butxifxnot

1st of all, I just had surgery (appendectomy) and couldn't play for a while. In fact, I still shouldn't play, at least until they take the staples out (taken out next Monday, that's about two weeks of no playing at ALL). How should I break my trumpet and self back into routine? (generally 1 hour a day, give or take a quarter hour).

2nd, how often do you practice, and what is the structure of the practice session?
[edit note 7-8-05]Confirmed: I cannot play. I just tried.

Manny Laureano

BFN,

I think you're going to be the best judge of your recuperative abilities. I know your common sense will tell you that you want to go easy and build up gradually after you've gotten the okay from your doctor/s.

The most important aspect of your getting back to the trumpet is to breathe as fully as you can all the time. The second part of that is to let go of the breath in a good, relaxed way, like an energetic sigh. A sigh encounters almost no resistance as you exhale. Try to have your playing be like that.

Lots of folks have a very detailed, minute by minute warm up and practice sesion. Some others don't. Guage what you need by judging your strengths and weaknesses. If you have a great natural sound, don't waste a lot of time on long tones. If your sound is cloudy or muddy, well, spend some time clarifying it with long tones that ring vibrantly. If you're struggling with playing anything other than C and G major, spend time playing the other keys.

And so on...

ML

butxifxnot

How often do you practice (ie how many days in a week) and how long per day? I'd love a professional opinion.
Also, how would an all-around practice session go? (ie how to warm-up, how long in comparison with the main body of practice, what consists of the main body, warm-down, etc.) Thank you for the input. It is highly appreciated.

__________________
-"More air", "open the throat", "arch the tongue"; Next
-"Long tones: my anti-drug"

MatthewMiller

I'm not Manny, and I don't mean to steal anyone's thunder.
As for a practice routine, it makes sense to me to have a routine to start each day that covers all your bases (sustained tones, flexibility, technique, articulation, etc.), keeping sound as your focus at all times, and making the basics musical. From there, proceed into etudes, solos, etc. I personally do ear training as well because my ear is a major weakness of mine. In terms of time, I put in at least 3-4 hours a day because I have the time and can focus during that time. Do as much as you can handle physically and mentally, and break it up throughout the day so you are always fresh.
I'm sure Manny will reply and give very wonderful advice, and take my words with much salt...I'm a college student who's still learning a lot of this stuff...Manny is a seasoned pro who has figured a lot of things out!

__________________
Matt Miller

Manny Laureano

Butifnot,

My practice routine, such as it is, is of no value to you because I'm a different player with different needs.

Simply put, a good practice session is one that improves what is challenging in a way that makes you feel like you accomplished something.

ML

butxifxnot

You don't practice as often as you should, do you?

J/k. Is it smart to take a day off? Like practice, say, an hour a day minus a day a week, or it doesn't make much of a difference? Sometimes it seems like a day off helps and sometimes it seems like the lack of practice is a minus. I like getting different opinions on how different people practice. I know that what works for one will not work for me, but I like a variety of opinions (I've gotten opinions from a great play-mate, my PI, a great director, ... none are liken to me but the opinions are helping me form my own method. I'm still looking...even for a good warm-up.)

Along those lines, how goes your warm-up? Like I said, I'm just looking around.

__________________
-"More air", "open the throat", "arch the tongue"; Next
-"Long tones: my anti-drug"

Manny Laureano

Now, you got it!

Take a day off when you think you need it but don't make it the same day always unless it's for religious reasons.

ML

Heavens2kadonka

About practice, I've noticed that one hour of hard work does a heck of a lot better than four to five hours of muddled, play-whatever-feels-good approach. A minute of focused practice is equal to an hour of unfocused playing, in my most humble opinion. PLAY ONLY AS LONG AS YOU CAN KEEP FOCUSED!!!

Van

__________________
Stage 1 California Light
'94 Bach Strad 37
1900 Eb Cornet

LOUD Steve Patrick 10 1/2 C
LOUD LM93

butxifxnot

Play what?? I'm looking for advice on what kind of stuff. I'm looking at the Arban's complete and saying "How in the world can I take this on?" And there's not much in there about warm-ups, buzzing...

__________________
-"More air", "open the throat", "arch the tongue"; Next
-"Long tones: my anti-drug"

Derek Reaban

You might try Chris Gekker’s article on Summer Practice as a starting point (along with the reference to Notes on Practicing) for some great ideas of “what” to practice. He provides a very nice outline. If there is too much content, just take a smaller grouping of exercises from each of the sources that he recommends, or spend more time on each of the groups of exercises (if you can’t get through a complete Characteristic Study from Arban’s in one session for instance). Maybe you program a week for this study instead of a day. Or even several weeks for that matter. Be creative!

__________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona