practicing

[bloke]

I've spent quite a bit of time practicing over the past few weeks.

It has cost me money to do this. I'm not getting as much repair work done, as every day has the same number of hours, and older men only have so much energy.

I'm quite pleased with what I'm hearing coming out of the bell of my tuba, including compared to decades ago when I was probably at my so-called "prime". I'm playing smarter, I don't need to be as strong as I was. Truth be told, when I decide that I've played enough for a while, I actually feel refreshed in comparison to probably how I felt twenty years ago - after putting myself through similar rigors..

Giant mouthpiece throats are a dumb idea.

An incredibly good B-flat is better than an incredibly good C. The Germans are right.

Over and out.

[the elephant]

While I have not (yet) given up on the CC tuba, I am right there with you on everything else.

I have been practicing a lot more the past two years than I have in decades. Things I have been faking are now coming out of the bell solidly. (You can fake a ton of stuff in a big ensemble once you figure out how to do it, and these are not skills that are ever taught in an academic setting. I don't believe most teachers-without-a-fulltime-playing-gig know how to do this sort of stuff because it comes from many years of experience.)

I thought that once you went over the hill, you did not come back, but I let my grass go to seed, and everything is coming back anyway. I also feel like a lot of it is better.

When you are young, you are a good player on your own. When you are middle-aged aged you are a good ensemble player. When you become "old", you can practice a lot, becoming both a good individual player AND a good ensemble player, better than you ever were. Or you can give in and retire.

I think most folks decide to retire because it is the correct time and is far easier. I have to work until I die, so I have decided to sort of go back to school and polish this turd until it shines, baby…

And it is going pretty well, I think. I was never a good recitalist, mainly because I think the tuba, as a solo vehicle, is pretty lame. I live for big excerpts and am truly happy just being on stage most of the time, tacet sheets be damned. I did recitals because I *had* to, and never prepared them worth a darn. Now I am doing them fairly regularly and am becoming good at this skill set. All this shedding solo material is greatly improving my time in my seat in the back row of the orchestra. Everything is easier, even though some of the pieces are the same insipid twaddle I have been fed for the last three decades. My attitude toward my job is greatly improved, too.

When I can toss off one of the very difficult Gallay "Etudes Brillantes" (far, far harder than any of the etudes in the Robert King "Gallay" collection), I find that the whole notes of one of those rancid Luck's Music Library pops arrangements are less torturous to endure… and I like playing again. I am even listening to orchestral music again for the first time in many years. It's funny how burnout works and how we can overcome it… with effort.

[the elephant]

By the way, I am about to head into my studio for my THIRD practice session for today. I spent two hours with the Kurath, a tuner, and one of my sections of "The Dozens" to work on low-range solidity and intonation.

Now I am going to hit spots in the concerto at half speed with the accompaniment playing on my laptop. Finale allows me to extract the piano part and then set the tempi however I want (with some effort) and use it as a combination tuner/metronome that is unbeatable and a source for rapid improvement.

I also think I have sorted my playing stand issues and may start using it once I have made the needed changes.

Now all I need to do is learn to play the freaking tuba and I'll be golden.

[russiantuba]

This post with Wade's comment makes me feel good about something--continue practicing and you can definitely get better--I have a mantra when I am behind the bell--always try to get better.

[the elephant]

As Don Harry told me back in 1987, after about ten years of playing full time you will have covered most of the repertoire and will have repeated a lot of it, some of it many times. It is a challenge to stay in top form after you get to that point. You get bored.

I agree. You start to realise "Well, that's it. That's everything I'll ever get to play. It's mostly going to be reruns now."

Then you start to think of your dream job as being just another j. o. b. and burnout starts to set in. Once that happens, you need to fix it.

You can retire.

You can branch out.

Or you can practice your ass off and try to meld your experience with some strong chops and have a great time at work.

I am trying to do that last one. Sounds like Joe is doing the same. It is a rediscovery of all the things we were so jazzed about when we were kids.

I am falling in love with the music again.

[gocsick]

By the way, I am about to head into my studio for my THIRD practice session for today. I spent two hours with the Kurath, a tuner, and one of my sections of "The Dozens" to work on low-range solidity and intonation.

