Do you play every day?

[stylites]

Ok. As a horn instructor I need to reinforce the need to practice every day. (So there?)

But realistically, how many practice every day? Is it really THAT difficult to take even 15 mins and warm up?

[Guest mafields627]

During the school year, 1.5 to two hours per day, since I'm a music ed major, in addition to 3-4 hours of ensemble time depending on what day it is or if I have a lesson. Durning the summer, 1.5 hours a week. Not good....definately not good.

[StradmanBW]

I try to do 2+ hours a day every day (this includes warmup time of about 10-15 minutes.)

August 12th will mark one year since the last time I went a day without playing. I'm trying to up my practice time per day to make a run at principal trumpet in All State this year.

[WoobieATL]

when i was at college, i didn't practice every day beacuase i had so many other classes to deal with. I went to Berklee College of Music and was in the Music Production and Engineering program.................so I was more into recording sessions than I was into practicing. But when it came to DCI season, I got my chops up so i could function in Bloomington camps without looking silly............. :)

[bill]

:D ...I make every effort to put in an hour or two daily, but being a part of the real world, it sometimes is less....usually after a camp weekend, or a performance weekend, I will take 24 hours off to let the chops rest..

Bill

Kilts

:P

[Jd83]

All I have left is my Schilke 51D mouthpiece, so I guess the answer is...no.

Actually, I'd like to start playing again, since a couple of my kids are growing up and are horn players themselves.

[Lynkin]

I wish that I could at least play 50 minutes everyday....

but sometimes, things just slip (not good for this Phantom hopeful...)

But my favorite time is warming up! I do a lot of warmups and then the exercises. My favorites are interval studies. I need to start working on the appegios more, however.

Now, my practices are devoted to memorizing this fall show's music. My directors will literally kill me if that doesn't happen by August 8th (I've got a few weeks left!). I know most of the music, but I need to sit down (well, I stand when I practice) and just focus on memorizing.

During the school year, it's tough to want to practice because I end up playing two hours worth everyday at school. But I'm gonna have to do that as well...

Shoot, I've got All-State Orchestra (yeah, I know) and Phantom auditionsn coming up! I should practice today....

[spcbrass]

I typically practice about 3 or 4 days a week outside of drum corps. Sometimes I jst need a chop break, the sun wreaks havoc on them. Even with DCT, acutally I use something stronger with spf 30 in it, but after 5 min of playng you can kiss it goodbye.

Practice session are short sweet and simple, about 30 min to an hour. I don't go for quantitiy of practice only quality of practice. There was a day when i went for both, but my chops are feeling great these days, so i typically do less now.

When I am really trying to learn something I will practice more, once I've got it, just general maintenence on the chops and that's it. I spend more time doing excercises rather then practicing music.

Again it is a formula that has brought me a great deal of success, but it doesn't work for everyone. Keep in mind that I am also a contra/tuba player as well, and it is much easier to maintain chops IMO then on high brass.

Shawn ^0^

[John Schmitt]

My biggest issue was when I got home from tour. The first thing I would do is reintroduce myself to the trumpet for a few hours. The next thing I would do is stop playing almost entirely for two weeks before my classes started up again. Mostly because there wasn't some guy up there telling me to, and the "ooooh look, a trumpet!" feeling had worn off. Once I'm back though, yeah. I play every day.

[dc oldtimer]

Man, do I have an opinion about this!!! From the winter of 1973 through the summer of 1979 I pretty much played/practiced (trumpet and baritone in bands and soprano in corp) every day. In grade school and high school I was in various concert and jazz bands with practices and performences almost everyday during the school year. Then around Mothers Day drum corp started kicking in. And anyone who has ever marched knows how much we practice there. Once drum corp ended for the year, then the school year was just around the corner again.

Quite honestly I got burned out and didn't march the last two years of my drum corp career. I didn't miss it then but I do regret not marching those last two years. Especially since when you "age-out" of the Cavaliers you receive a plaque with a Cavalier buckle on it. THIS I DO regret not having especially since kids who marched only one or two years received their buckles and I didn't after 7 years of marching. Oh, well. We all make some decisions that we regreat sooner or later.

Kids, practice but not too much. I am a true believer that you can get burned out fast especially someone who is young. In moderation is what I recomend in all facets of life.