CARMINE: CARUSO FASEA FASEB FASEC FASED FASEE FASEE 366] 366] ses J sa¢_[-7G6 [766] (TET SerTIMANA iv SErTiMANA Pera] 2 i [2 uP? 25 =|. 32550 25 aa Sl a Ne aa a ale a a ae a | S| 4 [m3] an [3] |4] ste | 22 0 32] 2 |NLB.DA QUESTO MOMENTO GLI INTERVALL! SONO LIBERI SEMPRE ‘COMPRES! TRA SEI {0 MINUTI. 25 0 37 32 1°" See 17(g)” 4] 22) 2 2 nN N | a ME sail bata ailFOREWORD “{ might begin by emphasizing that there is no subjective judgment with these studies that is ‘right’ or ‘wrong.’ When you first begin playing an instrument, you may feel that you don't have a good sound. There may be occasions when a professional player or teacher may say ‘that's a bad sound, therefore it's wrong.’ Butit’s not wrong; it's the only sound you have, and as you develop you'll have a basis for comparison. Too much thinking about the quality of your performance—in the beginning—can only be destructive. Practice within the confines of your talent—and here the emphasis is on the word ‘practice.’ As you develop and play these exercises, you'll finally have a ‘good’ sound; until that happens, it’s not the ‘wrong’ sound. Stumbling in the beginning is not unusual. We all know that a ‘success’ is often preceded by many ‘failures,’ so don't get discouraged. In the early stages, distorted notes may be all your muscles are capable of, and practice will improve them. The body is always in a state of flux. Through the direct and repetitious activity of these exercises, you can teach your muscles that they can't remain ina state of flux. Your practice is set out to bring about a discipline, a coordination of mind and body. The results of this repetitious activity will begin to show gradually, in percentages. 1 stress that playing a musical instrument is a muscular activity not unlike performing in a sports event. For a brass player, his horn is just a piece of plumbing; it's his muscles that do all the work. My method has often been called ‘musical calisthenics,’ which is appropriate because in order to play many instruments, most of the muscles in the body are working to produce a note. Nearly two hundred muscles come into play when a wind musician produces a sound. And it's the coordination of these muscles that I want to direct through this book.Instead of thinking ‘perfection,’ encourage yourself to think i centages, that is ‘it’s a percentage better than it was.’ The words ‘perfec ‘wrong,’ and ‘good’ should have gone out with the feudal lords: they nothing to do with the art of teaching, and often their use can be a nega factor. If a teacher says something is wrong, the student has the right to a: ‘What's wrong about it?’ Then the teacher will explain, and the student ask. ‘Now, what do I do about it” Itis easy to dispense with all those steps if the teacher merely tells the student what to do. It's improvement, not perfection, that the student is trying to achieve. Verbal negativity is not encouragement to the student. Teaching is giving with love, giving in a positive manner. This is such an important concept for teachers to remember. Unfortunately I have known many students who have lost interest in their musical careers because they didn't have a teacher who could communicate to them a love for the instrument and the art form. They may have been technical wizards, but those teachers could not translate the proper inspiration, and because of this they lost their students’ interest. It is my intent that this book will offer the musician the opportunity to improve his or her skills. I hope that you will find these studies beneficial in your musical endeavors. Carmine Caruso eee reccceThis is NOT a music method. This book is a clinical approach to learning to play your instrument, Its Purpose is to cover all of the physical demands needed to play your instrument musically. The book is clinical in that it shows you how to work your muscles so that you can use your instrument to make music, and to give consistency to your musical performances. The clinical approach consists of: . Sound 2. Pitch (intonation) 5. Range 4, Endurance 5. Flexibility 6. Tonguing 7. Technique 8. Breathing For the beginner it should be used as a supplementary method (calisthenics), while working out of any method book. For the more advanced and/or the professional player, this can be used strictly for calisthenics. Follow instructions carefully. eescceeLESSON I Interval Studies The Four Rules al: TAP YOUR FOOT. This is to establish the timing to which the muscles must move, so that they respond to the specific rhythm you make. (The tapping of the foot is the metronome for the muscular activity of the body.