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Jack Howell
United States
Registrace 26. 05. 2020
Principles of orchestral clarinet playing, practicing, and performance.
Best Metronome? SD 480p
As deep dives go, this may be excessive, even for me. But classical musicians spend thousands of hours with the metronome. Maybe worth half an hour? I invite you to think about metronomes with me.
If you're interested in music at Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University, go to www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/music/index.php or www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/ and search my name for contact info.
If you're interested in music at Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University, go to www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/music/index.php or www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/ and search my name for contact info.
zhlédnutí: 152
Video
Squeaking? Stop Biting
zhlédnutí 383Před dnem
Who hates the sound of a clarinet squeak? Everybody. Who wants to squeak on the clarinet? Nobody. If you're a clarinetist who squeaks, or a teacher trying to get students to stop squeaking, you may find this video interesting. Tommy Thompson airstream drill: czcams.com/video/AuTg382w5GA/video.html Double tongue drill: czcams.com/video/uN5SdPviTgk/video.html Trevor Wye, center of the steak drill...
Strategies for Speed
zhlédnutí 618Před 14 dny
Errata: the TV golf instructor who says “If you keep doin’ what you’ve been doin’, you’ll keep gettin’ what you’ve been gettin’” is Martin Hall. My subconscious somehow instead pulled up the name of late great PSO Associate Principal Horn Martin Smith. While woodshedding the end of Mahler 5 getting ready for tour, it occurred to me that some may appreciate suggestions regarding what to do if yo...
Walk for Rhythm
zhlédnutí 97Před 21 dnem
Probably at least my fifth video about rhythm, one form or another, and it's certainly not my last. If you count the excerpt videos, it's considerably more. And the audition videos . . . what we do as orchestral musicians is kind of all about rhythm, because the right note at the wrong time is just as wrong as the wrong note at the right time. If you're interested in music at Duquesne Universit...
Ravel Tambeau Prelude Excerpt (Quintet Version)
zhlédnutí 373Před 28 dny
The Mason Jones quintet arrangement of Ravel's Tambeau de Ravel isn't something you're likely to see on a professional orchestral audition, but it's a worthy piece, arguably more fun to play than the orchestra version. And the principles involved in preparing it apply to many other works. If you're interested in music at Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University, go to www.duq.edu/acade...
Ensemble Rhythm
zhlédnutí 187Před měsícem
I tried this topic about a year ago in a video called "Precision and Emphasis are Different Things." But the issue of players, even good ones, reacting to their individual beats and not really playing with the group, is such a problem that I figured I might as well take another whack at it, with a different approach, a less dry title and a better thumbnail. Referenced videos: Precision and Emph...
Brahms 3 Mov. 2 Clarinet Excerpt
zhlédnutí 743Před měsícem
Putting this up to help my Duquesne students prepare for ensemble placement auditions next month. If you want to hear it played really well, listen to Cleveland/Szell; the important part is the stuff about paying attention to the harmony. And maybe the stuff about rhythm. And articulations. If you're interested in music at Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University, go to www.duq.edu/aca...
Beginning Clarinet, Lesson 4: Practice Happy
zhlédnutí 89Před měsícem
Another lesson for Robbie. If you're not Robbie, that's cool, come on along. You improve and learn faster if you're happy. Science says so. So we're going to talk about that. And about practicing consistently. The book is Clarinet for Beginners Vol. 1 by Avrahm Galper. Highly recommended, if you're learning along with Robbie, subsequent lessons will use this book. If you want to contact me, go ...
WAY OT: Toyota Cabin Air Filter
zhlédnutí 110Před měsícem
How do you know an auto repair shop is ripping you off? Well, if they quote $225 labor for a job that takes a totally untrained, inexperienced person less than five minutes, that might be an indication. This shop (who charged $1200 for a repair for which my Toyota dealer would charge $650, including $359 for an aftermarket inverter water pump that costs $219 for the Toyota part at a Toyota deal...
