In a message dated 97-09-10 04:55:07 EDT, you write:
<< - Eddie Lewis got very inspired by Clarke's book "How I became a Cornetist" >>

I was very inspired by this book!!! If Donovan still has copies at his store, I recomend it to everyone.

What I found to be most inspiring was his attitude towards learning from other players and different methods.

He writes:

"To my knowledge, there never has been any great cornet soloist who has not changed his method of playing several times before becoming successful. In other words, each has commenced playing the wrong way at first and then worked out his own salvation by finding the easiest way of playing for himself - adopting it, working with it and, having proved it, sticking to his own idea no matter as to how other players might advise him."

"To gain proper experience we must experiment with all kinds of  suggestions offered by well meaning friends. To this end, I believe, I have tried every manner of playing the cornet that one could think of in order to find out which best suited me. I tried many different theories, such as playing with wet lips, dry lips, puckerred lips, loose lips, or rigid lips - about everything I was told to do - and arrived at the point of almost complete discouragement."

"Often in my practice, finding that I cannot accomplish something I try for in a certain way, I simply try another way, in fact, several ways,as there is no set rule for correct playing, except to be absolutely perfect in each exercise one practices."

Thanks for bringing the subject up, Ole.

Eddie Lewis
TigerLewis@aol.com
Houston, TX
http://members.aol.com/TigerLewis/gcs.htm