Tuesday, January 16, 2024

From The Can Do Point, Zoom Session 3, looking at Rhythm 1/20/24

Hello everyone!

Hope all is well! ZOOM SESSION 3, for "From The Can Do Point" looking at Rhythm, will be Saturday January 20th at 11 am EST.

Session 3 will expand the way we look at basics, in this case rhythm.  Ask yourself: "what is rhythm? How do I work on rhythm? There are many ways to think about rhythm. But most importantly is our connection and feeling about it. In other words, do you have a living relationship with rhythm??

From The Can Do Point Zoom Sessions requires a minimum donation of $10. The donation instructions are below*

*I'm trying a different format for these sessions and request that the donation be paid either before the session or immediately after the session, Thank you!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81047877340?pwd=7LTwcLZSshVGEwe00P2JkkBFHbgjDh.1

-EXTRAS: Companion notes will be available for $3.50 and written music exercises with instructions will be available for $8. Your donation can include the price of the companion notes and the written music. Or,you can purchase the notes and music separately at another time. Total price with notes and music is $21.50. 

These notes and music exercises will be available at some point after the session. Not all sessions will come with these extras. **Companion notes and written musical exercises will be available after this session on Rhythm!

Forward the best and leave the rest!

Norman

Please feel free to share this email with others you may know!

*Here are the donation directions:

*IMPORTANT NOTE

BEFORE DONATING, MAKE SURE TO PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW IT SO IT IS DONE CORRECTLY. THANKS IN ADVANCE!HOW TO SIGN UP:

(Note especially #6)

1. To pay/donate, please go to:

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/vierabolter

2. You will arrive at a PayPal window with the Air-ev and Frequency Band symbols and the name Carol Viera (Dr V's name)

3. Click "SEND" option

4. Enter AMOUNT: $10 (or more if you are purchasing notes $3.50 and/or music exercises $8).

5. At the bottom of the same window is the prompt: "What's this payment for?" ENTER A NOTE about which session(s) you are attending (e.g. From the Can Do Point, Train Athletic Craft, Private Lesson, FBSMC or more than one)

6. **IMPORTANT!** Select left box titled "PERSONAL" (because you're not "purchasing" merchandise, which is the default option; selecting that option incurs extra fees and creates an income category error for us; we do declare these personal payments on our taxes, as we would private lessons and coachings)

7.COMPLETE TRANSACTION (make sure your transaction goes through)

Friday, January 12, 2024

"From The Can Do Point" Session 2 on Zoom, Friday 1/12/24 11am, Zoom Link included

Hello everyone!

Hope all is well! ZOOM SESSION 2, for "From The Can Do Point" looking at auditions, will be this FRIDAY January 12 at 11 am EST. Most often these sessions will be Saturdays unless there is conflict.

The 2nd session will focus on auditions! Yes, there is a can do point (CDP) for working on and playing an audition. Think about how you work on excerpts. Do you fall into what you think they should sound like? Have you built a relationship with the music before you start working on them or after?

Can you find your mental, emotional, physical CDPs? This is what we will look into on Friday.

From The Can Do Point Zoom Sessions requires a minimum donation of $10. The donation instructions are below*

*I'm trying a different format for these sessions and request that the donation be paid either before the session or immediately after the session, Thank you!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81256287293?pwd=LIyfqUYi3R33KNUPvaAooFi6xXCrhL.1

-EXTRAS: Companion notes will be available for $3.50 and written music exercises with instructions will be available for $8.

These notes and music exercises will be available at some point after the session. Not all sessions will come with these extras. Availability of the extras will be announced during the Zoom session.

Forward the best and leave the rest!

Norman

Please feel free to share this email with others you may know!

