TPTV – Arnold Jacobs In His Own Words, Part 1
In this episode, Arnold Jacobs discusses the importance of putting the focus on the art form rather than the mechanics, and to be sure and issue musical statements while playing, rather than asking questions. These video clips are taken from the International Brass Congress II, held in 1984 at Indiana University. Prof. Dee Stewart, moderated this discussion with an audience comprised of many Jacobs students. We are grateful to Prof. Stewart for arranging such a priceless time with Mr. Jacobs.
TPTV – Jacobs in His Own Words Activate the Brain
In this episode, Arnold Jacobs discusses the importance of being actively involved in story-telling while playing, rather than investigating what one is doing physically. Play by sound rather than feel. Discussion of the 5th and 7th cranial nerves and their uses while playing.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Athletic Strengths
Arnold Jacobs discusses why it is not necessary for brass musicians to utilize athletic types of strength while playing. Such levels of strength have no where to go when introduced into the art form of music. Instead it creates unwanted tension. Jacobs discusses the diaphragm and how it functions in the body, which is in direct opposite with how it had been taught in prior generations of wind musician pedagogy (e.g. “blow from the diaphragm” is not a possible outcome). The diaphragm has to do with taking air in, not blowing air out. Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for his presence of mind to arrange the Q&A session from which this segment is drawn.
In His Own Words, Arnold Jacobs is asked how to help a student who has just had their braces removed. Jacobs explained how the new feeling of having no braces would lead to numerous questions in the mind. The best thing to do would be to encourage singing in the mind, and, if need be, create additional strangeness through mouthpiece buzzing, or other physical activities while playing. This will distract the mind from asking questions and instead make it easier to make musical statements.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Breathing
In this episode, Arnold Jacobs describes his views on breathing within the art form of music. He urged his students to think about the psychology of wind at the lips, and he encouraged shape change to allow for quantitative amounts of air to enter and leave the body (rather than the old school “tight gut” method, and body movement limitations such as the sternum and shoulders, which limited air movement) . Jacobs stressed learning good breathing techniques away from the instrument so as not to interfere with the activity of artistic expression.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Control Your Thinking to Control Your Body
In His Own Words, Arnold Jacobs discusses why it is important to control the outcome one wants the body to accomplish, rather than trying to control individual muscles. Control the product and you will have controlled the body’s process. Machines have a control panel that coordinates the various functions of the machine. To operate the machine well, one uses the control panel. Similarly, in the human system, use the control panel found in the mind. Order a product and you will be controlling the system (body). If you want to throw a ball, throw it, but do not give thought toward the various muscles involved in the activity of throwing the ball. Put another way, one does not need to read a book describing what happens in the body when throwing a ball, in order to throw one. Many thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for setting up this marvelous Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Establish What is Right
Arnold Jacobs describes why it is important to establish habits that are desired, and to not spend time trying to correct bad habits. Bad habits will dissipate through disuse via the repetitiveness of the new (desired) habit. This must be done in the art form. Brass players are most akin to singers due to the brass player’s body having control of motor force and pitch vibration (singers have those two, plus resonance). Resonance not respiration is the big deal. We work with systems of muscles, not individual muscles. The diaphragm has no nerve sensing position. Suction is the best word to motivate efficient inhalations. Breathe to expand rather than expanding to breathe is the best psychological way to motivate great breaths. Keep the body controls simple. The art form requires complex thoughts.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Examine Your Thoughts
In His Own Words, Arnold Jacobs discusses the imphttps://windsongpress.com/jacobs/tptv/TPTV%20-%20.mp4ortance of having the proper signal in the mind in order to perform with accuracy: focus on the correct pitch. One must be disciplined in order to develop habits based upon a conditioned response rather react to how things feel or fright. Using words to re-enforce focused concentration on the pitches. This encourages the development playing with statements in mind instead of questions. Allow a quota of mistakes so as not to become disproportionately negative. A perfectly shaped embouchure can be silent if the proper stimulus is not sent down the 7th cranial nerve to the lip. Bud Herseth was very unusual in that he missed very few notes. Special thanks go to Prof. Dee Stewart for arranging this wonderful Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs back in 1984.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Finding Out How the Student Works
Arnold Jacobs described the process of determining what motivates a student. Jacobs observed that he had lost many students who did not align with his way of teaching. He said it is an imperative to search out how what excites the student, what interests them. Sometimes a student will be reacting to and focused on the symptom rather than the root cause. This can be a negative distraction for the student, and cause issues as the teacher attempts to address the problem.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Initial Interest in Human Structure and Function
In His Own Words, Arnold Jacobs shares with the assembled audience how he became interested in the study of human anatomy, and psychology. During his time studying tuba at the Curtis Institute of Music, Jacobs also took voice lessons, which presented a paradox. Jacobs would have no physical discomfort with the tuba, but experienced severe issues with singing, such as sore throats, and forcing his voice. His voice teacher kept telling him to “support your tone”. He wondered why he was so comfortable playing the tuba and so miserable while singing. His wife, Gizella, was able to offer some anatomical insight into where the human diaphragm was actually located. Dr. Margaret Buck, the Jacobs family physician, guided him in his early studies. Jacobs was captivated by the subject matter. His studies included human machine systems, function, the nervous system, body somatotypes, and life-styles. Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for his Q&A facilitation.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Look for Simple Answers
Arnold Jacobs talks about looking for simple answers when trying to control the body. Save complexity of thought for the artistic needs of artistry (colors, articulations, phrasing, etc.). Control what you want the body to do and you will have controlled the body, but the reverse is not always true. Go for the product; focus on the product not the methodology…”Then it’s easy.”
