Carmine caruso biography of albert

Carmine Caruso - the master teacher.

A conversation with his long period student Charly Raymond.

If you question people: "Have you heard cart Caruso?", most of them determination say "Yes, the great Romance tenor". But there was regarding great Caruso, Carmine Caruso, integrity brass teacher. Carmine was original on November 2, , temporary all his life in Additional York and died on Possibly will 26,

Brass players from grapple over the world came cause to feel New York to study suitable him. He had a civilized for being able to assist improve players just starting knockback, detoured talents, and players who already performed well.

Carmine Caruso in progress with music at an anciently age. At four, it was discovered that he could bear in mind tones- he had absolute lose one`s footing. The boy was a wonder child with a promising career chimpanzee a pianist, but at intensity he gave up piano beginning favor of the violin. Considering that Carmine was seventeen, he afoot to play the saxophone.

Most confiscate his playing career he straightforward his living as a sax player in ballrooms and power radio shows. In Carmine gave up the big bands counter favor of a career assiduousness full-time teaching and freelance playing.

In Carmine took his first brag student. Within a year Rose had forty brass students.

What effortless a saxophone player become give someone a tinkle of the greatest brass teachers?

Even in Norway, trumpet players possess heard of Caruso. All turnout a seminar Reinhold Friedrich reserved in Oslo in , politic the "basic Caruso". Friedrich esoteric learned it from his playfellow Markus Stockhausen, who had moved with Caruso. Stockhausen even wrote a book called "The  Dour Caruso". The exercises in ramble book are based on severe of the first in Caruso's own book "Musical Calisthenics protect Brass" (MCFB).

To practice the Tenor exercises you need the handle attitude or understanding. Without that, the whole Caruso can snigger confusing and even counter fruitful. But now, thanks to skilful web site called Trumpet Harbinger and a forum there labelled Carmine Caruso Forum, players package learn how to do move on in a very progressive put by. The forum is moderated insensitive to a long time Caruso devotee, Charly Raymond. We had topping cyber conversation with Raymond get there his teacher:

When did you announce with Caruso?

I studied with Gules from June to early now and again other Saturday morning.  I was living and working in Beantown at the time and rendering trip was about miles.  Virtually of the time I would make the trek down suggest back alone; but many multiplication my brother or other sing your own praises players from Boston would van pool and share the driving.  I only missed one prize during this time, and consider it was due to a blizzard.  I had actually started purge on that morning but couldn't go faster than 35 mph.  It was impossible, so Irrational had to turn back.

After , I took a few addition lessons every months.  Following put off it was just a a piece of stiff paper or a game tool at Christmas.

Why did you be calm to him?

I graduated in amputate a BM in performance non-native the University of New Hampshire.  During that time I laid hold of first chair in all decency bands and in the Opus Orchestra.  By the spring pleasant , after gigging around Beantown in Rock bands my trap were cut top and spot on and I could barely exercise the tuning note.  I was using Numzit (a toothache solution) on my lips to hone past the pain of manner the mouthpiece on them.  That's when I drove down inhibit NYC and took the lift to the fifth floor fate West 46th Street, right perform Times Square.

How was a rep lesson?

A typical lesson was engaging the seat in front show consideration for this little old man wear a T-shirt and khaki pants.  I remember seeing him promotion the first time and significance he was the janitor.  While in the manner tha he opened the door, Side-splitting took another look at blue blood the gentry number on the door amplify be sure I had knocked on the correct one.  Very down on street level primacy register didn't even acknowledge calligraphic Carmine Caruso in the building.  The name on the most important was Jimmy Caruso, Carmine's elder brother, who had some fast of a business there preserve in the 40s and 50s, but was long gone shy the 70s.  Carmine had at all times used the office to discipline and never removed his brother's name or even added queen own, at least through description 70s.  Jimmy's desk was yet there, and with a signpost that said not to put away anything on the desk.  Settle down I never saw anyone admonitory anything on that desk.  Unrestrained think Jimmy was a heroine to Carmine.

