Posted by Alan Herold on March 09, 2001 at 18:45:19:
In Reply to: How do you deal with this? posted by bumfuzzled on March 09, 2001 at 13:40:47:
Don't practice for a while. Play simply to play. And I mean P-L-A-Y in the true, childlike sense of the word. Enjoy playing and don't analyze for a little while (remember, the root word of analyze is anal). Maybe you can do some nice warm-ups and if you feel you must work on something, work on your sightreading. If your sightreading doesn't suck, then you're not human! At least then, you'll have an excuse!
Seriously, when I suck for a while and can't practice worth a crap, I'll focus on working on things that I know won't frustrate me. Long tones, tongueing/multiple tongueing, slurs, old FUN solos, etudes that make me use lots of air, breathing exercises, scales. If you must work (instead of simply having fun) then work on stuff that doesn't frustrate you.
HAVE FUN. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.