Thoughts on Learning

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 9:16 am

On 2003-02-18 08:07, hillfolk22 wrote:
I have not had the pleasure of taking lessons from a teacher. Would welcome that immensly.

One of my faults that I would need to overcome is my shyness before someone who is more advanced in playing.

I could play a tune just fine and then go to the teacher and flub it up majorly.

FRUSTRATING!

Laura

That's part of it. Been there, done that.

Fortunately, after only one or two lessons usually a student can start to relax. Also I would imagine Irish music lessons are less rigid and regimented than in the world of classical music.

On the flip side, even with Scoiltrad it can be frustrating to get a clean recording of a tune to send for evaluation. I've had over 50 "takes" on a tune before. Ringing phones, irritated spouses, flushing toilets, car stereos, and even things falling on the roof have all caused frustration and ruined recordings.

Best,

--James
http://www.flutesite.com

(edited to tix a fypo)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: peeplj on 2003-02-18 10:19 ]</font>

cailindeas · Post by **cailindeas** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 10:49 am

On teachers: I have to agree -- there is no substitute for a good one. I learned more in the two hours I had with a great player than in any number of hours with others. That's life.

Other questions rattling around: My impression is that a majority of people writing came to the whistle as adults (am I right?) This gives us certain advantages, and certain disadvantages. For instance, if we have learned to read tab in a former life, does it help or hinder our learning? (There are similar debate in language teaching -- I say, if you have a tool, use it, even if t may not fit with the profile of the "natural" learner)

The thing about music, especially traditional music, that sets it apart for me is time. You can't listen any slower or faster than the recording/performance, there are no shortcuts. Every element is there -- rhythm, ornaments, intonation, etc -- all at once. How elegant is that?

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 5:48 pm

There are prescription drugs you can take for performance anxiety.

Ridseard · Post by **Ridseard** » Tue Feb 18, 2003 6:22 pm

On 2003-02-18 18:48, Whitmores75087 wrote:
There are prescription drugs you can take for performance anxiety.

A few years ago at a British brass band contest in Toronto, one of our trombone players, an MD, brought a bunch of beta blockers for us to take before the performance, if we wanted to. Unfortunately the flugelhorn player overreacted to the drug and got so spaced out that he missed the cue for a solo passage. The result was total disaster. Naturally, the judges had to mark us way down, but fearful that we would kill the flugelhorn player, they didn't even mention it. Instead, they condemned us on the grounds that the "cornets sounded like trumpets". (That's an insult. It's like saying that a whistle sounds like a recorder. Trumpets are not allowed in a British brass band.)