Re: Practice Time


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Posted by Sean Chisham on October 15, 2000 at 00:14:14:

In Reply to: Practice Time posted by John Urling on October 14, 2000 at 23:39:38:

2-2.5 hours at a pop? That is a pretty tough chore. Usually the face and mind start to become complacent after 45 minutes - 1 hour or so of intensive concentrated practice. You will also get more done with more practice sessions. Instead of 2 looooong sessions, try 3-5 45 minute sessions. This will mean you are always playing on relativelly fresh chops and learning to expect that fresh sound. You will also train your mind to be in the game better.

Another tip, if you have the practical arrangements, is to try to never go longer that 12 hours without at least 30 minutes of quality playing. If you can fit this into your schedule, then you will always be playing on "warm" chops. The mind and muscles will be ready at a moments notice.

Regarding chop damage: 4 minutes of face torture playing toe curling dynamics at the most extreme of registers with lots of tension can cause muscular damage which may require days to heal. 4 hours or more of smart playing will not damage you. Of course, always seek a doctors opinion before undertaking any physical activity. ( Just gotta throw that blanket warning out )

If you feel like you have been spinning your wheels at 5 hours of practice a day in two sessions, then try breaking it up more and activelly seeking out musical stimulation to give you new ideas. Also be sure to record yourself periodically as a self checkup and always practice with the mind instead of the horn.

sean




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