Routine Endurance

[rhodf]

Let me first express thanks to all of those Adam students who have contributed their time and knowledge to this forum. I truly hope that the Mr. Adam's approach and concepts that he taught will continue to be discussed and explained here as a living legacy to what he has added to trumpet pedagogy. He will be sorely missed.

That being said, I would like to ask about the Adam routine and endurance. Specifically, I have been playing a more extended version of the routine than I normally do over the past few weeks since I have had more practice time. My extended routine is as follows:
Leadpipe for a minute or two
Expanding long tones up to top sapce E
Glantz Long tones
Clarke 1 up to G on top of the staff
Schlossberg 6
Schlossberg 31
Schlossberg 13
Schlossberg 14
Expanding scales to High C#
This is all played at a solid forte with the focus on keeping the sparkle and energy in the sound and maintaining it in all registers. I also rest as much as I play, but not more than I play. I either play with a recording where I alternate with the recorded trumpet or I sing the exercise and then play it. This takes me about 45 minutes or so to complete. At this point my lips are tingling. This leads me to conclude, that I need to take a longer break at this point, wait for the tingle to subside and then resume. If this is not the case, let me know. I know that this is a pretty light version of the routine compared to what was being done on the 3rd floor at IU and those guys played for several hours beyond that. This then brings me to three possible scenarios.
1. I am just currently "out of shape" and need to keep at it. Everyone's chops get the tingle at first but as they work the routine over the course of a few weeks/months, they can eventually go longer and longer before they need a lengthy break, just make sure you rest as much as you play.
2. It is common to start to get that tingling feeling after about 20 to 30 minutes of playing the routine even when resting as much as you play. This happens to pretty much everyone and is not a function of endurance. You will just need to plan on having a 10 or so minute break (at least) for every 20 minutes or so you play regardless of how "in shape" you are.
3. You are playing the routine too loud. You need to play more like a mf or softer level if you ever hope to make it more than 20 minutes or so.
The last option seems to be the least likely to me since I have heard guys play the routine MUCH louder than I am playing and they seem to have chops to burn.

Thoughts?

[royjohn]

rhodf wrote:

[PH]

If the tingling you are describing is what I think it is, you are resting as much as you play, keeping the air in motion and it isn't accompanied by a diminution in the quality of your sound then it is a good thing.

This is the point when you are really starting to get it going and the feeling I think you are describing is when I feel like I'm finally "ready to go." It usually takes me 1-2 hours to get there. I could play well before this, so remember that routine isn't a warm=up. However, when I get that happy tingle I''m about ready to really get after it.
_________________
Bach trumpet artist-clinician
Clinical Professor of Jazz Trumpet, University of Illinois
Professor Emeritus of Jazz Studies, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music
Faculty Jamey Aebersold Jazz Workshops 1976-2019
JazzRetreats.com

[trumanjazzguy]

Through getting hired in a traditional jazz and rock and roll working band, I've come to some tough realizations about endurance. These apply to me, and possibly not the rest of you. You guys might find more in common with me than I assume, I guess:

1. I must rest and play if I am to play for more than an hour at a time.

2. If I want 4+ hour gig endurance, I must play through mild pain once a week. Don't use excessive pressure, just coerce the notes out at less volume. Followed by a day of limited playing.

3. I will never develop the ability to play for many hours a day by never doing so.

4. My endurance is heavily tied to the volume I'm playing at. Loud takes more energy, and more chops to maintain. Soft is easier for longer periods.

5. My endurance is heavily tied to the register I'm playing in. If I want to last (perhaps if I want to keep playing 30+ years from now!) , I pick and choose my high notes when they feel right. Especially when soloing.

6. If I have to play for more than 2.5 hours a day in rehearsals/gigs, I cannot afford a practice session with any more playing than is required to warm up.

7. I have detirmined that I have about 3.5 hours total of HORN ON FACE time per day lately. Meaning 3.5 hours where I'm blowing and making the sound happen. That's all I can achieve at the moment, and that's ok!

I used to get very tired in a single hour practice sesson everyday. These days, I often am required to play 4 - 6.5 hours a day. I never thought this was possible a year ago. I pace myself, and hold the high notes until they're absolutely required by part or necessary in climactic solos, and things work pretty well. Ibuprofin every night helps heal things up nice!
_________________
TPT: Nova LA
CRN: Getzen 1950’s W/5.5in bell
FL: Jupiter 1100R
‘Pieces:
TPT: 34-throat shallow double-cup, Chet Baker’s Custom Schilke, Bach Corp 3, Bach Mt. Vernon 6C, Ken Titmus BF Custom(s).
CRN: NY Giardinelli 7SV.
FL: Yamaha Bobby Shew

[Jonny Boy]

For many years I tried to make things feel a certain way and this always lead to constant problems with my playing, despite having taking lessons with Mr Adam and several of his students. What I always noticed after the lessons is how much better I sounded but also that it felt much better (a result, not a cause). So left to my own devices I would go for the sound, but if not concentrating enough or maybe not having such a good day and struggling to get the sound I wanted I would start searching for the feel. This always lead to worse results (even if occasionally I had a short term fix).
Things have gotten a lot better now. I go for the sound and just let things relax out. If it feels weird I just concentrate more on the sound (singing in my head) and watch I don't get too loud. I try and play with a big sound but watch my volume. I never practice more than an hour at a time (that's with lots of resting to). If I go for longer my mind wonders and I tend to get to loud. (I do however do some very loud exercises within my routine)