Re: harp-l-digest V10 #133

[Ray Beltran <rbeltran@xxxxxxxxxx>]

on 4/6/03 3:33 AM, harp-l-digest at harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> 
> Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2003 10:51:36 EDT
> From: PL500@xxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: notes from a music clinic
> 
> 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 
> 
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