Beginning Clarinet, Lesson 3: Tone Production
zhlédnutí 202Před měsícem
Another lesson for Robbie. If you're not Robbie, that's cool, come on along. Kids, if this seems like a lot of information, that's because I think you're smart like Robbie and can handle it. Music is a lot of information. That's why it's fun. The book is Clarinet for Beginners Vol. 1 by Avrahm Galper. Highly recommended, if you're learning along with Robbie, subsequent lessons will use this boo...
Beginning Clarinet, Lesson 2: Hand Position
zhlédnutí 185Před 2 měsíci
Hey, Robbie, sorry about Edmonton. Everyone else, if you are a beginner, this is for you. And if you're a teacher, maybe you'll be interested in how I start beginners. If you want to contact me, go to www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/music/index.php or www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/ and search ny name for contact info.
Refacing a Reserve Evolution with John Weigand
zhlédnutí 520Před 2 měsíci
There are many reasons to reface a mouthpiece. I was intrigued by the D'Addario Evolution because it's made from a marbled rubber like my Livengood mouthpieces, but there's only one facing, which is too open for me. But it has a nice small bore, and, turns out that closing it down from a 1.10mm tip to 1.01mm or so makes a really, really nice mouthpiece. I actually like it more than I seemed to ...
The Wisdom of Avrahm Galper: Tone, Technique and Staccato
zhlédnutí 1,4KPřed 2 měsíci
This a long video, but there's a reason for that. Galper's Tone, Technique and Staccato is a great book, and if you don't have it, you should get it: www.clarinetallmusic.com/products/galper-tone-technique-staccato-clarinet-method-mel-bay But there's more to it than meets the eye. Improvement using this book comes from performing the exercises with great specificity and intensity. It's a genera...
Beginning Clarinet, Lesson 1: Assembly
zhlédnutí 133Před 2 měsíci
Bit of a departure for me, in my videos I'm mostly talking to college age and above. But if you are a beginner, this is for you. And if you're a teacher, maybe you'll be interested in how I start beginners. If you want to contact me, go to www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/music/index.php or www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/ and search ny name for contact info.
Orchestral Auditions: Final Round
zhlédnutí 352Před 2 měsíci
This is a letter to my younger self. Meaning, young players today who are like I was in 1989. Maybe to one such player who kinda broke my heart. Paradoxically, it can be hardest to do your best when you really, really, really want to. If you're interested in music at Duquesne University or Carnegie Mellon University, go to www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/music/index.php or www.cmu.ed...
Orchestral Auditions: 1st 8 notes FTW
zhlédnutí 1,2KPřed 2 měsíci
Orchestral Auditions: 1st 8 notes FTW
Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony: The Rest of the Story
zhlédnutí 400Před 3 měsíci
Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony: The Rest of the Story
The Wisdom of David McGill: Musical Solutions to Technical Problems
zhlédnutí 444Před 3 měsíci
The Wisdom of David McGill: Musical Solutions to Technical Problems
PSO Principal Michael Rusinek Sprints to the Finish
zhlédnutí 979Před 4 měsíci
PSO Principal Michael Rusinek Sprints to the Finish
Orchestral Auditions: the Preliminary Round
zhlédnutí 737Před 5 měsíci
Orchestral Auditions: the Preliminary Round
The Wisdom of Daniel Bonade: Method of Staccato
zhlédnutí 1,1KPřed 5 měsíci
The Wisdom of Daniel Bonade: Method of Staccato
Well…no one ever said metronome is more important than being able to internalize a beat and subdivisions. A metronome is a resource to help learning. Maybe to help one learn to practice complex passages. But, no you shouldn’t just play music like a computer…it loses the music part. Lol I will also suggest current metronomic playing is related to all the digital media. And “we” are disappointed when live music is not that precise. BTW, I have played with all those types of metronome. Also it is good for “remembering” how fast the ensemble pieces need to be. Identifying parts one needs to practice. But people can’t totally rely on all these tools and forget the other aspects. Same with tuner. But consider that physicians are using flow chart thinking to diagnose. And now AI. The thing that gets missed: at some point it comes down to using brain and learning to use it. Learning to apply what we learn. If you can figure out how to teach that? Well you will be doing better than God. lol Cause He hasn’t figured that out either.
