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To many wind instrumentalists the name Arnold Jacobs is synonymous with the study of breathing. From contact with his students and his student’s students, many have become intrigued by strange devices, marveled at interesting exercises, and thrilled to unusual concepts. Suddenly colleague’s torsos are expanding to voluminous widths as they hear “breathe to expand,” just before they nuzzle their mouths into a breathing bag. Breathing tubes and open syllables abound as these disciples seek maximum suction with minimal friction. One is warned of various misuses of ones breathing apparatus, and told to become “tall and flabby.” One becomes acquainted with resting lung capacity and vacuum gauges only to wonder if perhaps the functional hasn’t overtaken the musical.

“Breathe to expand,” is a common rebuke to students who show all of the outward and visible signs of taking a breathe but, in truth, suck in very modest amounts of air. By protruding their stomachs and raising their chests, these students reverse the axiom and act as though they must first expand in order to breathe. Holding his nose shut and his mouth closed, Mr. Jacobs protrudes his stomach and expands his chest to make the point that these dramatic gesticulations can be accomplished without taking in any air. Explaining that stomach displacement is a product of inspiration (inhalation), he advocates focusing upon the amount of air moved.

With the stated aim of “maximum suction with minimal friction,” Mr. Jacobs helps his students to take in large quantities of air and release it as wind rather than pressure. Returning to his multi-sensory approach, he advocates that students breathe toward the lips, which can sense wind passing over them. A vacuum gauge directed at ones open mouth during the time of inspiration, a breathing bag which expands with every exhalation, or a ping-pong ball held in a tube and suspended by constant wind movement in both directions, serve as visual aids to assist sensing the volume of air as wind. Holding one hand in front of ones mouth while exhaling provides a tactile sense for wind exhaling, while the sides of the mouth and the throat can join the lips in sensing incoming air. This information of sensation allows the body to regulate function while the performer focuses upon music.

While the above-mentioned options are ways of sensing air as freely flowing wind, a pressurized tension causing air stream is most easily sensed internally. To illustrate the distinction between the two, Mr. Jacobs has his students place an index finger at their lips, sealing them and then blow against it. When the finger is released, there is a light pop. This pressure in brass playing is similar to the pressure exerted I when coughing, blowing a particularly stiff balloon, or akin to the pressure in an inner tube. Wind as free flowing air is illustrated quite differently. Mr. Jacobs has students take in a normal breath and then allow air to escape from the lungs through the lips, sealing them only for a second, then remove the finger.

Pressurized air in brass playing is dangerous because any musculature used to regulate the air, and thus pressurize it, is more powerful than the musculature originating the air itself. Actively seal your lips, and then try to blow them apart. It is impossible. The same is true of a closed throat. Similarly, a person’s chest and abdominal muscles are capable of supporting the weight of a one hundred pound person standing on them, while the lungs can generate approximately two to three pounds of pressure. Symptoms of playing with pressurized air are: delayed attacks (pressure takes time to overcome the biological valve that has been placed in its opposition, and the valve grows stronger with use, thus causing greater delays; a harsh tone quality (when the lips serve as a point of resistance rather than as a source of resonance); and excessive effort when playing (isometric tension as muscles resist pressurized air).

The musculature of the respiratory system has at least three distinct functions. Students are often caught up in the process of one or another of the functions of these muscles, thus causing tension and confusion. In addition to breathing, these muscles are used to create internal pressure useful for childbirth, defecation, and the Valsalva maneuver (similar to the Heimlich maneuver). Finally, they are used for the purpose of stabilization, as one is constantly falling to the left and right, forward and backward, and being adjusted back to center by abdominal, intercostal, and back muscles. As brass players incorrectly focus upon and activate these muscles, tension and pressure adversely effect their tone production. To demonstrate the result of muscle tension upon tone quality, Mr. Jacobs might begin by having a student hold a long tone. As the student continues playing, Mr. Jacobs instructs him to tighten his biceps and triceps. This muscle tension typically has an immediate and adverse effect on the tone. By comparing this to muscle tension located elsewhere in the body, and particularly in the muscles used for respiration, Mr. Jacobs makes a case for a relaxed breathing mechanism.

