Roger Bobo masterclass in TN 10/31

[martyneilan]

I am surprised nobody has posted this yet:

ROGER BOBO Masterclass
2pm CDT - Sunday, October 31st
Middle Tennessee State University

Pre-registration required
https://forms.gle/zKHF9vefLabCHYv8A

Free and open to the public!

MTSU School of Music
1439 Faulkinberry Dr.
Murfreesboro, TN 37130

[the elephant]

Of course I have a gig at the same time — because of course I do.

[bloke]

I have the day open.
The only other times I was in the same room with him were when he was playing a Berlioz overture on a G tuba, and (the day before) when he played a batch of exquisitely executed low brass excerpts with Peebles and Reynolds in a small auditorium on his Symphonie F.

It's a six-hour round-trip (plus), but - if I go - maybe he can trick me into not sucking quite so bad.

[bloke]

' stayed home and looked after Mrs. bloke (who wasn't feeling all that great, but who is now - happily - on the upward swing).
I coaxed a (much closer to the event) friend (an IU "greatest era" Van Haney student, who is two or three years older than me) to attend.
He reported that most all of the same messages were offered that nearly all other really good clinicians offer.

(Just as I like to point out with the "water-dumping/slide-clanking" crap), there were some ANTI-musical/distracting behaviors pointed out to some of the participants.
ONE (in particular) was some players' (annoying/horrible-sounding) bad habit of inhaling (mostly) through their instrument, and making a terrible, amplified "inhale" noise (over-and-over) during (what was SUPPOSED to be) music.

...so (if there's one thing that's rarely pointed out by teachers and clinicians to avoid), THERE'S something useful that was taken from Mr. Bobo's clinic.

In summary (not of Mr. Bobo's clinic, but of this post only), extraneous movement, extraneous noise, messy/wild/politically-oriented/substance-abuse-oriented clothing, and other things that distract ALL take away from musical performances...as musical performances are only PARTIALLY about "what comes out the bell of the instrument".

bloke "In the case of that inhaling-through-the-tuba crap, it's a case of 'what's going INTO the bell of the instrument' "

[bloke]

It was also reported to me that he reminded a lot of tuba players – or pointed out to them - that a diminuendo only needs to be heard by an audience, and not necessarily felt by the instrumentalist.
If a descending phrase is supposed to get softer as the pitch descends, it may not be necessary to do anything in particular to cause a diminuendo.

[bloke]

Something else that I recall (being told - second hand - that was a theme at the masterclass, which is a common theme of most all masterclasses) is that phrasing and musical expression must be remarkably overdone, if any of the patrons are expected to notice it at all.

[Doc]

Something else that I recall (being told - second hand - that was a theme at the masterclass, which is a common theme of most all masterclasses) is that phrasing and musical expression must be remarkably overdone, if any of the patrons are expected to notice it at all.

He has often made that statement (because it's true, of course).

Did he mention recording yourself at home to see how true this phenomenon is?

For better or worse, those recordings are all too revealing. You think you sound dynamic and witty, but you discover you're expressively flat and an $#!++y.

[bloke]

Who's "you", buddy-boy...!?!?

[Doc]

Who's "you", buddy-boy...!?!?

Well... if the shoe fits,

strap that b!+ch on and wear it.

Doc (who appreciates the fun trolling, as bloke knows the plural/generic use of "you" is implied)

[Three Valves]

‘Round these parts the scolds use the royal “we” as in “If only we blah blah, blah…”

To which I reply; “Who you calling we??”

Same, same.

[bloke]

I TRY to sound like this gentleman sounded.

If you think Mr. Bobo sounded like those Crystal Records recordings, think again:
- way too closely mic'ed
- gain turned up way too high, and then compressed with some sort of analog "limiter"

If you ever had a chance to hear him live, his sound was absolutely sublime, clear, and gorgeous.

oh yeah...no digital patches, with those analog Crystal recordings.
Today, "virtuosi" - who record - rely on hundreds (if not thousands) of digital edits (and even tuning tweaks) per sonata/concerto/one-movement solo piece.
Recordings - today - are referred to as "projects"...Play it the best you can (phrase-by-phrase) and patch together the best "run" of each individual phrase.
In days of analog recordings, music was recorded, minor (perhaps volume or tone/presence...but probably very little) review was done, and then the recordings were run on to vinyl and sold. "Splices" (not actually cutting the magnetic tape, but "track-jumping") were possible, but discouraged.

In the digital age, I've actually worked at a session or two where some of the parts were just too difficult for the players on hand, YET (via computer magic) somehow, they were able to play those passages anyway.

[tofu]

.