} For the beginning student who doesn’t have a feel for meter, a metronome is suggested, with the speed set at ¢ = 60. Note: although the following exercises are comprised of whole notes and half notes, you may wish to change the count to fit your particular needs. Also, according to need, you may wish to tongue the first note and use a breath attack on the third note. 2; KEEP THE MOUTHPIECE IN CONTACT WITH THE LIPS THROUGH- OUT EACH STUDY. The mouthpiece must be in contact with the lips throughout the playing of each exercise until no notes are sounding and regardless of pressure or feel. The reason for this is simple: If you take the mouthpiece away from your lips, you'll have to regain contact and this will require two movements-one on and one off. Then every time you move the mouthpiece away, you have to reset the whole embouchure. The “whole” embouchure consists of five definite movements: 1) Putting the mouthpiece in contact with the lips. 2) Putting tension on the lips for the note to be played. 3) Positioning the jaw properly. 4) Angling the instrument properly. 5} The blow. If you leave the mouthpiece in place, you reduce the five movements to three, and if you leave the lip in tension you'll only have one movement—the blow. While breathing, maintain the same mouthpiece pressure and tension used for the previous notes. Do not be concerned with sound or pitch. Pace cc ccccens3, _ XEEP THE BLOW STEADY. The blow is both a muscular and physical function. You are blowing air through the lips and the steadier the blow, the more compact the motion of the air. The more compact it is, the easier it is for the lips to ride that airstream. As the airstream ride improves, the music will improve. For an analogy, think of the lips as skis on the water. As long as the boat is going, the skis stay on the water. When the boat slows down, the skis dig in. When the boat stops, you fall off. This is what happens with the tips when the air is not being pushed steadily through them. The activity of a constant stream of air “feeding” the lips will develop a better balance of the muscles. 4 BREATHE ONLY THROUGH THE NOSE. Breathing through the nose is done for the same reason as Rule No. 2: to reduce the amount of muscular activity it takes to produce a note. It's common for players to breathe as if they are sniffing, which will put air into the sinuses instead of the lungs. Breathing normally through the nose requires fewer muscles (fewer moving parts) than changing the muscular position of your lips in order to breathe through your mouth. This is a quicker way to develop an embouchure, because there are fewer variables to control, making it easier for the embouchure to find its place. eee wee eee reeesaceLESSON I - continued EXERCISE 1: ee ——— BREATH ATTACK (Using alr onty, 9 move the lips a. The Breath Attack is used in this initial exercise becau: quickest way to get the lips in focus, to get them touching. Repetii Breath Attack eventually brings the lips into the best position. 1 balance; others may call it embouchure. B = Breath Attack T = Tongue @ REMEMBER: Start tapping your foot before you start playing to establist timing and rhythm to which your muscles can move. When you play these studies, treat them like calisthenics. Don't be concerned with how they sound and feel at this point, and don’t worry about pitch or missed notes. The discipline to feel is physical, not musical.EXERCISE 2: Intervals in 2nds* tl * Be sure that you are slurring these intervals and not tonguing them. **Play these notes only if you're able, don’t force. Again, when you are playing these exercises, don't be concerned with the sound, pitch or feel. Play with abandon! Play as high as you can go until no sound comes out of the horn, but make sure that you complete the effort to play the particular interval. Take the horn away from your lips and rest ten or fifteen seconds. Then pick up where you left off and go higher, again until no sound comes out of the instrument. That is the end of this study. Stop for fifteen minutes or more and then repeat the study. PRACTICING IN THIS MANNER WILL INCREASE YOUR HIGH REGISTER. During the rest period, if you wish to practice other exercises or music, feel free to do so. But do not use these physical techniques with other types of music. If your lips become swollen, tired or stiff, wait longer before resuming the exercises. if they continue this way, then don’t touch them until it is comfortable. Any discomfort will increase the chance of manipulating to Yeach a note and cause extraneous motion.LESSON II EXERCISE 3: INTERVALS IN Srds (intervals are to be slurred, not tongued.) REMEMBER THE FOUR RULES:1. TAP YOUR FOOT 2. KEEP THE MOUTHPIECE IN CONTACT WITH THE LIPS 3. KEEP THE BLOW STEADY 4, BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE4 _____ EXERCISE 4: HARMONIC SERIES All of the following open sounds on each valve configuration of the instrumentare called the harmonics, and, as such, are all the notes available to you on the instrument. They are important because you'll be working with every note as nature placed them on the instrument, not as valve configurations. — be & a pee (valve) 2 wo 123, # KEEP THE BLOW STEADY SO THAT YOUR LIPS CAN RIDE THE AIR STREAM THERE ARE THREE PURPOSES FOR THE HARMONIC SERIES: 1. You are going from an upper sound to a lower sound without removing the mouthpiece from your lips. This is a subtle way to make you work your lips inside the mouthpiece without readjusting it. (RULE 2) 2. You are relating where you are coming from to where you are going. 