Tristen N

hi,
I'm a sophmore in a high school and I'm in a jazz combo group and at one of our gigs a man, who it turns out lives around the corner from me, asked me to give him lessons. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help me.
Thanks,
Tristen Napoli

Larry

This is just my opinion so take it for whatever its worth, or with a big box of salt.

I would suggest that should you decide to try giving lessons that both of you should approach it on a tentative trial basis. In the first lesson you will want to determine if you think you can be of help to him as a teacher. Should you decide that his problems are beyond your scope of experience you may want to pass on continuing future lessons. Or, you might want to recommend someone to him that you know might be better equipped to help him. On the other hand, it could be that you're exactly the help he needs.

Larry

trickg

Tristen, take this for what it's worth, but as a sophomore in high school, do you really think you are equiped with the tools necessary to teach someone else how to play trumpet? Even if you are a good player, my guess is that at your age and level, you probably don't really know why you have been successful with the instrument. You might know off of the top of your head the steps you took and the things that you have practiced that helped you get to this point, but what if your application of those studies with a student doesn't help them? What then? Would you know how to work around the issue to assist someone struggling with a concept that came naturally to you?

As a Junior and Senior in high school, I gave some lessons to a younger kid in town, and although he was a good student, there were a couple of times when the standard "do this" approach simply didn't work and we were both left in a quandry and somewhat frustrated because I didn't have a clue how to work around the issue.

My advice to you, and like Larry said, take it with a whole box of salt, is that the best thing you can do for this guy is to direct him to someone older with more experience teaching brass instruments.

Good luck.

__________________
Patrick Gleason
email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com

"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
"At my signal, unleash hell."
- Maximus Decimus Meridius

Manny Laureano

Ask yourself:

Is he a beginner?

What kind of mouthpiece should he use?

What should be his first book?

Are you going to approach sound vis-a-vis the mouthpiece first or with the horn?

What do you know about breathing as related to wind playing specifically?

Does he have a horn and mouthpiece and if not, what are you going to advise him regarding purchase/rental?

How long will lessons be? How much is fair to charge?

I didn't start teaching until I was in college and I was lousy at first. I was lousy because I didn't know anything. If you can answer those questions easily, go for it. I suggest you teach at home when your parents are there, by the way.

ML

PS

Shouldn't this be in another forum besides NYTC trumpets?