Skip
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Post by Skip on Oct 11, 2003 20:36:06 GMT -5
Do you think that there are trumpet players that are just born "naturals", or do they just work harder/practice more?
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Post by dbacon on Oct 11, 2003 20:58:34 GMT -5
At the very top, I think it's both. When you look at Vizzutti, Phil Smith, George Graham, Ray Mase, Rick Baptist etc., these guys are very gifted but they really put in the work. I've visited Allen Vizzutti in Seattle, after a short visit he excused himself to go practice....four hours later he took a break. Some guys can now go without the practice time they once put in, but believe me they did put it in. Doc still has his two hour minimum each day.
Gotta go practice....
Dave Bacon
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Skip
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Post by Skip on Oct 11, 2003 21:21:16 GMT -5
If all trumpet players of the world practiced equally from 4th grade on (with equal motivation, drive, desire, etc. - I know impossible, but, hypothetically speaking), what percentage would turn out Docs, Mendez, Hirt, Miles, Wynton, etc.?
Do these guys just have something that most of the rest of us don't?
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Post by Tootsall on Oct 12, 2003 0:19:37 GMT -5
I have to think that there are those who are "gifted" with facial musculature, WORKING lung capacity, or dental structure that lends itself to playing the trumpet more than others. There are also those who have an "ear", perfect pitch, or the ability to see/translate/produce sound instantly (sight reading skills). Some have a natural ability to acquire a rhythm pattern (lord knows I have met some who definitely do NOT!!! ) And of course there is the whole "left brain/right brain" thing. But the tools are virtually useless without the work ethic necessary to develop them to the degree that these "prodigies" have done!
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Post by dbacon on Oct 12, 2003 0:31:14 GMT -5
And the work ethic has taken players that are not all that gifted and given them very successful career's. There are several fine working trumpet players in the studio's that are not all that gifted but have worked hard and gotten were others more gifted have failed.
Attitude is still everything!
Dave Bacon
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Post by FreshBrewed on Oct 25, 2003 16:42:42 GMT -5
I've been playing trumpet since 1985. I rarely practiced as a young player. I did well when I really wanted to but I was NEVER consistant. The last four months I've been practicing about 5 hours a day. The improvements I've made could have taken me years if I had continued on the earlier path. Granted I have Castle and Jarrett to ask for advice but I want to improve and I think that is the big difference. You can make a student practice but if they don't want to do it, they will not get any better. I don't think anyone is really "born to play trumpet", or any other instrument for that matter. As young players there are/was/will be people who study and sort out a massive amount of imformation on playing. They then use bits and pieces of this information to develope as players(a good teacher helps them use what works best for them). When they do reach the age where they are ready to go out and get a trumpet job everyone says "wow, what a natural". Every clinician I've talked to says the same thing. They lived, ate and slept trumpet because they wanted to be good. As for perfect pitch and those kinds of things..........people who have never played an instrument or been in a choir can and do have perfect pitch. That does not mean that they would be great at any instrument they decided to start on. Bottom line is that there is no such thing as a natural. There are only those who are more efficient at processing information.
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Post by Nonsense Eliminator on Oct 25, 2003 18:09:12 GMT -5
Nobody ever got to be famous based solely on natural talent. However, it is pretty clear to me that some people have an easier path than others. I know plenty of people who have worked at least as hard as I have who will never work professionally beyond playing weddings and the occasional pick-up orchestra. I think there is a tendency to ascribe success entirely to hard work, both to encourage students and because it's a lot more flattering than crediting it entirely to luck. There are very few people who earn a living playing the trumpet who were truly deprived in the talent department -- some might have had difficulty mastering the instrument, others might have struggled with phrasing or rhythm or pitch, but very few, if any, were at the bottom of the heap in all areas.
Of course, "natural talent" is pretty hard to define. Certainly, there are some physical attributes that are going to help a little bit. Mostly, I suspect initial success at the trumpet comes from having had lots of exposure to music before you ever attempted that first note. That, and having that first experience be a positive one, with a teacher who understands what the heck he or she is doing.
I think it is fair to say that most of the Really Big Names in the trumpet world had a generous helping of "natural talent" refined with a LOT of hard work. However, I would also contend that "natural players" are made, not born. There are plenty of people who sound as if playing the trumpet is absolutely natural for them, but in fact have struggled mightily to get to that point.
It kind of reminds me of the fable of the tortoise and the hare. Yes, slow and steady wins the race -- but only because the rabbit was lazy. A rabbit with a good work ethic kicks the tortoise's ass every time.
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Skip
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Post by Skip on Oct 27, 2003 18:36:45 GMT -5
Thanks to all for your input & wisdom.
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