3. Once you start the blow with the harmonic series, you have to keep the blow constant, even when no sound comes out of the horn, Continually doing so will eventually develop a better sound. REMEMBER: BREATHE THROUGH YOUR NOSE!LESSON Ill EXERCISE 5: INTERVALS IN 4ths REPEAT HARMONIC STUDIES! BREATH CONTRO! SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — STUDIES The following are your first breath control studies. This exercise utilizes the same six “key” notes introduced in EXERCISE 1. These notes fall in the mid-range of most instruments and are therefore comfortable no matter what your ability. BREATH CONTROL is the practice of blowing, which is the necessary demand of the instrument. These long tones allow you to concentrate on one movement, the blow, and will make it easier for the muscles to fipd their way into position. Remember to keep the mouthpiece in contact with the lips throughout the study. To begin the exercise, blow a few “G's” (second line) to get the natural feel of “G.” Then, leaving the mouthpiece in the same position, begin the study. Disregard the sound, pitch or feel. The distortion you may get is from. overblowing, but don't be concerned.EXERCISE 6: Breath Control Studies te OO == wenn The speed of the air determines the volume. Increase the airspeed to play louder; decrease the airspeed to play softer. Count each set of three notes as twelve beats, subdividing by four. Increase the blow from 1-6; decrease the blow from 7-12." 1,2, 3, 4 5, 6, 7, Bf 9,10,11, 12 Tap your foot to establish a time for your muscles to respond to. REMEMBER: This exercise is a physical action. *Your sound may become raucous and brassy. This is a result of over: blowing. i.e. producing more power than the embouchure can handle. ‘Through practice of the Breath Control Studies, you will develop a control of dynamics. “4LESSON IV EXERCISE 7: INTERVALS IN Sths OO En Play as high as you can go until no sound comes out of the horn, but be sure to complete the interval. Take the horn away and rest ten or fifteen seconds, Then pick up where you left off and go higher until no sound comes out of the instrument. Stop for fifteen minutes or more and then. repeat the study. This will increase your high register. REMEMBER THE FOUR RULES FOR INTERVAL STUDIES: L_TAP YOUR FOO’ 2._KEEP THE MOUTHPIECE IN CONTACT WITH THE LIPS THROUGHOU: EACH STUDY JEP THE BLOW STEAD" 4. BREATHE ONLY THROUGH YOUR NOSE (If, at times, breathing through your nose is not possible due to a cold or allergy, then maintain the mouthpiece setting and breathe through the corners of your mouth. Do this only when absolutely necessary.) Now, repeat the Harmonic Series (EXERCISE 4).EXERCISE 8: 2nds_ IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES SS Te are OLS LDES i TT i SS i = Se iT SS aS SET Eo = — a“ — J —_——. “> = = = = "= os 2£ 2 = le 6 Once again, these seconds should be taken as high as possible. There may not be a marked change in your volume on the higher notes, but continue regardiess of the sound. In time, controlled airspeed will develop on the higher notes and dynamic control will appear.LESSON V EXERCISE 9: INTERVALS IN 6ths Maintain your mouthpiece pressure while inhaling through your nose.EXERCISE 10: 3rds_IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES =o = NN anu SS iT iaDODWEE ios oi——a—eEE_s_ —=—_s > = = 2 2 li SS OSS OT DDE aT. iaeeE_s =_C When playing your regular music, play as usual. Don't attempt to include these techniques in your everyday playing. With time, they'll be integrated into your playing automatically. REMEMBER: PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT IS AN ATHLETIC ENDEAVOR, Timing, co-ordination, synchronization and balance are the secrets of the great athlete, as well as the great instrumentalist. The secret is to make the playing of the music look easy, but this can be accomplished only after many hours of hard work. Quite often, it is not the strongest athlete who wins the contest, but the athlete who can combine the elements listed above in the right percentages. The same is true for the musician; strong wind capacity doesn’t guarantee a fine horn player, but it is extremely important when coupled with these other factors. Timing and synchronization are qualities that have to be refined in each musician's playing. In the beginning, the player has to be very aware of improving both these traits, so. that later on he can “forget” about them, since they have become a part of his subconscious.LESSON Vi L EXERCISE 11: INTERVALS IN MINOR 7ths a — Se ae aLESSON VII EXERCISE 14: INTERVALS IN MAJOR 7ths eo ES = SS EXERCISE 15 ——_——______FXERCISE 15 ESS 3 Sths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL' — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES = = == —— = SOO “=~ a i a == ae — ls ?