The primary muscle of respiration is the diaphragm, and although the strap muscles are also capable of inspiration (clavicle breathing) for the purpose of wind instrument performance they are relatively insignificant. From its inverted curve shape, just beneath the heart and lungs, the diaphragm flattens as it contacts, thus lowering air pressure in the lungs. This causes an inward rush of external air until pressure is equalized, and increases interthoracic pressure as the diaphragm displaces its contents outward. It is interesting to not that the diaphragm’s range of motion is capable of only this one direction of movement (contracting, thus pulling the lungs downward), and cannot actively be used to aid expiration. The diaphragm’s natural recoil, (relaxation), the settling of the ribcage (due to gravity and it’s natural elasticity) and the active muscles of expiration (the abdominal, the intercostal, and to a lesser extant, the muscles of the back) bring about expiration. In the process of expiration, the diaphragm can only be used to apply the brakes, or offer isometric opposition to the tightening intercostal and stomach muscles.

Mr. Jacobs encourages the maximum flexibility of the diaphragm, comparing it to a piston. Problems arise when the stomach muscles and the diaphragm are pitted against one another in either inspiration or expiration. Mr. Jacobs likens this stiff respiratory musculature of a brass player to the disadvantages of a similarly stiff bow arm of a violinist. The resistance of one impedes the effectiveness and optimal function of the other. Thus, tightened abdominal muscles prior to and during inspiration cause the diaphragm to work harder and limit its motion in much the same way an activated diaphragm impedes the process of expiration. In order to combat this, Mr. Jacobs might actively push in the stomach of a student whom he feels is doing this while exhaling, thus encouraging the flexibility of the diaphragm/stomach muscle pair. Equating these muscles with another set of paired opposites, Mr. Jacobs gives the example of trying to lift something with the bicep as the tricep is tensed in opposition.

Part 5 of Song and Wind: The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs, by David William Brubeck

“When David Brubeck’s, ‘The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs’,  first came out, I was at Mr. Jacob’s home.  He was very impressed about it and had me read it on the spot.  As usual, Mr. Jacobs was correct, it was an outstanding article that I eventually quoted half a dozen times in ˜Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind”.  David Brubeck did a fantastic job and this is a must-read for anyone interested in the teachings of Arnold Jacobs.”  Brian Frederiksen

Originally published in the TUBA Journal, Fall 1991 Volume 19, Number 1.

Photo of Arnold Jacobs courtesy of windsongpress.com

C. 1991 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved. davidbrubeck.com

Another concern of Arnold Jacobs’ pedagogy is to rid the student of acute self-analysis and concern for machine activity (process) while playing.  Instead, he prefers that students concentrate upon the musical message they wish to convey, or the desired sound of performance (product).  Mr. Jacobs contends that the conscious, analytical faculties of the brain are meant to deal with the challenges of our external environment, or the world around us.  While this rational though process is meant to help us deal with external factors, subconscious thought processes are meant to govern our internal processes, just as they regulate our heart and breathing twenty-four hours a day without conscious control.  This subconscious is equally effective whether used in maintaining balance, speaking, driving, or playing the tuba.  It is when students try to dictate function, rather than simply providing the proper stimulus to achieve the desired result, that they get into trouble.

Mr. Jacobs simplifies this concept by comparing the body to a brand new car with a full tank of gas.  In order to utilize the car, one does not have to get under the hood, fire the pistons, and circulate coolant and lubricants: these are already set up and taken care of by the controls.  One must merely get in and tell the machine where to go. In fact, Mr. Jacobs contends that it is impossible for the conscious mind successfully to control the millions of cells, complex muscle fibers and neurons that set our body in motion. Therefore, one should de-emphasize the mechanics of self-analysis and simply play, using the stimulus of the desired result to elicit the proper response.  “It is a matter of simplicity,” according to Jake, “not complexity.”