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Motivations
Arnold Jacobs discusses his use of behavioral and learning psychology. “Everyone is a psychologist” said Jacobs. Dr. Sheldon Kirshner (doctor of psychology) confirms that Mr. Jacobs used psychology in a masterful way in his teaching. Motivation is key to achieving goals. Go for the study of products (sound), not machine systems (muscles and and embouchure). Special thanks to Prof. M. Dee Stewart for his presence of mind to arrange the Q&A format from which this episode has been drawn.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Musical Thought Over Mechanical Thinking
In this brief segment, Arnold Jacobs discusses going for the product rather than the method. With his students, Jacobs set challenges on product, not methodology. The brain should always be centered on sound and phrase. The development of any skill begins with little to no skill. Jacobs would allow crudity in the playing, and encourage trial and error on their path toward developing excellence.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Observations on Vocal Instruction
Arnold Jacobs observed that there is not enough stress on the ability to have proper resonance in order for amplification of the voice is established so as to diminish strength factors in singing. Laryngeal position. Where the body is concerned, keep the thoughts simple.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Physical Focus
Jacobs is asked if it is recommended to dedicate a certain amount of practice time focusing on physical aspects of playing. He believed it wouldn’t hurt if done in short spurts so as not to develop a physical focus in the mind. Keep the main focus on the art form and on high quality, not mechanical mediocrity. Use the psychology of motivation. As the standards increase in the brain the readout also goes up in tissue function (embouchure). The opposite is not always true. One does not need much physical strength to play or sing well.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Piccolo Trumpet
Arnold Jacobs describes his approach to teaching piccolo trumpet, which was to place a dominance of the mind’s attention on music, so as to limit the amount of attention given to how playing piccolo trumpet feels. Think musically. Think of higher notes as simply being faster vibrations, rather than being more difficult to play.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Relating to Your Students
Arnold Jacobs talks about the importance of being sensitive to the student’s needs. The teacher needs to find a place of common communication with the student. Great teaching searches out success in the student, and then uses such moments to teach and improve less good aspects of the student’s playing. We should use the control panel in our minds in order to achieve control of the various body parts involved in making music. Go for the product and you will have controlled the body. We are grateful to Prof. See Stewart for arranging this marvelous Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs.
In His Own Words, Arnold Jacobs describes the importance of solfeggio in the playing of brass instruments. Additional attention and meaning is given to a note when there is a word attached to it. This provides additional stimuli in the brain for amplifying the pitch in the mind’s ear, making that message of pitch more effectively travel down the 7th cranial nerve to the lip region. Because of this, through the study of solfeggio, one can more easily make convincing statements of sound on the instrument. Jacobs highlights two classes he deeply enjoyed at the Curtis Institute: solfeggio with Madame Renee McHale, and phrasing with Marcel Tabuteau. Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for the arrangements he made in order to capture Mr. Jacobs in this unique Q&A context.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Starting a Beginner
In this TPTV episode, Mr. Jacobs describes how he approached starting beginners. Demonstration and imitation are key. Also important is allowing the student to experiment without fear of being “wrong”. Encouraging the mind to be motivated by sound rather than rule-keeping is very helpful to rapid development.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Strength Factors
Arnold Jacobs briefly discusses how strength factors came into brass pedagogy. We are not capable of consciously using more than 3-4 lbs of inter-thoracic air pressure. We do not need considerable physical strength, but we do need shape change in the respiration system (e.g. not a “tight gut”). Many thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for arranging this great Q&A opportunity in 1984 with Mr. Jacobs!