— = oe ==s—s > aN Loz, oe] a SES SE i= i SeEXERCISE 16: 3 2nds IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — LOUD, SOFT, LOUD — SERIES —— —== OO SS =O & 2 =—=>—= >= OOO = ~~ Oa With your everyday music studies, playas usual, Don't try to make these clinical exercises part of your regular playing. Time and practice will change your playing habits. LESSON VIII EXERCISE 17: OCTAVES25 SYNCHRONIZATION / TIMING Ittakes over 200 muscles to play a note. It's important to remember that before you can play music you must train your muscles to work together. The key factor here is timing: it will determine when the muscles start and stop a certain movement. The type of time is established by tapping the foot to a regular, recurring beat. You expose the muscles to a physical activity by repetition to timing ‘until themuscles synchronize into a conditioned reflex response.Once you develop a conditioned reflex with one type of timing, you can then extend the reflex to play longer phrases or subdivided ones. For example: In the previous exercises. you've been subdividing groups of half notes and whole notes (long tones). No matter what the length of these notes, the important point-in regard to their timing-is when to get off one note and go on to the next note so that you land on that next note on time. In the beginning.it is always best to proceed at the steady pace of 60 beats per minute. To subdivide your timing even further when playing whole or half note intervals, divide the last quarter beat into four 16ths before moving: —— 1 GeeP |* | move The action of all moving parts must take place after the fourth 16th note, just as in the previous exercises. Don’t be too concerned with the musical sound. The intent of this exercise is to strive for synchronization of muscular movement to a specific time demand.REMEMBER: Proper timing is most important here. Better to keep the thythm slow and the timing correct than to shoot for speed and neglect the perfect timing. Gymnasts and divers have an especially important guiding rule: if you can't do a specific move or dive flawlessly, don't do it. The same applies for music. If the proper timing sequence can't be achieved, slow it down until the right progress can be made. LESSON IX REVIEW ONE REGULAR INTERVAL STUDY EACH DAY EXERCISE 20: . *3 MINOR 7ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES iba ~ - =— [MeN ey) CES ES SS eT Si eS C= 26EXERCISE 21 i 4ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ - LOUD, SOFT, LOUD - SERIES —=_ eNO eee aes TT OLE Tia eeeE = =~ Lo? Ne = 2 = = —<—- a aS oT EDS ST iE ie Remember to subdivide the last quarter beat into four 16ths before moving to the next note! 27TONGUING: Do the following tonguing exercise from G (second line) chromatically up to 'C’ (third space). Take a breath whenever necessary. When tonguing, use the syllable “TS” (instead of “TU, TOO, TA or DA") to prevent the chin from bouncing. EXERCISE 22: 28The order of importance in the physical activity of playing a musical instrument is: TIMING, BREATHING and then TONGUING. Anote is produced by the airstream exciting the lips. Consequently, the lips are both resistors and note makers. Pitches are changed by varying lip tension. The tongue works on the airstream like a valve to interrupt that airstream. Asa valve, it can only work on whatever airstream power that itis supposed to control, There is no particular placement of the tongue that is most correct. The tongue will work anywhere in your mouth and follow the mouthpiece wherever it's placed. However, it is important that the lips remain constant in their motion. for if the lips are moving freely, then the air will move freely. With the power of the airstream constant, the tongue will work better. When playing an instrument, the musician is dealing with numerous body motions. It’s the synchronization of these motions that produces the desired results. Synchronization requires perfect timing of all muscular movements. Therefore, timing is of the utmost importance.LESSON X REVIEW ONE REGULAR INTERVAL STUDY EACH DAY. EXERCISE 23: “ MAJOR 7ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES fo = = iT i eS iT i eS CO =o fe re [Ss OBEY) = SS TT iaDeSBE a EEC =" EXERCISE 24; ; Sths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — LOUD, SOFT, LOUD — SERIES —==z =~ cen [eS=n om ) —x => CONTINUE TONGUING EXERCISE (SEE EXERCISE 22). 