*Here are the donation directions:

*IMPORTANT NOTE

BEFORE DONATING, MAKE SURE TO PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW IT SO IT IS DONE CORRECTLY. THANKS IN ADVANCE!HOW TO SIGN UP:

(Note especially #6)

1. To pay/donate, please go to:

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/vierabolter

2. You will arrive at a PayPal window with the Air-ev and Frequency Band symbols and the name Carol Viera (Dr V's name)

3. Click "SEND" option

4. Enter AMOUNT: $10

5. At the bottom of the same window is the prompt: "What's this payment for?" ENTER A NOTE about which session(s) you are attending (e.g. From the Can Do Point, Train Athletic Craft, Private Lesson, FBSMC or more than one)

6. **IMPORTANT!** Select left box titled "PERSONAL" (because you're not "purchasing" merchandise, which is the default option; selecting that option incurs extra fees and creates an income category error for us; we do declare these personal payments on our taxes, as we would private lessons and coachings)

7.COMPLETE TRANSACTION (make sure your transaction goes through)

Friday, August 11, 2023

Companion Notes for FBSMC 15 , Spontaneity Within A Plan, Video 6

As musicians or actually anyone who is involved in developing a craft, skill or an art, it soon becomes very clear that all our practice sessions might not go smoothly and easily. What an understatement! But can we find ways to find the flow inside of ourselves so even in the midst of the difficult challenges we can keep moving.

Here is where that wonderful word attitude comes in. For the "right" attitude can do wonders in creating a bigger view in ourselves of the phrase "go with the flow". This kind of flow has found a way to love the process even in the face of what feels to be a lot of resistance getting in the way of our progress. If we can find a REAL attitude of love of the journey (yes, there will be discouraging moments, weeks, or months sometimes when it feels like nothing is happening or it even gets worse) to still be moving in ourselves with the accompanying attitude "when there's a will there's a way and another way!"

It helps, depending on where you are in your journey, to have a sense of "going slow to go fast." This means being in the moment of here and now so you can embrace where you are at and truly BE with it. My great lesson in this was when I injured my chops from WAY TO MUCH playing of a certain kind. I was put into a position with no choice but to surrender to what was actually going on and find the means to deal with it and heal. It was one small step at a time that eventually got me out of my predicament. It took 4 years and a whole restructuring of my embouchure. I never even took off time from playing in the orchestra or quintet.

But with an embouchure change that big, you lose and gain at the same time. It may also challenge your identity as a player, especially if you got known for certain attributes in your playing that may not continue to be there in the same way with your new set up (even though some aspects of your playing may improve. An example would be if you had an identity with a certain quality of sound. That sound might not be there in the same way with your new structure. This makes us look at our "mental" embouchure. A very necessary component!

We can see from this that a change is made up of many specific parts that need adjustment and repositioning. The power of a person's determination in how they approach this delicate territory is what will make the difference. The human will is a vital participant in this endeavor. Patience will turn into the a special kind of flow if it is coupled with hope and maintaining one's love of music. The "equation" could look something like this; Love + Hope + Acceptance = Flowing Patience.

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

REMINDER: FBSMC 15, Spontaneity Within A Plan, Zoom Session 7, 8/10 6pm EDT.

Hello everyone!

This is a reminder that ZOOM SESSION 7 for Frequency Bone Summer Music Connection 15- "Summer Studio Class" with the theme: "Spontaneity Within A Plan," WILL BE HELD THIS THURSDAY AUGUST 10th at 6pm EDT.

In Zoom Session 7, we will be looking into what flow is. Everyone has heard of the saying "go with the flow" but what flow do we want to go with is the question! :-)

FBSMC 15 will consist of and include:

\-Weekly videos uploaded to YouTube.

-Zoom sessions

-Companion notes, music and/or exercises emailed to Zoom session participants*-

FBSMC 15 Zoom Sessions requires a minimum donation of $10. If this is a problem, please let me know.

*-FBSMC 15 companion notes, music and/or exercises for each Zoom session are available and will be emailed to the participants for an extra $5 donation. This would make the donation $15. That's getting a bang out of your buck! 🎇

If you are planning to attend a FBSMC 15 session, please email me at normtobe@gmail.com so I can send you a Zoom Invitation once I see you donated for the session. If you do not receive an invitation within a 24 hour window after donating, please get in touch with me ASAP by email or by text at 617-759-1620 no later than 1 hour before the session.

