Most humiliating practice session (attempt) ever.

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596

What I'm hearing is you're not facile with fingering - you're still stumbling over which buttons to press - is that correct? If so you need to develop your feedback loop to where you don't have to think about which buttons to push just like you just know where the slide goes with trombone.

Start with page 11 (on mine) exercise 1 of the Arbans. On my copy it's exercises 1 - 6. All whole notes and half notes in the key of C. As slow as necessary to do it cleanly without fumbling for the fingering. Do exercise 1 until you can do it without fumbling. Then move on to exercise 2. Exercise 6 introduces the first accidentals. When you get through exercise 6 start at the top - exercise 1 and do the page again. Then do it again. Then do it again. When you can do all the exercises on that page comfortably go to page 12 exercise 7 where more accidentals are introduced. Exercise 9 introduces the first new key signatures. The fingering for new notes is already written in on exercise 1 - 10. Same drill, go over 7 - 10 until you don't have to fumble for the fingering.

There's also a fingering chart at the beginning of the book from low F# to high C.

When 1 - 10 become second nature keep going.

For more familiarity with different keys page 59 (on mine) starts the section on scales in all the keys.

Btw, if my understanding is correct and you're at that rudimentary an inability to read, how have you managed to work up anything to play? I'm also wondering why your teacher hasn't addressed this? Or have they?

1jazzyalex

trickg · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 6:25 pm Post subject:

I'll repeat what I said earlier:

1.) Arbans
2.) Metronome

You really don't need anything else. There is not trick or shortcut - time in the practice room, and structured repetition will get you where you want to go, and probably faster than you might think, at least where learning fingerings and treble clef are concerned.
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razeontherock · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 6:33 pm Post subject:

trickg · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 6:46 am Post subject:

LakeTahoeTrpt · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 1:08 pm Post subject:

All of this is awesome advice. The so-called "trick" is just to slow down to the point where your playing is synchronized with your brain; just play everything as slowly as you need to. Someone mentioned "The Inner Game of Tennis," a great recommendation given that you said this practice session was "humiliating." Who are you trying to impress? If you are just trying to get better, does it really matter if you have to really slow down to learn how to play it right? I'm assuming you are practicing at home or in a practice room, not on the stage at Carnegie Hall, right?

I agree with everyone here who said play it slowly. The idea is to get the treble clef playing firmly implanted into your brain, so that the technical part becomes body memory. Don't put a time limit on it, and just speed up when you feel ready to, slowing down if it becomes too confusing. Remember when you first began playing music on your trombone? You were happy to just be able to produce a sound. Take the pressure off yourself. Slow down and have fun.

Oh, and I edited this to recommend a book that is like "The Inner Game of Tennis," only written especially for musicians. It is "Effortless Mastery," written by Kenny Werner. I would recommend it to any musician.

Good luck!
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Hogerheyde · Posted: Thu Mar 16, 2017 4:26 pm Post subject:

The best advice I can give to improve your sight reading is do more sight reading. When I was struggling reading for bass guitar, I purchased 3 bass guitar sight reading books. The idea is to read through each exercise or song without stopping. Don't go back to correct mistakes, then on to the next one, etc, etc..... This was the best way for me to learn positioning on the bass, and improve my ability to shift positions readily.
After having 7 years off playing trumpet, I have applied this same principle to trumpet sight reading. To get my reading skills back to where they used to be, I simply read through a heap of different charts each day, without going back to correct any mistakes. Forcing my brain to focus better.
Don't confuse sight reading practice with technical practice. Technical practice is a repetitive process to gain muscle memory. Like doing Clarke exercises, Arban exercises and such. Preparing a piece for your lesson is not sight reading. It is a gradual and repetitive process to learn that specific repertoire.
As simple as his answer is, Larry Smithee hit the nail on the head.
Read, read, read. Be patient and it will improve.
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