1. LOVE WHAT YOU DO OR STOP DOING IT: In America, we lavish upon ourselves the right to make all kinds of choices. And it just so happens that we're free to make these choices for ourselves. No one can or should tell us where our gifts lie when we're capable and free to do so for ourselves. So if we don't love working at a goal with all our hearts, excepting the moments when nothing fits or works right - but that's another topic really, then we should endeavor to seek out that special something which makes us glow with satisfaction. Those of us in fields like music and art need to seek out ways of helping others reach the same or higher levels of success we experience. Love yourself, love others, and cultivate relationships which encourage these qualities in yourself and others. What we "do" is not necessarily who we are, yet who we are needs to shine through what we do. So love who you are and what you do. It makes a difference in the world for your light to shine brightly. 2. CELEBRATE THE MILESTONES!
It can't be overly stressed how important it is to recognize our progress and fruits of labor. Such moments guide us on to the next phase we need to conquer. If we don't take the time to enjoy the rewards of our efforts, then we might burn out and lose heart. So share successes with friends, those who really care and are working hard themselves. It will encourage them in their efforts to improve, and might even help them recognize an improvement they've already experienced recently. Since musical ability is highly subjective, it helps to offer support to others who in turn can offer it back. That said, watch out for resting on your laurels, thinking you've arrived at your ultimate destination. Know the road is long, and paved with much hardship, which leads to consistent excellence in performance. In fact, the road never ends. The road itself is the means AND the ends to great performance. So stay on it, and continue the habits that got you where you are. 3. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS CRAMMING ON A BRASS INSTRUMENT: I think I need to say that again. There's no such thing as cramming on a brass instrument. Maybe, and I do mean maybe, other instrumentalists or vocalists can get away with last minute jamming in order to prepare for a recital or other performance, but ask anyone who plays a brass instrument what happens when you try it! Most of us have experienced the 'ol football lip which does not respond well to attempts to play on it. It sounds and feels like cotton and all we get from it are foos, if we're lucky. So, if you're facing a big performance without a practice routine in place already, don't try anything fancy now! Think instead about how to offset or balance the playing requirements you're facing in upcoming performances. As trumpet players are usually called upon to play the top notes at strategic moments in the score, your practicing should contain an abundance of low soft long tones to counterbalance the performance repertoire. If you haven't learned that difficult high part by now, it won't do any good, but may do a whole lot of damage to keep playing those passages over and over right before a performance as you get more and more frantic and nervous about getting it perfect...! Instead - playing in the upper register during practice sessions prior to performance should be limited to touching the notes required for performance, and then leaving them alone. If swelling has already begun, back off, try a couple ibuprofin before sleep, and early in the morning. Follow up with low soft long tones such as those in James Thompson's Buzzing Method Book, like Exercise no. 2 which is especially effective in reducing inflammation and getting a responsive buzz back in your playing. Arrive at performance day fresh, having had at least one lighter day of practice before it. If that isn't possible at this time, do the best you can to increase blood flow to the lips by warming up and warming down carefully each day remaining. The lesson to learn for next time is that practice time needs to build toward a level that can accommodate strenuous performance situations. Not unlike athletes training for an event such as a marathon or other endurance event. Once strength is achieved, then you've worked up to a level of fitness and being in shape for performance demands that will take you through the ups and downs of everyday playing and beyond. 4. MINDLESS REPETITION V. MINDFUL STRATEGIZING: Do you find yourself getting all worked up about your teacher telling you things you "already know"? Why would they do that, doesn't he/she know you've put your time in? Hmm, so what isn't adding up in the equation? Perhaps practicing hasn't been focused. Perhaps the mindless repetition is merely reinforcing the adage that practice makes permanent not perfect. So, guess what, if you're practicing without being fully engaged, i.e. loving it!, then you're making those undesirable habits permanent, and making sure your teacher tells you the same thing(s) week in/week out. Ugh. No one enjoys that, but take heart, because you have control over that situation. The keys are literally in your own hands. Read articles on mindfulness (and previous blog posts), slow down and think before attempting, have goals in mind, practice in shorter sections, resist urge to play all the way through (mindless repetition) over and over, etc. A shorter time of focused concentration beats longer stretches of mindlessness anytime! Take, for example, articulation. Multiple tonguing as well as single tonguing. If you play through a solo that utilizes double tonguing over and over, a certain amount of improvement may accrue. And I stress, "may". It could also happen that the repetition cements a flaw in the technique. So why not practice multiple and single tonguing apart from its solo context in such a way as to improve it in terms of cleanliness, speed and control? Your teacher can show you how to practice this way, and it involves a targeted approach to muscle fatigue similar to what a personal trainer or athletic coach advises athletes. A lot of what we do as performers relates directly to muscle memory, so train your muscles in the way they should go, and they will not depart from it when they are playing a solo under performance conditions. (Be sure to comment below with the address of that Bible verse I just appropriated if you know it!) 5. LISTEN WELL TO YOUR TEACHER'S EXAMPLE Teachers don't play just to hear themselves play or for students to compare how good they sound to themselves. They do play to guide and inspire, to illustrate a particular point, or to provide a needed "sit back and listen" break. Listening skills are every bit as important as playing skills, and they aren't just learned in ensemble. They can be learned anywhere there is anything at all to listen to. If your teacher takes the time to play for you, consider yourself very fortunate indeed, for many teachers don't play for their students. If your teacher plays duets with you, you've really hit the jackpot. Listen with all your mind to how your teacher plays, and emulate the sounds and techniques that you hear and observe as best you can. Much is transmitted in this manner that can't be written down or talked about. It's the doing that you're paying for in private lessons. Both your teacher's ability to play well, and your own. That's all for now! Comments are closed.
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GlendaI'm a trumpet player and music teacher aiming in this blog to help other Trumpeters, Music Enthusiasts, Music Educators, and aspiring professionals reach their highest potential in life through the study and cultivation of musical skills. Music Education
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