Quit Flogging the Horse

Our chops (the playing mechanism) can handle only so much action before fatigue sets in. Progress on the horn is dictated by how you manage this normal reaction to physical stress. I call excessive practice ‘flogging the horse’ – the irony being you can beat a dead horse all you want, but it’s not going to get up and run!

Most teachers agree it is better to practice several times a day for a short while than it is to conduct a marathon session or two. I can’t remember who said it, but I once read “after about 30 minutes, we’re just fighting tired lips”.

Practice is meant to build strength and reinforce positive muscle memory. This is exactly what occurs when you practice ‘fresh’. Once fatigue sets in you begin to loose form and focus, which means you are likely playing improperly and reinforcing bad habits.

Three to four 25-30 minute sessions per day will over time reward the disciplined player with exceptional results.

To get the most out of these short sessions, learn to rest as much as you play. I do this by fingering and singing thru each exercise / phrase / lick before I play it. Naturally, this takes the same amount of time as playing. Alternating these two learning styles lets you work a section twice while allowing the chops to recharge for the next figure.

Be vigilant about fatigue. Note the moment it sets in, allow yourself 3-5 minutes to find a logical stopping point and put the horn away until the next session.

Johnny

This Week’s Tip

Playing trumpet requires lots of air.  Playing high requires lots of highly compressed air.  But don’t confuse inhaling lots of air with pushing the same volume of air through the horn. That’s like trying to blow a bowling ball through a garden hose—unless you’re Hercules, it just won’t work.  

Instead, try this.  Take a full, relaxed breath before each passage.  Then simply ‘sigh’ through the horn, pushing just enough to keep the air—and sound—steady and full.  If you’re used to blowing hard, this will feel weird.  Give it a week or two.  You’ll be amazed at how little energy it actually takes to play with a bigger, better sound.  Endurance will benefit as well.