30 ie,EXERCISE 25: PEDALS In the beginning, when you are practicing pedals, you may find that th notes don’t respond with regular fingering. Try just lipping the notes by reducing the tension of the lips and keep the three valves depressed. d= 60 b — “ * ate. as low as you can gc It may take a while for the pedals to speak. But don't give up! Stay with them! NOTE: After playing the pedals, always play this chromatic scale to re-establish the embouchure. The purpose of pedals is not only to increase range, but to release tension. The pedals do not allow the left hand to come into play. Consequently, there can'tbe any twisting or pressing. Automatically the lips become free—free to move, climb and sound. By playing the pedals and freeing the lips from the left arm, you will then release tension, 31LESDUN XI REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT REGULAR INTERVAL STUDY EVERY DAY. EXERCISE 26: ° OCTAVES IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — SOFT, LOUD, SOFT — SERIES == ee a =~ oa eS aS i ie EXERCISE 27: — Orn oe 6ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — LOUD, SOFT, LOUD — SERIES epee ea eee lee i ee ra c= ce sz —> = = oS =r aS i SS a REPEAT PEDALS AND CHROMATIC SCALE IN LESSON 10. REMEMBER: The lips are resistors to the airstream. The resistance intensifies to air, like water running through the nozzle of a garden hose.LESSON XII REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT REGULAR INTERVAL STUDY EVERY DAY REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT ‘BREATH CONTROL’ STUDY EVERY DAY EXERCISE 28: “3 MINOR 7ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — LOUD, SOFT, LOUD — SERIES ba = eee aS Clee eT ae [Ke N ren eee eS Ole eT i ee SED REPEAT PEDALS AND CHROMATIC SCALE IN LESSON 10.EXERCISE 29: CHROMATIC PEDALS (Based on Chords) Slowly a a a ea Play down as far as you can go. Follow the pedals with the chromatic scale in Lesson 10. LESSON XIII REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT REGULAR INTERVAL EVERY DAY REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT ‘BREATH CONTROL’ STUDY EVERY DAYEXERCISE 29: CHROMATIC PEDALS (Based on Chords) Slowly a a a ea Play down as far as you can go. Follow the pedals with the chromatic scale in Lesson 10. LESSON XIII REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT REGULAR INTERVAL EVERY DAY REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT ‘BREATH CONTROL’ STUDY EVERY DAYEXERCISE 30: “4 MAJOR 7ths IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ - LOUD, SOFT, LOUD - SERIES = meee eT aS TT LEN re Lee cEN = REPEAT CHROMATIC PEDALS AND THE CHROMATIC SCALE. EXERCISE 31: CHROMATIC PEDALS/EXTENDED I Follow these pedals with the chromatic scale. 35EXERCISE 32: DEVELOPED C SCALE ae An ee Se oe ce me Se ot ROAR DADA 2M» DAR ALESSON XIV REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT REGULAR INTERVAL STUDY EVERY DAY REVIEW ONE DIFFERENT ‘BREATH CONTROL’ STUDY EVERY DAY EXERCISE 33 e OCTAVES IN THE ‘BREATH CONTROL’ — LOUD, SOFT, LOUD — SERIES See alee OCC a ae~ [ee Sa aT eC REPEAT CHROMATIC PEDALS AND CHROMATIC SCALE. EXERCISE 34: CHROMATIC CHORD PEDALS / EXTENDED II 37 Follow these with the chromatic scale.39 LESSON XV REVIEW PEDALS IN LESSON 10 AND CHROMATIC SCALE. EXERCISE 36 CHROMATIC CHORD PEDALS / EXTENDED III a We ai bag 3. Adi REVIEW CHART REVIEW THE EXERCISES IN THIS RECOMMENDED ORDER: 1. 2nds Reg. 4ths LSL 6ths SLS 2. 4ths Reg 6ths LSL 2nds SLS 3. 6ths Reg 2nds LSL 4ths SLS 4. 3rds Reg Sths LSL Min7ths SLS 5. Sths Reg Min7ths LSL rds SLS 6. Min7ths Reg Srds LSL Sths SLS 7. {Maj7ths Reg Maj7ths LSL |Maj7ths SLS \Octaves Octaves JOctaves: ABBREVIATIONS Reg = Regular LSL = Loud, Soft, Loud SLS = Soft, Loud. Soft——_— CODA 51 These studies are not flattering. Many times, they may not sound musically pleasant because they are calesthenic studies. By this time, you will find much improvement in your playing when you're working with a band or orchestra. These studies will continue to improve your playing as long as you continue to use them. After the muscles leam to automatically respond . . . the conditioned reflex. . . that’s the time to start thinking music. Itis notnecessary to use all of these studies in the book at any one time. Use as many as will last about 20 to 40 minutes. This will give you ample time for your other practice. You must do all of the studies in the book, however, whether it takes days, weeks or months. Steady practice will create the discipline that allows youto do things the same way all of the time. Good practicing, good playing and good tuck! —Carmine CarusoHOW TO SOLVE THE SEVEN COMMON PHYSICAL PROBLEMS! 1. SLOW DOWN. If a particular passage of music is being played quickly with sixteenth notes and you're stumbling, it is wise to slow down. This is occurring because the muscles are not free, consequently not balanced, at the demanded tempo. It’s recommended that you slow down to even half the original tempo to be within reach of muscular freedom. Working at a slower speed will give the muscles a chance to level out and balance. As you keep increasing the speed of the passage, you'll make it possible for the muscles to balance at a greater speed. KEEP THE BLOW STEADY. You can’t run until you walk well. It is most important to build on these fundamental principles before tackling more difficult exercises. Speed doesn't come from practicing fast, it comes from getting the muscles balanced so they can move faster. Balance is achieved when all the muscles have the freedom to move. 2, TENSION. Tension occurs mostly in the throat; this is where