mrmusicnotes

Since I work a full time time in construction,I only play an hour a day during the week and 2 on the weekends.I keep track and write down the time and material that I practiced that day.It helps motivate me to try and match the previous day"s playing,especially after a hard days work.

slugger

I burned my chops because I did not rest enough. In other words I became so focused on practising that I lost sight on my musical talent. The thing is this might not have happened if I had a better teacher that may have been more able to redirect my energy.

I learned that practising everyday how to play the trumpet is important. This is a great step toward good self discipline but if you don't practice correctly, without proper guidance, it can lead to pure misery.

In my opinion a good horn teacher is very important.
Just my two cents worth of advice.

Cheers,
Slugger

rowuk

Slugger,
what you describe happens to almost all of us. Testosterone is really good at blanking out common sense.

Just think about the amount of time it takes to fry your face, and then realize how much you ignored during that time. Music is discovery. When our antennae are tuned only to broadcast and not to receive, we always get into trouble.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

fels

good responses -
my own -
I own my own professional business and have limited time -
I used to lay off after playing for a wedding or church activitiy
then i would suffer when i next had to get into shape- weeks later
now i participate in a local community band and jazz band -
this provides the "goal oriented" objective
BUT - i think about music all the time and i listen to music all the time -
I also play piano - but i use it soley for recreation
I use warm ups as a yoga type exercise
then when i have an objective for practice - i work at that
It is working much better with the weekly rehearsals for the two bands
I read an article in Windplayer about a pro who would have three practice stages - mainenance - general rehearsal - and performance

s.coomer

I try and spend two to three hours per day with the horn. However, this is not straight horn on the face time. There are frequent 5 and 10 minute breaks throughtout this setting. After each break I try and expand the time with the horn on the face. This seems to work when I can do it on a regular basis. The past ten days it has not worked, as I have had to have a tooth surgically removed and the pain and swelling was just too great. Now I am working to get back where I was.

Darthsunshine

I try to do about 30 minutes in the morning before going to work, and about 45 minutes in the evening when I get home. Just got back from a four-day trip out of town without the horn, and the deterioration is really apparent.

RobertSlotte

I can miss one day of playing and it will not affect me. If I miss two days it will be harder when I pick up the trumpet the next time. And if I miss 3 days...oh boy I will be in bad shape :0(
Not fair that some players have to work so hard just to maintain theyr embouchure form and some players can just seem to play once or twice a week.

But then again; life in it self is not fair so why should trumpetplaying be any different :0)

Closet Horn

I am an erliy riser and I have a blow at the office at around 4.00 am. Between
30 minutes to an hour. Then agin in the office each night for around 1 hour.
I get home around 10.00 and midnight if I feel like it I normaliy do 30 minutes to 1 hour before going to bed.

I have a trumpet stand at work and at home in my room I take it every where. I find that it is a grate way to destress.

Bay Area Brass

As for taking a few days off for vacation-what's the expression? "If you take one day off, you know it-if you take two days off, everyone knows it."

I recently came back from vacation and didn't play for 5 days-first gig back was tough lol but it was nice to have the vacation and some balance. As for practicing, I lately have been doing 2 or 3 hours a day and need to make it 3 or 4 hours a day :)

__________________
Bill Ortiz
billortiz.com
'56 Matin Committee Deluxe Trumpet/Schilke 15 mouthpiece
Couesnon Star Flugelhorn

edcon1981

I typically practice three to four times a week for 60-90 minutes a session. Beginning of each week I do a full session of long tones and slurs on my trumpet (simply because i don't play that horn enough). Second session is a half hour of long tones and slurs with my soprano bugle, then a run through of my sheet music for my alumni d & b corps (i take notes on rough spots i'm experiencing). Third session is again with the bugle; here i work to iron out any problems i'm having trouble tackling with said sheet music. Fourth day (if i'm free enough) is more of the same.

I go to the gym three times a week as well (alternate to my practice days), 30 minutes cardio followed by 30 minutes weightlifting.

Oh, i also will bust out the trumpet and blare unmuted grandstand music at the floor once in a while whenever my downstairs neighbor feels the need to blast his rap music at ten o'clock at night... like last night!!

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"I feel your scorn, and I accept it."
Jon Stewart