Posted by Sean Chisham on March 09, 1999 at 08:56:51:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Projection posted by Jay Bertolet on March 08, 1999 at 23:47:00:
Speaking of differing opinions, might take opposition to the sympathetic resonance debate, but that is another thread.
I do totally agree with the point of practicing louder dynamics in order to perform at louder dynamic levels. It is like any other technical skill on the instrument. If you balance that type of practice into the routine, and do it correctly, then it will become part of your playing. Dynamics are mentioned on the "Lesson" cd I mentioned a few threads back. They are one of the targets of the number system that Tabuteau developed. From what I have gathered from the CD so far, he uses numbers for dynamics and tone colors in much the same way we are tought solfege for relative pitches. First he speaks of 1-2-3-4-5 5-4-3-2-1 on a monotone to hear and sustain clear distinctions in dynamics. He does the same thing with a monotone and the same dynamic, but for varying intensities of tone color. I believe the main idea is to have the BIG box of crayons to color music and have the aural eye to know which color to use and have the ability to choose that color from the crayon box.
He also mentions on the CD that the sound with the most projection, and he uses the word projection, is the amplification of the Dolce tone. I agree with that point 100%. I once attended an all day, "Tuba 'til you Puke" session with Rex Martin as the clinician. There was a student trombone section from the Northwestern University Orchestra. We were speaking of projection and blend and other basic ensemble skills. One of the students played with the trombone section on some excerpt. I think it was a Wagner piece. They sounded ok, and the tuba player was laying down some sound. The bass trombonist prided himself in his ability to bury anyone. Next Rex Martin played the same excerpt without the trombones and he didn't really sound all that "loud". I was a little disappointed. Next the trombones loaded their weapons and Rex Martin joined them in the same excerpt. He played with the exact same approach he had just a few minutes earlier, but he was totally dominating the trombones, who were doing all they could to try to keep up. He had done it with a Dolce sound played with ease. Thinking of what I heard that day still blows my mind.
I also have grown fond of Douglass Yeo's writings. In his article on how to practice, he stongly emphasises the weakness of individuals in not practicing the extreme dynamics. If I remember right he chooses about five or so areas to cover every day and one of them is extreme dynamics. I believe he worded it something like, "Play as loud as you can audibly tolerate when working on the louder extremes." This is probably a good approach in finding your envelope and expanding it.
sean