Week 3
Establishing a More Consistent Warmup Routine
- Using Metronome in Daily Practice
- Sightreading
- Anxious to Play Everyday
- Making Progress
My thoughts, observations, and insights for week 3.
This week I began spending more time on my warm up. As my lips have gotten stronger I have felt the need to take more care in developing a good routine for my daily warm up. I have read several articles recently about warm up routines and I have consolidated the best of the article ideas and my experience and developed the following suggestions for a daily warm up routine.
Daily Warm Up
- long tones
- low to mid register lip slurs
- low to mid register chromatic scales
- First Studies 1-10 used in warm up time on several days
- 12 major scales beginning with F# below middle C
- mid to high register lip slurs
- mid to high register chromatic scales
- major scales in high register
Using Metronome in Daily Practice
This week I began using the metronome in my daily practice in Arban. I have always known the benefits of using a metronome but I have rarely used one over the years. This goes back to the lack of discipline I have mentioned previously.
Some of the benefits of using a metronome include:
- developing the skill to maintain a consistent beat and rhythm with metronome and eventually, without the metronome
- assist you with working out complicated rhythmical patterns and to play them at desired speed
- using the metronome on a regular basis helps you to more accurately determine tempos when the metronome is not available
- to facilitate "muscle memory" through repitition
The metronome is an indispensable tool for the musician who wants to excel.
Sight Reading
In addition to daily practice I also decided to do some regular sight reading at least one day a week. Sight reading a passage, without stopping to practice, has benefits for all musicians—beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Make sure you chose music for your sight reading that challenges you.
Anxious to Play Everyday
Everyday I wake up anxious to start playing. It’s been a long time since I have enjoyed playing trumpet this much. It feels very good.
Making Progress
I am seeing and hearing progress with tone, breath support, embouchure, and endurance. Three weeks of disciplined practice have already paid off and I am expecting to see much more progress in the future.
Notice: I am having computer problems. I will add some audio samples from this week and possibly some pics when I am able.
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