Tuning Slide 5.10- Beyond Playing Music Together

Weekly Reflections on Life and Music

Finding good players is easy. Getting them to play as a team is another story.
— Casey Stengel

DIY Musician is a website that posts resources and ideas for independent musicians. I came across a post there about one of the potentially most difficult aspects of musicians working together- it is musicians working together. While we trumpet players have a reputation for being difficult to work with due to supposedly large egos, the truth is that most musicians can have the same difficulty. All of us have strong understandings of who we are and what we can do. All of us want music to be seen as important to us. The better we get we also find we can be both more self-centered and more humble.

The self-centeredness comes from an awareness that we know what we are doing and are capable of doing it. It is actually an extension of self-confidence. We have to believe that we can do our music and do it well or we wouldn’t try. Then, when we work with other musicians as either paid or volunteer musicians, we expect the same level of openness and ethic with our colleagues. We don’t want to waste our time with those who may not have the level of commitment. We fear it could hurt our skills and decrease our ability to make the music we want to make. Hence, the ego shows up. I was once talking with a friend who is also a musician. We were discussing the reputation that church musicians are at times difficult to get along with. He looked at me and commented- “Practice more and get better, and you will understand! I practiced more, I got better, and I understand.

But the humility- ah, the humility. If we are honest with ourselves and others we will know both that we are better than we used to be- and most likely now even more aware of how far we still have to go. It takes time and effort to get there. And, if we are truly open to new ideas, it also means teamwork! Chris Robley on the DIY Musician site has tips about musical teamwork- the pillars of effective collaboration. He uses an example from his own story to illustrate how teamwork can and will build all levels of musicianship. He starts with the fact that when you are working on a project:

Time is your greatest resource.
Robley points out, “Athletes don’t just show up for the first game of the season. There’s months of practice (and sometimes pre-season games) beforehand.” In other words, know what you want and prepare for it before you even begin any teamwork. Finding people who have the talent and have been working toward this point is where to begin. But he also points out that talent and preparation have to:

Work with reliable people.
Yes, I have some pet peeves in this area, but I will be nice. Unfortunately, we may not always know who is more reliable until we are in the middle of a project. One aspect of reliability is that each person on a team needs to be willing to go beyond their comfort zone. This can be difficult in early team-building but it has to include expectations of the team members. What are the guiding principles and directions of the members? How do they fit together? How will you resolve concerns or differences? Reliability has to include all these things. Sometimes it is more structured than others, but a team needs to work through these.

A team, though, is more than talent and reliability. Robley calls it:

Get over yourself and take chances.
If we and our team always play it safe, we will never grow. Teams need to be growing. A musical team is no different.

Delegate- share tasks and responsibilities.
Let people use what they are good at beyond their musical talent. Groups need other things, find out what each team member can do- and let them do it. This means that there will be a leader or leaders who do their thing, but teamwork means sharing the work. Robley also points out that “it’s easier to make suggestions and collaborate when it’s clear who’s in charge of what, and who gets the final word.”

Celebrate your successes and debrief your concerns.
None of this is as easy as any set of guidelines can make it seem. Any group, but perhaps especially a musical team, has a lot of ups and downs. On any given day any one of the team could have one of those days we don’t like to think about. I arrived one Sunday morning where our quintet was playing and began to realize I was getting sick. Aches, pains, a cough, and a sore throat built rather quickly through our warm-up/rehearsal. I was far from where I wanted to be in my playing that morning. Sure, it worked, but it could have been a great deal better. I knew that I had the support of my group which helped me. That can happen to any group.

Fortunately, if all these are worked on and built upon, the celebrations will be far more common than the concerns. Make sure you celebrate in some way, even if it’s just sharing the warm glow of a project, job, or performance well done. The joy and wonder of working together with others will often keep us going through the downtimes or until we get a chance to do it again!

For me, the working team or musical group reinforces what I started with above, namely the growing self-confidence and the humble joy of people working together to make music!

How could you have a soccer team if all were goalkeepers? How would it be an orchestra if all were French horns?
— Desmond Tutu

Tuning Slide 4.50

Weekly Reflections on Life and Music

(I'm taking four weeks off from new posts while I do a number of things, not all related to this blog. On these four weeks I will be posting some from the very first year of The Tuning Slide. Some of it will be to refresh my thoughts, and some of it will just ground what I am doing in the purposes of the blog. This one was post #1.3 on 9/16/2015. It gives some thoughts about the instrument I love to play.)

---

Ah, the trumpet.

Now there's an instrument on which one

can truly embarrass himself!

(G. Keillor to G. Bordner)

A trumpet is a musical instrument. It has the highest register in the brass family. As a signaling device, trumpets have a very long history, dating back to at least 1500 BC; they have been used as musical instruments since the 15th century. They are played by blowing air through almost-closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound that starts a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the instrument. Since the late 15th century they have primarily been constructed of brass tubing, usually bent twice into a rounded oblong shape.
-Wikipedia

What is so special about the trumpet?
First- it is often the lead, giving the melody a good ride, soaring over the other instruments. Yet, it is not the only lead. Others can and do take the lead parts that give new insight and direction to the music.

