[TPIN] Lip slurs, range, muscle mass and muddled up mind

[Orion Development Corp - D. Arndt]

Amen, Brother Mike!  

I can't attest to being a "full professional" anymore, but I'll say this:  I've been playing for a while, at many levels in the industry (low AND high) and in many different styles - The philosophy you've outlined below is what bails ME out of "slumps" most often: "Just make yourself forget about it, and make music (blow!)"

I think we forget that we're physical beings: we have days when our mind and body feels "ok", when we feel "great" and days when we feel tired and just lousy.   Why would it be any different with "the most physical of all instruments".  Right?  

- Dave Arndt

(who could have "felt" better on his gig last night, but had a helluva good time regardless.  and also in spite of one candy-butt tempermental bass player...;-)

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:48:13 -0700, Mike Vax wrote
> I did leave both messages here, even though they are a little bit long. 
> My take on all this? 
> I have said it on this forum before and will probably say it again. 
> If I - or my teachers - had made trumpet playing this hard and this 
> complicated, I probably would have become a brick layer or a cab driver. 
> I know that Pops quotes much of Don Jacoby - which is of course a good 
> thing! And - "Jake" was one of the people that helped make my career as a 
> trumpet player. 
> But, the only two things from Jake that I have ever needed have been: 
> "Pick up the G-dD--m horn and BLOW! 
> and 
> "High notes aren't higher - they are just farther away." 
> I have never seen much else to use for me and the hundreds of students that 
> I have taught over the years. 
> Now - certainly there are some players with special problems who need some 
> special help, and therefore, I try to analyze what I can do differently for 
> them, but other than that ------------- 
> The simpler the better in my book.  But then I am just a middle-aged trumpet 
> player (well - upper middle age) who happens to teach some too. 
> Gee - maybe I should have made things harder? 
> Mike Vax 
>