Martin Williams

I am predominately a sax player, alhough I do a lot of trumpet playing also. Ive been teaching private music lessons to beginners on most woodwinds, and trumpets, and some advanced sax lessons for about 3 years.

This year however, Ive got a predominance of trumpet students over anything else, quite unexpectedly.(11 first years trumpets, and 2 second year players, along with 6 saxes, beginning to advanced)

I was just wondering if you have any suggestions, things to keep in mind when managing more brass lessons, like things that have to be covered, and fun things for brass to make learning fun.

I do keep seperate lesson plans and records of improvement for everyone, since everyone learns at different paces, but what other things should I keep in mind?

Thanks in Advance!

tpter1

Do you do any ensembles? Small ensembles...like duets or trios? I sometimes give the kids a "duet day"...we take out some duet books, they pick some, work on them, then perform them. Or I'll play duets in a lesson, too.

SmartMusic is also a great and fun thing for them. There are many accompaniments, including some for many of the newer lesson books.

Something I tried last year, and will be doing again (albeit a bit refined...I really don't want to listen to 80 scales ) is a recording project where I assigned several scales and required rep (with choices) for the kids to record. You can use Audacity to great effect for this. Kids loved it and it gave them IMMEDIATE feedback on what they're doing.

We had one lesson where the kids had to play several scales by the end of the period. The reward: a handful of Gummi Bears! Man, 6th graders will go nuts if they think Gummi Bears are involved! They went ahead of me and did thirds, arpeggios (tonic and dom7) and chromatics!

Above all, have fun yourself, too. They are quite funny, little people, and can really brighten your day.

Oh dear...I just jumped in ahead of Ed. Sorry, Ed. I didn't see the little EC downloading text at the top of the page. (Jumped here from the "Recent Topics" part of the home page).

ecarroll

Hello from sunny Los Angeles

Glen,

No problem with piling on. It happens often here for the reason you stated and also from my ocasional silences (often related to travel).

I have few opinions regarding beginning trumpet lessons except to state confidently that young kids learn best via imitation (unlike grad students!). You should play often for them: call and response/back and forth. One observation though: the "standard" beginning trumpet method books are long on theory and short on the actual principles of good sound production (see Arnold Jacobs re everything). Take a few days to put your own simple exercises together that focus on fundamental principles rather than note values. Add those to the mix, play tons with them and voila! . . . the next Guerrier (oh . . . tons of practice will help as well)

Good luck and I'll watch here with interest
EC

Martin Williams

I see one of them today, it'll be her first lesson. I teach sax to her older sister, one of my oldest students Ive had for a while, and her Dad talked to me about it, so I met the young lady after the lesson to let her try one of my horn(it was a flugel actually, that was the only brass instrument I had with me)

I told her what we're gonna do is make a farty noise with our lips first, and she did that, then I gave her the flugel, and that was the only time I have ever heard someone blow and actual real, clear note right away. The attack was normal, but it was a perfectly clear C and she held it for about 3 counts!

Ive never seen anyone play a note decently like that their first time with a trumpet, and wouldnt expect it with a flugel. Do you guys see that happen ever your first time students?

Vulgano Brother

Sometimes yes, and sometimes no -- I had one student who needed a full month before that first tone came out. After another month he caught and passed everyone else in his class.

I really like Ghitalla's advice about having the teacher place the mouthpiece on the student’s lips the first time for the correct position and let the student’s muscle memory work to their advantage.

ilikethetrumpet

I just completed four eye-opening years of work with a Ghitalla disciple, and I have seen this approach really really work. He would teach the position to the instrumental ped students, folks who had never played a trumpet, and within five, ten, fifteen minutes or a few days, many were playing high Cs without pain or much difficulty.

If I were to try teaching that myself, I picture images of Mickey Mouse as the sorcerer's apprentice... but the point is, it's about balance and NOT about strength or "endurance," as if we're enduring this slab of metal slamming into our face.

Martin Williams

What exactly is the Ghitalla discipline? Ive never heard of it.

trumpettrax

I would be interested in knowing the Ghitalla discipline also.

Trax

rowuk

I find beginning students need success stories to keep them motivated. I try and get them playing tunes (without sheet music) that they relate to. It can be rock, pop, jazz, classical, hip-hop or whatever - just something THEY like-from the radio, ring tone from the cell-phone if it is long enough, etc.. The key they play it in is unimportant, although I have experienced kids 6 months into the horn playing E major because the pop tune is in concert D. It is a new tune per week in addition to the exercises. If they don't have a new tune, they can take an old one in another key. They play it and then we work it out so it sounds good. They then have something to play to their friends and family!
You being primarily a sax player, I do have one appeal: make sure that you pay special attention to your own (the kids are watching you!) and the kids embouchure. I have had to patch quite a few in my 30 years of teaching and bad habits are very difficult to correct after a couple of years. If you have a kid with a special problem that you haven't seen before, get help from a colleague. A relaxed approach to playing is critical for future success. You are probably doing this anyway, but I thought that I would mention it.

ilikethetrumpet

meant to post this as new topic