Tuba Performance Skills (summarized by category)

[Trevor Bjorklund]

As Big Ben and Tubajason have pointed out, this doesn't seem tuba-specific. A general approach to musicianship is not your goal, right?

I would put AIR on your main list and make it number 1. Breathing and air-flow are a totally different game on the tuba than on any other instrument. Bad, not-enough, too much, too fast, too slow, wrong, etc. air causes problems in tone, intonation, articulation, range, interpretation (and not enough air makes reading hard if you pass out and your eyes close)... am I missing anything? But the trick will be to present it in a way that's fresh and usable, and not already covered by the existing literature.

There's something sort of generic about your list that could easily be applied to other things: How to play basketball. Learn to: dribble, pivot, pass, shoot, get rebounds.

On the subject of reading music, it seems to me that musical literacy is important to anyone in the field, regardless of what he/she plays (or writes about, theorizes, etc.). It goes without saying that someone who wants to learn almost any instrument (except perhaps rock guitar or drumset) would be expected to develop strong reading ability. And even most non-reading guitarists can read tablature, which is just a different breed of notation. I know of no method books that feel the need to mention reading, they just present the material with notes.
(don't get offended if you also happen to be a rock guitar player or drummer and you happen to be a killer reader... we all know the game)

Why not leave style out of it? The mechanics and what-not of playing an instrument generally don't preclude any particular style (except for oddities like certain fiddle techniques or possibly the playing position of saxophone).

[Also, you will find that tempers seem to flare up all the time on this forum and, once they do, there is really little you can do about it other than learn from it, ignore it, and move on.]

[mark38655]

As Big Ben and Tubajason have pointed out, this doesn't seem tuba-specific. A general approach to musicianship is not your goal, right?

I would put AIR on your main list and make it number 1. Breathing and air-flow are a totally different game on the tuba than on any other instrument. Bad, not-enough, too much, too fast, too slow, wrong, etc. air causes problems in tone, intonation, articulation, range, interpretation (and not enough air makes reading hard if you pass out and your eyes close)... am I missing anything? But the trick will be to present it in a way that's fresh and usable, and not already covered by the existing literature.

You have made some excellent suggestions. This particular section of performance skills are common to all wind instruments and not particular to just tuba. My intention for this particular list is from a perspective of the listener or audience observer. The use of air is a technique that is required in order to demonstrate the skills listed, and the topic of Air is, of course, very important to tuba and there probably needs to be a separate section on air. I also will consider adding a section on Hand Position and Embouchure.

Here is the table of contents for the book as it now stands

Table of Contents:
Introduction
(The Use of Air)
(Hand Position and Embouchure)
Tuba Performance Skills
Practice Routine
Information about the Different Kinds of Tubas
Fingering Chart
Warm-up for BBb Tuba No.1
Warm-up for BBb Tuba No. 2
Warm-up for BBb Tuba No. 3
Lip Slurs
Octave Slurs
Warm-up for BBb Tuba No. 4
Moyse Range Exercise
Breath Control Exercise
Harmonic Series BBb Tuba
The Harmonic Series and Equal Temperament
Introduction to Playing in Tune
Tuning Note Long Tone for Matching Pitch
Tuning Interval Exercise No. 1
Chromatic Tuning Exercise (Remington)
Tuning While Changing Dynamics
Tonguing Exercises
Articulation Style Exercises
Articulation Pattern Combinations
Major Scales in One Octave
Major Scale Sheet (two octave)
Key Signature Exercises for the BBb Tuba (Major Keys)
Five Note Exercise in Quarter Notes (Chromatic)
Technical Exercise No. 2 Abbreviated
Chromatic One Octave Scales
Whole Tone Scales
Melodic Minor Scales
Key Signature Exercises in a Minor Key
Warm-Down Exercise
Practical Quotes

[mark38655]

...

[PMeuph]

Furthermore, since such players really don't exist at all, it's a moot point. No jazz performer only improvises and never has to read a lead sheet or any other notation.

I do not, by any measure, consider myself a jazz performer. I took one Jazz history course, and know maybe 5-6 standards off hand.... I can't really improvise and I don't really have the feel. (It's takes me lots of practice to clap on 2 &4)

This year, an acquaintance of mine, who has heard me play bass trombone asked me to join his Jazz band. Since it's a paying gig, I decided to. If I didn't have great reading skills, there is no way I could show up to a gig with 4 sets of dance music and play the whole night considering at least 15 charts I had never played before. (The band only rehearses the harder stuff to line up...)

[mark38655]

Your first assertion is dead wrong.
The worst blattisimo sound played quietly, but in tune will hide within an ensemble much better then
any kind of tone out of tune.

