note360

Hey I was just wondering if there is a certaint psychology to auditions, because I noticed that i played my audition piece Le Tamborine or whatever it was perfect before. So I went in my range wasnt all there yet, but i didm't have a choice I completely missed the two high Bs I walked out of the audition and decided to grab a practice room and I was screeming Es (higher than my usual range). The peice was very demanding though it had no rests and right before the Bs there is a really long string and right after to so I probably just wasnt supporting enough (or didnt warm up enough). Every one else I know also did bad, my competition hit them but he has a horrible tone, goofs off and plays to lound most of the time so I doubt if he will get in, and the people in the band messed up to one of them stopped for a breath at least I fought my way through.

So in other words is this common? To kinda freak at an audition and as a result lose some range?

__________________
"I'll play it and tell you what it is later." - Miles Davis
"Do not fear mistakes. There are none." - Miles Davis

Trumpets:
TR300 Bach [marching horn]
Big Apple Bach Strad (ML)

Cornets:
1952 Olds Ambassador L.A

Mouthpiece: Curry 5c, Olds 3 (for the cornet atm)

j4k8

every1 freaks out sometimes, but if you have a practice audition with family and friends, you will get better at auditions

__________________

woo contests
nature without check
with original energy
live laugh play

Vulgano Brother

Under stress our body lies to us. It likes to mess with us by turning minor things into a "life and death situation"--the limbic system kicks in and tries to save our miserable lives, and one of the ways it does this is by tensing muscles. We can even see the muscles quivering in animals, for example, when they aren't sure whether to run or fight. This added tension will give us the impression that we are taking in huge amounts of air when the reality is that we have to work like crazy to get in a samll amount, and endurance and range suffer as a result.

One cure is in a nonchalant confidence, knowing we can play the heck out of the piece: "So hey, no big deal, I'll just play the heck out of it for you guys too." This is ideal, but doesn't always work for this Vulgano Brother. What also works (and most of the time, for this VB) is to take the "fight" approach from our "fight, flight or freeze" reaction to stress, get a little angry: "You want sweet, I'll give you sweet, you *%*#s." (Maybe this is why so many guys who studied in New York do so well.) It is important, though, to turn into your sweet, lovable self when the horn isn't on your face.

Have fun!

__________________
www.letsbuildhope.org

TheRiddler

Find all the Don Greene books - He was a sports psychologist and applyed all his knowlege to music.... I like Performance Success and the Audition one. Read these and become the ultimate zen master.

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Kunst kommt nicht von können, sondern von müssen.

note360

its not that i froze up I did decent on the piece. I kinda had a nonchalant attitude but i almsot subconsciously tensed up a bit. Last year one of my friends who made symphonics pretty much told me I did better than him outside of the audition room but as soon as i stepped in I messed up alot. This year its tough because its bascially 10 or so people fighting over one open seat and the chances of any of those already in it getting kicked out is extremely low.

__________________
"I'll play it and tell you what it is later." - Miles Davis
"Do not fear mistakes. There are none." - Miles Davis

Trumpets:
TR300 Bach [marching horn]
Big Apple Bach Strad (ML)

Cornets:
1952 Olds Ambassador L.A

Mouthpiece: Curry 5c, Olds 3 (for the cornet atm)

FrankGreene

I wrote a book to help this very thing as well... It is called "the Quiet Mind--for Musicans" .... it was written from the things I learned from my years playing with and talking to other musicains while at North Texas State and with the Woody Herman Thundering Herd, Clark Terry's Big Band, the Frank Foster big band, Jimmy Heath's Big Band, Bob Mintzer's big band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie Band, and the Maynard Ferguson BBNV...as well as playing on Broadway (the Producers and The Little Mermaid).

To learn more check out my website at: FGHorn.com
.... I hope it helps you.

Frank

kadleck

For those who do not already know, Frank is THE MAN! A great player who has tons of experience and I'm sure that his book is a good read.

Tony

Mr. Stomvi

Frank - The link to your order form for your book doesn't work. Thought I should let ya know.

Seth Moore

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The "Flattergrub" or literally, the "uncouth flutter" was the very descriptive term that the Germans had for the pedal tone. Apparently some players could produce a "Flattergrub" and nothing more.

Richard I. Schwartz
"The Cornet Compendium"

rowuk

An audition is not a normal circumstance like a practice room, not even for a pro. It is also much different that a live concert - even for a pro.

At an audition you know that you have CRITICAL listeners that are taking notes. At a live performance, you have people that just want good music. In a practice room, you only have you.
I do not know how old you are, but most young players that I know that prepare well get into trouble because they change where they breathe.
When preparing any peice for public performance, where you breathe is as critical as any of the notes composed. Breathing is like a comma or period in speech, a chance to tank up, emphasize, increase attention............
During times of stress we breathe much more often and THAT can throw our playing completely out of sync. Pent up air that we can't get rid of, too little air for a phrase....................
Le Tamborin has many more breathing marks noted (by the editor) than are musically required. You need to mark the ones applicable for you BEFORE you start rehearsing the piece and then stick with it. Only when they become infallible, will you be able to reap the benefits of proper use of your breath support.
Of course mock-auditions are useful, but still do not simulate the stress that brings everything not adequately practiced to light.
Incorporate intelligent breathing into EVERYTHING that you play.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

FrankGreene

Thank you for the heads-up about the Link... Gerry Lopez just changed his online storefront. The Link is working again now....thanks for telling me GL !!!! (I will give him some major grief about it for awhile...)

ps Tony Kadleck is the MAN!!!! No two ways about that. Anyone who can play Lead Trumpet in the the Boston Pops, sightread Maria Schnieder charts perfectly, first time through, Kill every session he's on ... and somehowSmile throughout the 5 hour "highnote-blastfest" at Colin's event last weekend....whew! Tony is the Man!!!!