Practice Tips
"He who would learn to fly one
day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one
cannot fly into flying."
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Here, in no particular order, are some ideas to help you to organize your valuable practice time. Think about each one and consider how it might help to make you a better trombonist. Some of these strategies might apply to many other aspects of your life, from school to sports. I can't take much credit for original thought here, as most of these tips have been borrowed or adapted from my own teachers.
- Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
- Be regular and consistent: Try to put in time each and every day (although it can be healthy to occasionally take a day off, even one each week). When scheduling your practice sessions, keep two things in mind:
- It is more productive to practice 30 minutes a day for six days a week then it is to practice 1½ hours a day for two days a week.
- It is more productive to schedule two 45-minute sessions in a day, rather than one session of 1½ hours.
- Keep it interesting and enjoyable: Start and finish each session with music and simplicity in order to give yourself positive bookends. Start by buzzing a simple tune on your mouthpiece, and end with a simple Rochut or Concone study.
- Sometimes silence is the answer: Thirty minutes of practice does not (and should not) mean thirty minutes of playing or thirty minutes of sound. You can accomplish a great deal while not actually playing your instrument. Practice trouble passages on the breathing bag or as a wind pattern off and on the instrument. Imagine your favorite trombonist (or singer) performing the passage and then imitate him or her. Put the mouthpiece against your chin and work on slide technique all by itself. You can achieve your objectives faster and more effectively and don't waste your chops bashing away at something over and over again.
- Create a productive space: Your practice space should be quiet and free of distractions such as family members and television. Invest in an inexpensive wire music stand so that your posture isn't compromised by having to read music off your bed.
- Be considerate of your friends and neighbors: If there are noise issues in the evenings, consider scheduling your session before your other (quiet) homework instead of after.
- Give yourself permission to sound less than your best: Obviously, you must always strive for Golden Tones no matter what the situation, but in the practice room you should take more chances and stretch your limits. Play higher/lower and faster/slower and louder/softer than you ordinarily might.
- Set achievable goals: If you are practicing a passage using a specific approach and are not making steady progress, stop and change that approach. Establish and work toward a more attainable short-term goal. For example, practice it at a slower tempo (or a faster tempo for a slow passage), a different octave, a different volume, etc. Slur articulated passages. Play the passage on one note only, focusing on the rhythm. Play the notes out of rhythm and focus on moving from one note to the next with a beautiful sound and beautiful intonation. Change the rhythm itself. Remember that if you continue to practice something without improvement, you are telling your brain that is how you want the passage to be performed. All habits, good and bad, are formed through repetition.
- Use your mouthpiece: The mouthpiece is your most valuable tool in the practice room. Spend time each day buzzing tunes, scale patterns and exercises. When working on a passage in a piece, establish it on the mouthpiece before going back to the instrument. Don't force the sound; buzz softly and easily. Notice how easily the air flows through the mouthpiece with little resistance; duplicate that sensation of ease and flow on the instrument.
- Use your metronome: Good time and rhythm are vital, as they are the elements that unite song with wind with tongue with slide. Centering on rhythm can also bring focus to your playing, helping to control your nerves and to maintain mental quiet and physical relaxation.
- Prioritize your strengths and weaknesses: While part of the object is to have fun and feel good about yourself and your playing, don't spend all of your time practicing the things that you are already good at. Of course take some time to do that stuff because it's fun, but focus on the things that need improvement. Take some time to list the things you are good at as well as the things you aren't so good at. Have a friend who knows your playing make his or her own list and compare the two. Be honest with yourself and reevaluate your playing periodically. Some days or months your playing might require a different focus. Make new lists each month to see how your playing has progressed, and adjust your practice accordingly. Be conscious that it is easy to get into a mindless (unproductive) routine.
- Technique is memory:Many of the technical aspects of trombone performance can be tied to muscle memory. Remember that short-term memory only lasts for 24 hours. In order to program something into your long-term memory, you need to repeat it each day for four days straight; missing a day takes you back to Day 1. This can be applied to a particularly difficult technical passage you are trying to learn: you need to "master" it or at least get it to a certain level each day for four days before you attempt to take it to the next level. This strategy is also dependent on setting achievable goals, as discussed above.
- Practice makes perfect: In a performance, you can only expect the average of your practice sessions. For example, if you nailed a certain passage 7 out of 10 times in the practice room, you have only a 70% chance of nailing it in the performance. This also explains how better preparation leads to more confidence on the stage.
- Make sure you have the time to do the other things in life that make you happy: We all have multiple interests and other things to do besides practicing our instrument, whether it's hockey, basketball, hiking or video games. Taking the time to organize your sessions can help you to be efficient with the time you do spend in the practice room, giving you more time for other activities while still making progress on your instrument.