Well summer seems to be rolling by pretty quickly, and i just came to notice i have barely anytime to practice. I got next week and the week after at home. But then sleepaway camp for two weeks, then beach, then more vacation, and then band camp is already here. I can't practice my trumpet for a long time. What is a good solution to this? I can't bring a mp to sleepaway camp, but probably when i go on my other vacations. Will this long break hurt my playing, I have to have my chops in shape for band camp but I don't kno how to be in shape when I can't play for such a long period, any suggestions?

I blow up air matresses with my mouthpiece.

Here is my rule of thumb to get back into shape. I am ALWAYS functional after a week, but suffer a bit until I have served the rest of my time!

1 day off= 2 days to get back in shape
2 days= a week
a week off= one month
more than a week 2-3 months.

You call the shots.

Originally Posted by rowuk

I blow up air matresses with my mouthpiece.

Here is my rule of thumb to get back into shape. I am ALWAYS functional after a week, but suffer a bit until I have served the rest of my time!

1 day off= 2 days to get back in shape
2 days= a week
a week off= one month
more than a week 2-3 months.

You call the shots.

Before I had the drive to really practice and improve, I used to pick my trumpet up after summer, and play perfectly like I never took a break. But I think now its a different story, hopefully it won't take 2-3 months because thats the length of marching band season!

I'm going on a touring holiday in France/Spain/Portugal. By motorcycle. With Mrs ManGo. Gonna strap the cornet to the bike so I can keep m'chops in order.

If your only missing two weeks for sleep away camp, you should be able to get back to where you were before camp in about two weeks ,if you start out playing soft and for only short periods at a time ,the first couple of days do soft long-tones for about ten minutes in the morning, ten minutes combined of soft long-tones and lip-slurs in the afternoon, ten minutes some soft Clarke studies in the evening, slowly increase the amount of time and repertoire each day until you are back in fighting form. This should take between one and two weeks tops.

I also thought I was out of time to practice. I was wrong. I was looking in all the wrong places for free time.

I now get up an hour earlier, drag my arse to the garage and practice. It was tought the first couple of days but now it's part of my daily routine.

Camp may be the toughest to practice at but everything else sounds like a piece of cake.
There are times, places and ways to practice if you really want to.

One of the problems seems to be that the horns you own are too nice to take to the sleepaway camp or the beach or other locations where they are not protected. You could do what I did - buy a 'knockaround' cornet for under $100 (craigslist, or ebay or yard sale) and take it along. Cornets are more sturdy due to their compact design and they take up less space in luggage and if you don't pay a lot, you don't worry so much about using it such places. You might also need a mute if you are going to be practicing after hours. I bought on for $35 that was being sold for parts and it actually came back into playing style with minimal work. Also, a cornet will probably be better for practicing than even a pocket trumpet. Otherwise, take your mouthpiece and do buzzing exercises.

I just came home from my brothers house last night. Went there hoping I'd stay no longer than a week. Well long story short, I ended up staying 3 weeks! No mouthpiece, no trumpet, nothing!! Tried playing and it served me well!

Even when you do come back to playing after a long break, and you notice nothing is wrong, their probably is!

But I'm going to go the smart way a find a teacher, you should too..after your vaca time!