Second- it is easily learned, but is deceptive in its difficulties. To maintain one’s skill at trumpet, one must be willing to work, regularly. Too much time off and you notice the problem. Again, other instruments are in the same boat, but because the trumpet stands out so easily and carries so far it can be downright embarrassing when you are not at your best.

I was sold on the trumpet with three individuals who I will no doubt talk about more over the months. I am not even sure any more who I heard first. The three settled my mind on the trumpet and no one could keep me from it. Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt, and Herb Alpert set me on this road. When the Saints Go Marching In, Java, and The Lonely Bull/Tijuana Taxi were the songs that allowed the trumpet to shine.

Many others have come along and had a great influence, but these three set the tone for me. But I also learned that the trumpet has a great part in classical music as much as it does in jazz. Sousa marches added another dimension.

Some might say that the trumpet is only interesting to those who like to stand out, be obvious, overpower others. While there may be a (very, very) small kernel of truth in that, the place of the trumpet allowed me to express myself in ways that my uncertain shyness never allowed me to. What a joy.

Of course the trumpet isn’t the only instrument in the world that can do this, in spite of what most trumpet players might have you believe. For me, with the trumpet, depending on the part you are playing, the trumpet can have all kinds of different ways to express itself- the lead in first trumpet, a nice counter-melody in third, wonderful harmony in second, sometimes doubling the passage with other instruments, sometimes being there on your own.

Sadly, in many bands, even community bands, it is often the practice to use the stronger trumpets on first and the weakest on third. This can happen because, naturally, the weaker ones cannot play the first parts. But I have found that a section of trumpets where all can play any of the parts, makes for a strong sound from the trumpets. Plus, having accomplished players playing with the weaker ones on 2nd or 3rd, helps the weaker ones grow and develop.

There are no secondary or inferior parts. We only make them that way by our attitude. As the great trumpeter and composer W. C. Handy said in the quote at the top of this post- that’s a lot like life itself. The trumpet does not play itself. One does not become proficient at anything, including trumpet, without putting work into it.

Nor does it mean that because one does not have all the incredible talents of the “stars” that one is inferior as a human being. I will never be Louis Armstrong or Maynard Ferguson, but I can be the best I can be. In my life, as an old Jewish story goes, God will not ask me why I wasn’t Moses or Abraham or any other great and talented individual. God will just ask me why I didn’t do the best I could with what I have and who I am.

3.51- Beyond Luck

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
— Helen Keller

Character:
1. the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing.
2. moral or ethical quality:
3. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity:
4. reputation
5. an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.
6. a person, especially with reference to behavior or personality:

How does an individual develop “good character?” What difference does it make? How might that impact my music and my musicianship?

As I am writing this, I have some sore muscles and joints. I worked out earlier today and, while didn’t push too hard, I did have to make some effort to get in all the reps on the third set of a couple exercises. As I understand it, muscle has to be broken down a little and then rebuilt. That’s what exercise is all about. (It is probably more technical than that but that’s all I need to know.)

That usually means that when I do my workout I have to exert some energy. It would do a tiny bit of good if I just moved my muscles with no added resistance or weight, but it wouldn’t build much endurance or strength. I could also just sit and watch a TV show about exercise or read a book about it, but unless I put some pressure on the muscle, it won’t grow.

As musicians we know the truth of that. There was a time when playing for 10 minutes would tire me out- physical (lips) and mental (inability to stay focused). Today I practiced for a total of 80 minutes in two separate sessions- a daily routine of about 30 minutes and practicing for upcoming concerts for about 50 minutes. Yes, my lips were tired at the end, but it’s a far cry from getting exhausted after 10 minutes in mid-staff!

Character- who we are as a person- is the same. That’s what Helen Keller meant when she said that only through trial and suffering can character be built. It is also where we get inspired and can move toward success. We have to stretch; we have to move beyond our comfort zones; we have to be challenged. Otherwise we won’t know what we are capable of or what we stand for.

The kind of person I become is built on our past experiences- easy and difficult. It is those qualities- reputation, honesty, and courage, for example, that we also bring to our musicianship. I am sure there have been mean and dishonest musicians. There are musicians who easily ignore others who they feel less talented than they are. And, yes, they can be very successful. But they can be so difficult to deal with that they can face all kinds of other problems.

Another of the lessons from the Trumpet Workshop is that:
• The music is #1;
• Other musicians are #2;
• The audience is #3; and
• I am #4.
None of the first three are there for my benefit alone. Sure, I can definitely get something out of it, but it is the music that gets it started. Then I need the others to help me to what I want to do with the music in mind. Why? So the audience can be entertained, moved, excited, or uplifted. If I can be part of something that does that, I will be more than pleased.