Sorry, didn’t mean the video personally. But I did try the TE Tuner. There’s obviously little danger of me impacting TE Tuner’s commercial success - these videos are ultimately for my own students, who I am continually trying to get to internalize music instead of reacting to it. It’s an ongoing experiment. I now have old skool metronomes in both my studios, we’ll see if there is a difference in how students respond. Completely unscientific, of course.
Oh the old metronome was good for anticipating because, mine, and I still have it, was never very even. Lol Like a box of chocolates, never know what you get. I didn’t take it at all personally. I agree as to how the young(er than me) play as you describe. But I don’t think it is particularly the metronome’s fault. It is kind of mis/overuse of its purpose. Internal beat and playing musically within that. And what is musicianship? There is the next topic. I will suggest the lack of that instruction as it was handed down. And I think that relates to time period when it became so difficult to find performance position, production of schools of large numbers of “performance” majors, now all the schools hired teachers based on only graduate degrees whose recipients had no real life experience as a performer beyond school training, and finally the success tired to objective success…like playing well to metronome. But that is just my opinion.
I agree with you.
Thanks so much Jack. I recognise myself so much in this video as a 'just in time' player, one note at a time! I had started to independently find the thread of the idea to look ahead to anticipate fingering but you've crystallised it for me. Thinking about lining up note sequences is going to be my next practice focus! 🤓
Thank you, Kieryn, glad you find it helpful. From saying “just in time” I presume you already found “Bulletproof Peter and the Wolf with Hand Position” and “The Wisdom of Robert Marcellus.” Everything connects to everything else.
I've definitely watched the wisdom of Marcellus previously, but I'm not sure if I have seen the Bulletproof vid (I'll take a look later). I think it's more an example of the right piece of info at the right time. Recently, I've been working hard to improve my sight-reading and rhythm (not so much speed nor evenness), and from this video I recognise that at least part of my issues come from the one note at a time thinking. Thanks again.
Fantastic presentation. I've watched a number of your videos now, I think what you are sharing is extremely valuable. I am not a professional musician, but I just bought the yamaha.
Fascinating! Sadly I have heard people follow the click like following the baton rather than locking in with the click. For me a major hurdle was passed when I understood the importance of finger articulation rather than just thinking about the tongue. I am reminded of a video of Ron Carter the bassist giving a lesson and when Mr. Carter took the bass, he locked in with the metronome in a way I describe as beautiful, real magic.
More than some, I’m afraid. The key word is “following.” Being a good follower is one thing, but real ensemble playing is beyond that. Thanks for the comment!
Also, maybe the point is; the anticipation part is not being taught.
The Metronome Video!!!!! Ive been waiting for this one!
Could you recommend recordings of Marcellus? Chamber music, concertos (other than his great Mozart recording), etc. I am not able to find many examples of Marcellus playing. Thank you,
The main one is his Mozart Concerto, but anything with Cleveland/Szell will be Marcellus Brahms 3, Beethoven 6, Mendelssohn 4/MND, I think are all streaming but others are on CZcams. One of his greatest recordings (and I think his last) was Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet right after Szell left, with Dohnanyi. His Schubert Octet live broadcast recording floated around as a bootleg for years but was released in a CD boxed set of broadcast recordings by TCO maybe 15 or 20 years ago. That set may be rare by now but contains many gems and is worth a search. Most of the Cleveland/Szell recordings were released on the Columbia Classics (I think, I’m not at home so I can’t look) budget label, so anytime I see a bunch of used CDs for sale I look for them for students. There is a recording of Premier Rhapsodie with orchestra out there. And some other solo recordings in the hands of collectors that are currently highly restricted but fantastic and I hope someday see some sort of release.
"It is irrational to expect any passage to be better than the underlying fundamental technique" -- I'm want to remember this for myself, and to use it with students.
