicians to play music, and encourage one another while you are playing music together.