Ok, I've been off my trumpet for a week because of a nasty ear infection and the doctor telling me not to play until Monday. (I practiced tonight because I really couldn't stand not practicing anymore...and...it's practically Monday, so, it's ok.
)
During the time I was off, I did a lot of thinking about my practicing over the years. It seems that I made the most progress when I had just started, and I didn't know anything about embochure set-ups, equipment, 'correct' and 'incorrect' breathing, or tone quality. Back then, trumpet was just something fun to do, something I could use as an excuse to get out of doing math homework, something I could make noise with.
Today, and the past...ohh...4-5 years, it seems like I've been stuck on my own little platform in a box...not doing much. I began thinking...4-5 years ago, I started thinking about my embochure, and worrying about my breathing, and thinking about equipment, and freaking out about my tone quality. I also started to make trumpet a life or death thing. I
had to be the best. I
had to work hard to be good. I
had to do this, I
had to do that. Trumpet practice became almost a chore, a huge mental exercise, something that had to be analyzed and gone over with a fine toothed comb.
So, I'm going to try something. I'm going to practice everyday, just because I can. I'm not going to really worry about anything, I'm just going to do what feels right...and I'm just going to play. I don't
have to do anything. I don't
have to be the best. I just want to have fun, get out of math homework, and make some noise...that hopefully sounds better than it did in 4th grade!
So, I know that the short way to say this is something like, over-analyzing leads to paralyzation....but, I thought that my thought-process might be something that would be of use to someone.
My question is this, has anyone else done this? Is this idea of mine something worth trying, or what? I would really like to hear Mr. Laureano's thoughts on it, and everyone else's thoughts too. I don't know, it just seemed like something worth discussing with people who actually know what they're doing.
Thanks guys....
Lara