josephus07

Hi Ed (and anyone who wants to offer advice),

As you may remember, I'm now able to focus on my playing through pursuing an MM performance degree after spending dome time working on a MM theory degree.

I'd like to make the most of my time but I've been having a rough time so far. It isn't that I'm too busy (though I'm pretty busy playing), but I'm feeling beat up a lot this first month and the time that I'm actually able to practice is suffering.

My question is twofold - I want to know what kinds of things I need to be working on every day and every week, and I want to know how to schedule my practicing what with all of the other playing I'm doing.

I have playing committments on

Mondays from 12-1 and 4:15-6:00
Tuesdays from 8:30-10:00, 12:00-1:00, 2:15-5:00
Wednesdays from 1:00-3:00, 4:15-6:00
Thursdays from 12:00-1:00, 2:15-5:00
Fridays from 3:15-4:00

The problem is that I'm playing fairly demanding (endurance/chops) parts in school ensembles/quintet, especially at the start of the week, and then I feel like I spend the rest of the week trying to recover by doing soft playing, lyrical etudes, etc. I feel like I'm not progressing like I want to because I'm not able to practice hard.

On top of that, every time I try to set up a rigid schedule of things to cover (a weekly routine), I somehow end up playing very rigidly and I begin to overanalyze. For example, I was trying to follow something Chris Gekker outlined and the way I was approaching the Schlossberg exercises ended up being detrimental to my improvement even though Schlossberg can be great for free, relaxed, "off the page" playing.

I guess I'm looking for 1) some kind of a "list" of essential skills and ways to improve those skills and 2) smart practice and recovery strategies.

Any advice? Thanks much!

David

ecarroll

David,

Nobody should suggest a practice routine for you, amigo. I assume that you're a strong enough player to figure out what needs to be done and when to do it...

That said, make a detailed list of your assets and liabilities and consider what goes into a truly comprehensive practice day. Spend less time on your assets--you can already do that--and more time on your liabilities. Be mindful of the state of your playing and constantly seach for relaxation, clarity, and resonance. Balance focus and flow in every area that you're touching.

Ideally, you're finding 3x one hour periods to practice in addition to your ensembles, etc. Life happens, however, and schedules become full and confused (!). John Wallace used to get up early every day and put in a solid hour before breakfast. I bet you can manage your schedule to do this as well. He would then grab 20 minutes here and there as his schedule would allow (and he's always been a busy, busy boy). This is far from ideal, naturally, but a focused 20 beats an aimless 60 every time!

Again. . . you can figure this out and it's important that it comes from you, not from me/us/them.

By the way, your Berio dissertation is fabulous, my friend. Thanks so much for sending it and I promise a long, detailed e-mail after I've truly digested everything.

Best,
EC

Vulgano Brother

I too, trust that you know or can figure out what to practice, so your question might be more about when to practice. Based on what you listed, you are "playing" 15.75 hours a week, leaving 152.25 hours a week of "free time." That really is a lot of free time, bro. If you are going after a M.A. of performance, and wish to be called a master of the trumpet, then spending about 10% of your life in rehearsal is a good number, but don't forget that most professionals (except for some talented dudes) have put in, at some point in their studies, 6-8 hours a day for a nine month or longer stint with the horn on their face. That is why undergrads party so much, cause when the fever of mastery has you and you're itching to get back to the horn, there is no time for a social life! (Time spent drinking beer with colleagues and warming down your lips with your girlfriend count as rehearsal time, however.) Have fun!