|

|
The Essential
Trumpeter
by
Gary Wurtz , DMA
SFA
Assistant
Professor of Music, Trumpet
Director, SFA Jazz Band |
Why
Practice?
Practice How Much?
What to Practice
How to Practice
When to Practice
Where to Practice
Why Practice?
As a musician at any level (professional, amateur, student),
everyone should have specific goals for improvement and performance
ability. Most immediately, as college music majors, you have
certain goals imposed upon you such as lessons, auditions, ensemble
and solo performance requirements, juries, upper level examinations,
and finally your senior recitals. The only way to be successful
in all of these endeavors is to practice correctly and frequently.
Practice How Much?
As stated in the syllabus for trumpet lessons, you
should practice as much as it takes to accomplish all of the
performance goals in your musical life. While a requirement of
two hours is cited for a lesson grade (90), realistically no
amount can be exactly specified. How much to practice is a personal
matter, and is effected by the endurance considerations caused
by the rehearsal and performance schedule of the ensembles in
which you participate. Nonetheless, now is the time in your life
that you should find the time to practice at all costs. If you
have to get up earlier, and/or stay up later to get it done,
then so be it. Your practice time is your investment in the future
successes you will have as a performer.
What to Practice
If you were to compile a list of skills
and abilities necessary to play college and professional level
music, it would include (but not necessarily be limited to) the
ability to function at a high level in these areas:
Tone
Finger technique
speed
accuracy
Range
low
high
Articulation
speed
accuracy
single, double and triple
Flexibility
lip slurs
fingered slurs
Accuracy (hitting the correct notes)
Endurance (ability to last)
Strength (ability to play loudly)
Intonation (playing in tune)
Stylistic diversity
Musicality (vibrato, phrase shaping, dynamics, etc.)
|
 |
On a daily basis you should practice exercises, method books,
etudes, solos, etc. that will allow you to address all of these
pertinent issues. Additionally, you have to practice your ensemble
music enough to be able to play it at a high level in rehearsals
(as well as on the performance).
How to Practice
Practice things slowly enough to play them
perfectly, then increase the speed gradually. Repeat difficult
passages over and over until you can play them multiple times
in succession without mistakes. Reduce the music to smaller cells
of difficult material that you master before continuing to the
next thing. Don't expect to make great improvements over night
in most cases. Utilize the technology available to you such as
portable tuners and metronomes, stereos (listen to available
recordings when possible), recorders (the tape doesn't lie),
and computer programs that may help (such as Vivace or Band-in-a-Box.)
When to Practice
Practice at times that work with your ensemble
rehearsal schedule. In order to be ahead of the game, I recommend
a practice session before your first class in the morning. By
putting in a practice session early, you are not forced to cram
heavy practice in between heavy rehearsals. Additionally, the
early warm-up will allow you to function at a higher, more efficient
level during your rehearsals, lessons and performances. A best
case scenario would be the early morning session of about 45
minutes, a mid-afternoon session (prior to marching band if possible),
and a late evening session (between 9:00 and 11:00). Practicing
three times a day will allow you to break up your practice and
avoid becoming fatigued.
Where to Practice
First of all, there are ALWAYS empty practice
rooms upstairs. There are always more people in the lounge than
in the practice rooms. I would like to see everyone else at this
university complaining that they can never get into the practice
rooms because the trumpet studio is hogging them. Secondly, it
is a good idea to practice in a variety of venues. Look for unlocked
classrooms, rehearsal halls, etc. to occasionally hear yourself
in a different environment. Sit under a tree and practice outside
sometimes. If you live in a situation where you can practice
at home, great...but don't only practice at home. Sometimes the
familiarity of being at home, combined with the availability
of a TV, makes home a less than ideal place to practice.
If
you would like to be added to the TSMP
Email Mailing List and receive
periodic notifications of new articles and updates to this website,
then please email
TSMP.
The Texas School Music
Project is a source for ideas and information
concerning pedagogical
practices in the music classroom or rehearsal hall. The TSMP is a service provided to
all music specialists by the faculty
of
the Department of Music
at Stephen F. Austin State University.
For questions about this
site contact [email protected].
Copyright ? 2002, Department
of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University
|
|