Got any summer practice goals?

It is officially summertime, and while many of us are eager to go on vacation, some of use might want to use the extra hours of daylight to practice more! Are there any techniques, pieces, etudes, or concepts you’d really like to work on to structure your summer practice? What progress would you like to make on them? (And is there any tonebase material that might help you along that journey?) Let us know below!

6 replies

null
    • Richard_Edelman
    • 6 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    I'm working on the Guided Improv course but am a little behind. It has re-awakened my memorizing skills, though, and I am committed to catching up and mastering the material as well as the entire course on jazz theory. For me, Tonebase is a really great experience. 

      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 6 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Thanks Richard! I'm happy to hear that. Do take your time – the guided class can move at your own pace :) 

    • Eric
    • 6 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    I took the summer off from my community band, and so I'm working instead on:

    1. Claude Gordon Daily Routines trying to build my endurance.  I'm hitting this hard over the summer since I have no real playing commitments to work towards, but would love to be able to hold an A in concert at the end of the concert when I'm already exhausted come fall without my chops just giving up on me.  A C would be great, but I'll settle for a reliable A.
    2. Trios with my kids - me on either trumpet or baritone, my son on trumpet, and my daughter on french horn.  We're working on How to Train Your Dragon, The Avengers, and a trumpet duet arrangement of Blue Bossa. 
    3. Trying to learn Nightsongs on flugel
    4. Trying to re-learn improv on my trumpet (via the Guided Improv course to start with). 
    5. There's an audition coming up in a month to be one of the featured players for Bugler's Holiday for the fall concert that I've been working through.  Surprisingly I'm finding the double tonguing doable as long as I'm sufficiently warmed up, but falling short on the bugle call at the end where I can't single tongue fast enough, nor can I triple tongue with any synchronization between my fingers and embouchure.  The director tells me they typically play it slowed down to 144, and at that speed I think if I work just a little harder I'll be able to just single tongue it.  I can reliably single tongue sixteenth notes at 88 right now, and just need to get that up to 108 to do the triplets at 144.  I'm following the "play for 1 minute straight at your fastest comfortable speed every day, and increase by one step every week" method.  Just needs a lot more practice is all.  And time.  Anyone found that infinite time glitch yet?
    6. Finally I just replaced my trusty Yamaha 6345 that I've been playing since 1993 with a used customized Bach Commercial, and I've been working through the growing pains of getting used to a new instrument for the first time in 30 years.
      • Trumpet Lead
      • Ethan
      • 6 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Wow! That seems like a jam-packed schedule. Excited to hear how it all goes. That's wonderful you can play with the kids - I'm sure that experience will pay lifelong dividends for them. How do you like the Bach Commercial so far? 

      For fast multiple tonguing, see if you can focus on just slow, metronome K stroke for the next 2 weeks without doing ANY multiple tonguing. Do slow low Arban exercises with just the K stroke and try to get it to sound exactly like a T. Then spend the next 2 weeks before the audition going back to multiple tonguing. You'll find it hopefully much easier. 

      As for fast single tonguing - practicing short bursts can also help you get up to speed. But sounds like you're on the right track. 

      As for holding the high A - remember to practice soft! 

      • Eric
      • 6 mths ago
      • Reported - view

       Yes definitely too much, but I'm not doing this for a living so if I only get to 75% on everything but had fun and kept on top of my community band stuff, then that's good enough.

      Yes the k stroke practice has definitely helped.  I didn't even realize how much - I spent about a month on Claude Gordon's Daily Trumpet Routine (specifically the first 20 or so exercises), and he has you bouncing between partials using different tonguing patterns, including just the k and a double tongue pattern.  That definitely helped.  At this point my multiple tonguing is fast enough, but since I haven't been practicing any triple tonguing with fingering changes, I can't yet wrap my brain around syncing them up so it just sounds like a 3 year old banging on a piano.  So.... slow it down and practice the synchronization between tongue, embouchure, and fingers, and then slowly speed it back up.  Hopefully I can get it fast enough by the end of July for the audition.  And working on the single tonguing as a backup plan.

      The Bach Commercial is a fine instrument.  I sound better than I actually am on it.  It is a little looser in the slotting than my Yamaha, so I'm having to reign that back in as I frequently miss the partial I was shooting for.  It's an interesting horn - the previous owner had it modified with a bunch of heavyweight hardware (those KGU valve caps, etc.) which is an interesting choice on a horn billed as lightweight (though by all accounts it's only lightweight compared to other Bachs).  It's a tank now, but I kind of wish I had the original hardware in hand so I could compare the heavyweight to lightweight configurations.  I'm hoping I'll blend a little better with the rest of the Bach brigade in my community band - I was the definitely in the minority before.

      I will keep it soft.  I usually don't, of course.  This new horn really sings when you push it!

    • Trumpet Lead
    • Ethan
    • 6 mths ago
    • Reported - view

    I'm on a maintenance plan myself! I have a few gigs later in the summer, and am just trying to make 30-45 minutes a day to keep everything in good shape. The warm-up routine I use is inspired by what Dan Rosenboom does (stay tuned for his course in a few weeks) but it varies a lot day-to-day. I try to mix in a wide array of technical fundamentals, with a lot of bends and articulation work. Usually this is sufficient for the majority of playing situations I find myself in. When I have time to work in more targeted ways, I tend to pick concepts and work on free improvisation. This always translates into playing over tunes, etc. 

Login to reply

Content aside

  • 6 mths agoLast active
  • 6Replies
  • 29Views
  • 3 Following