| Re: Teaching question
Some kids can have good ears and still not be able to sing, so I prefer to let the kids buzz on their mouthpieces. If they don't have listening skills, tuners can provide good feedback in a lesson. If your tuner doesn't transpose while naming the pitches, play in concert keys.
Play through a scale (do re mi fa so la ti) and let them play the final "do" on their mouthpiece -- if they have "bad ears" the visual feedback of the tuner will confirm what their ears are telling them (but that they are not paying attention to). This takes a bunch of time, and is something they won't practice at home. Play long tones and have them match it with their mouthpiece. Play some unisons and let them listen for the beats as you move in and out of tune with them. You might even want to turn them on to resultant tones.
It is not uncommon to have what I always called a "Pharisäertrompeter" (pharisee trumpeter) who would fulfill all the legal requirements of playing the horn but sound like crap and not care. It's mainly an awareness issue -- they don't notice how bad they are, and recording them can be extremely useful and fun and tax deductable.
Until they agree that they have a problem, we can't fix 'em. This is true in the trumpet studio and also here at the mission.
Have fun!
__________________ "A tool good enough to be so used and not too good" C.S. Lewis That Hideous Strength www.letsbuildhope.org |