[Dixielandjazz] : More Trombone lung etc.--Mike Vax

[Norman Vickers]

Musicians and Jazzfans list & DJML

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Listmate,  clinician, trumpeter Mike Vax, leader of the Stan Kenton Alumni Band echoes and amplifies comments by Bill Moseley. 

 

Bill Moseley’s remarks are appended since they didn’t get sent previously to DJML.

Thanks to Mike and Bill. 

 

 

 

 

Mike writes:

 

 

From: vaxtrpts [mailto:vaxtrpts at aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 6:40 PM
To: nvickers1 at cox.net
Subject: Re: More Trombone lung etc.

 

Bill is right on about the cleaning instruction of instruments.  I can't tell you how many times I do clinics for, or see individual students who are younger, and they have NEVER been told about cleaning their instruments by their school band directors of even sometimes by their private teachers.  I have even seen students who may have owned their horns for a year or more and who have NEVER cleaned them out because no one told them that they should do that.  I guess you can also, in some instances, blame the music stores who sold or rented them the instruments.  
You would NOT want to look into the mouthpieces or lead pipes of some of the trumpets that I have looked through!
Mike Vax

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
To: Norman Vickers <nvickers1 at cox.net>
Sent: Thu, Sep 9, 2010 4:08 pm
Subject: More Trombone lung etc.

Musicians and Jazzfans

From: Norman

 

Retired Naval officer/teacher/trumpeter arranger Bill Moseley of Pensacola writes:

 

From: Bill and Monnie Moseley [ <mailto:moseley1 at cox.net?> mailto:moseley1 at cox.net] 
Sent: Thursday, September 09, 2010 5:56 PM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: RE: "Trombone Lung"-NPR story--Janie Lynch

 

I have to reply, Norm.  The article may be partially correct, but the article should state that “spit valves” primarily dispense condensation.  Nobody can play correctly and spit at the same time.  If anybody sneezes or coughs, that may most likely lead to the subject problem.  Way back in the mid sixties when I had 325 students in my award-winning band program (which ended for me when I entered Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School here in Pensacola), I always emphasized to my brasswind students (and the others) to never breathe in through their instruments, as many do, because of the mildly toxic nature of the valve/slide oil. (Today, it comes with a warning concerning this.)  In addition, we had a “band stand down” regularly which was dedicated to cleaning and adjusting all instruments, including breaking down all brass instruments, cleaning the insides thoroughly, including mouthpieces, and properly greasing and oiling all slides, corks, etc.  This procedure should be done by all band directors.  For example, if a trumpet student has frozen slides or less than a pristine mouthpiece, it is the fault of the director.  My more advanced students assisted with this.  In brass instruments, if not properly cleaned, gooey “gunk” will collect on the nodes and in the valve passageways and their instruments will not play properly, in addition to being nasty.  The students will quickly learn the benefit of having their instruments as clean on the inside as the outside.  To my way of thinking, “band stand down” was taking a step backwards followed by a dozen forward.

 

Bill Moseley

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