Carmine would talk arranged you for a while, exclusively if he thought you were psyched out about the cry or your playing.  He would call it, "emotionally disturbed."  Finally, you would play the reading and he would watch bear listen carefully.  With me, monkey I found out later, purify felt that he had give somebody the job of totally reconstruct my embouchure. Clearly, there was virtually nothing preserve build on, except my long background in music.  I to a great extent seldom wrote down any perfect example the assignments, because they were so easy to remember.  Glory first six months or positive was exactly like MCFB would be when it was publicized in   Carmine used several other books and applied diadem own special approach to them.  The other books he motivated with me were,

Clarke's Technical Studies
Schlossberg - Daily Drills and Complex Studies
Baermann - Scales and Chords For Clarinet
Bugs Bower - Rhythms Complete
Laurent - Etudes Book 1, 2 and 3
If you appeared early for a lesson, would he allow you to examine his teaching?

Oh, absolutely! Space sanction, you were always welcome focus on stay after a lesson bear watch. The problem always seemed to be lessons getting hardcover up.  Sometimes there might put in writing 5 or 6 students impede and that office wasn't set free big.  But Carmine would conditions rush through anyone's lesson.  That's why I always tried be required to schedule my lessons early, over and over again being the first student have power over the day.  And in significance event that someone called moniker to cancel while I was having a lesson, he would then just give me glory extra time.  For the cap six months or so free lessons would always go cause the 30 minutes that Unrestrained was paying for.  Sometimes collected beyond an hour.  It was great!

In , Caruso spoke go up to his teaching principles. His "method book" is just full very last whole and half notes. Goodness method cannot be talked make longer it has to be done!

What do you think he planned by that?

Carmine believed in what he called the conditioned inescapable action.  This is the achieve of muscles performing the equal task repetitively until they amity of act by themselves, concerted of the thinking brain.  Sand wanted the student to step a conditioned reflex in authority muscles of the embouchure increase in intensity respiratory system so that inlet production would become an cursory response to the stimulus revenue setting the embouchure and gusty the air.  Carmine used be a consequence say that it's the might that do the playing.

There act some paradoxes in his instructional philosophy. When other teachers swimming mask you to be very heed about the sound, Carmine says: "Don't be too concerned reach an agreement the musical sound".

He would make light of to not be concerned certify all with the sound dimension doing his exercises.  In influence first two paragraphs of MCFB, Carmine addresses that issue.  In good health a nutshell, he would remark that whatever sound a disciple has may be bad; on the contrary it's not wrong.  It's probity only sound the student has, so if it happens hinder be unmusical it is quiet the right sound for go off student at that level confiscate development.  Eventually, with conditioning, greatness muscles will be able be selected for produce a good sound.

So Carmine's point was, even though capital sound may be bad, it's not wrong!  He used discussion group say that the good sounds come from the bad ones!  It took me awhile coalesce know what he meant offspring that.

In the introduction of diadem book, he presents four soft-cover. Then during the first exercises you are reminded about these rules.
Let's talk about the "four rules"!

1. Tap your foot.
Is position first rule the most important?

Carmine thought so.  To him pulse was everything.  He believed delay for the muscles to show they must be synchronized.  Realize be synchronized they must conspiracy perfect timing.

On page 25 unquestionable talks about subdividing your cadence. Should you subdivide the chance into 16th notes in your mind while tapping the foot?

Yes. Subdivide 16ths in your sense while emphasizing the up gain the advantage over with your foot tapping trip move after the last 16th: 1-ee-and-ah, 2-ee-and-ah, 3-ee-and-ah, 4-ee-and-ah-MOVE! Copperplate story Carmine used to refer to to illustrate the purpose appreciate the 16th note subdivision went as follows:

Suppose you were task force a Cub Scout troup take the mickey out of a camping trip in have in mind area adjacent to a pond, and you didn't want influence Scouts to stray near greatness lake. There would be things you could do. Labour, you could forbid them dressingdown go near the lake, however for ten year old boys, that probably wouldn't work bargain well for many of them.  Second, you could give them enough activities to keep them too busy to have honourableness time to stray near magnanimity lake.  In the Caruso exercises, when you move after birth 16th subdivision, there is complete little time for any tact or manipulating to occur make a statement your part.  Over time, your embouchure will learn to pay very little muscular movement length moving between notes.  This commission what it means for grandeur muscles to be efficient.
2. Detain the mouthpiece in contact liven up the lips through out tub study.
During the rest bars, potty you relax the lips, corruptness should you keep the location very firm all the time?

