Can of worms .....

[losthobos]

I posted a couple of replies earlier after watching on of the neo-classical players hand positions....met with varying responses....I'm not refined enough to be a classical player that's for sure....but I did watch a few of Frederic Deschamps tutorial videos to get an inkling to his methodology....some of which I did find interesting...
Anyways for the hardcore amongst you please have a watch of this masterclass and share your opinions with this here heathen...no matter how divided they may be ..

 

[saundersbp]

A wind bag.
My experience of people that speak so much is that they have nothing to say. I'd be surprised if the teacher is capable of playing Scarlatti himself.

 

[losthobos]

A wind bag.
My experience of people that speak so much is that they have nothing to say. I'd be surprised if the teacher is capable of playing Scarlatti himself.

I often say...."people that know everything generally understand nothing"
And I think there is another saying something like...."those that can't do teach instead".....
I've met some dreadful music teachers that have been making a living misguiding children in secondary schools.....even had the "pleasure" of one sitting in with a band I had....wrung all life out of Blue Moon and left I choking on the floor.....shocking ....no rhythm, no feel, but plenty of dots....

 

[JerryPH]

OMG. I had a sadistic task master as a student yet he was productive, but this guy is talking and offering NOTHING of substance. With me, he would last about 5 minutes before I walked out.

"develop your anger to free your fingers"
"I still feel the fear in your eyes"
"why you cannot play, your fingers escape before you complete.."

Massive "HUH???" moments.

Ugh. Just walk out.

 

[Walker]

Hey guys... whatcha doin?

Oh wait, I've seen that French bloke before playing accordion on YouTube!

What's his name?

Erm... you know, that FORMER WORLD ACCORDION CHAMPION... his name will come to me... He's taught lots of WORLD CHAMPION ACCORDIONISTS too.

I'm sure the name will come to me...

Anyway, I've gotta go... I'm off to strim the grass now.

Hmm... maybe not such a good idea to go dunking on that French guy... he can play a bit.

Just sayin'.

 

[JerryPH]

Hmm... maybe not such a good idea to go dunking on that French guy... he can play a bit.
Just sayin'.

OK, so he may be able to play, but his teaching style is so abstract... wow. I would not be a good fit for him, not even if I was at my peak. I thrive on tangible explanations, down to earth things that I can UNDERSTAND.

Look at the eyes of the student, he is constantly trying to hide his own confusion and frustration behind a polite smile... he is not in sync with that teacher anymore than I was.

Edit: I knew it was Frederic Dechamps, his name is on the channel... lol

 

[losthobos]

I'm gonna confess....I watched all of his videos that were in n English ....yep...dudes esoteric but now and again he does drop a little food for thought.... especially regarding the mechanics/dynamics of the beloved wind instrument.....perhaps not to be applauded....perhaps not to be dismissed....
It cost me maybe half hour to an hour to go through his vids (ending in en...so I knew they were in English)
It was worth it ......and my mind remains open to the next thing .....like a cat with a ball of wool.....

 

[JerryPH]

Not every student is a good fit to every renown instructor and just think... if you had to pay 100 Euros or more per hour to get 1 tidbit per hour that made you think, it might be worth it if you are some top tier student, but if, like most of us, we yet have a mountain to climb, much less enter in to that little chapel at the top of that mountain to think about the minutiae of every 2 measures of a phrase in a song, I'd be looking for more.

 

[losthobos]

Before we go getting too excited let's put things in perspective and note that the masterclass we are watching is "not" for any of us.....I'm sure we'd be receiving a different lesson based upon our needs and weaknesses (if any teacher is true this would be the case).....
So I've watched some of his beginner four minutes chats and have many things to consider in my playing "technique"......I realise that some of you guys are tutored but some of us and are grateful to glean information and guidance wherever possible...
I've probably made the mistake of studying music idioms, feels and motions instead of studying the "technique" of the accordion.....I now come to the realisation that I need to balance this......my musical ideas will be better expressed if I have "control" over the instruments dynamics...
Wish me luck and discipline

 

[JerryPH]

now come to the realisation that I need to balance this......my musical ideas will be better expressed if I have "control" over the instruments dynamics...

As a kid, I was completely opposite for a long time... all technique zero emotion. It took me a looooooong time to get over that.

Wish me luck and discipline

Good luck! I think you have good amounts of discipline, sitting and searching through those videos proves that.

 

[Canadianpride]

I saw Deschamps give another master class last year and had to turn it off. Very highly respected player and teacher,but I agreed he talked too much. Enormous ego-not that I could afford it but I would never study with someone like him. Perhaps brilliant but really boring.