PTMs as critics, or saving classical music

Yesterday’s article referred to part 1 of Ann Midgette’s piece originally printed in the Washington Post, and it provided some interesting insights into the role PTMs, or amateur musicians, play in the field of classical music. Today’s follow-on article offers Ms. Midgette’s thoughts on the role of PTMs, and the populace in general, as critics.

I have to admit to you that on my first reading, I didn’t get much out of this. But the second reading prompted several lightbulbs to go off over my head, and I’ll confess to thinking about it a great deal ever since.

I play many different types of music, but classical music has such depth and richness overall that I consider it my favorite. Overall. But to be quite honest about it (in homage to Ms. Midgette), I just don’t like modern compositions as a general rule. I’m painting with a broom here, so please grant me a bit of leeway. 

There is a reason some classical compositions are considered classics, i.e. they endure and endear. Although many were considered to be a challenge to accepted standards when they were written, all of the works considered classics today have what an old friend of mine referred to as “toe tap-ability”. Simply put, the listener can tap their foot with the music as it is being performed…or walk out humming it, thinking of the great concert they just heard.

Many modern works seem to have been exercises in sound combinatorics rather than musical compositions. Many seem so focused upon showcasing the various sections of an orchestra that they forget music is performed for someone. And lest anyone think I’m advocating going “100% pop”, let me assure you that I am not…but music that is neither pleasant to play nor hear doesn’t press boundaries as much as it condemns the art form to irrelevance.

My tastes are not universal, and I’m very glad of that! What do you think? Does classical music need criticism to really thrive? Regardless of our individual tastes, should we just politely clap for it all? Continue with obligatory standing ovations? Or does that contribute to a growing detachment and/or dissatisfaction with classical music in general? Please leave us a comment with your thoughts; we’d love to hear them.

Keep playing,

Mark

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PTMs keep the music alive!

I knew when I read this that you’d want to read it too. PTMs – amateur musicians – have contributed so much to the vibrancy of music throughout the ages. At times when it was dangerous or impractical to be a full-time musician, PTMs also kept the dream alive.

This article from the Philadephia Inquirer is probably harder on FTMs than I would be – I’ve known far too many who sincerely love their “job” and experience their music to the fullest; but the author does make some excellent points. PTMs often play with more license because there is less cutthroat competition to be there in the first place. The fact that the music is a release for them, rather than a full-time occupation, certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

Whether classical music is your bag or something else, there is a lot to consider here. What do you think? Do you allow yourself to really enjoy your music? Do you think you’d enjoy it more – or less – if your paycheck depended upon it? Post a comment and let us know!

Keep playing,

Mark

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How to make a “silent” trumpet practice mute

If you play trumpet, it’s very likely that you’ve wished for a way to practice your music just like you’ll play it in your orchestra/band/ensemble/etc. without getting complaints from your family…or worse, your neighbors. Many commercial options exist to fill this need – the Brass Spa Practice Mute and Yamaha’s Silent Brass, among others. These are great products, but they carry prices ranging from $25-$160. How would you like to make something nearly as good for less than two bucks?

I’ll defer to Jim Donaldson (of Schilke Loyalist and Trumpet Gearhead fame) for the core instructions, but here is the quick take:

1. Buy a Renuzit air freshener. Be sure to pick a scent you like.

2. Enjoy it in your home for a few weeks. If you’re impatient or need your mute now, you can skip this step.

3. Open the air freshener and wash out the remaining scented material. This may require soaking if you did step 2.

4. Remove the “plug” at the top and press/drill a small hole in it.

5. Put the top and bottom together.

6. Wrap cork or weatherstripping around the top. I used weatherstripping, and it seems to hold up best if you cut the ends at an angle where they meet…like ____/  and /____.

7. Put sound-deadening material inside, if desired. I find this unnecessary, but YMMV.

8. Optionally put the “plug” in the top of the assembled mute. I have tried it both ways and leave mine out.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here are a couple to show the finished – and well-used – final product.

Between the air freshener and the weatherstripping, your total cost to make this “silent” practice mute comes to under $2.00. If you use the air freshener for its original purpose first, the mute is effectively free! Now, wouldn’t you rather put that money against a new mouthpiece?