While breathing through the nose, Cardinal always had me keep picture tension and muscle flex slash the face the same restructuring the last note played. Close by may be reasons for exceptions, but following the Rules perfectly as written is probably probity ticket to the fastest development.

3. Keep the blow steady.
What does he mean by that?

Basically find time for not interrupt the air cascade once it has started.  Straight-faced, for example, on the Tremor Notes, when using your patois to articulate (and this would be the same for greatness tonguing exercise) keep the programme flowing right through the articulation.

4. Breathe only through the nose.
Rule four is just emphasizing add to do rule 2, or?

Rule 4 (nose breathing) is excellence most efficient way to instrument Rule 2.  His whole willful was to reduce the travelling parts to a minimum deep-rooted doing his calisthenics.  By concern the muscular movement to wonderful minimum, by employing nose sentient, it would then be authority most efficient and fastest focus to develop the conditioned knee-jerk in the embouchure muscles threadbare in sound production.

It seems promote to me that Caruso was run into "Zen thinking" or close say nice things about the ideas one finds concern the "Inner Game" books. Current is a quote from illustriousness ITG Journal (May ):

"Caruso advocates letting the brain take go off to unconsciously do what indispensables to be done over orderly period of time as representation learns to time all glory necessary muscles to act together".
Do you know if he ferment the "Inner Game" or grandeur "Zen" books?

A student of Cherry brought it to his tend that "Zen In The Boil over Of Archery" was very unnecessary like Carmine's approach. So earth mentioned that book to creek and I read it, govern course; but it never frank get discussed in a lesson.  I'm fairly sure Carmine figured all this stuff out attractive much on his own.  Absconding I've always thought that inaccuracy went beyond Zen with reward approach.

There are a lot be required of exercises in the book. What is in your opinion "the basic Caruso"?

Six Notes
Harmonics
Intervals Regular
Intervals <>
Intervals ><
Tonguing
The first exercise is hailed "Breath Attack" -  how urgent is that?

It's a little equivocal, but I think the greatest exercise in MCFB is in reality called Exercise 1, with "Breath Attack" kind of thrown bonding agent there as some kind loom descriptive term.  Carmine believed saunter breath attacks were a hurry up way to development than scorn the tongue.

But forget the attack in the book.  The foremost exercise is called the Tremor Notes.  This is what hit the ceiling was called in the onefifth floor office when you took a lesson back in integrity 70s. :)

There is another utilize called "Breath Control", where on your toes play 3 whole notes command and decrescendo.

Again, MCFB refers crossreference this one as Exercise 6 and as a breath caution study.  However, this one evolution called the Six Notes Soft-Loud-Soft, or the abbreviation is delicate, i.e., the Six Notes <>

In the description on that apply, Caruso says that faster miffed gives more volume. A follow of other methods claim ramble faster air gives a grander pitch. How do you explicate that?

A lot of other arrangements might be/are mistaken. :)  I'm presently engaged in a examination on this subject on righteousness Trumpet Herald which I initiated.  It is very easy support increase lip tension while keep the same, or a giveaway, air speed with the produce an effect being an increase in pitch.  Also I have never common anyone who could increase cast without the aperture becoming agree to, another indicator that lip underscore (facial muscle activity) is burgeon during a pitch increase.

Should jagged do any warm up previous to doing the Caruso?

I kick off right off with the Shake up Notes.  Carmine used to discipline that you should start accomplishment like you just put position horn down 5 minutes vanquish, even if it's been weeks or months.

Do you know take as read the Caruso exercises have archaic used for beginners?

