Keep Up The Curiosity!
Published: May 11, 2017 | Category: Uncategorized
When students first pick up a new instrument, everything about that experience is an adventure. It looks new and interesting. It feels different in the hands than anything the student has ever felt. In the case of woodwinds, there are keys and levers and all kinds of moving parts and shiny things.
Best of all, it makes sounds! Younger students aren't usually so concerned with what kinds of sounds they're making; honks, squeaks, clacking of keys, and mixed in with that, some real notes. They don't have expectations of what should come out the instrument when they blow into it. To new students it's all fun, so it's all great!
Older students can often be more self-conscious and judgmental about their sound. They may have heard other people playing their instrument well - maybe that's what inspired them to take it up in the first place! So when their sound doesn't match up to their idea of how it should sound it can be discouraging to them.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with hearing advanced musicians play. Students, even young ones, should have some idea of what they'd like to sound like. Every student needs to hear examples of people playing their instrument well. This is both how we learn, and how we stay inspired (notice that I say "we" here), so it's very important.
That musician you heard who sounds so good that it's intimidating was a beginner once, too. They had to figure out how to make a good sound, and how to use that sound to make their music. They had to explore their instrument in order to know the possibilities.
In practice, allow some time to be curious. Try playing a note or a scale in a way you know isn't right, and simply observe the result without judging it.
For instance, saxophonists and clarinetists can try taking too much or too little mouthpiece on purpose. Adjust the reed up a little, or down a little more than usual. What does it feel like? What quality does the sound have? Then do the opposite of what you just did, and again observe the result as if you were a scientist, just collecting data. Don't worry about it, just hear it and feel it.
Flutists can try over-blowing notes, or purposely rolling the headjoint in or out too much. Go ahead - crack those notes! Again, don't worry about it. Just see what's there.
At first, you might feel awkward or silly exploring this way. The important thing is to let go of that feeling, and simply observe (it might help to practice when there aren't many people around). Remember what you are gaining with this. By learning all of the sounds your instrument can make, you are developing a "map" of those sounds that will allow you to more accurately go to the sounds you want to make!
Infants learn everything through curiosity. That same curiosity can serve us well in all kinds of learning, even as older kids or as adults. Music is a perfect place to practice this type of exploration. What might seem silly when you're doing it can actually result in accelerated progress in your development as a musician. So, set aside some time for noisemaking!
For a more thorough discussion of non-judgemental exploration, I recommend Kenny Werner's book and DVD, "Effortless Mastery" (available on Amazon).
Best of all, it makes sounds! Younger students aren't usually so concerned with what kinds of sounds they're making; honks, squeaks, clacking of keys, and mixed in with that, some real notes. They don't have expectations of what should come out the instrument when they blow into it. To new students it's all fun, so it's all great!
Older students can often be more self-conscious and judgmental about their sound. They may have heard other people playing their instrument well - maybe that's what inspired them to take it up in the first place! So when their sound doesn't match up to their idea of how it should sound it can be discouraging to them.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with hearing advanced musicians play. Students, even young ones, should have some idea of what they'd like to sound like. Every student needs to hear examples of people playing their instrument well. This is both how we learn, and how we stay inspired (notice that I say "we" here), so it's very important.
That musician you heard who sounds so good that it's intimidating was a beginner once, too. They had to figure out how to make a good sound, and how to use that sound to make their music. They had to explore their instrument in order to know the possibilities.
In practice, allow some time to be curious. Try playing a note or a scale in a way you know isn't right, and simply observe the result without judging it.
For instance, saxophonists and clarinetists can try taking too much or too little mouthpiece on purpose. Adjust the reed up a little, or down a little more than usual. What does it feel like? What quality does the sound have? Then do the opposite of what you just did, and again observe the result as if you were a scientist, just collecting data. Don't worry about it, just hear it and feel it.
Flutists can try over-blowing notes, or purposely rolling the headjoint in or out too much. Go ahead - crack those notes! Again, don't worry about it. Just see what's there.
At first, you might feel awkward or silly exploring this way. The important thing is to let go of that feeling, and simply observe (it might help to practice when there aren't many people around). Remember what you are gaining with this. By learning all of the sounds your instrument can make, you are developing a "map" of those sounds that will allow you to more accurately go to the sounds you want to make!
Infants learn everything through curiosity. That same curiosity can serve us well in all kinds of learning, even as older kids or as adults. Music is a perfect place to practice this type of exploration. What might seem silly when you're doing it can actually result in accelerated progress in your development as a musician. So, set aside some time for noisemaking!
For a more thorough discussion of non-judgemental exploration, I recommend Kenny Werner's book and DVD, "Effortless Mastery" (available on Amazon).