For any other “gearheads” out there, here is a performance comparison that shows how your new Renuzit mute stacks up against several commercially-made practice mutes. What do you think? Good enough? Leave a comment and let us know!

Keep playing,

Mark

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Five Secrets to Rapid Improvement in Your Playing

At some point, every part-time musician (PTM) reaches a point of frustration with their progress. Whether this occurs early or later on your path, it’s almost certain to happen. The way to break through this barrier is to build your momentum…but how?

I hit this obstacle early in my “second childhood” on the trumpet. Things that used to be easy for me two decades prior (yes, two decades!) were unreachable. The “good ear” I had as a high school and college trumpeter was gone. My range was gone. My endurance was gone. I was beginning to wonder if I simply wasn’t cut out to play any more.

After reading a great deal, practicing as much as I could, trying every different approach and piece of advice I could find, buying various methods and study manuals, I finally distilled what worked for me. After running it past several other PTMs, I’ve concluded that this is a decent framework for just about anyone playing just about any instrument. There may be more things you’d add to the list, and if there are, I’d love to hear them! But these are what worked – and work – for me.

1. Practice every night – even if it’s only five minutes

There are evenings (days or nights if you work shifts) where you just don’t have time for a good solid practice session. But there are almost no days when I can’t spare five minutes. I find that keeping lips-on-mouthpiece, fingers-on-strings, or whatever applies is the greatest key to rapid improvement. Why? Muscle memory for one reason, but I think there’s more to it than that. If you set it as a priority to play every day, you take it more seriously. Granted, you can’t play only five minutes every day and get very far, but it does keep you in the habit. And you’d be surprised what you can accomplish in only a few minutes of concentrated effort.

2. Start with scales

I’m convinced that running scales every day will do more to improve more aspects of your playing than almost any other effort. You can work on your dynamics, expressiveness, tonguing/breathing/range (for winds), fingering, picking/plucking/bowing patterns (strings), endurance, and several other areas important to mastering any style of music. It also helps you master your scales (duh!) and learn your keys (one flat = key of F, two flats = key of Bb, etc.). You can run through all of the major scales in a matter of a few short minutes at the beginning of your practice session once you’ve gotten into the routine and believe me, you’ll notice the difference it makes.

3. Use etudes/studies

These musical “exercises” are more entertaining than scales, but they help you polish certain areas of your playing by focusing upon them in a more isolated manner. Some etudes help you gain expressiveness, some work on developing clean attacks, some help refine bowing techniques (strings)…well, you get the idea. When I wanted to learn to double- and triple-tongue on trumpet, I cracked open the method books and the Arbans manual to the sections on multiple tonguing. Someone else had already done the legwork of selecting those exercises; I could go straight to practicing them!

4. Join a group as soon as you can

While trying to join a band, community orchestra, or ensemble is probably not the best idea after only a few lessons, at some point, you’ll have mastered the basics and will be getting reasonably comfortable with your instrument. As soon as you feel that you are “getting the hang of it”, start looking for a group to join. You may not be ready for the big time, but there are numerous groups out there that don’t expect you to be a pro…just that you’re not too bad and improving as you go. Frankly speaking, there is nothing that will make you work to improve quickly than knowing you are on the hook to play somewhere, even if it is in a large group. (Caveat: Don’t reach TOO far beyond your current capabilities or playing will suddenly become “un-fun”. The key is to stretch without breaking!)

5. Finish each practice session by having some FUN

Is there a particular style of music (or two, or three) that you really like? Finish each practice session with a fun piece, even if it’s a simplified version. Envision yourself playing that with a group someday, and play it like you already are. I love many styles of trumpet music, but my favorites are probably Dixieland Jazz and Mariachi music. Early in my re-learning period of trumpet playing, I found a simplified book of Dixieland Jazz music with an accompaniment CD that was on sale, and I bought it. What a great find! Each night – and especially ones when progress seemed elusive – I would finish with one of the songs in that book. What a lift! I’d put away the horn happy and ready to do it again the next evening.

What do you think? Do you have any additional secrets you’d like to share? Please do so by leaving a comment or sending us an email. And above all, keep playing!

Mark

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