My first assertion actually was the following:

The tuba student should work to develop well balanced abilities of various playing skills which can be categorized as follows:

However, my next assertion is actually is also very true.

Tone quality or timbre is widely considered to be the most important aspect of playing a musical instrument.

You may disagree that tone is the most important skill, but it is widely considered to be, especially so regarding tuba performance.

I also said I could build a case that tuning was the most important skill, but you must have gotten bored and left the scene for something more interesting before actually reading it.

I could go no farther. I did skim through however and found no reference to getting along with the other personalities in the group or becoming a good equipment mover or becoming forgiving of piccolo players who won't even hold the door open.....I've bin curious about is this: Who is this book for ?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you were sober when you wrote this. Since you have criticized my writing skills lets deal first with grammar/spelling: “I've bin curious about is this” sounds like a teenager, who hasn't completely learned how to spell, asserting interest beyond his intellect. I understand typos, etc. but not from a person who blatantly criticizes another person's writing after admitting that he didn't even read past the first part.

3.Sometimes it's best to just leave it lie than to impinge your shaky credibility with yet another non-apology.

The problem with allowing comments by rude people which contain half truths to go unchecked is that obfuscation overcomes reality from the perspective of the reader. I originally asked for feedback regarding my post. The purpose for that was to correct mistakes. However, I said nothing to cause the overreaction that occurred. My request for feedback was for the purpose of vetting my work. If I made an untrue statement, then I wanted it to be pointed out for correction. What I got was a vicious response that was completely uncalled for. It appeared that there were people who resented the notion of my post. (who was I to be instructing the collective wisdom of the TubeNet??)

In reality, I have high regard for the people who post here. I have learned a whole lot from some of the people who post here. I believe in the collective wisdom of the TubeNet, and I want to contribute to it.

The person who originally thought that my statement was wrong was correct, in my opinion, to say so. He may have overstated a bit with the level of offense, but the idea of correcting what he thought was wrong was a good thing in my opinion.

Regarding credibility, I think that on an internet message board its usually limited to 1) content of what a person says and 2) his reputation outside of the message board itself. Since most don't know me outside of TubeNet, my credibility is likely based only on the things that I say here, first in my original posts, and also in my response to others who post. If I make a case for something by using correct information and logic, and also write it with correct grammar, then my credibility should be solid, and therefore it should be an issue only if I'm PROVEN wrong by other posters.

In this post, there have been false accusations, then others (as if on cue) piled on with additional accusations. Some people do not follow any sort of decorum regarding politeness and others are even outright rude. Internet "thuggery" is the result of name calling and profanity and is especially offensive when its done by self professed authorities, which leads to the following.....

Seriously, who's going to buy a book by a guy that admits he doesn't know what he's talking about but still won't shut up about it?

Where did you come up with "a guy that admits he doesn't know what he's talking about"?? I'm not a jazz performer. I admitted I don't improvise. I do know what I am talking about, and apparently it takes a lot of confidence to offer one's thought here and ask for suggestions. I never said I was selling my book, actually I started posting pieces of it for the purpose of input in order to make it better than it otherwise would be. I had at one time thought of making it an open source book where people could add to it and post here on the TubeNet. I admit that I hadn't anticipated the level of lower class comments for the likes of you.

Sorry is fine. Whatever. Get your information right. If you don't know **** about jazz, you're probably better off not talking about jazz. I sure as **** would never tell you what's important in quilting.

Well, let's go ahead and list all the things you said about jazz:

"(Also, for a jazz performer reading skills may very well be the least important.)"

I'd say that's it. I'd also say that it's absolute horseshit, and if you knew what you were writing about you wouldn't have written such horseshit.

Seriously - what didn't you get about what I wrote?

[PMeuph]

..........

You sir, are nothing but an internet thug, and do not deserve to be heard.

....Kinda ironic that you quote him though, ain't it?

This board is what it is, statements that are innocuous can spark 10 pages of heated debate while outlandish claims can pass unnoticed.
One thing that is important is to know who the people answering are and what their tone of voice is. Some comments were jokes and I think you misunderstood them. (ie. Read Brian's (goodgigs) stuff over again)
I think it might help if you seek a human writing coach or editor you that you can judge their impressions in person and get more subtly and hints. Even if we proofread, and help you parse away the incongruousness of certain passages, a live coach will give you so much more...
Just my $0.02

[Biggs]

Dude, your book is gonna be bad. But don't let that discourage you; plenty of bad books get published.

[Biggs]

beer-tits-pictures, plates-of-beef-pictures, and snippy comments aside

From now on, "BEERTITS!" is what you will hear whenever I stub my toe.