there's a backup and you feel a tightness. You'll feel as if you want to open up the throat, but it seems to be already open as far as it will go. This backup means that the muscles have become restricted and they are tightening up. When muscles are out of balance, it's normal for them to freeze and affect the airstream, Nervousness will often create this tension. If you always think of practice as the major factor for developing the muscles rather than being result-conscious, you will begin to eliminate the worry and nervousness about what's right, wrong, good or bad. Leave these thoughts behind and think of practice as conditioning. Your music will become a conditioned reflex and you will eliminate the tension. Remember: before a piece can sound good musically, it has to feel good physically.53 3. OVERBLOWING. When you surpass a certain loudness quotient on the hom, you may produce a note that’s raucous, scratchy and generally unmusical. This is called an “overblow,” and may occur when you begin the Breath Control Studies in Lesson 3. The overblow indicates that you have an overabundance of power and can’t use it. This happens when you get past a certain speed of air and your muscles go out of balance. What you want to do is master the overblowing and turn it to your advantage; in other words, increase the span of your control over dynamics. By continually exposing your muscles to the greater airspeed—using the crescendo and decrescen- do techniques in the Breath Control Studies—you will quickly extend the muscular control. The muscles will eventually stay in balance, even with the extva power you apply. The better balanced your muscles become, the stronger your blow will be, 4. RANGE. In the Intervals Studies, it's suggested that you play as high as you can go until no note sounds. This is recommended, since the only way muscles will learn is by exposure. You'll hit those unmusical sounds, once again, but as you continuously play the intervals your muscles will begin to learn what is demanded from them in that specific area. A good example would be a dancer or gymnast, stretching leg muscles in order to do asplits. The muscles have to be trained and stretched slowly, in order to give them the new elasticity needed to perform the flexibility exercise. 5. BALANCE.Is exposing the muscles to a specific physical activity until they synchronize. The better the muscles are balanced, the freer they are to. move. In music, the freer the muscles are to move, the freer they ate to sound. And, if they're free, they don't tire. For example, when an acrobat balances properly on his hands, he is less tired than if he is fighting to hold that balance.6. WET LIPS vs. DRY LIPS. This has been a subject of discussion for many years. Most often, the player who depends on twisting or pivoting will want dry lips. With the pivot or the twist, the lips will slide off if they're not dry. There are a lot of wet lip players who play very comfortably. The bite inside the mouthpiece has a lot to do with the player who wants to play with ry lips, because that keeps the flesh inside the mouthpiece. Play the most comfortable way. 7. ATTACK, The beginning of a note is called the “attack.” Many musicians delayan attack because of lack of feeling for the timing or because the transition from one note to another may not be smooth. The Interval Studies will assist in the transition problems. However, younger students should make believe they have a thread on their lip; spitting it out will assist them in assuming the proper attack position. You can't spit with your mouth open! Improved attack will come as a result of Practice, as the player becomes more confident in his or her command of a musical piece. In working with these seven elements, the main idea to remember is to always maintain a level of common sense. It is important to perform Properly on a selection, so a player must surely find the right tempo for the exercise, then go about playing it more quickly until the correct meter is reached. TENSION and ATTACK are so dependent upon coordinated muscles, and arriving at this state takes time and concentration. No matter what the situation, we are always a little apprehensive going into it; as time goes by, we relax and feel much more comfortable with these new surroundings, RANGE and BALANCE are a refining of muscle response, turning whatever quantity of experience we have into a quality of experience. Musical activity should not be forced, butit should bea natual progression of each individual's talent and skill.EDITORIAL NOTE The actual technique involved in Carmine Caruso's teachings is only part of his great influence on musicians. Itis his attitude toward teaching that attracts more and more musicians in ever-growing numbers. Whether his students are schooled professionals or beginners, they are drawn to his teaching methods as much as to his musical exercises. Caruso has spent many years formulating his concepts and he speaks with the confidence