Now that you have learned some background about Nick Drozdoff, I’ll start explaining my situation and share some of the results I have enjoyed after following the suggestions in his method. And if you haven’t read his background, I suggest that you start your homework with our previous posts at Let Me Introduce You To My New Trumpet Coach- Mr. Nick Drozdoff and Learn More About Nick Drozdoff.
As I mentioned on our first post, I started looking into Mr. Drozdoff’s teaching material after receiving my copy of his material How to Practice- The Drozdoff Method.
This is not the typical “Start on page 1 and continue until you have accomplished all that you desired in your trumpet playing”.
Most methods require no thinking and constant repetition in order to progress. This method is far from the usual cookie cutter approach. You are actually encouraged to THINK. What a concept! As the title states, “How to Practice” which in itself is important for most players repeatedly forge through their practice material blindly following the same material and seldom thinking as to what they are trying to accomplish.
Let me first point out one important suggestion from his method before I delve into the results I have been enjoying after working on the material in the book. The following material in italics is taken directly from the method material.
1.Preface:
“As I begin the preface, I want to make an important point. I would strongly encourage you to read through all of the text before you begin work on this project that is your trumpet playing”.
I told you that you had to think if you expect improvements from this method.
If you are like I am, the last thing I wanted to do was to delay my improvement by wasting my precious time reading through the material before I started to huff and puff through this new material.
If you want to improve as I have, take the time to do what he has suggested. Trust me, if you decide to forgo the reading before playing his examples, you are not smart enough to get the results you are hoping for.
I did take the time to read before attacking my instrument and I am glad that I did for without some background on the concepts, I would have missed the reasoning behind the authors instructions.
If you have not already purchased your own copy of How to Practice- The Drozdoff Method, you can stop reading my material at this point and try to catch up with the rest of the class when you have your material in front of you.
Material to be read “before” starting your practicing-
Chapter One- Daily Practice Routines
Section One- Scale Patterns
Section Two- My Daily Routine
Chapter Two- Embouchure, Breathing and Tongue Control
Chapter Three- Secondary Ideas for Optimizing the Efficacy of Your Practice Time
Chapter Four- How I Figured Things Out
Chapter Five- Further Development and Implementation of the Altissimo Set
Chapter Six- Concluding Remarks and Adaptation
Appendix- Musical Exercises
The actual playing material begins on page 42 of this method book. So, if you are too busy to do your reading, you may possibly be too lazy to be a trumpet player.
Do I make myself perfectly clear?
I took the time to read, I followed the instruction and I have increased my upper register by four full steps.! I am playing as high as I did when I was attending North Texas State 56 years ago! If I can get that kind of results at the age of 81, just think what you can accomplish at your age.
That’s it for today and if you still do not have read How to Practice- The Drozdoff Method by our next post, you can skip class for the next couple sessions as your competition is enjoying increased success in their trumpet careers.