[BVD Press]

I don't play any jazz. Mainly I stink at it and just don't have the time to get better, but engrave it all the time for lots of people. Half the time I don't even know what the chord changes mean. Way too complicated for me. I just make them look pretty and move on...

With that said, here are a couple examples why jazz reading skills are ultra important:

A few years ago I got hired to work on a piece for Jazz at Lincoln Center (http://www.jalc.org/). The job was simple:

1. Get the chart Friday night and finish for Saturday morning
2. Change the accidentals so the chart would be easier to read (sharps going up and flats going down)

Rehearsal was early AM with the concert in the afternoon. This was a one time run through and then the concert. All of the music was notated.

--

Similar to above, but get the charts Sunday and rehearse Monday morning with a national broadcast Monday night. One run through and then go live.

If you don't have reading skills, you fail for both of the above. Reading skills are very important for all musicians. For jazz musicians, this includes the notated music and changes.

I am guessing all studio musicians would see jazz reading skills as ultra important as well.

--

For the record, I would go with Rhythm and Intonation as 1 and 1a. The rest is somewhat negotiable.

[The Big Ben]

I could go no farther. I did skim through however and found no reference to getting along with the other personalities in the group or becoming a good equipment mover or becoming forgiving of piccolo players who won't even hold the door open.....I've bin curious about is this: Who is this book for ?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you were sober when you wrote this. Since you have criticized my writing skills lets deal first with grammar/spelling: “I've bin curious about is this” sounds like a teenager, who hasn't completely learned how to spell, asserting interest beyond his intellect. I understand typos, etc. but not from a person who blatantly criticizes another person's writing after admitting that he didn't even read past the first part.

Brian has a bit of a problem with his hands. He has arthritis and can barely move his fingers. We cut him a little slack because of that. Your comments to him did not raise the level of discourse.

3.Sometimes it's best to just leave it lie than to impinge your shaky credibility with yet another non-apology.

The problem with allowing comments by rude people which contain half truths to go unchecked is that obfuscation overcomes reality from the perspective of the reader.

Nope, I'm afraid that it makes people have a second look at your comments and wonder why you said the same admittedly wrong thing twice. I was trying to find a tactful way to tell you to, for your own good, to shut up. Don't wanna hear it? OK for me.

Regarding credibility, I think that on an internet message board its usually limited to 1) content of what a person says and 2) his reputation outside of the message board itself. Since most don't know me outside of TubeNet, my credibility is likely based only on the things that I say here, first in my original posts, and also in my response to others who post. If I make a case for something by using correct information and logic, and also write it with correct grammar, then my credibility should be solid, and therefore it should be an issue only if I'm PROVEN wrong by other posters.

You had the reasons behind finding your statement wrong told to you and, in your replies, you made smart *** rejoinders towards the person who pointed out the problem. Then, you made smart assed comments about Brian's writing ability but no comments about what he actually said. Not much creditability developed here.


Dunno what more to say. You can have the last word, Mark.

[ginnboonmiller]

What gets me, Mark, is that you have consistently mentioned that you don't play jazz or improvise, but you have then consistently spent a lot of energy and words explaining to me exactly what I have been doing in my 20 year career as a professional jazz and free improvisation musician. And by the way, you've been wrong the whole time. You think I just "feel" this ****? It springs from my lips fully formed, like Venus? I mean, that'd be great. I'd love you to be right. I'd love not to ever read music and just have a mastery of my instrument AND a mastery of music theory AND a mastery of composition, and never need to read music because my ears give me a complete understanding at first listen. And I'd love the other people I work with to just know what we're playing and not need some way for me to show them what I want to play. You should be right. But even if you stopped to think about what you had written (several times) about what improvisers do and have to do, instead of jumping into ad hominem attacks (and I never called YOU horseshit, just what you write about improvising. You went there.), you'd realize the level of horseshit you're pumping out and you'd quietly back off.

[Rick Denney]

Mark,

Some things come to mind as I read through the thread, skipping past the bulk of it that confuses non-notated music (such as a mariachi band performer might learn) versus jazz, most of which is non-improvisational and much of which is quite difficult (for me) to read.

The main thing is: 1.) who is your intended audience? Your writing style is too adult for 7th-graders, but the content is clearly aimed at beginners. The reading level seems to me at about grade 12, not 7. The content and the writing style should be at a consistent level, but you won't know that level until you are quite clear about your target audience. If you are targeting adult beginners, then you should be sensitive to their needs, including being succinct and getting to the point clearly and directly.

