Not all mistakes are good mistakes, but, when we make them we can still learn a lesson.
Originally, I was going to title this blog, “Ignorance isn’t always bliss”. The blog was going to discuss a little bit about continually learning and pursuing excellence once you are no longer ignorant about a topic.
Part of my rant was going to reiterate my request that we should renew our vigor in learning. By pushing past the desire to remain ignorant.
I tell my students, “There is nothing wrong in being ignorant about a topic or situation. However, once you learn the truth or the correct way to proceed and you decide to remain idle and not pursue truth or excellence, you have embraced stupidity.”
Some of you readers may think that I use harsh language by saying that, and once again you can have your opinion. But, if you think about it and reflect on the times in your life when you decided to remain in the realm of rejection, you soon realize that my statement is true. Believe it or not, middle school students, are a lot smarter and willing to learn than many people give them credit. When they hear the truth and understand the expectations they are given, many times they exceed the goals that have been set. They deserve the courtesy of being talked to in a straightforward manner and with honesty.
Instead, I decided to discuss the subject that many people find uncomfortable. They not only find it uncomfortable to discuss, they become embarrassed when it happens to them.
Mistakes.
We all make mistakes.
Too many times in band class students will stop playing and just look at me after they make a mistake.
“Don’t stop if you make a mistake!”
“How are we going to know what to fix if you stop?”
“It’s okay to make a mistake, I know how to help you fix it.”
“There is nothing wrong with making a mistake as long as you try to fix it afterward.”
The above phrases escape my lips multiple times throughout the day. The only times I make a big deal about the mistakes students make is when they make the same mistake, over and over and haven’t marked it in their music.
“Alto Sax’s is that an F-sharp or F-natural?”
“F-natural Mr. Hauger.”
“Is it? How do you know it is an F-natural and not an F-sharp?”
“Because it’s the one we push down our first finger on our right hand.”
“Yep, that is the way to play an F-natural, but, why are you playing an F-sharp as an F-natural?”
“Because it was F-natural in the other music we played.”
“Did you remember to look at the key signature before we started playing this piece?”
“Yes!”
“What does the key signature tell us?”
“Two hashtags,” yells one, “Two pound signs,” bellows another.
Hoping they understand that what they said, even though they used the incorrect terminology, sinks in, I look at them with a look of expectation of understanding on my face.
“F-sharp and C-sharp says one of the sax players softly.”
“Exactly, I exclaim. All of your F’s will be sharp unless the composer marked it differently. How will you personally make sure you will play them as F-sharp instead of F-natural?”
“Mark them with our pencils,” the soft-answering student replies.
“Wait, you mean we have to change them to the F’s with our middle finger?”
“Yup, middle finger F’s on this piece,” I respond.
The above conversation happens repeatedly. Different days and on different pieces of music. I didn’t mention it to show the mistakes of my students, I did it to show how I had learned from my mistakes.
Here is how I learned from my mistakes.
In the past, my response would have been.
“If you look at the circle, you will see that you are in the key of “D” alto saxophones. The key of “D” has two sharps. Since we know the order of sharps is FCGDAEB and the first two are F and C, then your two sharps are F-sharp and C-sharp. If you can’t remember that or use the information I have given you previously, you can just look at the music and see that the first sharp, not hashtag or pound sign, is on the F line making it F-Sharp. If you look at the second sharp, not hashtag or pound sign, it is on the C space making it C-sharp.”
It wasn’t any wonder the students would stop playing and look at me whenever they made a mistake. They were giving me time to inhale deeply and lay out a lecture that they didn’t need to hear on one long, continuous, and monotonous breath.
Now, one of the ways I correct the situation is, I have the saxophones play a particular passage, knowing one or two will be playing the correct notes, and then ask them, “Did it sound like everyone was playing the right know at the right time in the right way?”
“No,” is the answer every time.
“What do you need to do as a section to fix it?”
When I do that, it gives them the opportunity to talk it over and eventually hear it from their peers about the key signature, rhythm, or phrasing correction.
Many times I will hear an exclamation of, “OH YEAH,” or “Crap, I missed it again.”
After that, they not only play it better, but it reinforces their ability to play as a section and less as individuals honking away on the sax.
Admitting a mistake can be difficult for some people. Too many times, especially in middle school, any deviation from the expectations or norm of what students deem, “good or cool” (or whatever text talk verbiage they use this week to acknowledge something acceptable) is ridiculed relentlessly. Fortunately, that happens very rarely in my classroom. I keep that type of ridicule out of the band because it keeps students from attempting something new. Instead, they fear the thought of making a mistake and the bashing they receive.
Now, they make a mistake, and many times they will throw up their hand, showing it was them, I ask if they know what they did as a mistake and how to fix it and we move on. At that time, if they say yes, we continue on with the rehearsal, if they say no, we fix it and make sure everyone is on the same page with the right note at the right time and in the right way.
I am going to give two more examples of mistakes/ignorance/stupidity.