***BONUS- For those who attend at least 2 sessions of either TACraft or FBSMC 15, (it can b1e one of each) I am offering a 1 hour private session with me for $90. So, for every 2 sessions you get a $90 private session with me. Which is pretty good considering my regular fee is $200+ for an hour session. A savings of $110+ ⚛

I hope to see some of you online this summer in a TACraft and/or a FBSMC 15 session. We will always be playing so please bring your horns. A journey of discovery it surely will be!

Please feel free to share this email with others you may know!

Here are the donation directions:

*IMPORTANT NOTE

BEFORE DONATING, MAKE SURE TO PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW IT SO IT IS DONE CORRECTLY. THANKS IN ADVANCE!HOW TO SIGN UP:

(Note especially #6)

1. To pay/donate, please go to:

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/vierabolter

**(Please COPY and PASTE LINK if needed).***

2. You will arrive at a PayPal window with the Air-ev and Frequency Band symbols and the name Carol Viera (Dr V's name)

3. Click "SEND" option

4. Enter AMOUNT: Anew Each Day is an optional (not a prerequisite)  free will donation of any amount

5. At the bottom of the same window is the prompt: "What's this payment for?" ENTER A NOTE about which session(s) you are attending (e.g. Train Atheltic Craft, Private Lesson, FBSMC or more than one)

6. **IMPORTANT!** Select left box titled "PERSONAL" (because you're not "purchasing" merchandise, which is the default option; selecting that option incurs extra fees and creates an income category error for us; we do declare these personal payments on our taxes, as we would private lessons and coachings)

7.COMPLETE TRANSACTION (make sure your transaction goes through)

Friday, August 4, 2023

Companion Notes for FBSMC 15, Video 5, Spontaneity Within A Plan

Musical equations and couplings. Everyone has a template or way inside of themselves when they play, or do anything actually. Our 'default" setting might not always be the best for us, and this is where we can move beyond our mechanical-default-habit by experimenting with other mental settings. Using rhythm, pitch and timbre in different combinations to make some playing equations can be very revealing!

Arnold Jacobs, the great former tubist of the Chicago Symphony who was also known as one of the great brass pedagogues, had a coupling which was "wind and song." Many people use this simple equation because of its simplicity and how it ties brass playing with motion of air and playing music. It also keeps many players from going down a path of too much complication and over thinking. If this works for someone, that is the important bit. But after working with people for over 55 years, there are many other formulas that work too and can be more targeted depending on the player in their current state of playing.

There are many examples of equations that work using rhythm, pitch and timbre. Rhythm + pitch = result. Now, pick a leader and a companion such as rhythm being the leader or pilot and pitch being the companion or co-pilot and play a passage with that in your mind. Then reverse that where pitch is the leader and rhythm is companion and observe the difference. In doing this, one can feel, in most cases, a very tangible difference between the two equations. This can easily be done using a variety of combinations like:

Rhythm + timbre, timbre + rhythm, pitch + timbre and so on. Remember in this equation that it is Leader (pilot) + companion (c-opilot) = result. From this we can see that in Mr. Jacobs' equation that wind was the leader and song was companion but so intimately related that they became intertwined. Maybe some people felt it unconsciously as song + wind. Who knows!

EXERCISE

1. Pick a phrase or two from an etude, solo, excerpt or whatever.

2. Try using a formula like Pitch + Timbre and play the phrase.

3. Play it again in reverse.

4. Go on to try this using the various combinations of RPT.

5. To deepen this exercise, go to the previous blog post and do the exercise on building a relationship with RPT.

NOTE: Oftentimes we like to focus on one thing at a time. I understand and have done it myself. But I have found that the equation or coupling method (a leader and a companion) in many circumstances works better.

Saturday, July 29, 2023

FBSMC 15, Spontaneity Within A Plan, Companion Notes for Video 4

Have you ever thought of yourself as a note in the symphony of creation? In fact, that is exactly what you are! If that can resonate in your inner timbreal acoustic, it will change your world and what music represents.

Rhythm, pitch and timbre are expressions of the law of three. They are the three parts that make up a unified sound or frequency. Sound is audible frequency and obviously the human and animal, insect, and aquatic life can pick up frequency in a number of ways. Hearing, touching, tasting, smelling and seeing are the common ways of detecting frequencies. But the instinct picks up frequencies and so does our own energetic field known as the aura. When someone says, "you're in my space!" they feel your space entering their space. Space here means one's aura."

