Teaching Brass Students Beyond the Basics
Teaching brass students, especially those moving into advanced territory, requires far more than assigning difficult repertoire.
Years of preparing some of the worlds finest musicians at the Royal Academy of Music taught Denis Wick Products' Stephen Wick that great brass teaching blends structure, critical listening, diagnostic thinking, and a realistic understanding of what true progress looks like. In a recent interview, Wick shared his most valuable insights for teachers who are committed to developing high-level brass musicians.
1. Teaching Brass Students Starts with Strong, Disciplined Practice Routines
Wick stresses that successful brass playing comes from disciplined habits. When teaching brass students, he recommends a clear, one-hour practice structure:
- 15 minutes — Long Tones & Flexibility
Begin with fundamentals that activate embouchure, airflow, and tone quality. No high-note chasing—just calm, focused sound.
- 15 minutes — Scales & Arpeggios
These build coordination, finger or slide technique, tuning, and articulation. When teaching brass students, Wick sees scales as non-negotiable.
- 15 minutes — Technical Studies
Kopprasch, Arban, Bordogni, LaFosse—study materials develop the precision needed for advanced playing.
- 15 minutes — Repertoire
Only after 45 minutes of technical foundation should students turn to their pieces. Teaching brass students to resist the urge to jump straight into solos is crucial for long-term growth.
“A structured hour of practice is worth three hours of unfocused playing.” - Stephen Wick
2. Train Students to Use Their Ears—Your Most Powerful Tool in Teaching Brass Students
Wick emphasizes that listening drives all improvement. Students should constantly evaluate:
- Tone
- Pitch
- Clarity of attacks
- Smoothness through registers
- Consistency of sound
Teaching brass students to listen deeply ensures that their practice time is productive rather than habitual.
“If students aren’t using their ears—really listening to tone, pitch, and clarity—then they’re simply wasting time in the practice room.” - Stephen Wick
3. Develop Diagnostic Thinkers, Not Just Better Players
One of the biggest themes Wick highlights is diagnosis. When teaching brass students, he believes it's essential to help them:
- Identify the exact problem
- Understand the cause
- Test possible solutions
This diagnostic approach helps students make breakthroughs and prevents them from reinforcing bad habits. Wick notes that these skills also translate beautifully to other careers—one reason why brass players often excel outside music.
“The goal is to develop diagnostic skills. A great player can pinpoint the problem, understand why it’s happening, and test ways to fix it.” - Stephen Wick
4. Teachers Prevent Wrong Turns Before They Become Bad Habits
Wick warns that without guidance, students often work extremely hard but in the wrong direction. A crucial part of teaching brass students is:
- Recognizing developing issues early
- Offering positive, practical corrections
- Preventing “dead-end” habits
- Reinforcing fundamentals before students perfect mistakes
As Denis Wick famously said: “There’s no point in perfecting bad habits.”
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5. Don’t Fear Mouthpiece Changes When Teaching Brass Students
Many teachers hesitate to adjust equipment, especially mouthpieces. Wick acknowledges the concern but believes that if the setup is wrong, the best time to fix it is immediately.
He advises teachers to:
- Listen from the back of a hall
- Compare mouthpieces in live acoustics
- Help students hear differences in projection and tone
Teaching brass students to understand equipment—not fear it—can dramatically improve their playing.
“If the setup is wrong, the best time to fix it is day one.”
- Stephen Wick
6. What Really Determines Student Success in Advanced Brass Playing
Wick sees three factors that consistently determine success when teaching brass students:
- Perseverance and consistency
- A solid technical foundation across dynamics and range
- Musical expression, not just mechanical accuracy
Technique is “a servant of the music,” he says. Developing both technique and artistry in tandem is the key to thriving as an advanced brass musician.
He also notes that in auditions, players who precisely follow every printed marking, accents, dynamics, articulations, immediately stand out.
“Perseverance and hard work matter more than raw talent.”
- Stephen Wick
7. When Brass Students Feel Like Quitting
Wick takes a compassionate, realistic view: sometimes it may be time to quit.
He encourages teachers to help students understand that:
- They’ve gained valuable transferable skills
- Many former brass students succeed in music-adjacent or entirely different careers
- Those who truly want to play will create their own opportunities
Teaching brass students includes supporting them in honest decision-making, not forcing them into a path that no longer fits.
“Many students become incredibly successful—not always as performers, but because of the transferable skills music taught them.”
- Stephen Wick
8. Encourage Students to Create Their Own Musical Opportunities
Wick believes advanced students thrive when they learn to be proactive. Teachers can guide brass students to:
- Form ensembles
- Collaborate with composers
- Explore contemporary or niche repertoire
- Arrange pop tunes
- Perform in clubs or festivals
- Build creative projects that generate work
Teaching brass students entrepreneurial thinking helps them shape a musical life that doesn’t depend on waiting for a phone call.
Final Thoughts | Stephen Wick’s insights offer a powerful roadmap for anyone committed to teaching brass students at a high level. His approach emphasizes:
- Structured practice
- Critical listening
- Diagnostic problem-solving
- Smart equipment choices
- Balanced development of technique and expression
- Realistic career perspectives
- Proactive creativity
Whether you’re teaching brass students in a school, studio, or university setting, Wick’s advice provides the tools to build not just better players—but thoughtful, resilient, and self-directed musicians.
