Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Interview with Michael Sabin
F E A T U R E
Interview with Michael Sabin
What was your experience with music as a kid?
No one in my family is particularly musical, and we didn’t listen to a whole lot of music when I was younger. If we did, it was in the car, where we had some CDs of people like Billy Joel, the Jackson Five, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, but music wasn’t a big part of my life until I was older. I started playing in the school band program, and through private lessons I got quite good.
In middle school, I started participating in the after school music groups like the school jazz band and after school choir. As I entered high school, I really started to listen to music on my own, and learned to love improvising. I ended up going to New England Conservatory where I studied jazz trombone and learned a lot of the skills I now use in my professional career as a player and teacher.
Why trombone?
I picked up the trombone when I was in 4th grade. I was nine years old, and our school system had an “explore an instrument” type of demonstration. Our music teacher played a little bit on every instrument to show us what they look and sound like. On the trombone, he played the
Imperial March (I love Star Wars, especially as a nine year old) and I thought the way the slide moved was hilarious. Fourteen years later, I play the trombone every day and use it to make most of my income.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play and teach trumpet and euphonium as well as trombone. I’ve written a lot of music on piano, and over the last few months have been working on my guitar playing. I’m practicing drums these days too, but boy am I bad so far. I’m working on it though, playing drums along with songs I love has been endlessly worthwhile.
What else do you do for fun?
I’m an avid hiker and spend a lot of time in the mountains, and in National Parks. I daydream of bringing my horn up a mountain and practicing at the top, but I haven’t made it a reality yet. I’ve always loved to read, and my bookshelves have grown cramped as the pandemic stretches on.
I get most of my exercise playing pickup basketball, something I’ve gotten into more recently. Working on my skills on the court has taught me a lot about focus and practice.
What music do you listen to?
Listening to music is essential to getting better! And it’s so fun! Growing up in the internet age gives us unprecedented access to a massively diverse range of music simply by having a phone or computer. With students, one of the first things I do is try to learn one of their favorite songs
so I can teach it to them. That’s one of the most beautiful skills you can develop as a musician, the ability to listen to something you love and figure out how it works. Here are a few albums I like!
Blue - Joni Mitchell
The Trombone Master - J.J Johnson
Masterpiece - Big Thief
Aretha Now - Aretha Franklin
Bluesette - Curtis Fuller
Color Theory - Soccer Mommy
Live at the Half Note - John Coltrane
Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder
Juju - Wayne Shorter
Solo Monk - Thelonious Monk
What is your best advice for students who want to learn an instrument or improve their playing?
If you want to get better at something, you need to spend time on it. If you’re going to improve as a brass player, and as a musician, you need to spend time with your instrument. I find that it’s far easier to spend time, when you enjoy the activity you’re spending time on. This requires a
healthy relationship with your instrument.
Ask yourself, what are the things I enjoy playing? It will be important on those days when you’ve had a long day, and practicing an instrument doesn’t seem particularly appealing. If you have “go to” songs/exercises/etudes to practice that make you feel good, it will make it easier for you
to pick up your instrument and get started.
The difficult next step is balancing your practice between things that are fun, and things that are challenging. The fun stuff gets you to the instrument, while the challenging components allow you to push yourself and learn new skills.
Practicing the right stuff is important, but irrelevant if your fear of what is right and wrong prevents you from practicing in the first place.
To learn more about Michael, visit his Teacher Page.
No one in my family is particularly musical, and we didn’t listen to a whole lot of music when I was younger. If we did, it was in the car, where we had some CDs of people like Billy Joel, the Jackson Five, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, but music wasn’t a big part of my life until I was older. I started playing in the school band program, and through private lessons I got quite good.
In middle school, I started participating in the after school music groups like the school jazz band and after school choir. As I entered high school, I really started to listen to music on my own, and learned to love improvising. I ended up going to New England Conservatory where I studied jazz trombone and learned a lot of the skills I now use in my professional career as a player and teacher.
Why trombone?
I picked up the trombone when I was in 4th grade. I was nine years old, and our school system had an “explore an instrument” type of demonstration. Our music teacher played a little bit on every instrument to show us what they look and sound like. On the trombone, he played the
Imperial March (I love Star Wars, especially as a nine year old) and I thought the way the slide moved was hilarious. Fourteen years later, I play the trombone every day and use it to make most of my income.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play and teach trumpet and euphonium as well as trombone. I’ve written a lot of music on piano, and over the last few months have been working on my guitar playing. I’m practicing drums these days too, but boy am I bad so far. I’m working on it though, playing drums along with songs I love has been endlessly worthwhile.
What else do you do for fun?
I’m an avid hiker and spend a lot of time in the mountains, and in National Parks. I daydream of bringing my horn up a mountain and practicing at the top, but I haven’t made it a reality yet. I’ve always loved to read, and my bookshelves have grown cramped as the pandemic stretches on.
I get most of my exercise playing pickup basketball, something I’ve gotten into more recently. Working on my skills on the court has taught me a lot about focus and practice.
What music do you listen to?
Listening to music is essential to getting better! And it’s so fun! Growing up in the internet age gives us unprecedented access to a massively diverse range of music simply by having a phone or computer. With students, one of the first things I do is try to learn one of their favorite songs
so I can teach it to them. That’s one of the most beautiful skills you can develop as a musician, the ability to listen to something you love and figure out how it works. Here are a few albums I like!
Blue - Joni Mitchell
The Trombone Master - J.J Johnson
Masterpiece - Big Thief
Aretha Now - Aretha Franklin
Bluesette - Curtis Fuller
Color Theory - Soccer Mommy
Live at the Half Note - John Coltrane
Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder
Juju - Wayne Shorter
Solo Monk - Thelonious Monk
What is your best advice for students who want to learn an instrument or improve their playing?
If you want to get better at something, you need to spend time on it. If you’re going to improve as a brass player, and as a musician, you need to spend time with your instrument. I find that it’s far easier to spend time, when you enjoy the activity you’re spending time on. This requires a
healthy relationship with your instrument.
Ask yourself, what are the things I enjoy playing? It will be important on those days when you’ve had a long day, and practicing an instrument doesn’t seem particularly appealing. If you have “go to” songs/exercises/etudes to practice that make you feel good, it will make it easier for you
to pick up your instrument and get started.
The difficult next step is balancing your practice between things that are fun, and things that are challenging. The fun stuff gets you to the instrument, while the challenging components allow you to push yourself and learn new skills.
Practicing the right stuff is important, but irrelevant if your fear of what is right and wrong prevents you from practicing in the first place.
To learn more about Michael, visit his Teacher Page.