The human is an incredilbe design capable of extrodinary things! Once we start getting in touch with the essence of rhythm, pitch and timbre, it offers a window into seeing Nature's laws at play right in plain sight in our daily life and while playing our instrument. Once this happens your playing, pracitcing, performing and teaching can take a more profound level of understanding that music and life are not separate. The same laws and principles are taking place.

There are many practical ways to apply this knowledge to music making and instrumental development. But first, getting to know the teritory by building a relaitonship with rhythm, pitch and timbre, "RPT." This is not that difficult to do, you just have to practice it. RPT is EVERYWHERE!

1. Focus on one of them at a time.

a) Pick the one that catches you the most.

b) Try it for a whole day.

c) then pick one of the other 2 the next day.

2. Listen to people talk.

3. Listen to the sounds in your neighborhood.

4. Feel the times of day- quiet times will help you build subtlety in your listening.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

REMINDER: FBSMC 15, Zoom 6, 7/27/23 6pm EDT

Hello everyone!

This is a REMINDER of the remaining schedule for July of FBSMC 15. There will be NO Zoom Sessions for the week of July 31st through August 6th.

*ZOOM SESSION 6 for Frequency Bone Summer Music Connection 15- "Summer Studio Class" with the theme: "Spontaneity Within A Plan," WILL BE HELD THIS THURSDAY JULY 27th at 6pm EDT.

In Zoom Session 6, we will be looking at music's foundational tripod of Rhythm, Pitch and Timbre and see how they are intimately related to each other. This comes under a law of Nature that says "one is three and three is one."

FBSMC 15 will consist of and include:

-Weekly videos uploaded to YouTube.

-Zoom sessions

-Companion notes, music and/or exercises emailed to Zoom session participants*-

FBSMC 15 Zoom Sessions requires a minimum donation of $10. If this is a problem, please let me know.

*-FBSMC 15 companion notes, music and/or exercises for each Zoom session are available and will be emailed to the participants for an extra $5 donation. This would make the donation $15. That's getting a bang out of your buck! 🎇

If you are planning to attend a FBSMC 15 session, please email me at normtobe@gmail.com so I can send you a Zoom Invitation once I see you donated for the session. If you do not receive an invitation within a 24 hour window after donating, please get in touch with me ASAP by email or by text at 617-759-1620 no later than 1 hour before the session.

***BONUS- For those who attend at least 2 sessions of either TACraft or FBSMC 15, (it can be one of each) I am offering a 1 hour private session with me for $90. So, for every 2 sessions you get a $90 private session with me. Which is pretty good considering my regular fee is $200+ for an hour session. A savings of $110+ ⚛

I hope to see some of you online this summer in a TACraft and/or a FBSMC 15 session. We will always be playing so please bring your horns. A journey of discovery it surely will be!

Please feel free to share this email with others you may know!

Here are the donation directions:

*IMPORTANT NOTE

BEFORE DONATING, MAKE SURE TO PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS BELOW IT SO IT IS DONE CORRECTLY. THANKS IN ADVANCE!HOW TO SIGN UP:

(Note especially #6)

1. To pay/donate, please go to:

https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/vierabolter

**(Please COPY and PASTE LINK if needed).***

2. You will arrive at a PayPal window with the Air-ev and Frequency Band symbols and the name Carol Viera (Dr V's name)

3. Click "SEND" option

4. Enter AMOUNT: Anew Each Day is an optional (not a prerequisite)  free will donation of any amount

5. At the bottom of the same window is the prompt: "What's this payment for?" ENTER A NOTE about which session(s) you are attending (e.g. Train Atheltic Craft, Private Lesson, FBSMC or more than one)

6. **IMPORTANT!** Select left box titled "PERSONAL" (because you're not "purchasing" merchandise, which is the default option; selecting that option incurs extra fees and creates an income category error for us; we do declare these personal payments on our taxes, as we would private lessons and coachings)

7.COMPLETE TRANSACTION (make sure your transaction goes through)