One of my 6th-grade trumpet players is a really cool kid. He is very likable and is very knowledgeable about music in general. He learned the note names, fingerings, and rhythms very quickly. However, whenever he played he would buzz in the inner section of his lips making his sound almost an octave lower than what was written.
I would point out that he was doing the correct fingerings but he was not playing the correct note. Without being able to sit with him in a trumpet lesson and give him one-on-one instruction, I would have to try and correct his playing during class. With a class full of beginners, a few that had no desire to be in band class but were placed there because band class was considered a “dump class”, I was unable to dedicate the time to help him alone.
This kid never stopped playing his horn and knew he was making a mistake, however, he was no longer ignorant about playing the incorrect notes. That didn’t stop him. He tried to hit the correct notes and would occasionally hit a second line “G” instead of a G two ledger lines below the staff. His eyes would shine, even more than they already did, and he would smile at the accomplishment.
He refused to remain ignorant and persevered to play correctly. One day, I had an idea. I handed him a French Horn mouthpiece and told him that I wanted him to buzz on that mouthpiece during warmup. I told him to match the pitches as we did our slurs and scale.
He did.
I asked if he noticed which part of his lips he was using and he said he did and it felt different.
I instructed the class that we were going to go through the warm-ups again. This time I had the student play the warm-ups on his trumpet but use the same part of his lips he used with the horn mouthpiece. After a couple of false starts, he was able to play the right notes, at the right time, and in the right way.
I had learned from my mistakes of telling kids to flatten their lips and blow faster air. That is not the fix-all for correcting an embouchure.
My last example takes us back to the years of 1984-1985. I was a freshman in high school and was a part of one of the most amazing musical ensembles and wonderful musical experiences I had ever been involved in.
I have mentioned the Jazz Connection in previous blogs as well as Ken Strieby, the director.
Every individual in that band made a positive impact on me. I have carried each experience and lesson with me throughout my musical life.
This final story takes place a couple of weeks before one of our Jazz Connection concerts.
Darin Jester, our bass player, was talking to the rhythm section and I heard him tell them that he was going to use his fretless bass for the concert.
They didn’t seem concerned or worried that he was going to be using a different bass. They were supportive and acted like it wasn’t a drastic change whatsoever.
Let me pause here and tell you a little about the Jazz Connection 84-85 rhythm section.
They completely rocked!
They would create a groove so deep that everyone who played an instrument would fall into it and become groove monsters themselves. As a know-nothing freshman trumpet player, I knew they were good and appreciated their ability to do what they do, but, I didn’t realize how good until later.
Anyway.
Once I realized what a fretless bass was and knew that Darin had been playing on a bass with frets, I began to fret. (Yes, bad word usage done on purpose)
Seriously, I was concerned. I had quite a few questions that I hesitated to ask, but, eventually did ask. I was accepted by the group and felt like I could ask questions without being mercilessly ridiculed. Sure, there would be some busting of chops, but, that is expected when you are a part of a close-knit group.
“Why are you switching to a different instrument this close to the concert?”
“How will you know where to put your fingers when there are no frets?”
“If you like the way it plays, why wouldn’t you play it all of the time?”
“What happens if it doesn’t work like your other guitar?”
Before I continue with the next part, I want to let you know that Darin was an incredible bass player. He told me he doesn't play bass as much now, but, I still bet he could rock out.
I remember asking Darin, “How will you know where to put your fingers,” and he answered, “Do you look at your fingers when you play trumpet?”
Darin could have gone into a long explanation of muscle memory and all things long-winded just like I used to do about key signatures, but, instead, he asked me a question that was applicable to my level of knowledge and understanding. I understood right away.
My ignorance in all things bass, frets, and fretless-ness caused me to question the level of expertise of the rhythm section. I didn’t question their level of incredible skills at playing, I had questioned their decision-making and acceptance in my ignorance.
Darin took a few minutes and a few words to help me understand.
Thanks, brother, there are times I am still long-winded but, more times than not I use a few minutes and a few words.
Sometimes it may be as simple as allowing the students to make the mistakes, and then taking the time to have them correct one another.
Sometimes it may be as simple as handing a student a French horn mouthpiece, and then taking the time to have them feel the difference in their embouchure and the correct embouchure.
Sometimes, it may be as simple as explaining to someone that is ignorant about something you may be an expert on in a few words, and then allowing them to make the connection. Then sit back and watch them to see if they will decide to remain ignorant and become stupid or learn from their ignorance and help others.
I know I am ignorant about quite a few things, but, I refuse to be stupid.
Thanks, Darin and everyone else who takes the few minutes to answer my questions so that I never dip my toes in the slurry of stupidity.
I guess I made a mistake in thinking that this blog was going to be more about pushing past mistakes and becoming better when we make them. Instead, it was more about learning from our ignorance and not being stupid.
I guess I was ignorant of my intent. Hopefully, I won’t make that mistake in the future and show that I exhibit stupidity.