2.) Do not try to assign importance to each aspect of playing. They are all critically important. I once asked my teacher (Lee Hipp at that time) what was more important, technique or musicality? His answer: Yes. These are not advanced skills--being advanced means having advanced command of these skills. These are fundamental skills.

3.) Make sure you know ten things about each one thing you say. Teaching is a great way to learn, but stay within yourself.

4.) Understand and explain cause and effect. For example, having good air is a means of achieving many of the fundamental skills you present. Those "skills" are really described as characteristics of good musical performance, not useful skills--things one does--to achieve good musical performance. You should be clear about the difference between what one does (e.g., good air) and what one achieves (e.g., good tone, etc.).

5.) Be grateful for the advice you receive, even when it is not helpful, since you are asking for it to be provided for free. Book editors get paid for this stuff.

Rick "a professional teacher and published textbook writer" Denney

[hup_d_dup]

Mark,

Some things come to mind as I read through the thread ...

Rick, thank you for this post. You have suggested a number of valuable things for me to think about, particularly points 2 and 4. I also appreciate that your post was written in a helpful spirit, without the rancor evident in some of the other posts.

Hup

[mark38655]

Mark, who is your intended audience? Your writing style is too adult for 7th-graders, but the content is clearly aimed at beginners. The reading level seems to me at about grade 12, not 7. The content and the writing style should be at a consistent level, but you won't know that level until you are quite clear about your target audience. If you are targeting adult beginners, then you should be sensitive to their needs, including being succinct and getting to the point clearly and directly.

Rick, thanks again for your very constructive and insightful suggestions. I read them for the first time yesterday and recognized that I needed to think about how to implement before proceeding.

The intended audience is really broad in scope. The basic warm-up exercises are appropriate for the middle school student, but useful to the advanced player as well. Some of the technical exercises are a challenge to advanced high school players. The subject of playing in tune is very complicated, and the text is probably appropriate for a college music student, but the young student also needs to start learning about it early if he is going to compete successfully when it comes time to get into a good music school. This is a book of daily exercises, so it isn't one that a student progresses through and is done. Although the playing range of the book is three octaves and a fifth, the student is instructed to NOT play notes in the extreme range until he has developed the embouchure strength to do so without harming his chops. It is assumed that he already knows how to read music and will have a competent teacher to guide him through the book, so there is no specific formula given for determining when he should proceed to the extreme registers. (Each set of exercises starts in the middle range and progresses outward the extremes.) Most everything is described so that the student doesn't have to have much previous knowledge on the subject prior to beginning study or practice, but will be challenged to understand some subjects pretty well by reading the text.

As it stands currently, my aim is that this will be a book that will not only be a daily warm-up and technical scale study source, but also a reference on some of the important "how-to"s related to playing tuba.

I don't know if it is possible to refine the scope of the audience. It may be possible, but something that I haven't figured out yet. Thanks for challenging me to consider it though. It may be one of those things that will come to me in time and I will decide to break the book up into two (or even three) separate parts.

Thanks,

Mark Howle

[Rick Denney]

The intended audience is really broad in scope.

Mark, the challenge, then, is to write for a middle-school reading comprehension level but also say things insightful to adults. My issue with your summary is that the reading comprehension level may be more advanced than much of the content, which will lead to poor understanding by those at the right level for the content and a sense of being talked down to by those at the appropriate reading comprehension level. I think that's at the root of several of the negative comments your draft summary has attracted.

Examples abound of writing at a low reading comprehension level but saying things insightful to all performing skill levels. But for an example, pick up any of C. S. Lewis's non-fiction works (if you can't see past his religious topics, then read something like "An Experiment in Criticism"). His writing gift was clarity at all reading levels even when writing about extremely subtle concepts.

A more artless example would be any newspaper. Journalists are taught to write at the 8th-grade reading comprehension level. But too often they have little to say that interests anyone older than 13, especially those who might know the facts of the subject.

If you have a wide range of skills in your target audience, consider side-bar articles for topics too advanced (or too beginner) for the main text.

But all of that is still less important than conveying cause and effect. Knowing what to do is of little value to anyone without knowing why it works.

Rick "good luck" Denney

[Michael Bush]

The intended audience is really broad in scope.

Mark, the challenge, then, is to write for a middle-school reading comprehension level but also say things insightful to adults.

http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Guide-Plai ... 906&sr=8-7

This may seem like typical TN snarkiness, but it isn't. Plain English is a valuable arrow to have in your quiver, even if you don't use it all the time.

This book was my introduction to plain English, and explains it helpfully:
http://www.amazon.com/Plain-English-Wor ... 466&sr=1-1" target="_blank