Re: notes from a music clinic

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/5/03 9:08:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
gonz1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:


> As some of you know I am in the process of getting my teaching degree in 
> Music Education.  I just attended a music clinic that was conducted by a 
> world class trumpet player and educator from University of North Texas.  
> His name is Dr. J. Keith Johnson.  
> Although he is a trumpet player and not a harmonica player, the principles 
> that he taught on still apply regardless of the instrument you play.  Here 
> are some of the notes that I jotted down.
> Please remember that he focused his teachings on a room full of music 
> educators, prespective music educators and professional musicians.   
> 
> Dr Johnson referred to two main skill that are critical for success when 
> playing a wind instrument.  
> the first is the skill of listening.  Listening is the basis to everything 
> you do as a musician.  If you don`t` listen to enough musis, start.  The 
> more you improve you tonal memory, the better the TWO instruments you use 
> will sound.  The two instruments he was referring to is the instrument in 
> your head and the one in your hand.  It seems that we are always trying to 
> get the instrument in our hand to sound like the one in our head.  The more 
> listening you do the better those two instruments will come together.  He 
> also stressed the importance of singing whatever you are playing and 
> practicing.  the more you sing, the better you tonal memory retains it.  So 
> sing!!   Don't give excuses that you can't carry a tune and all that, just 
> sing.  
> 
> The second skill he referred to was breathing.  Dr. Johnson said that you 
> breathing should be "full and free flowing."  He demonstrated on a 
> breathing device that I think is used for measuring the efficency of 
> breathing.  It is a cylindrical piece of plastic with a plastic tube coming 
> from it with a white ball...like a ping pong ball in it.  It costs about 
> $15.00.  He uses this gizmo before he ever picks up his trumpet.  It is 
> always part of his warmup routine.  
> Proper breathing is in the very center of what Dr. Johnson teaches.  He 
> showed the students he worked with and all of us in the audience how proper 
> breathing can make all the difference in you playing...I was impressed.  
> 
> The final thought that I wrote down was that Dr. Johnson expressed the 
> importance of becoming a fine musician first and an instrumentalist second. 
>  To refer this to the harmonica, it is more important to become a fine 
> musician that plays the harmonica than to be a fine harmonica player that 
> is also a musician.  In other words, becoming a fine musician should be 
> first and you skills on whatever instrument will come.  If it is done the 
> other way around, the outcome will not be the same.  
> 
> regards,
> Roger Gonzales
> aka "Gonzo"
> 

This is by far one of the best posts I have seen on Harp-L. I will expand on 
what Dr. Johnson says by saying unless you can sing you will not be able to 
play it. 

My 2 cents, 

Andrew