Arnold Jacobs is recognized as both the master performer and the foremost teacher of wind instrument. Finally in 1996 a book written by Jacobs' assistant, Brian Frederiksen, entitled "Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind", arrived. We had a short "cyber-conversation" with Brian:

Brian, the book has the title, "Song and Wind" - why is that?
Song and Wind is a term that Mr. Jacobs have used for years and a logical choice for the title of the book. Here is an excerpt of Mr. Jacobs' comments on Song and Wind:
"My approach to music is expressed as Song and Wind. This is very important to communicate a musical message to the audience.
"This approach is one of simplicity as the structure and function of the human being is very complex, but we function in a simple manner. When we bring it to the art form it becomes very simple.
"Song, to me, involves about 85 percent of the intellectual concentration of playing an instrument, based on what you want the audience to hear.
"You cannot get anywhere without wind. If you think of a car, the wheels will not turn without an energy source—the engine. Brass players must have a source of energy, as there must be a vibrating column of air for the instrument to amplify and resonate. The musical engine is the vibration of the lips. However, the lips cannot vibrate without wind.
"When we combine Song and Wind, the musical message, song, is the principal element comprising 85 percent of the consciousness. The remaining 15 percent is the application of the breath, wind, to fuel the vibration of the lips."
 
Could you briefly tell us the background for this book project?
With such an influential teacher as Mr. Jacobs, there was no question that a comprehensive book was needed. Dee Stewart compiled Arnold Jacobs the Legacy of a Master in 1987 but, for the most part, its contents were tributes from students. A more comprehensive book was needed but the question was who would write it?
Mr. Jacobs once started on a book but the manuscript was lost - a great tragedy! After his retirement from the Chicago Symphony, he had the time but his health was failing with arthritis and glaucoma to name a few problems. He was not physically capable of a project of this magnitude.
I began research by scanning every source about Mr. Jacobs. Next it was organized and an outline appeared. A team of Jacobs' students went through this and Mr. Jacobs was cooperative answering questions. The final draft was created and edited by John Taylor. Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind has been shipped across the world, from Australia to Scandinavia, Israel to Japan.
So what next - yet another book. Mr. Jacobs has agreed to more interviews, which will be included in Conversations with Arnold Jacobs.
Questions are now being sought - please contact me.
 
In the preface of the book you say: "In 1974, I had my first lesson with Mr. Jacobs. It was the most remarkable lesson I have ever had!"
I grew up in the Chicago area and my mother would take me to Chicago Symphony concerts. I heard the great sounds of Mr. Jacobs and the Chicago Symphony before I had ever played a note. Mr. Jacobs' teaching has always been legendary and in 1974 it was time for me to start what would be a lifetime relationship.
What is remarkable about Mr. Jacobs is his ability to determine a student's strengths and weaknesses. A naturally positive person, he will emphasize strengths wile setting a course of study to improve weaknesses. To some, how he achieves results may be unorthodox but he is looking for results. This may mean buzzing on a mouthpiece, running around the studio, blowing up a ball, a few of many methods used by Mr. Jacobs.
During this first lesson, I was exposed first hand to what I would eventually see him do hundreds of times - work with a player and after 15 minutes make them sound better. While some of us can do this some of the time, Mr. Jacobs does this all the time - which, among other reasons, makes him the master! .
 
In his teaching, Jacobs uses equipment's like Air Bags, Breath Builder….
Around 1960, Mr. Jacobs, along with three other members of the Chicago Symphony, traveled to a University of Chicago hospital. Many of the tests conducted on this laboratory equipment became the basis of many of his theories. The most important information he gained was the use of outside tools that could help speed up the learning process. He then assembled equipment of his own borrowed from medical, air conditioning and other fields including his wife's kitchen! While this equipment achieved most of the results of the laboratory, the cost was still prohibitive. In 1982, Mr. Jacobs introduced to the music world inexpensive devices that, for the first time, allowed a student to own their own equipment.
Here is a brief description of this equipment. For more detailed instructions, the WindSong Press home page on the Internet is available at www.WindSongPress.com
 

• Voldyne - This is a hospital device that will give a rough measurement of lung capacity, up to five liters.
• Inspiron - Unlike the Voldyne, which is basically a measuring device, the Inspiron is used for exercising. While inhaling, the unit is in an upright position and for exhaling it must be turned upside down. Resistance can be adjusted and, in the upside down position, a mouthpiece can be attached for buzzing exercises.
• Breath Builder - Another exercising device, this is simply a ping pong ball in a plastic tube with holes at the top that can be closed to vary resistance. While not as versatile as the Inspiron, it is much easier to use, especially with younger students.
• Air Bags - A major problem of these other devices is that oxygen is being exchanged making hyperventilation a problem. For this reason, Mr. Jacobs recommends only a few minutes exercising at a time with frequent rests. The use of air bags results in the rebreathing of air, mostly carbon dioxide that does not cause hyperventilation.
• Mouthpiece rims - Commonly called "embouchure visualizers," Mr. Jacobs will have a student buzz with this rim on a stick. Many times he will use this in conjunction with a decibel meter for a student to see the output level.

O.J. 1997