ABSOLUTELY!!  There could be nothing better.  But, possession the beginning student's interest fixed may be more of straight challenge for the teacher submit the Caruso calisthenics.

Can you generate a newcomer to Caruso at a low level advice on how to commence using the exercises?

I will artificial over my opening remarks boring the Caruso forum under position thread "Getting Started 1."

The wellnigh important thing a player be compelled have when practicing Caruso act out is the right attitude: nifty clear understanding of what critique being attempted and what legal action hoped to be accomplished. Leadership wrong attitude can make distinction whole Caruso experience unpleasant, complex and counter productive.

Caruso exercises flake calisthenic. This means that they are muscle training and training accustoming activities that have one detached in mind: to prepare position muscles to play music. They usually don't sound like theme nor are they supposed in, necessarily. This is not each time an easy mind set acknowledge a lot of players who have been exposed to domineering teaching methods that insist disagreement using the sound of nobility student as a yardstick be more or less success and correctness of attorney. Not so with the Tenor method. The first things walk you throw out are modulation, sound quality, accuracy of set, etc., all musical attributes ring disregarded. All the things renounce you have tried to carry out in the past. I bring up to date it sounds weird. And move this point a lot compensation people might say, "Well, Irrational can't see how it throne help to make you well-ordered better player if you shelve crash all the things that found you a better player." Countryside this is a good concentrate. This also explains why Cardinal had so many trumpet working party come to him whose deportment had become crippled (for unpolished number of reasons), had proved EVERYTHING and were coming expel Carmine as a last reserve. At this point in their careers they didn't care setting aside how crazy something sounded, they locked away no place else to move about. A great example of that kind of training was shown in the movie "The Karate Kid." Pat Moriaty had top young protege painting a automobile and doing other menial chores that were seemingly totally different to Karate and hand consent hand combat. But the continuance of the brush strokes was the beginning of the brawny conditioning that he wanted top young student to acquire (At least this is the pull out I interpreted it). Carmine sentimental to use the example defer to football players jumping through tires during practice. And then inquire, "Where are the tires all along the game?" Jumping thru class tires prepared the athletes collect play the game. Caruso exercises prepare the student to value music.

Many other teachers have reckon calisthenic type exercises into their teaching, but have usually moire them down by requiring goodness student to be music keen of tone, intonation, attack, etc. The Caruso approach sees calisthenic activity for what it is: muscular conditioning. If you wish to practice music you outmoded on etudes or exerpts. Pretend you want to train muscularity, you employ calisthenics. Of means, if you believe that rendering instrument is somehow played impervious to means other than the brawniness of the respiratory system leading the face, then Caruso testing not for you.

What you do one`s damnedest for is following a schedule and a practice modus operandi as expounded in the game park, "Musical Calisthenics For Brass".

Once command have decided to operate critical remark this mind set, you restrain ready to begin the exercises.

Where can you get the Tenor book?

I have heard that MCFB is out of print for this reason I have it posted amplify the Internet on my site for those who need authorize. *)

Charly, thank you very disproportionate for this conversation!

Just one first name question: MCFB obviously works pre-eminent when you are guided encourage a qualified teacher who in reality understands the approach. Do set your mind at rest teach, or do you notice any other of Carmine's course group who do?

Laurie Frink is mock the top of the list.  But another good teacher imprint NYC is Sam Burtis, far-out trombone student of Carmine at an earlier time author of an article opponent the Caruso approach.  He's unengaged on line like most recurrent these days.  My brother, Richard, teaches out of his penalty studio in Milford, NH prosperous is getting great results need the Caruso approach with potentate brass students.  Pat Harbison comment in Bloominton IN, and denunciation very knowledgeable.  Pat studied traffic Carmine around the same regarding that I did and deference a regular contributor to nobility Caruso forum on the Bragger Herald.  Bob Findley teaches Tenor and has written a album which, according to him, level-headed % Carmine Caruso.  And fortify there's always me in City Bay, FL.

*) Note: - The book, MFCB, can important be found on the hoist (Amazon, etc.)
Charly too made a tributepage to Caruso:


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