Re: Practicing


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Posted by Rob Perelli-Minetti on August 10, 2000 at 08:05:23:

In Reply to: Practicing posted by Jens on August 09, 2000 at 15:49:48:

When I was in school (not a music major) in the late '60s and early '70s, I played anywhere from 0-2 hours a day in ensembles and practiced an hour or two a day -- more on the days with no ensembles. Not enough by today's standards, I know, but more real practice time than many other players I knew who were music majors. I was almost always motivated because playing was fun, I liked the sounds I made and the things I could do. I was thrilled when Roger Bobo came up to Santa Barbara with the LA brass quintet and after several of us noodled around with him before and after their concert, he offered to come up from LA once a week to teach me and one other guy. (Not taking him up on it was the dumbest thing I ever did).

Then, for reasons which escape me now, I sold my horn and quit playing for almost 25 years. When I started playing again, motivation wasn't an issue either. Playing is more fun than many things I do. But, in truth there are days one doesn't feel inspired. And more often than I have those days, my daughters ( a 15 year old flutist and a 12 year old trumpet player) have days where it seems impossible to get themselves in the mood to practice. One of the motivators that works around our house for all of us is the comment from my daughter's trumpet teacher, Doug Myers, who attributes it to his teacher, Bud Herseth: "If I don't practice for a day, I know the difference. If I don't practice for two days, the player on the stand next to me knows. If I don't practice for three days, everyone knows."

Good luck.


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