Now I am going to hit spots in the concerto at half speed with the accompaniment playing on my laptop. Finale allows me to extract the piano part and then set the tempi however I want (with some effort) and use it as a combination tuner/metronome that is unbeatable and a source for rapid improvement.

I also think I have sorted my playing stand issues and may start using it once I have made the needed changes.

Now all I need to do is learn to play the freaking tuba and I'll be golden.

Sent this to my son... want to remind him that even the pros work things at reduced tempi..

[the elephant]

Sent this to my son... want to remind him that even the pros work things at reduced tempi..

Slow practice (starting at half speed for me) is one of the keys to cleaning stuff up so that people will pay to hear you play it. It is one of the cornerstones of solid playing, along with long tones, scales, etc.

Slow Playing: The shiznit since "Moses and the Pharaohs" did a six month stint at the Goshen Ramada Inn

[russiantuba]

Sent this to my son... want to remind him that even the pros work things at reduced tempi..

Slow practice (starting at half speed for me) is one of the keys to cleaning stuff up so that people will pay to hear you play it. It is one of the cornerstones of solid playing, along with long tones, scales, etc.

Slow Playing: The shiznit since "Moses and the Pharaohs" did a six month stint at the Goshen Ramada Inn

I read practice and prepare for auditions packet from two top symphony players--both said for at least two weeks in a period to practice the excerpts minimum half tempo, don't move it up. I practice ALL my technical passages slow in solo rep, something I learned was truly effective in the last 5 years, though started it post DMA--takes a while for the seeds to grow.

I will still say to younger students that scale facility is the MOST important thing you can do--especially when half the gigs you do end up being sightreading or having a huge book of gig music to have "on call"--or when you teach, being able to maneuver around to demonstrate at a somewhat decent level.

[bloke]

I haven't read any of that, but I'm delighted that you guys are discussing the topic. I'll read after a little bit. Thanks

[MikeMason]

I’ve been having fun doing this: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093070124479

[Mary Ann]

Speaking of which: can someone recommend a drone program / app for a computer (not a flipping fone) ? I only need something to play "against" as in a fundamental, as opposed to "with" which would be tempered tuning that isn't what I'm looking for. The "with," I can just use recordings of pieces.

And about practice, I continue to be totally in love with the sound and playability of the Hagen, and am taking much longer than I anticipated to get up to my own standard of reasonable competence. But I also did not anticipate being as big a physical mess as I have been the last year. I really have to concentrate on blowing through this instrument more than any other I've played.

[the elephant]

My return to the sort of pig-headedly-stubborn, slow, deliberate practice that got me my job has started paying off today with the concerto I am playing in a few weeks. I practice everything very slowly, over and over, untio I pretty much cannot screw it up. Then I slowly increase the tempo,

I have 1 and 3 perfect at a little under tempo, decent up to tempo, and dirty-but-nearly-under-control about 5 or 8 clicks above tempo.

My goal, of course, is to be playing it mistake-free every time while making nice phrases with lots of direction to them about 8 clicks above the tempo so that the performance at tempo will be very easy and relaxed. I am playing the long phrases of the middle movement below tempo to work out breathing and make the actual tempo feel relaxed and natural.

Productive practice is good practice.

[bloke]

Lately, I've been trying to be more conscientious in regards to large ensemble parts preparation...which includes youtube research.

I'm still pretty deeply into Bordogni...(bore-dogma)

Rochut 2 and 3 (Rochut's sortings of 61 - 90 and 91-120)...I play those on the big fat B-flat tuba an octave below the trombone range.

I can play them...but I'm trying to play them as recital pieces...you know...AS IF some real musician (such as a vocalist, bowed-string player, or other REAL music were chiding me and goading me in regards to PHRASING and MUSICAL EXPRESSION). ie. When I catch myself only following the instructions on the page, I ask myself, "Are you REALLY going to ONLY play it like THAT...???"