Fantastic advice! So many ideas that really resonate with me when I am trying to play fast and that I am constantly trying to ingrain into my students, and you said it in really clear ways with some awesome analogies that I am going to have to steal!
Thanks! With proper credit it’s not theft. : )
I graduated from VanderCook and studied clarinet with Victor Zajec; he was also the band director at that time. I also studied with CSO oldtimers, Clark Brody and Walter Wollwage; what a small world.
Hey Jack! Everything you say makes perfect sense and it’s very reassuring. Thank you from Cordoba-Argentina!
Thanks, I appreciate your comment. Especially the part about being reassuring.
Thank you for sharing your experience!
I think I have the recording of that Weber squeak, and it's a very famous clarinetist, but I'm not telling. There's also a video on CZcams of a young Julian Bliss playing the Messager Solo de Concours and squeaking at the very end, which points up that it's easy to start biting when you're tired. czcams.com/video/fe_WiPxEAY8/video.html
A hard fought understanding SO clearly explained! Much appreciated!❤
Hard fought indeed, thanks for commenting.
I can't believe we have a teacher like this on CZcams. Hemke would never have time for this. top guys are always running off from here to there to play with some orchestra. A lot is in Germany. Don't squeak guys! Take a breath or maintain pressure with the stomach muscles. It's a big jump Think about throat position. You need to hit that thing in tune. It's pretty high and difficult.
I'll be in Germany Monday.
Thank you very much for sharing your wisdom. I think that a lot of clarinetists appreciate it!!
Thank you for commenting.
If I could like this video twice, I would! Great advice.
Thanks! By commenting, you actually did, algorithmically.
That's right! By the way, in one of your previous videos there was this Callas' quote along the lines of "we serve what we adore": how was it again? I can't find it anymore... Is it from a book? Thanks!
@@marcosala87 In an interview at the end on a box set, The Complete Callas or something like that, the interviewer asked her how she prepared a new role. After her long, detailed answer, which she began by saying, “I believe it is my duty as an artist to dominate the material technically. I want to sing it like Heifetz would play it,” the interviewer said “That sounds like a terrible amount of work.” Callas replied, “It’s not work, you serve that which you adore.” She said the same thing in a TV interview in the 70’s, want to say David Frost, I know that’s on CZcams. I think I referred to the quote in “The Wisdom of Tomo Fujita.”
@@jackhowell8708 Thanks for the infos!
Excellent advice. In these videos you articulate so well what many advanced players find so difficult to communicate to their students. With finger position on the A key in mind I wonder if you've ever heard reference to the 'diagonals'? With our arms correctly positioned we allow the fingers to lie on or near the keys in a diagonal attitude. If the clarinet is held too close to the body we see the fingers at almost 90 degrees to the instrument. Bearing in mind embouchure, moving the instrument away allows the diagonal shape to emerge in both hands and also in the left hand thumb approach to the register key at the back. Imagining a line down through both arms we create an 'X' around the middle of the instrument. This is something that was taught in the English school of clarinet playing through Frederick Thurston and to his successors. Thanks again for these excellent videos - they keep getting better. Good luck on tour with Mahler 5!
Thanks for that, no, I’ve never heard of the diagonals, I’ll have to pay attention to it.
This video came at an excellent time for me. I've been invited to play in a local ensemble, and we have some devilishly difficult music planned. There's one piece in particular that I've got a few licks I still haven't nailed down. As with so much of your advice, I find I've done some of it, but not all of it. These are some good reminders of what I should work on over the next week.
As my friend Sue Heineman used to say, you can do anything in a week.
👏🏼 👏🏼 good stuff
Thanks for commenting, EmJay, I appreciate it.
That concept is exactly what Tabuteau used to say: ‘The air carries the tongue & fingers’ Wonderful interview!
This is an interesting issue when you ski. We do carve with Rhy. and I even count out my turns; but, You got to ski the mountain. Difficult terrain, you got to do what the mountain requires and even stop. Managing difficult,j tight ski runs, you can't get caught up in steady Rhy. Got to stay alive and do what it takes.