An interesting aspect of the early musical experience of Mr. Jacobs is that (to a large extent) he learned to play by ear, and made a study of ‘solfege’ and voice.  He also experienced a protracted hospital stay in his youth, during which time buzzing on the mouthpiece was his only contact with the instrument.  These experiences helped to foster his advocacy of developing ones “inner ear”-the ability to hear music inside ones head-and focus upon sound. The first step to developing this inner ear is “post hearing”-the ability to hear a note after it has ceased vibrating. Mr. Jacobs develops this ability by playing a note on the piano, and allowing silence after it; not requiring the student to match it but merely letting it sink in.

Eventually this leads to the “pre-hearing” of notes before one plays them, as well as the ability to focus upon ones goal of excellence rather than ones own performance.  By combining this with an active, creative imagination and past models of excellence, one is able to project an outstanding goal mentally. Post-hearing complements the effects of hearing a song in your head as you perform.  It allows you to rewind the tape and hear how your rendition matched your musical goal, all while keeping distracting self-analysis from cluttering the mind during performance.  By imagining the best sound, one will be aided in finding the best way of reaching it.  In the words of Mr. Jacobs, “stabilize the music, and the muscle will follow.”

“Bad sound can be made into good sound,” encourages Mr. Jacobs, “no sound cannot.” This comment is typical of professor Jacobs’ encouraging, charming and clever demeanor.  He starts many clinics by complimenting the player and saying how little there is to fix.  Constantly providing them with positive reinforcement, keeping visual contact, and occasionally tapping them to refocus their attention, Mr. Jacobs clearly shows his total absorption with teaching.  His dedication to students and to the process of teaching and learning is enormous.  Mr. Jacobs believes that one should not set limits upon what the wonderful computer of the human brain can do.  As a result, he has successfully transformed many students who were regarded as hopeless by other teachers.  He tells students to be positive when they project their musical message, and to think that it will go right rather than wrong.  Most of his new students were referred by one of his older students, and that powerful endorsement can be attributed as much to this “doctor’s” manners as to his results.

Part 4 of Song and Wind: The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs, by David William Brubeck

“When David Brubeck’s ˜The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs” first came out, I was at Mr. Jacobs’ home.  He was very impressed about it and had me read it on the spot.  As usual, Mr. Jacobs was correct, it was an outstanding article that I eventually quoted half a dozen times in “Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind”.  David Brubeck did a fantastic job and this is a must-read for anyone interested in the teachings of Arnold Jacobs.”  Brian Frederiksen

Originally published in the TUBA Journal, Fall 1991 Volume 19, Number 1.

Photo of Arnold Jacobs courtesy of windsongpress.com

C. 1991 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved. davidbrubeck.com

The Brubeck-Neal Duo has completed its third season with more than 20 performances throughout South Florida.  Staunch chamber music advocates Brian Neal (formerly solo trumpet of the Dallas Brass), and David Brubeck (bass trombonist), have crafted more than a dozen arrangements for the under-served genre of brass duo.

Highlights of the past season of the Brubeck-Neal Duo include the “Rutter Chamber Music Initiative”, where more than 70 Miami-Dade County High School Students received complimentary duet books.  This joint effort to promote chamber music in the public schools was made possible by a grant from the Cleveland Clinic of Florida and the support of Miami Dade College, Mike Corrigan-The Horn Doctor (bacmusic.com), All-County Music, and the Florida Youth Orchestra.

C. 2012 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved. davidbrubeck.com

Douglas Yeo performs Stereogram No. 37 in recital at Indiana State University in Terra Haute

On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, Doug Yeo performed Stereogram No. 37 (”’Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus”), in a concert he shared with the Indiana State University (ISU) trombone choir.  While Stereograms Nos. 1-30 contain all original material, many of the Stereograms numbered from 31-50 are variations, etudes or arrangements based upon the music of other composers.  Stereogram No. 37 is based on the old hymn tune ”’Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus.”  This is the second stereogram dedicated to Mr. Yeo, the first, No. 31, is based upon the hymn tune “How Great Thou Art” and may be down-loaded for free from his website, and viewed on youtube.