BETWEEN repeating books 2 and 3, I'll either go through book 1 down two octaves or those 43 (assorted from bk's 1 and 2 of Rochut, and already written in the tuba range) down 1 octave. I'm also (slower rate) picking up the F tuba and playing books 1, 2, and 3 at pitch)...I can do two or three of those before I start getting too tired to play those A-flats, A's, B-flats, B's, and C "up there"...Were I doing' this more...perhaps I could do more of them, BUT I can freakin' play the F tuba...I'm MORE interested in continued ramping up of mastery of the huge B-flat tuba...because it's REALLY FUN to play that instrument REALLY WELL...That thing LOVES to be played well...and loves the player back.

When I get tired of all of that Bordogni, I retreat to random Bach cello suite movements (who-knows-what octave), as well as that horrid print quality Kopprasch horn book (written for tuba)...but only the "hard" exercises...and with a metronome. (Sometimes, the metronome doesn't particularly care for Kopprasch.)

I've looked at "Low Etudes for Tuba" a good bit...but (seriously), double-low Bordogni are (well...) music...and Bach dance suite movements (in the tuba range) offer just as much low range FLEXIBILITY drills (ie. "sudden" double-low pitches) as do the "Low Etudes"...and (again) also actually music.

There are a FEW tuba solos here that are contrabass-tuba-appropriate. Risking bruising American sensitivities, the Hindemith piano-sonata-with-tuba-accompaniment is a BASS tuba solo. One that is contrabass-tuba-ok is the Walter Hartley sonata, but - in reality - most all tuba solos are better on F instruments, including Hartley.

"Just because", I'm reviewing contrabass tuba excerpts...Guys, these are ALL EASIER on B-flat...but never mind that. Y'all do what you do... I did it for 48 years, so I can't judge.

Yeah...I'm sorta neglecting F tuba, but I seem to not be losing any skill playing it, and nor do I seem to be forgetting which buttons to mash.

B-flat tuba stumbling block...?? F-sharp.
With the valve combination 2-3, it sucks just as bad as do the A-flats encountered on C tubas.
(3rd slide needs to be out enough for the lowest F-sharp, which defines the bottom-of-staff F-sharp as flat)...
...but (compared to C tuba) the up-in-the-staff 2-3 F-sharp is encountered considerably more often than the neighboring A-flat is encountered (C tuba), and - well - 2-3 is a BUNCH of cylindrical tubing with a B-flat tuba...nearly as much as the 4th valve alone on a C tuba...and that's a LOT of cylindrical tubing to have engaged when playing F-sharp up in the staff...so the lips MUST-MUST-MUST be producing ABSOLUTELY the correct pitch.

[catgrowlB]

Not much practicing now, as I live in a musical desert and gigs have dwindled. There has to be incentive (gigs) for me to practice. That, or until I get really bored and start messing around on other instruments

[bloke]

Not much practicing now, as I live in a musical desert and gigs have dwindled. There has to be incentive (gigs) for me to practice. That, or until I get really bored and start messing around on other instruments

Totally get this... Along with being overwhelmed with work and needing to pay bills...

[Tim Jackson]

In my mind, I see many others, and myself taking this journey:
Part 1: Go to college, (back then) get exposed to the likes of Bobo, Phillips, and other greats, mainly Bobo for me. Get all fired up and practice 3-4 hours a day and sometimes 7-8 on Saturday and Sunday - or at least till my lip gave out. I had a way of breaking in the music building on Sunday nights, getting on the performance stage, and working out for hours. I was on a mission to master the tuba, and I loved it.

Part 2: Next chapter—college is over, and real life sets in. You realize you won't have a career as a soloist/clinician. You are playing but become totally buried in the day job, family, gigs, career, and house maintenance. At this point, you begin to maintain whatever playing level you left college with. Live a full, busy life. Chops stay the same, and you hopefully improve by gaining experience and maturity.

Part 3: next chapter. For me, I was playing tuba here and there, sometimes laying off for weeks/months. I realized something was missing in my soul.
The tuba journey was missing. The great quest, the mission to figure out and master an instrument. To pick up and continue to climb Mt. Everest.

I had my trusty 186 at that time. I went to the wife and said I wanted to buy a really nice tuba and get on with becoming one with the horn. She said how much? I said 10K—she said, "You can't even get a decent car for that." I took that as a go-ahead. I bought an HB21 and started shedding.
I realized then that it was not about what it took to maintain an acceptable level; it was what would it take to move forward.

