Do any of you take lessons from other instruments?
I was curious as to how many of you seek out the ears of other instrumentalists to improve your playing and musicianship? Many moons ago, when I was in undergrad, I was always taking lessons from other faculty members simultaneously with my trumpet lessons. (for all of you in school now, it is good to get them while they are so easily accessible to students) I remember taking lessons from a bass trombone teacher to teach me about breathing. It sure worked!!! I came out of my lessons lightheaded many a time. I took a lot of lessons and attended master classes for string instruments. I would actually play as part of the weekly string class and let them rip me to shreds..but I learned a lot....especially about ending notes and phrasing. I would play duets on my piccolo with oboe players. This was very helpful in training my chamber orchestra ears and the repertoire that goes along with it. I would play Arban Characteristic Study No. 6 with a clarinetist if I wanted to get the sound of playing seamlessly across the arpeggios in my head. I guess you can see what I am getting at here. We can all benefit from the experience and musicianship of other instrumentalists, not just trumpeters. I was curious if any of you have tried this or what you think of it? If you have - what other instruments did you seek out?
A side note related to this point. Speaking specifically of orchestra auditions, there are not only brass players back there listening behind the screen, there are all kinds of musicians back there listening. Once you get a job, this sensitivity to other instruments and listening across the ensemble will be very important as well.