only successful results can generate.THE GREAT CARUSO Few men become idols while they live. One who has, is Carmine Caruso. The name Carmine Caruso is well-known in many parts of the world. Brass players from Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America have left their homes to come to New York to study with him. He has a reputation for being able to help improve players just starting out, detoured talents, and players who already perform well. A list of his students reads like a Who's Who. Some of them refer to Carmine as the patron-saint of brass players. What went into the making of this great and famous teacher? An extensive knowledge of music, a considerate attitude toward students, coupled with the ability to teach, and a question asked by chance. When Carmine was three years old his father, Paul Caruso, began to teach him to play the piano. At four, it was discovered that he could remember tones—the feat musicians refer to as absolute pitch. The boy was a prodigy with a promising career as a pianist. But at the age of eight Carmine gave up the piano. He had fallen madly in love with the violin. His teacher,now,was another member of his family, his older brother, Jimmy, whom Carmine adored. The violin became an obsession. Carmine would practice before school; he would practice when he came home from school for lunch; he would practice as soon as he came home from school in the afternoon. The last thing he would do before going to bed at night was to lay his beloved violin on the chair beside his bed. When Carmine was seventeen, the saxophone was the rage. He wanted badly to play one. After all, his father was now playing one. But, alas, for some reason, it was his father who did not want him to play the saxophone. He forbade him to do so, in fact, But young Caruso was not to be denied. Despite his father's wishes, Carmine found his own teacher and an instrument to practice on. Who was the teacher? His own father! Carmine would watch his father play, match up the fingerings with the sounds he heard (don't forget, he had perfect pitch) and remember them. 5687 Where did he get an instrument to practice on? Again, his father. Carmine would play his father's horn whenever his father went out. His father never caught him because Carmine's mother would keep watch, looking out the window to warn of the elder Caruso’s return. Three months after starting on the saxophone, Carmine was playing sax in several bands. Most of his playing career he made his living as a saxophone player in ballrooms and.on radio shows. Vincent Lopez, Emil Coleman, Lester Lanin, and Meyer Davis were some of the leaders he worked for. The last big band he played with was Russ Morgan's. In 1941 Carmine gave up the big bands in favor of a career of full-time teaching and freelance playing. To his East Harlem home at 241 East 112th Street, students came to study saxophone, clarinet, flute and violin. He continued to teach at home until 1957, when his house was torn down to make way for a housing project. One of his students was Nick Riviello, a saxophone player with Vincent Lopez. Riviello had been studying with Carmine for many years. Nick was sold on Carmine but it took him three and a half years to convince another saxophone player in the Lopez band, Armand Camgros, that Carmine could help him. After Camgros began to study with Carmine, he too became a believer. One day Camgros asked whether or not the principles that Carmine had taught him were applicable to brass players. Carmine said that they were. In 1942 Camgros sent Carmine his first trumpet student, Lou Oles. Oles was also a member of the Vincent Lopez band. Within a year after taking on Lou Oles, Carmine had forty brass students. The legend had begun. Now began a parade of brass cripples, beginners, and the good players who became better. Carmine discovered that he had the ability to reach andhelp many brass players at all stages of development. Of the cripples, he remembers vividly the one he refers to as “my basket case.” This was a player who had been much in demand in the business. Aman with a reputation and the talent to match it. But this gifted performer had overworked his chops to the point that he could get no sound out of his trumpet. Though doubtful of Carmine's ability to help him, Carmine was his Jast hope. For the year and a half that it took Carmine to bring him around, this man earned his living driving a school bus. Ray Copeland is grateful to Carmine Caruso for restoring him to the joy of making his living at something he likes to do. Says Ray, “Carmine is a master psychologist and half of my problem was psychological.” “| had built up reasons in my mind why I couldn't play. I used to go to Carmine tensed up and over-anxious. Carmine wouldn't let me play right away. We would talk for forty-five minutes or so and by then Carmine would have psyched me into playing things I didn't think 1 could play.” “psychology is half the battle of playing the trumpet. Everything has to be positive.” Ray's remarks point up some of Carmine's attitudes toward teaching. Carmine says, “Teaching should not be a whipping of the student with his inadequacies. The student should play with love, not fear.” He does not use the word ‘mistake’ when talking to students. What others call mistakes, Caruso says, “are due to carelessness, the inability of the player, or both.” Instead of telling the student that his execution is wrong or bad, Carmine tells him what to do. He sums up his teaching philosophy this way, “Teaching should be done with love. It’s a giving.” Small wonder then that Carmine is revered by his students. He has helped them improve their playing, But also, they know that he loves them.They respect the teacher, but they admire and love the man. Walk down the street with Carmine and you can spot his friends and students by the approaching smiles. —Bill Harrison NO PIGEONS FOR CARMINE — ONLY LOVE by Dr, Charles Colin You may someday have an opportunity to become awestricken with the hustle-bustle of New York City, the BIG APPLE. Imagine yourself in glittering Times Square. Your eyes are drawn to the statue of George M. Cohan, yesteryear's immortal impresario. Countless Pigeons hover about the monument that overlooks the Big White Way, but Cohan stands proud, Broadway's lord and master. Approximately 50 yards from this historic Spot, just off Broadway on West 46th Street,a sensitive ear stops and inquires about a series of sporadic, stop-and-go brass sounds. Curiosity lures you to the source of these unending short exercises in intervals which build higher and higher until they sky-rocket. Now you're on edge. How high can brass instrument climb? Is there no ceiling? Real brasspersons have an innate lust to learn the answer. You follow the sounds to a large. ordinary, unimpressive building. Still curious, you wander through the miniature entrance, searching for the ‘source of those haunting simple long tones, or slower-than-slow drawn out intervals. The bulletin board holds no clue to any musical enterprises. Just when you're ready to give up on joining a universal Brass Family—a lady steps out of the elevator, senses your confusion and unravels the mystery. “Oh, those sounds. That's Caruso. Take the elevator to the fifth floor.”1 | | You ascend with renewed confidence and even more curiosity. Again, no signs on the doors of the fifth floor, but those mystifying sounds draw youtlo adoorat the end of a dim corridor. On the door, the name “Jimmy Caruso” is simply printed on a small card. . you've come this far? Just knock on the door ‘What do you have to los and see what happens. Curiosity has the better of you. ‘As soon as you knock. the door opens and there before you is a white- bearded man, short in stature, with smiling eyes, in a white sweatshirt and oversized earphones perched on his head. A gracious man, he radiates 4 warm fatherly welcome, and extends a heartfelt handshake that makes you feel you have known him all your life. You explain that you are a trumpet player from out of town and, utterly entranced, you followed the magical sounds. “Great! Welcome! Have a seat.l'm giving a lesson and you are more than welcome to watch what's happening with the students who are waiting,” is the surprising invitation. In your bewilderment you ty to put all the pieces together. No name on the door downstairs, no sign anywhere, the fantasy grows as you become aware of an aura of unassuming simplicity. Plain and unadorned, the room consists of a few well-worn chairs, small scatter rugs and bookcases. Is this the Carmine Caruso whose legendary reputation has spread around the world? The man with a following of brass students who have worshipped him for over fifty years and pray for his daily happiness and health? Another awe-inspiring incident occurs. A famous Hollywood record producer and trumpet celebrity phones from California for his weekly trumpet lesson. When Carmine completes the hour-long lesson, he casually mentions to his receptive audience that the phone call was from Herb Alpert. Who would believe that following the lure of afew strange sounds coulda change the course of a musician’s life? Yet, this is a miracle that occurs regularly through the genius of Carmine Caruso. I have witnessed it, time and again. If it is ever within my power, there will be another statue right smack in the center of Times Square. Why? Because Carmine Caruso has Proven himself to be one of the Brass Family's great heroes. Whether or not the statue becomes a reality, there will not be just Pigeons that pay daily homage. There will be a more meaningful and everlasting tribute to a humble man whose creed in life has been “to do 800d." He lovingly adopts all his students with fatherly warmth. There will be his students and the students of his students to honor Carmine Caruso, a humble and simple man with the genius to teach and with the naturalness of childlike love for his fellow people. Copyright © 1978 br. Chavtes Cotin