Posted by Cale Self on April 29, 2003 at 16:24:38:
In Reply to: suggested guidelines posted by perfess'r on April 29, 2003 at 12:55:59:
Joe, I think the spirit of your proposed "self-test" (which maybe means something different for me, hahaha) is very well-intended and a good idea. However, that being said, there is one glaring inherent danger in using such a technical exercise as the litmus test for one's qualifications for postage.
As a young euphist (12-15) my teacher beat technique over my head, and I was indeed playing most of the scales (not all forms of the minor) two octaves at MM=120. And I'm very grateful that she did this. However, in my first lesson with an actual euphonium player (1st teacher was a trombonist), he asked me to play the b-flat scale, one octave, slurring up and down, with a beautiful sound and a sense of musical direction. I couldn't do it. I took me forever to actually meld the technique into my musicality because my first private teacher separated the two.
Now, at the advanced playing stages that most posters of this message board are, we are able to separate musicality from technique and work them isolated. But, high school player and some new collegiate musicians have a difficult time doing this. Should we then, discourage them from posting 'stupid, banal questions' just because they're not as inaugurated to the tuba/euph world as the rest of us? I would like to think that those would be the people we MOST want to post, so that they can invigorate their practice with advice from better players and more experienced players.
Just throwing in my two cents, hoping they don't get thrown back at me!