[TPIN] Good or bad,..here it is

[Reaban, Derek (MCOE)]

Jeff,

What a great post!  

-------------------------------------------------------------
A lot of this can be absorbed through >>very focused listening<< and
>>transfer to the horn<<.  Loading up the iPod or whatever with Blue
Mitchell is all well and good, but unless you get into the nuts and
bolts of
the devices being used (you may be doing this, I'm speaking generally),
you
don't get a whole lot out of this.  
-------------------------------------------------------------

I would call this active listening compared to passive listening.
Active listening (i.e. in a quiet environment with the part or score in
front of you) allows you to really absorb the subtle aspects of what is
happening in the music.  Passive listening (like listening to the iPod
in the car on the way to work) by definition can't be as focused as
active listening.  If you have done a lot of Active listening already,
Passive listening can still reinforce what you have already learned.
Background music doesn't fall into these categories.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
I'd be adopting a sound model (Derek, my mind's eye sees you
generalizing a response already) and coming up with a plan for trying to
do a compare-and-generalize plan for trying to incorporate what you like
from the player you choose.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but memorization/transcription is a great
way
to do this.  Your time constraints may make transcription impossible.
-----------------------------------------------------------------


I truly believe that transcription is one of the absolute best forms of
"Active" listening.  Not only are you focused on getting the notes and
rhythms, but all of the other "inflection" that is present in the music
is finding its way into your mind.  That's what makes it interesting to
listen to!  As David Krauss would say, play it with "schmaltz"!

Just out of curiosity, how many people have transcribed classical
trumpet solos or big orchestral excerpts, instead of just finding the
music and playing from the part?  I'm guessing that if more students who
are focused on symphonic or solo playing did this, they would find their
own mature sounds MUCH more quickly.

I'll be the first to admit that I have never transcribed a classical
trumpet solo or orchestral excerpt.  I guess I have a project that I
need to tackle one of these days!


Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona