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International Trumpet Guild Journal

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CHAMBER MUSIC CONNECTION

MARC REESE, COLUMN EDITOR

NO HORNS NEEDED!
BY ERIC BERLIN

October 2013 • Page 71

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 CHAMBER MUSIC CONNECTION
MARC REESE, COLUMN EDITOR
Chamber Music Connection is a forum for ideas concerning the trumpet’s role in the expanding literature in all types of chamber
music. Ideas and suggestions should be directed to: Marc Reese, Assistant Dean and Brass Department Head, Lynn University
Conservatory of Music, 3601 North Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33066 USA; chamber@trumpetguild.org

NO HORNS NEEDED!
BY ERIC BERLIN

O ne of the primary tenets of my teaching is that we gain

skill more quickly by isolating components of our
technique and dealing with them individually. Freed
from the pressure to “produce” and judge what is coming out
of the bell, the mind can deal with these components in a more
sure everyone is on the same “page” is critical. Musicians
should vocalize and then snap smaller subdivisions to feel how
these smaller units are the drivers of any tempo change. Mak-
ing eye contact and keeping the radar on, to feel the subtle
shifts of subdivisions around the group, allow each person to
focused way. Chamber music is an ideal setting in which to change the intensity of the time change while everyone contin-
reinforce these concepts. From the most fundamental issues of ues to sing and conduct. Once this feels comfortable, musi-
rhythm and pitch to airflow and articulation, using these tech- cians should internalize the subdivisions and sing the actual
niques rapidly achieves better ensemble results without using music. No longer crashing into these transitions as moments of
the instruments. insecurity and panic, they become moments where magic can
happen.
Rhythm
In any ensemble setting, good rhythm is a complex compos- Establishing a groove
ite of many factors. We must take into consideration the time With the University of Massachusetts Graduate Brass Quin-
we feel (internal sense of pulse), the time we see (conductor, tet, I experimented with a new technique to establish a groove
concertmaster bow, colleagues’ physical movement), and the in the first movement of Jan Bach’s Rounds and Dances. With
time we hear (in an orchestra, we can have many multiples of the complex rhythms and many small rests, it is easy to
this!) to come up with a synthesis of all of the above which become anxious and rush. Calling on the knowledge and pref-
helps to coalesce the ensemble. erences of the individual players,
Especially for a principal trumpet we began playing their favorite
in a large orchestra, this is a com- “Multiple people singing rhythms while hip-hop tunes on the stereo.
plex calculation that can make or snap conducting illustrates differences Finding one with a similar tempo,
break the performance. Chamber I had the group sing their rhy-
music throws fewer variables into in each person’s sense of pulse and thms along with the music blar-
the equation and develops confi- helps to unify them into one.” ing. In this exercise, the amazing
dence to use these same skills in realization is how much more
larger ensembles. time there is. With the constant
One of the things I remember being extremely helpful from subdivisions in the drum track, the rhythms snapped into
the wonderful solfège training I received at New England Con- place like LEGOs. Again, as with snap conducting, this allows
servatory was an insistence on conducting while doing any- players to relax into the inevitability of time. More complex
thing in class. Not only was it important to conduct the pat- meter does not lend itself easily to this approach, but a loud
tern but to snap the fingers on each ictus. The definite place- metronome or drum machine set on fast subdivisions can help
ment of each pulse within a bar becomes a predictable mile in a similar but less visceral way.
marker on which to ground rhythmic activity. Instead of a
series of frantic events from left to right, we are able to relax Pitch
into the inevitability of time. Once we get behind the plumbing, we can all become over-
Regardless of the repertoire, this exercise is invaluable in cre- whelmed with the physical aspects of playing and forget that
ating a group consensus about time. Multiple people singing the whole purpose is to get a song from our heads, through our
rhythms while snap conducting illustrates differences in each instruments, and into someone else’s head! The audience does
person’s sense of pulse and helps to unify them into one. not hear a series of fingerings! It seems cliché, but the old adage
Singing attacks only in this manner is also a wonderful way to “if you can sing it, you can play it” does hold true.
understand the composite rhythms we create as an ensemble As an ensemble, pitch is a complex organism. Individually
and clarify them for the listener. playing to the needle of a tuner does not assure the ability to
Snap conducting is especially helpful when dealing with play with others. Being aware of and quickly reacting to the
transitions. With rubato and any tempo fluctuation, making subtle pitch changes within a group is one of the greatest joys
© 2013 International Trumpet Guild October 2013 / ITG Journal 71
 of good chamber music! Singing removes the last barrier quick, definite response, which also provides better time. In
between the musicians and allows them to deal with pitch in a addition, the benefits to airflow and open resonant sound are
