Teaching
Teaching has become an important part of my life, especially when I passed the tender age of fifty. It has taken this long to realise that experience is a formidable asset. To pass on 35 years of professional experience to students, I find very rewarding. I teach begginners, intermediate and advanced music students privately. Either for your own enjoyment or if you wish to take your instrument more seriously I can enter students for the A.B.R.S.M. Jazz or Classical grades starting at grade 1 - 8 and continue on to Diploma level for Saxophone, Flute and Clarinet. You may also wish to take the equivalent theory exams for each grade, which are also available. I help and encourage many students with jazz improvisation, this genre becoming an important component within the BA music course, which I teach at Salford University. I also organise jazz workshops, which are very popular. Students get to perform at a live venue with some of this countrys great players. These nights are very memorable for both tutors and students. I can also advise students regarding the purchase or rental of instruments, which for the beginner or even the professional can seem a daunting task.
I have taught many students over the years who have had dilemas regarding which instrument, which mouthpiece, which ligature, which reed suits that particular mouthpiece. It can become very distressing.
A few tips for students and professionals.
Never buy an instrument without seeking advice from your local professional wind player whoever he or she may be. They will always be only too glad to help.
Firstly regarding instruments, if you buy cheap you will buy twice and you will lose money trying to sell an instrument that is in the lower price range, it may sound very inviting a new Saxophone for bare monetary expenditure but believe me its not worth it. A good bench mark in my opinion for longevity,sound quality and projection are any of the Selmer Saxophones, lets face it they have been making Saxophones since the 1920s and are improving all the time.
Mouthpieces are a very personal thing, if one puts it into logic the mouthpiece is the primary link between the performer and the instrument so the choice of mouthpiece is of paramount importance and not to be taken lightly. For beginners a mouthpiece of quality will make all the difference to a student model Saxophone. Stay away from baffled mouthpieces, they will certainly give you an edgier sound but only add problems regarding control and intonation. Every mouthpiece carries with it a different set of problems.
The balance between strength of reed and compatibility with your mouthpiece is also very important. Do not be under the misaprehansion that the harder the reed the bigger the sound, you just end up with an unfocused wooly sound and no projection. To qoute Ronnie Scott 'hard reed hard head'. Stay with one mouthpiece, if you keep changing mouthpiece and ligature you end up never settled, not knowing what your true sound is. Whom amongst us including the greats are not guilty of swopping and changing mouthpieces and reeds, it is part of the great dilema of wanting to sound better than anyone else.
In my opinion the choice of ligature makes no difference whatsoever regarding your sound projection or quality of sound. The reed has got to be held flat on the mouthpiece table so it is irelavent as to where the pressure is applied to keep the reed flat on the mouthpiece table. Many Continental Saxophone players use waxed string or twine wrapped around the mouthpiece to secure the reed and they sound fantastic.
A true test to see if your reed is bedded in is to suck the pressure backwards through the mouthpiece and release, if your mouthpiece produces a popping sound when air is released then your reed is bedded and ready to play. If your mouthpiece does not pop then you have a warped reed or faulty ligature and you will squeek for England all night, wondering whats wrong!.
Students want an easy route, everything quick and easy and unfortunately it doesent work like that, to acquire a good sound and intonation (and lets face it your sound is the first thing everyone hears) you must follow the golden rule intelligent practise. It's no good pracising 8 hours a day if you are practiscing the wrong things.
To improve your sound, stand and play into a corner in your home so the sound projects back to you. Play long notes trying to think and visualize your sound as the core of the sun, you have a central core, which is the density of your sound and the shimmering effects reflected from the sun are your harmonics within your sound, The more work spent on the density of sound the better the harmonics within the sound become. If you spend 15 minutes a day on this excercise you will be amazed at the results after a month, make it part of your daily practise routine. The sound and tone becomes richer with fuller harmonic qualities.
Articulation. The golden rule 'Tip of tongue tip of reed', if you toungue anywhere else your phrasing will be lethargic and carry no response or projection, especially when playing fast semiquaver stacatto passages found in most of the classical repertoire and the slur two, tongue two effect, which is ever present in all of the jazz repertoire.
Projection, Technique, Improvising, Substitute Chords, Jazz Velocity Excercises, You'll have to book a lesson!!
M. Manship is regarded highly within the field of jazz improvisation and holds 'DIP MUS OPEN' from the Open University and an advanced certificate in performing from the A.B.R.S.M, where he gained a distinction.
If you wish to book a lesson please email Mdmanship@aol.com
MUNCH MANSHIP'S SET UP
SELMER MK V1 TENOR SAXOPHONE 1954
6*OTTO LINK METAL MOUTHPIECE
N0 3 VANDOREN JAZZ REEDS
SELMER MK V1 ALTO SAXOPHONE 1955
EBONITE SELMER SOLOIST E
N0 3 VANDOREN JAZZ REEDS
SELMER MK V1 SOPRANO SAXOPHONE 1972
4* OTTO LINK EBONITE MOUTHPIECE
N0 3 RICO ROYAL REEDS
MATEKI CONCERT FLUTE C/H 1996 0041
GEIMENHARDT ALTO FLUTE 1990
YAMAHA WOODEN PICCOLO 2000
BUFFET FESTIVAL CLARINET 1995
ROBERT MARCELUS/ MEDIUM MOUTHPIECE