Standing vs Sitting

[Grits Burgh]

When you practice alone (not in an ensemble), do you sit or stand? I try to practice outside and stand. However, when i practice indoors, I usually sit.

My experience is that standing promotes better breathing habits. Also, standing appears to improve my concentration and attention to detail. When I sit, I tend to become a little lax.

Warm regards,
Grits
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[starkadder]

My practice changed when I moved from siiting facing a music stand against a wall to standing and facing an open room.

[islandtrumpeter]

When playing piccolo trumpet, I like to stand because my mentality for a lot of piccolo rep is to play "on my tip toes." This encourages me to use less tongue and play lighter overall. When playing a taxing trumpet concerto, I will often stand because it promotes confidence and mindful playing (at least for me). So I would attribute my standing or sitting to the mentality I am attempting to enter into.
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[Grits Burgh]

[EricV]

Agree with this, i always stand as for me i feel its better for breathing and not tensing up. Before i blow a note i do a couple of reps of the CG breathing excercises to get everything moving (hopefully!)

Interestingly, from memory as i havent seen one for a few years now, whenever i would watch a classical trumpet concerto live with a symphony orchestra, the soloist would have a chair provided and sit to play the concerto. Unsure if that just happens here in Melbourne but its probably a classical thing.

Interesting poll results, almost neck and neck between sitting or standing.

good poll Grits

Regards

EricV
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[TKSop]

The majority of my performance/ensemble is sat, so I practice mainly sat - I stand sometimes, it can be useful but ultimately I need to be playing well sat so I practice playing well sat...
Including making a mental note of posture - if you can't find the concentration to sort that whilst you're in your practice room with minimal distractions, what chance do you stand in a rehearsal or performance?

I try to make sure that what's done in the practice room is (consciously) building good habits for when out of the practice room where we rely on subconscious habits.
With that in mind, wouldn't practicing mainly stood up be little more than sweeping any problems with sitting posture under the rug?

[Pete]

I usually sit on a stool rather than in a chair. I can emulate a standing posture while sitting on a stool. I do a few things while standing to reinforce posture and proper breathing. Plus using a stool iworks much better on my lower back.

Most of the big band playing is done standing, for most of us. Theater work is done always while sitting, as well as brass quartet/quintet work. Small group Jazz work is done while standing.

You have to be comfortable with both sitting and standing.

Pete

[Andy Del]

[EricV]

Hey Andy,

When i said a few years i should have said quite a few years!!. The soloist was the great Merv Simpson with the MSO in the late 60's and early 70's (i think he retired around 1972 then commenced his conducting career) and he always sat to perform solos.

I also saw his successor John Schmidli do the same but i dont think he kept up the practice for long.

Cheers

EricV
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CG Benge trumpet
Yamaha Xeno Cornet

[O00Joe]

In my home environment I do half-and-half for warm-up and fundamentals, stand for solo repertoire and etudes, and sit for excerpts and other ensemble and quintet part practice. I pretty much practice how I would when actually performing whatever it is I'm practicing.

Even in auditions I will stand for solos and etudes and sit for excerpts. I don't prefer one way over the other but I've done it this way so long that it seems weird otherwise.
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[Al Innella]

I usually stand warming up,then sit practicing technical studies such as Arban's or Clarkes. I used to stand a lot more, but being in my late 60's with Arthritis in both knees,not so much now.

It's important to be able to play everything both sitting and standing.

[Billy B]

I like siting on an exercise ball.
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[fraserhutch]

[dershem]

I prefer standing. It engages more of the muscles, improves posture, and generally feels better. But I can't stand long, so I mostly sit. :/

[GTRPT]

I used to sit, but quickly realized it was likely only harming me because I had been using a couch that I would sink into. If you use a chair, sometimes you have the tendency to slouch so I've preferred standing
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[Al Innella]

The most important thing to remember, whether sitting or standing is correct posture.Most players know how to stand,but not how to sit.They will slouch,cross their legs,and put their backs against the back rest.
Your upper body posture should be the same sitting or standing with both feet flat on the floor.

[Turkle]

Last night I practiced my Schlossberg and scales sitting, but my concentration started to flag when I turned on an Abersold record to jam for a while. I stood up to get into it a little bit, which helps immensely.

Reflecting on this polling question, I practice as a default sitting down, but if I'm having trouble concentrating I stand up, which helps me focus and/or eliminate distractions.

Cheers!
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[thaxterj1]

If I'm practicing something I will perform standing up, then I stand. Like a solo or church gig.

If playing something I am going to play sitting, i.e. ensembles, I sit.

Always practice like you perform-eliminate the variables. It applies to the warm up as well why warm up standing and immediately sit in a chair to perform?

[RandyTX]

[Robert P]

I definitely prefer to play standing.
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