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Studying Music with Fanaticism & Star Trek
Former Jacobs student, Robert Rusk describes the hundreds of miles he traveled just to hear Jacobs play one middle “F” in Stravinsky’s Song of the Nightingale, one weekend, while a student at Indiana University. Professor Stewart offered his sincere thanks to Jacobs for all that he had done as a teacher, mentor, and friend. Jacobs reminded the audience that during a lesson at the S. Normal house, when Star Trek came on the lesson would pause so that all could enjoy the science fiction classic.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs The Aging Process
Arnold Jacobs discusses the the effects of the aging process. There are both physical and psychological changes as one grows older, and both can have detrimental results if not adjusted for by the musician. There are physical changes in the form of lung capacity reduction with age. The psychological aspect has to do with a change in thinking, moving from one of a positive nature (when young) to a negative one (as one ages). Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for arranging this unique Q&A event in 1984 at Indiana University.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs The Importance of Recall…The Quiet Moments
Arnold Jacobs discusses the importance of recall in the mind. Jacobs conducted research into the subject of being tone deaf, which led to his study of the brain. He developed a sequence of listening to a sound source followed by silence, which was utilized as a period of recall in order to train the mind to hear sounds more clearly. One should not mix up what the of sensory and motor nerve activities do. While playing issue statements (motor nerve activity), do not ask questions (sensory nerve activity). It is very important to work from a point of relative success, not failure. Crawl, walk, run. Instrumentalists cannot play by phrase. They must build the phrase. Make sure each pitch has its own stimulus. The audience hears the phrase, but we create it one note at a time, just like we use individual words to create a sentence. People hear and evaluate the words as a sentence, but we build the sentence one word at a time.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Training the Brain
Arnold Jacobs said the focus of our teaching should be on training the brain, we cannot really train the muscles. Instead, we need to train the brain, which controls the muscles. 7th cranial nerve controls the embouchure’s function. The 5th cranial nerve is sensory. Pitch is conceived of in the mind. The thought of the pitch is sent down the 7th cranial nerve to the lip region and when is combined with wind at the lips produces the pitch for others to hear. There is a thought process involved. The student has to have a goal, which requires time in conceptual thought.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Unnecessary Tension
In this AJIHOW episode, Arnold Jacobs is asked what was the most common physical problem he encountered as a teacher. His reply: unnecessary tension. It would usually begin in the lower respiratory track and then the tension makes its way to the layrngeal and pharyngeal regions. There is a substitute of isometrics in place of the needed “bellows” activity of the respiration system. This is largely present in the “tight gut” or static pressure model of respiration. We need air with motion or flow. Blow air, don’t squeeze it. Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for arranging this amazing Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs back in 1984.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Using Too Little Air & Development of Habits
Mr. Jacobs discusses the perils of playing with too little air. When playing in the negative portion of the respiratory curve, it becomes increasingly difficult to expel the air; the air velocity decreases while the work effort increases. The respiratory system’s muscular contraction effort begins to increase as the amount of air in the lungs decreases. Jacobs also talks about the challenges of automatic responses of tactile stimulus in developing new habits. One cannot break an old habit (conditioned response), but a new, better habit can be developed to by-pass the undesired habit. Jacobs also talks about the older pedagogy of “tight gut” and how that does not allow full use of one’s lung capacity. Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for his arranging the wonderful Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs from which this segment is drawn.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Voice v. Brass Breathing Differences & The Love Song
Arnold Jacobs describes the comparative differences of air use between singers and brass players. He demonstrates how, relative to some of the high air flow brass instruments, the voice requires much less air. Discussion of the love song (lyricism) and its importance as a departure point for the various stylistic timbres needed in playing. Great thanks go to Prof. Dee Stewart for his arranging this great Q&A session from which this segment is drawn.
TPTV – Arnold Jacobs Wear Different Hats
Arnold Jacobs talks about the “dual role” and dangers of being both a performer and a teacher. Jacobs observed that he saw many successful performing careers end prematurely due to being overly analytical while playing. Teaching involves a tremendous amount of analysis (gathering information), while playing is based in expression (sharing information). “We don’t play by questions we play by statements.” When the horn is in your hands make statements (rather than being self-analytical), and when teaching be involved in analysis. But do not mix those two activities together. “Wear different hats.” Special thanks to Prof. Dee Stewart for having the foresight of organizing the Q&A session with Mr. Jacobs, from which this segment is drawn.