john7401

How long is too long of a practice? I don't know if something changed recently, but it seems if I keep practicing even after I start loosing my range (about 20min) and I finish out an hour long session (with a good warmup about an 1-2hours before I start, for about 30min, and warmdown) my lips still turn out good the next day if they werent already bad that practice day. I'm not sure if something changed with how I play or what, but if I'm doing these practices correctly with good warmups/downs, can I really go too long? I am playing full volume on these, but I'm not trying to shoot out high notes all the time or anything. I also didn't know if there was a relation to when you started loosing your range and when you should stop practicing. Please post any opinions.

Sofus

I can only see two things that would be
disadvantages when playing beyond the
point where sound or range deteriorates:

1) If you don´t get enough rest before
practising again, this will be unfavourable.

2) If you, due to fatigue start playing
differently than before, twisting your face
up or similiar, then this will be unfavourable
too.


Since you have recovered fully the next day,
1) seems to be no issue.
By being aware of what you´re doing, 2) doesn´t
have to be an issue either.

You don´t say anything about exactly what you
practise, what exercises you spend your time on
etc., but one important thing is that you part of
the time also practise at a soft level. Playing at
full volume all the time is not good, and I suggest
that if you reach the point where you can´t play
softly any more, that will be the time to stop for
the day. I take for granted that your embouchure
is efficient enough to be able to play softly as long
as your lips are fresh . . .


Others may well have aditional things to say regarding this.

__________________
" There are no secrets to trumpetplaying - except Practice Your Head Off - and that´s no secret! "

Bud Herseth 1977 in Hamar, Norway


********************

Mouthpiece and Solidarity

john7401

My band director told me to practice full volume or even with a mute to get the air working more and still keeping things full volume to work the lips. Also I think I may tend to use some pressure playing quieter, but the main thing is I don't think I can play too quiet and still get a full/good sound. I'm not sure excactly what it is, but in the end I did do practice sessions quiet before and I noticed no difference than playing full volume. I am not playing full volume on like FFF marchig band music, but i'm making sure I'm using a good amount of air to get a nice full sound while still adding dynamics to it.

Markie

How long is too long of a practice?
-------------------------
You should always work toward a good fat full spectrum sound. Always listen to the "sound". Once that sound starts to crackle and suck, stop.

Al Innella

When you start to use more pressure than you started out with, is a good time to stop and rest, most of us are creatures of habit, and will start to press ,when our lips start to tire.

Markie

Al says:
When you start to use more pressure than you started out with, is a good time to stop and rest,
-------------
I would consider this recommendation with reservations.
Why?
I recommend, that you need to be able to identify when you start using excessive pressure and assess why you're doing it.
Then, work on eliminating this problem.
My experience has been, whatever the problem is: air, stance, poor fingering technique, poor reading technique, attitude, etc.. usually the problem manifests itself in "mouthpiece pressure".
Good luck

rowuk

My recipe is:
when the morning after is worse than the night before, you blew it.

That applies to just about anything that a trumpet player could experience, with or without the horn.

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

Al Innella

I was assuming they were doing everything correctly,and just wanted to know when to stop. If they weren't using pressure at the beginning of their session ,then when pressure does start, would be a sign to rest.