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
August 2, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I agree whole-heartedly. For many years I used to practice until I could not get another note out of the horn, thinking that I could play longer that way.
I found that by picking up the horn and practicing some Arban for about 45 minutes and then laying the horn down for at least 1 hour before I started in again (practicing riffs, etc.) was more beneficial than trying an endless marathon. I usually practice 3 times a day with at least an hour break in between sessions. I usually practice (1) Arban (2) Scales and long tones (3) Solo pieces with CD accompaniment.
When I have a gig that evening, I practice only 1 hour during the day, generally in the morning. I used to make the mistake of “over-practicing” before a gig and my chops could not take it.
Everyone has a different viewpoint on trumpet playing and practice, but I think that many trumpet players practice incorrectly (or not at all) and their tone and endurance suffer to a great degree.