Just got Trevor Wye's omnibus last week. Why didn't anyone tell me about harmonics when I was in school?! What a difference it has made in my playing in a short time!
Deb
Harmonics
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
-
pied_piper
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:31 pm
- Location: Virginia
-
pied_piper
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:31 pm
- Location: Virginia
Playing in school, in a class situation or in band, it's hard to learn many of the finer points of the flute (or any instrument) without private instruction. In band or class, there just isn't enough time for much individual help.
In fact, most band directors just don't know the finer points of every instrument and they can't teach what they don't know. They will know a lot about their own instrument and the basics about all of the others. It's unfortunate, but that's just the way it is. Instrumental music educators typically get one semester each on the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. In a woodwind class that lasts an average of 16 weeks over the semester, that works out to about 3.2 weeks per instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon). Since most college classes meet 2 or 3 times a week, that means they get maybe 10 one-hour classes per instrument. How much could you learn about another unfamiliar instrument in 3 weeks? Not much, huh?
In very large schools with multiple band directors/instructors, the chances may improve a bit to get more individual attention, but even with two or three instructors, that's still only expertise in two or three of the instruments. Unless the public schools put more funding into the music programs (and that's not likely to happen
), that situation is unlikely to change. So, students that are eager to learn all they can about their instrument must turn to private instructors to get that "little bit extra".
In fact, most band directors just don't know the finer points of every instrument and they can't teach what they don't know. They will know a lot about their own instrument and the basics about all of the others. It's unfortunate, but that's just the way it is. Instrumental music educators typically get one semester each on the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings. In a woodwind class that lasts an average of 16 weeks over the semester, that works out to about 3.2 weeks per instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, oboe, and bassoon). Since most college classes meet 2 or 3 times a week, that means they get maybe 10 one-hour classes per instrument. How much could you learn about another unfamiliar instrument in 3 weeks? Not much, huh?
In very large schools with multiple band directors/instructors, the chances may improve a bit to get more individual attention, but even with two or three instructors, that's still only expertise in two or three of the instruments. Unless the public schools put more funding into the music programs (and that's not likely to happen
), that situation is unlikely to change. So, students that are eager to learn all they can about their instrument must turn to private instructors to get that "little bit extra"."Never give a flute player a screwdriver."
--anonymous--
--anonymous--
-
fluteguy18
- Posts: 2311
- Joined: Sun Jul 16, 2006 3:11 pm
Unfortunately, Piedpiper has it right. Band directors simply do not have the background, time, nor resources to teach all of the nuances of playing. As piedpiper said, while in college, a Music Ed major [most band directors have this degree], most only get about a month [tops] learning each instrument. Not much time. Most of the teachers who teach those classes [often called "Methods" classes] spend the majority of the time teaching proper embouchure, fingerings, and scales.
At my University, they divide the Methods classes into Woodwinds, Double Reeds, Brass, and Percussion. Because there are many more fingerings to learn with woodwind instruments, they have divided the course work into two separate classes. This allows slightly more time to learn all of the different fingerings.
At my University, they divide the Methods classes into Woodwinds, Double Reeds, Brass, and Percussion. Because there are many more fingerings to learn with woodwind instruments, they have divided the course work into two separate classes. This allows slightly more time to learn all of the different fingerings.
My band director was a drummer. In college I played the French Horn. My horn teacher was really good. I'm returning to the flute after a long (!) absence. I'm hoping to take some lessons this spring. In the meantime, I'm spending lots of quality time with Trevor Wye's Practice books. Exhausting, but worthwhile.
Deb
Deb
-
pied_piper
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:31 pm
- Location: Virginia
One semester to learn all the different woodwinds was definitely inadequate. That's how it was at my university (many years ago). I was fortunate that woodwinds (Sax, Clarinet, Flute) were my primary instruments and that gave me a bit of a leg-up on the brass and percussion majors. I looked at the current curriculum and it's now similar to what you described: Separate classes for Clarinet, Trumpet and Violin followed by Woodwinds, Brass, and Strings.fluteguy18 wrote:At my University, they divide the Methods classes into Woodwinds, Double Reeds, Brass, and Percussion. Because there are many more fingerings to learn with woodwind instruments, they have divided the course work into two separate classes. This allows slightly more time to learn all of the different fingerings.
I'm glad to hear that has changed for at least some of you current Music Ed folks.
"Never give a flute player a screwdriver."
--anonymous--
--anonymous--