Sure, same for motorcycling - but you’re still anticipating. There is the same anticipation for arrival of the compression and unweighting, if you react instead of anticipating you’re dead, there just isn’t a regular period. A better analog non-walking might be skating, just skating, not playing hockey. But walking, for most people, is a familiar sensation.
Only 1/3 into video...but... AMAZING! I am basically self taught and in first minute or two I kept saying EXACTLY! I attended a masterclass as an audience member many many years ago. I literally could not believe the control he had. He, on one set up, could imitate every students playing style like a high res digital recorder. He was blind at the time...but could hear if student cheeks puffed out...even a tiny tiny bit. He was able to reproduce the shortcomings and knew EXACTLY why it was happenning and exactly how to correct it. I am an old man now...but remember the emotional impact of witnessing his inconceivable mastery as if it was yesterday. Videos like this are invaluable!
Thanks for your very nice comment. It is a regret that I missed the opportunity to attend a master class. At the time, I didn’t think I could afford the trip. If we only knew when we were young, eh?
Interesting I would have chosen 1/1 Eb down and regular Eb up lol Just as easy for me and keeps me from losing my place.
If it sounds good it is good.
Nice Jack! I’ve performed this incredibly difficult quintet. Our oboe player insisted it go faster as that’s just where his fingers want to go.
Thanks, John. I’ll resist the urge to unpack your second sentence. That, or make a video about it.
We are lucky to have such a "high level" teacher on CZcams. Listen to every word and do what he says. I was at Interlochen 1 year after Bill Jackson. You have to compete with someone like that when the are not even there. It's very tough when the last guy is way better than you are. That is a tough situation for musicians. Tough deal when you are not as good as the last guy.
Yeah, but this is art, not weights and measures. In 1996 I won principal in San Antonio. Who was there? Michael Rusinek. I will tell anyone who asks that Michael is better than me in every dimension. But on that day the committee liked me better. Auditions aren’t about beating the other player, they’re about being the best version of yourself and having the committee fall in love.
How you like to nail that one in the audition? I nail that in my audition! Think about what happens after the audition. What if they do pick you. How can you keep the gig going. You are just into the door. Keep it together and make the gig last a long time. This is best advice form an old guy. Don't hop around between orchestras ; How you like to do that at speed?
Hey, Normalized. Need to meet you someday, you must be about my age. I’ve been on core committee for 9 years, seen it all. When the right player wins the audition it’s easy. Getting in the door was the hard part, now the player fits in, works hard, gets better and better, and everyone is happy. Sometimes the wrong player wins the audition. That’s what probation is for. Nobody fails to get tenure because they don’t have enough techique. Technique is cheap, everyone has technique. It’s rhythm, it’s feel, it’s swimming with the other fish. Once you get tenure . . . everyone is different. I can’t stop working, my colleagues are just so inspiring.
@@jackhowell8708 I get probation from my professor. It really mess me up. I got to get back with it.
Play well with the other children. Important in life
#keepitgoingJack
Very useful - wish I had had those thoughts when I started out! The same concerns flood my brain when temping to this day. I always wanted a full-time job where I believed I would settle in and become comfortable. Temping means you're always only as good as your last performance - will they bring you in again? Trying to play the way the section expects you to play - you know the kind of thing! Like you, I had great success early on when my thoughts were simpler - later it was so easy to overthink when you believe you know almost too much and have heard so many of the other players in the frame. Thanks for these videos - my students also learn a lot from them here in the UK.
Thanks. I’ve been thinking about doing a video on temping, or subbing, as we call it. Very easy for the inexperienced to step on the third rail.
"Play with the pulse, don't react to the beat." I love that phrase, it gives me a balanced mental apprehension of, what I am trying to achieve. Thank you.
Certainly, thanks for your support.
I'm wondering if you've played with the TE Tuner app yet or anything similar that will allow one to randomize silenced beats to a percentage. If we know where the audible beat will occur we are still reacting to it, either adjusting to what's just been heard or anticipating where it will be. Randomized beats, once the frequency of occurance is low enough, minimize that reaching sensation through the lack of predictability and allow for more focus on the actual pulse within the music as we are performing it. At least that's been my experience. It's subtle and tricky to explain but I bet you'd notice the difference in experience if you played with it.