very organic way. Singing everything in a chamber group’s astounding.
repertoire is important, no matter how The other added side effect of using
difficult. Staying connected with the wind patterns is building the habit of “re-
song in our heads, away from the “Singing removes the last bar- leasing” the air instead of controlling it.
instrument, also encourages better rier between the musicians Picking up the instruments and playing
phrase shaping and an increased sense directly after this exercise generally shows
of flow, in addition to helping us real- and allows them to deal with dramatic results in overall quality of sound,
ize where we are imprecise in our aural blend, intonation and precision of time
concept. Tuning one chord after
pitch in a very organic way.” from a more defined articulation.
another can fix individual chords out
of context and achieve some improvement; but, again, pitch is Group intensity and dynamic shaping
fluid in any ensemble. Adjustments while singing are realized Using snap conducting and either singing rhythms on a sin-
in a fraction of a second without conscious thought, just as gle pitch or using wind patterns indicate with volume and
professional musicians do while playing. intensity the peaks and valleys of intensity within the music.
I recently had the opportunity to coach the Boston Philhar- Removed from the difficulties of producing pitch on our
monic Youth Symphony brass section for an upcoming per- instruments, this allows musicians to make correct—not just
formance of Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben. I was very impressed habitual—musical decisions. Musicians should use eye contact
with these high school students on their first attempts; but and collectively land that final cadence with a smile!
pitch was an issue, and chords did not line up vertically. On One last very interesting group exercise involves the greatest
their instruments, after just one time singing through the creative force we have, the imagination, helping to build a
opening scene, the unisons became absolute, the harmonies truly unified sense of musical line and shaping. Using only eye
gelled, and they sounded like a full-time professional orchestra contact and conducting, my students take a piece of music and
section. By singing, these players immediately realized the play it in their heads, making no audible sounds at all. They
capacity for great intonation that they already possessed. strive to be aware of each other’s conducting patterns and allow
the person with the melody to move the group through time.
Buzzing This powerful exercise establishes an incredible sense of cohe-
After singing, switching to mouthpiece buzzing of the same sion within the ensemble.
material is a natural transition to put a more precise vibration All of these exercises add depth to our understanding of the
into the amplifier. While buzzing, it is useful for brass players music and help refine one or more aspects of our technique.
to eliminate any articulation and to buzz a Using the instruments immediately
constant glissando. Repeated notes should “Using only eye contact and after any of these will show dramatic
become a sustained pitch, and small rests improvement. Devoting large por-
should be sustained. On first attempt, I conducting, my students tions of rehearsal time to these exer-
often hear students buzzing only a basic nar- take a piece of music and cises refines the artistic product and
row contour of a line without detail. These reinforces that the true nature of
pitch discrepancies we hear on the mouth- play it in their heads, making what we do is something artistic and
piece are a good indication of what is being much more powerful than the phys-
put into the instrument. Insistence on pre- no audible sounds at all.” ical act of hitting the right buttons.
cise pitch placement on the mouthpieces
without the crutch of the instrument reinforces the vocal About the author: Yamaha performing artist Eric Berlin is
approach to playing and yields dramatically more centered principal trumpet of the Albany Symphony Orchestra and the
sound and ease of production. It is amazing how much easier Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, associate principal trumpet of
playing feels after a good group buzzing session! the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, a member of the
Boston Modern Orchestra Project, artist/teacher of trumpet at
Airflow and Articulation the University of Massachusetts, and member of the Board of
Chamber music is another opportunity to address other fun- Directors for the International Trumpet Guild. He can be
damental issues in technique such as articulation. Simple heard as soloist on MSR Classics and Albany Records.
“wind patterns” done as a group, encourage proper airflow, defi-
nite articulation, and precise rhythm. Without the instrument,
musicians should simply take big breaths and articulate
through any ensemble piece. One should not hear the pitch
contour, just a simple consistent vowel with clear articulation
in good rhythm. Snap conducting should be used in order to
insist on definite time. The idea is to use a lot of air and sim-
plify the articulation, breathe as often as needed. Hearing the
vowel sound and clarity of articulation diagnoses many prob-
lems of restricted airflow.
Without the resistance of the instrument, everyone will use
more air. Doing this as a group defines articulation to assure

72 ITG Journal / October 2013 © 2013 International Trumpet Guild