Part 4: Final Frontier. At 71, I'm at my personal best. I know what I want, and I have the patience to work the basics for however long it takes. If I play only my repertoire repeatedly, my improvement is negligible. If I do all the things most of us forget later in life, long tones, slurs, slurs, slurs, scales, slured scales in thirds (I thank Joe for mentioning that), sight reading, when I do all this, my solo rep starts moving forward, tone sounds mature, everything starts hitting. I think it was Pablo Casals, some one asked him "why are you still practicing at such an old age" he replied with: as long as I am making progress I will continue on.

This is what keeps me going. I love playing. I love hearing the results of my hard work. It is fun!

In closing, think how good all the pay-per-service orchestras would be if all the musicians could find the time to really practice and improve their skills more than just maintaining an acceptable level.

TJ

[Mary Ann]

Physically I'm not at all where you are, but mentally pretty close. I just happily gave up my 1st chair position in the brass band to a much better player, and I have the solo stuff off my back. I have never liked performing, and realize that maybe isn't typical for an instrumentalist. I have had two stretches of being concertmaster of an orchestra, and did NOT like it. With the dystonia always threatening to manifest at the worst of times, solos are too stressful, and the last one I had (long Eb solo in Porgy and Bess) I gave away. But -- I have a lifelong habit of practice, and as you know it becomes a form of meditation at some point. For that I'm not where I was with violin and probably never will be with tuba, because it's such a physical challenge. But still I enjoy working on that challenge, and am doing at a lower level much of what the rest of you are talking about. For me it takes notable strength to do things on tuba that weren't strength oriented on horn, and it's interesting at 75 (almost 76) to be still seriously giving it my all.

[bloke]

I just quit practicing for the night (just before 9 PM), but I was SIMULTANEOUSLY practicing stuff that I'm going to have to play AND listening to the soundtrack of THIS movie on Svengoolie:




I can't be certain that anything in this movie actually happened, but - at least - I wasn't listening to CNN.

[tubatodd]

@bloke
Thank you for posting this. I am experiencing some of the same. My prime was about 20 years ago as well. Recently, I've been putting "Focus Time" on my work calendar and spending an hour (if I can spare it) to practice . My practicing is more structured, focused and productive. I chalk that up to being a wiser adult.

I realized in this practice renaissance, that my tuba professor never really taught me how to practice. My practicing in college was less focused and consistent. What I do now is a routine. I saw a meme recently that I've used as an inspiration.

Consistency is more important than Intensity

If I consistently do the same routine with the same mouthpiece (and stop going "oooh shiny. let me try this one.") I get great results.

[tubanh84]

I've had several "sections" of my playing so far:

1. College. Obvious.
2. Immediately went to law school, and I didn't play for 3 years, despite my horns taking up space in my apartment.
3. Moved to a small town to clerk for a judge. Had my own 4 walls again. Picked the horns back up and practiced seriously 1-3 hours a day that whole year. Got very good again. Performed the Carnival of Venice, the piccolo solo from Stars and Stripes, and did whatever playing the town asked me to do, which involved a lot of pit work, playing double bass parts on my F tuba.
4. Moved to a bigger city, got entirely too dug into the music scene to the point it was affecting my day job. Orchestra, band, quintet, polkas, one-off weird coffee shop gigs, random solo/chamber programs. It was great, but exhausting.
5. HAD A KID.
6. Moved again, played in a high-level community orchestra. Practiced to amuse myself.
7. Kid started playing violin. I realized how much more is demanded of violin players in their first two years than of tuba players in college. Started myself from scratch on tuba, holding myself to those violin standards.
8. Moved again. Bigger city. Haven't ventured out to play in any groups for fear of #4 happening again. HAVE successfully worked through Suzuki violin books 1-5. Back to playing a lot of etudes and cello suites for fun.

My next step will probably be talking to the local youth orchestra about being a coach. I both love teaching and hate hearing players who are not getting good guidance. So. It's a logical step.

In the last 20 years, my improvements have been incremental and much more mental than physical. And the older I get, the more impressed I am with the 20-year-olds who have managed both to be in top physical playing condition AND find the maturity to play with the precision that took me much longer.