Clarence

TRUMPETED:I agree with Clarence about trumpet playing being serious business, especially if it's how you make your living. Many of the top players out there truly don't have that much time to practice, but I guess I'm talking about guys who are always working. If you have a 4-hour big band gig playing lead one night and you just played another gig or recording session earlier in the day, you're not going to want to keep pounding on your chops.

OK trumpet ED first of all ,I play three night's a week,
two 70 minute set,s i would never play a gig for four HOURS!
I don't know how you roll out there, but this is cali baby!
There is sun year round and if your a pro out here baby boy
and you have mad skill's you can pick and choose what gig,s or type of gig,s you wanna do.
Now with that said, in order to roll like that you better have your stuff down pat!
Hey what works for me may not work for you.
But you truley can have your cake and eat it tOO!

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tromj

I also thought of the Louis Davidson book when reading this post. I always assumed that the articulation style required by old time Jazz players as opposed to Classical players warranted different levels of freshness of chops. But after hearing so many great Jazz players who would be just as home in a Symphony Orchestra, I realized I was totally off base. Now I think I am going with Pat's theory, that for jazzers, there is an additional element of practicing changes and learning tunes, patterns, etc.
I also wonder how much we count rehearsals with practicing.
When I was in school, I would practice my lesson stuff for an hour a day, after warming up, which Doug Hedwig worked hard to make as quick and as efficient as possible. I could only practice an hour, because I would often have three hours of rehearsals (on tuesdays and thursday), and very often, a gig at night that might go five hours or more. In response to Clarence, I would just say that if you do club dates, (or casuals outside of NYC) You have to count on a minimum four hour gig. On a top 40 type date, the horns play for short bursts of intense playing, but have a lot of down time. On what are called Chasidic club dates, where you play a lot of traditional ethnic tunes and the horns carry a big melody load, you might play two 90 minute dance sets at insane volumes, and then cover ceremony procession and dinner music the rest of the gig.
On "society" gigs, like Lester Lanin or Peter Duchin, the horns also do long sets, although at not quite the same level of intensity as on the Chasidic gigs.

Ya gotta rest sometime.

Jordan

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Dale Proctor

On nights/days I don't have a gig or rehearsal, I'll usually go about an hour of intense work on some aspect or two of playing, such as range, multi tonguing, phrasing, etc. That's solid playing time, and that's about enough. I'm probably not getting much better doing this, but I don't think I'm getting any worse, either. There are other things more important, such as family and my day job.

I can't imagine having a horn stuck to my face for 4-6 hours a day with any regularity (I have played some 4-5 hour days, though), but I guess that's why I'm not a pro.

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Alex Yates

2 hours MINIMUM to "maintain" when life and work is crazy. The norm - 4-5 practice hours per day when not playing gigs (split into sessions) - 3 hours or so when I am. There is also playing in rehearsals and teaching. Also, factor in the challenge of fitting in high level, focused practicing in between LIFE commitments as well. The older we get, the more responsibilities arise in our personal lives aside from work and practicing time has to be strictly carved out. Easier said than done.

And as far as having fun while playing and enjoying it more (and therefore play longer every day??? - Sorry PH, I don't really understand that reasoning) - that is not something jazz players own solely. Our worlds may seem foreign to each other (classical and jazz), but there is obviously great joy in both styles or so many of us wouldn't work so hard to maintain our chops to play the stuff. Classical players have their share of studies that are not only trumpet related as well. No, we don't shed on the same musical things jazz players do, but we do shed musically and it guides our practicing at times. Both camps have to work the same amount of 'hard' to maintain their particular skill set at a high level and we do it because we find joy in our work and strive to constantly improve. Joe Jazzer might need need only 2 hours to achieve what it takes Jimmy Jazzer 3 hours to achieve or Carlton Classical 1.5 hours to achieve. It is all relative to the individual and their desired goals on the instrument.

tromj

I think PH was goofin around when he said that.

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Alex Yates

I sure hope so!

My post was addressing the subject at hand and not PH. I just noted the comment in my response. No harm done.

JasperConners

I usually practice around 4.5 hours a day minimum.

PH

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barato

All that matters is what you put into the practice. "Practice doesn't make perfect! Perfect Practice makes perfect."

PH

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