No, I meant to look up TE Tuner when you mentioned it previously but did not. Sorry. It certainly may work, I’m not intentionally neglecting it. My theory is that when the period lengthens, anticipation becomes more effective than reaction at meeting it. But any method of reducing fruitless emphasis will depend on the student’s appreciation of the issue. Given a bar of 4/4 at, say, mm80, a dedicated lunger at the beat can figure out just how long to wait between lunges and get pretty close, but it will be effortful and often not quite right. Feeling the approach of the bar line like a slow-pitch softball or a high, soft tennis shot allows an instinctive, precise arrival at the bar line, with everything before it a pickup of varying length and complexity. When the longer period is accurate, subdivision has real meaning.
Yes that part of TE tuner is good. Maybe better than the example provided; because the beat may come when least expected. So it allows playing and a check up as well.
@@jackhowell8708 A rich life in modern times always involves more potentially good information than time to pursue it. I was just wondering - no expectaion. I really lke the slow pitch metaphor. Some speed on the swing is still desirable but you really have to feel the ball's own path and slower pace accurately in order to hit it well - or at all!
A bunch of things have to happen in a kinetic chain in order to hit a ball. Weight has to shift to the front heel, hips rotate, spine coils, shoulders turn, elbows extend, wrists rotate and fex/supinate. And that’s just TO point of impact. Batters, to some extent, have to time that sequence, like a pickup in music, to the ball’s arrival at point of impact because the ball’s speed changes pitch to pitch. Batters who rely on the pitcher’s motion and release for timing are sitting ducks for speed changes. My daughter pitched fastpitch, once saw her strike out a batter with an outside riseball and three changeups. Think of the second movement of the Brahms Quintet. A player who reacts rhythmically and can’t anticipate the approaching beat is never going to play it well.
I just bought the TotalEnergy Tuner. Lots of bells and whistles, remember when a DB-60 with the sliders was cutting edge? As an aside, I encourage all my students to get standalone metronomes and to turn their phones off, O, F, F, when practicing.
Yale had a good clarinet teacher. Supposed to be a good school for Clarinet. I study with Stoltzman; but didn't realize who he was. Very young. Grace Kelly is tapping. Check it out how she deals with it. Imagine if Hemke did CZcams OMG. Sax always give the Clar. teacher a hard time. Grace Kelly got no "limit" Hemke push for quiet body at lessons. Mark Hartsuch is good too. Check out his quiet playing. Nice and close. Clar. and their RH ha h ah a
Please make more excerpt videos
Please keep posting related content 😊 Your work is much appreciated! Thank you!
Thank you for the encouragement.
💯 👏🏼 👏🏼
I like Philadelphia Orchestra. Tabuteau taught the sixteenth to the next dotted eight. Yes! Lyrical! Hear the bassoon because it’s a duet!
Not playing rests in the practice room. Shame shame shame.
Exactly!!! ❌❌❌
Man, what a breath of fresh air! I'll be here all week, try the liver.
Can I filter out all the unwanted & bad notes with this filter ? 🤣😂
Good question! Maybe so, that might explain why mine was so dark and nasty.
@@jackhowell8708 🫣🤫🤣
Nice video. I’m glad more and more people are aware of Galper’s teachings. This book is the “bible” of my studio at MSU. There are many, many things Galper intended with this book, that are not specifically spelled out. When I was studying with Abe in the mid 90’ in Toronto this book was several loose pages we tried together until it became the “Tone, Technique and Staccato”. I’m grateful being his student allows me to directly transfer this knowledge to my students. So much wisdom indeed.
Thanks for commenting! The rest of us depend on people like you to tell us Galper’s intentions, so please feel free to correct/add.
do you modify this when playing bass clarinet?