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.
— Thomas Jefferson

It isn’t luck. It isn’t even just talent. Sure we have to be in the right place at the right time and we have to be able to do what we want to do. But let’s be honest, the way to “overnight” success is years of hard work.

The Tuning Slide- It's a Gift

Weekly Reflections on Life and Music

Music is God's gift to man,

the only art of Heaven given to earth,

the only art of earth we take to Heaven.

--Walter Savage Landor (16th C. English poet)

Gifts are on our mind today. It is the day before the day before Christmas. Any last minute gifts to buy? Any gifts I hope I get? What is a gift, though? The word comes from a word that means "give." Not a big surprise there. We know what a gift is, of course. The definitions come as no surprise:

1. a thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present.

synonyms: present, donation, offering, bestowal, bonus, award, endowment; 

2. a natural ability or talent.

synonyms: talent, flair, aptitude, facility, knack, bent, ability, expertise, capacity, capability, faculty; endowment, strength, genius, brilliance, skill, artistry

But the gift of heaven? Music? The only "art of heaven" that we can experience? I think I can agree with that, both as a listener and performer.

No great insights on that. Just a reminder that we as musicians at whatever stage of development we may be are gifted and givers of gifts. Be serious about your gift but enjoy it. The gift is useless if it isn't opened and used. The greatest gifts are shared.

Listen to music this week.

Make music this week.

Celebrate the "art of heaven."

The earth has grown old with its burden of care,

but at Christmas it always is young,

the heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair,

and its soul full of music breaks the air,

when the song of angels is sung.

--Phillips Brooks

The Tuning Slide- A Bit About Trumpets

Weekly Reflections on Life and Music

"Ah, the trumpet.

Now there's an instrument on which one

can truly embarrass himself!"

(G. Keillor to G. Bordner)

A trumpet is a musical instrument. It has the highest register in the brass family. As a signaling device, trumpets have a very long history, dating back to at least 1500 BC; they have been used as musical instruments since the 15th century. They are played by blowing air through almost-closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound that starts a standing wave vibration in the air column inside the instrument. Since the late 15th century they have primarily been constructed of brass tubing, usually bent twice into a rounded oblong shape.
-Wikipedia

What is so special about the trumpet?
First- it is often the lead, giving the melody a good ride, soaring over the other instruments. Yet, it is not the only lead. Others can and do take the lead parts that give new insight and direction to the music.

Second- it is easily learned, but is deceptive in its difficulties. To maintain one’s skill at trumpet, one must be willing to work, regularly. Too much time off and you notice the problem. Again, other instruments are in the same boat, but because the trumpet stands out so easily and carries so far it can be downright embarrassing when you are not at your best.

I was sold on the trumpet with three individuals who I will no doubt talk about more over the months. I am not even sure any more who I heard first. The three settled my mind on the trumpet and no one could keep me from it. Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt, and Herb Alpert set me on this road. When the Saints Go Marching In, Java, and The Lonely Bull/Tijuana Taxi were the songs that allowed the trumpet to shine.

Many others have come along and had a great influence, but these three set the tone for me. But I also learned that the trumpet has a great part in classical music as much as it does in jazz. Sousa marches added another dimension.

Some might say that the trumpet is only interesting to those who like to stand out, be obvious, overpower others. While there may be a (very, very) small kernel of truth in that, the place of the trumpet allowed me to express myself in ways that my uncertain shyness never allowed me to. What a joy.

Of course the trumpet isn’t the only instrument in the world that can do this, in spite of what most trumpet players might have you believe. For me, with the trumpet, depending on the part you are playing, the trumpet can have all kinds of different ways to express itself- the lead in first trumpet, a nice counter-melody in third, wonderful harmony in second, sometimes doubling the passage with other instruments, sometimes being there on your own.

Sadly, in many bands, even community bands, it is often the practice to use the stronger trumpets on first and the weakest on third. This can happen because, naturally, the weaker ones cannot play the first parts. But I have found that a section of trumpets where all can play any of the parts, makes for a strong sound from the trumpets. Plus, having accomplished players playing with the weaker ones on 2nd or 3rd, helps the weaker ones grow and develop.

There are no secondary or inferior parts. We only make them that way by our attitude. As the great trumpeter and composer W. C. Handy said in the quote at the top of this post- that’s a lot like life itself. The trumpet does not play itself. One does not become proficient at anything, including trumpet, without putting work into it.

Nor does it mean that because one does not have all the incredible talents of the “stars” that one is inferior as a human being. I will never be Louis Armstrong or Maynard Ferguson, but I can be the best I can be. In my life, as an old Jewish story goes, God will not ask me why I wasn’t Moses or Abraham or any other great and talented individual. God will just ask me why I didn’t do the best I could with what I have and who I am.