Jazz Lessons - In the Words of Phil Sobel
by Shannon Kennedy
>> Sax players don’t have same respect for instrument as for example, oboe players,
which is why a lot of saxophonists have such a bad reputation.
>> Alto sax has the most complex sound of any instrument, which makes it one of the hardest instruments to sound
good on.
>> Violinists don’t think, “If you play my horn you’ll be a better player” like sax players do with mouthpieces and
setups. So don’t make a big issue out of stuff like that, it just doesn’t mean anything to anyone else but you.
Everyone is unique in what will work for them.
>> Professor is not fathering (or mothering) relationship, so do not form this relationship with your students.
>> Confident does not mean egotistical.
>> Talent doesn’t mean you will reach your full potential, you have to work hard to get there. Skill really has
nothing to do about talent, people really only use 6 to 8% of their potential if they just go off talent.
>> Praise – every student is different – just be honest and don’t teach negatively. In other words, “Doing it
better but not quite right”.
>> You can be an accomplished musician, but not good. You have to be vulnerable to the audience.
>> Work hard and be a scientist. Observe –they key to all knowledge is to be curious.
>> Music is not made up of lines – it is made up of ovals and circles. Time is a continuum, circular.
>> No one learns from imitating – you learn from listening and adding what you learn to yourself.
>> School education now is terrible – you have to reeducate kids when you get them as students. Take everything
with a grain of salt and get a good private teacher who knows what they are talking about. In music education, Sax
not really appreciated – with university students 75% have not had lessons.
-- Shannon Kennedy as dictated by Phil Sobel
March 07, 2007