Mr. Yeo writes of No. 37….

“I am in Terre Haute, and will be playing your “ ‘Tis So Sweet” tonight at my recital.  It is the perfect vehicle for a casual moment in the program while the piano is being rolled off stage to set up for a solo with trombone ensemble.”  Many performers who present Stereograms have used them as encores, or in ‘ad hoc’ suites of Stereograms. Doug Yeo writes of his innovative approach:  “Another idea is to play a recital and add one of your Stereograms between each of the larger pieces on the program.  I heard a J. J. Johnson album once that put short – 30 second to 1 minute – classical pieces (arranged in jazz mode) between longer songs.  Certainly there are many ways to use your pieces, most importantly as study materials.”

Mr. Yeo’s final post:

“Your Stereogram 37 was very well received this evening at my recital.  I had a great time playing it and will use it again in the future. It just worked out to have just the right way and place to play it today.  Thanks again for the piece.”

Try Stereogram No. 37A, as well!
https://davidbrubeck.com/2013/10/stereogram-no-37a-free-bass-trombone-music-a-reprint-from-the-trombonist-of-the-british-trombone-society/

At the invitation of Tony Brickens and Jon Bohls, I was privileged to perform as a bass trombone solo artist at the 2010 ITF.  My program focused on the performance of my compositions entitled “Stereograms”, and the musical journey they inspired-examining and re-imagining the bass trombone from different perspectives.
The program is available for download.

C. 2011 David William Brubeck      All Rights Reserved.      davidbrubeck.com

Arnold Jacobs claims to play two tubas at once, and does. As he says, he plays the tuba in his hands and the tuba in his head. Focusing the act of performance on the stimulus provided by the musical imagination is the key to the latter part of the famous Jacobs saying “Wind and Song.” To put it simply, he advocates that one sing a song in ones head while playing. “Make a statement!”, he would admonish his class, “Don’t ask questions!” Stating that brass instruments are “stupid”, he relates that one can only get out of a brass instrument what one puts into it. Unlike a piano-which one could approach with the question “What note is this?” then touch that key and receive a discrete and definitive answer-a brass instrument is liable to give any number of pitches depending on the input of the performer.

Of the three components of musical sound-vibration, motor activity, and resonance-a brass instrument provides only resonance, whereas a piano provides all but motor activity. Thus the tune (or vibration), must originate from the brain of the player in the form of pitch, and not just valve combination or slide position. Students can achieve this by practicing buzzing on a mouthpiece or by literally singing the melody they are about to perform. In addition to ones mind holding the goal of excellent musical performance, it must contain a sense of pitch which can overcome the inherent “stupidity” of a hunk of brass as well.

A study of the teaching and learning techniques of Arnold Jacobs finds them to be as innovative and inspiring as they are effective. Since much of his pedagogy deals with the process of acquiring new habits, Mr. Jacobs has utilized several psychological processes in altering stimuli to achieve desired responses. Believing that one can learn more rapidly and more comprehensively when as many of ones faculties are brought to bear as possible, Mr. Jacobs favors a multi-sensory approach to learning. Careful to direct the flow of multi-sensory input, Arnold Jacobs emphasizes that students should focus upon their performance rather than themselves, emphasizing product rather than process. Though exaggeration is a popular tool for many teachers, Mr. Jacobs uses it to his advantage to make clear distinctions between subtle variances. In addition to all of these insightful approaches, he applies his warm and caring manner, devoted attention, and considerable charisma to each student.

