Managing daily practice time

[micka572]

Hi, after years of having lots of practice time available everyday, now with a full time job I'm wandering how to manage something like 45min to 1h everyday.

Sure on week end I have lot more time but with experience I know that with brass if you play mostly 1h a day you can't play 2h without damage.

I will play with 2 big band, 1h30 rehearsal every week with one and 2h every two week with the other one.

I don't have touched my horn for the last 6 month so good to start again and avoid bad habits that I have like smile embouchure and inability to start first note after breathing.

Hope some guys there have some advice

[MStarke]

Hi, I can at least partly relate to your question.
I have a 50-60 hrs non-trombone working week, one wife and two kids...
I play trombone only for fun, but have been a professional bass trombonist many years back.

First of all:
If you really get more or less daily practice time of 45min to 1h a day, it should not be a problem to do more than that in rehearsals or when you have more time at the weekend.
In rehearsals you don't continuously play and typically should not play at your limits the whole time.
What you should not do is a 5 hours practice session at the weekend without a break.

Most important is to develop a very targeted practice program. Maybe you have a teacher who can help you with this.
You should not spend too much time on a pure warm-up, but really try to have as much value in the time you have available. This practice program wil continuously develop and adapt to your abilities. Don't worry, it should also allow some fun of course.

One thing that I find very helpful is to have a "scalable" practice program. What I mean: It can help to start with what is most important and essential to you and know what you add if you have more time.
I am quite sure that you can fit the essentials in a 45 minute session and that this will also allow progress.

What I do:
I currently start with some buzzing, ideally on all my mouthpieces that I kind of regularly use.
Then I do 20-30 minutes basics sessions.
If I have the time, I will do these on two or three different trombones. So this is a bit specific.
I hardly ever fit in any concert pieces, parts or excerpts, again this is specific.
I normally spread these sessions over the day and fit them in whenever I can, working from home a lot.

One little idea: Get a good practice mute so that you are less dependent on daytimes

[Doug Elliott]

If you're interested in a lesson by Skype, I can probably fix the issues you mentioned and get you on a good routine, all in one lesson.

[Vegasbound]

Have a lesson with Doug, if as you say 6 months since you last played your horn then 60 mins will be too much too start with

[micka572]

Hi, thank you all.

A lesson with Doug would be great but unfortunately it's out of my budget.

What I'm thinking off is split it into 3 parts.

1st part warm up and pushing forward my technique
2nd part big band charts, working on hard passages or gaining speed or refining
3rd part improvisation on tunes I take a chorus on or transcription of heads, chorus, chords progression of tunes I like for gaining vocabulary and developing my ears.

What do you think?

[Vegasbound]

Your choice, but I refer you to your own statement that you. 'Haven't played for 6months, have a press and smile embochure and can't start a note'.

You would be trying to run before you can walk so to speak, take the chance to start a fresh and fix those problems after the 6 months off before you grove them back in again

Talk to Doug

[micka572]

Don't know but don't think Doug have time to spend for problems of an amateur if I don't have the money for a lesson.

[Kingfan]

People practice every day??????

[Vegasbound]

Don't know but don't think Doug have time to spend for problems of an amateur if I don't have the money for a lesson.

Then find a pro teacher where you live and have some lessons

[Nerby]

An hour a day is limiting for sure, but I definitely agree that it's best for you to spend extra time on fundamentals for a bit to get back in shape and get comfortable playing again after a long break. Spend an extra 10 minutes than usual playing basics - lip slurs, long tones, whatever floats your boat, and focus on the sound you want and the technique. Then set the horn down and rest for 5 minutes and practice your tunes or whatever you need to work on for rehearsal.