Personally, no, I play bass exactly like soprano, it just takes more air. Which makes focusing the air even more important for long phrases, and I find the bigger reed even less tolerant of biting if you need clean attacks and articulation (especially upper register) with no quack. I’m never not thinking airstream and oral cavity, and I’m always trying to make the bass clarinet sound like Mike Rusinek an octave lower. Now, I think my tongue position preoccupation is partly because the roof of my mouth is very deep and narrow, and I make everything sound dark and dull if I don’t focus the ever-living crap out of it. Everyone is different.
@@jackhowell8708 I think that the super compressed air makes the low notes on the bass respond really quickly and speeds up the articulation response. And it just sounds better.
I concur. And often neglected is the importance of pianissimo attacks. Anybody can play fortissimo attacks; making a pure tone, pianissimo, in tune, in any register, right at the point of the stick, that’s the trick. It can be done with an open mouthpiece and a biting embouchure, but that’s a young person’s game. Airstream focus works much better, and will work after the 20-something elasticity is gone.
Very good discussion and knowledge sharing. 💎 #keepitgoing
💎 👏🏼 Another Gem … thanks for sharing
Intrigued by the Matson popsicle stick gauge… Any chance you have more details on it so one might be able to recreate it? I’ve heard it mentioned before but this is the first time actually seeing it
I’ll leave it up to John whether he wants to post measurements, but just looking at it, it might be difficult. The sides aren’t actually straight, it’s very handmade.
Thank you for a great video guys. I used to visit E. Matson frequently in the mid to late1970’s. It was always such a treat to spend that time with him. He was SO generous with his time and expertise. It brought a tear to my eye seeing that popsicle stick! I remember it so well. Thanks again!
Great video Mr. Howell Thanks!
Jack Howell and John Weigand, thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! Jack Howell, are you using a different recording device? The sound is superb. I can really hear the core and focus develop as John Weigand adjusts your mouthpiece!
No, same Rode shotgun mic as everything else, maybe just better sound from the room? No AC low frequency rumble, for one thing. Sometimes I use a Zoom H6 for audio but this was a very quick setup; if the sound turned out well maybe that compensates for the lighting. Thanks for commenting.
Great video, thank you! Just the first step helped this mouthpiece quite a lot. That makes me think that there is an "issue" not only with the tip opening but with the bottom part of the curve as well.
I wouldn’t say “issue,” the stock mouthpiece just isn’t optimized for me. John liked it better before refacing. But it’s cool that the internal design works with a closer facing and less bite, I’d suggest this mouthpiece as a good platform for refacing, maybe even better than the X series.
@@jackhowell8708 I agree, "issue" is a bad word. That's why I added backticks 😊 I have Reserve Evolution and I always felt as if there was unnecessary resistance and uncertainty in response. So I did the same first step( closing tip a bit) and it immediately sounded and felt better. For me of course. It started to speak quicker, and large intervals became smoother.
Amazing video. I remember how nervous I was the first time I had a mouthpiece refaced and how relieved I was when that good mouthpiece suddenly played even better.
Good point. I should have mentioned the golden rule of refacing: don’t reface your number one. It doesn’t ALWAYS work.
@@jackhowell8708 1️⃣
Love your work and advice. Will definitely get the book. Now here's a good one for you -"Mindsets" by Carol Dwek. It debunks the myth of natural born talent.
Thanks, just put it on Kindle.
Jack, your instructional videos are gold! Thank you for taking the time to present the material in such depth and detail. It is enormously helpul to the serious student.. And thank you also for being open and honest about your artistic journey. It is nice to know that even superstars face challenges they have to work through and overcome!
Thanks for the very kind comment, Gordon. I must be quick to deflect the “superstar” badge, you won’t see me putting Paganini Caprices on CZcams. But I think the tortoise/hare theme is valuable. My most successful students have been not the geniuses, but the ones who worked enthusiastically.
Check this out 14:00 this is a major pint in refacing. People are not all equal and the facing is not all equal. Many, not all players bite more on the right side. More facings do lean right, on average. This key point and how you interact with it. Don't try to always be perfect.
John: “This facing is crooked.” Me: “It’s gonna stay crooked.”