“Once something is learned, it is learned forever,”  is a concept that Mr. Jacobs uses to begin his explanation of alternate learning habits. Citing that it is better to form a new correct habit than try to alter an old, bad one, Mr. Jacobs says that a previously conditioned response will persist unless the stimulus which elicits it is altered. “Strangeness is good,” is the beginning of the process in which a student is made unsure by something different in approach, sensation or activity. It is this strangeness, or altered stimulus, which is then used to elicit the desired response, sidestepping the previously conditioned incorrect response.

For example, in order to change the preconditioned responses elicited in a student when playing his or her instrument, Mr. Jacobs will simply remove the musical instrument and have the student blow on the back of the hand, buzz on a mouthpiece, or breathe into a strange apparatus. By conditioning the correct response away from the horn, it is then transferable to the instrument. This offers the additional benefits of keeping exercises from dulling musical passion, enhancing strangeness, allowing a multi-sensoral approach, and avoiding previously conditioned baggage. Most importantly, this additive approach keeps players from having to go back to square one on their instruments-particularly valuable for professional players who must maintain a busy schedule. Thus instead of altering a bad behavior, Mr Jacobs advocates that one simply learn a new correct behavior to supplant it by changing stimuli and eventually transferring the response back to the horn. Meanwhile, the old, undesired behavior will extinguish itself from lack of use.

A key element here is Mr. Jacobs multi-sensory approach. Stated simply, this is the theory that by experiencing something with more than one sensory capacity, or in more than one way, one will achieve greater understanding. Mr. Jacobs directs his students to see the effects of their air as it suspends a ping-pong ball in a tube, or as it inflates a breathing bag. They are encouraged to feel their breath as wind passing over their lips, or as air blown on the back of their hand. He inspires them to hear the particular sound of proper inhalation. In addition, Mr. Jacobs often encourages a kind of artificial “proprioception”.   Since one cannot actually feel ones air after it has left the body, Mr. Jacobs has many students move a hand in and out as if it were being sucked in and out by the breathing-as if it were the air itself. Similarly, since one can not actually feel ones diaphragm within the body (though it is possible to feel its effect by internal displacement, or by the use of sensory nerves around it but not within it) he might have a student move a hand up and down under the sternum, thus simulating the movement of the diaphragm inside. This surrogate moves in sympathy with its original. As in the previous multi-sensory approaches, this allows an additional perspective and experience which enhances the speed and depth of comprehension. It is important to remember that these approaches are merely tools, and that Mr. Jacobs soon refocuses the student upon musical thought.

Mr. Jacobs seems to view exaggeration as particularly valuable in the applied studio, where a slight change can have a tremendous effect. When dealing with the subtle aspect of pedagogy, he often finds it necessary to polarize two shades of grey until they are black and white extremes. Often the difference between the right way to do something and the student’s current attempt is very slight, but the student is unable to recognize the difference. In one particular instance, Mr. Jacobs instructed a student to pronounce ‘Kee-Tee-Yee’, and then take a breath, followed by ‘Oh-Ah-Ooh’ and a breath. This illustrates the two extremes of oral cavity resistance. The slight difference between the A sound as in “day”, is difficult to distinguish from the syllable ‘Ah’, though it marks a significant contrast in ones tone on a brass instrument. However, one can easily feel and hear the vast distinction between ‘Eee’ and ‘Ooh’.

Part 3 of Song and Wind: The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs, by David William Brubeck

“When David Brubeck’s ‘The Pedagogy of Arnold Jacobs’ first came out, I was at Mr. Jacobs’ home.  He was very impressed about it and had me read it on the spot.  As usual, Mr. Jacobs was correct, it was an outstanding article that I eventually quoted half a dozen times in ˜Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind”.  David Brubeck did a fantastic job and this is a must-read for anyone interested in the teachings of Arnold Jacobs.” Brian Frederiksen

Originally published in the TUBA Journal, Fall 1991 Volume 19, Number 1.

Photo of Arnold Jacobs courtesy of www.windsongpress.com

C. 1991 David William Brubeck  All Rights Reserved.  www.davidbrubeck.com