Practice

[1jazzyalex]

I'd seriously work on a long-term plan to get into one of the military bands. Get paid better than 99% of civilian jobs with great benefits, just to play trumpet and do a little exercise. It was good enough for Herb Alpert
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Yamaha 8335LA with Blessing 3C, 5C, Schilke 11A4A

[SMrtn]

Also, work on your grammar and spelling. The quality of your resume and or application in terms of writing level is taken seriously by both Universities and employers.

[Crazy Finn]

It’s good to have goals, but do a little research for how much of a job market there is in that field before you get too far along. Things are changing and as far as I know there are very few people actually making a living doing studio work even now...

Practicing and setting goals is good either way.
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LA Benge 3X Bb Trumpet
Selmer Radial Bb Trumpet
Yamaha 6335S Bb Trumpet
Besson 709 Bb Trumpet
Bach 184L Bb Cornet
Yamaha 731 Bb Flugelhorn

[ChuckK]

A couple of thoughts:

1.) When you aren't practicing, know that someone, somewhere with the same goals as you IS practicing.

2.) Duke Ellington said: "A musical decision always outweighs any other decision."

3.) Every musician, no matter how great they may be, at one time played at the level you are playing now.
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Never confuse beauty with things that put your mind at ease. - Charles E. Ives

[royjohn]

As a retired psychologist who worked with teenagers, I would have to say that I read through all the "good suggestiongs" [and they were good] and ended up feeling exhausted. While organization is good and practice is even better, I think you are already trying hard and it isn't working well for you, so I'd step back and take a look at a few things.

The first thing I would do is program about eight hours of sleep per night. You say you get to practice late in the morning, which probably means you are overtired. Then I would be sure to schedule some down time, at least on the weekends, a couple of hours when you can do whatever you want to that you would enjoy. If it were playing trumpet with friends, that would be nice, but it it were spending time with friends or dating, that would be OK, too.

You say everything technical about trumpet is challenging for you...if you are doing well in your fundamentals, then even just an hour or two of practice per day should lead to some improvement. If you don't find yourself progressing as well as your peers (which would explain why you think you won't make top band), it is time to ask why. My guess would be an embouchure problem. I would change teachers and I would schedule some appointments with a really good "chop doc". In my world, that would be a Reinhardt teacher, four hours of time with Dave Wilkerson having solved all my embouchure problems, but I leave it to you to pick someone. If a couple of in person or Skype lessons don't start to turn the light on for you, try someone else. It's critical that you get your fundamentals under control if you are to head for a career in music on the horn.

After you are getting good sleep and some down time and have addressed any fundamentals issues, you might look at organizing your time. If you have so much homework that you don't have time for practice, you need to figure out whether you have learning problems, study skills problems or whatever. If you're trying to get into a premium college, you should have been an A student in grade school and being an A student in high school shouldn't take so much homework that you can't finish before your parents go to bed. What's up with that? School with overwhelming homework discipline? You ought to be able to arrange a schedule with a little less homework if you want to schedule more practice time. Maybe take regular English instead of Honors, if necessary, etc., etc.

I think if you can analyze your situation and see where the problem are, maybe you can decide on a new approach that will work. Do realize that being a session musician or full time professional horn player is a high goal and not all of us have the temperament and talent for that, so you ought to have a fall-back position...say music ed. or recording or music production, etc. Maybe you could schedule an interview with one of the local college music school professors who could give you a lesson and evaluate where you are in your musical development, whether your goals make sense, etc.

Whatever you do, good luck and remember our ultimate goal is to enjoy life!
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royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

[JVL]

hello Bubbles
i agree with Royjohn, and recommend you to contact Bobby Shew via his website site for online lesson. He's a Master!
best

[SMrtn]

Andrew Ryan says 'Practice you must Mr Bubbles". Find the time.