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michaeldavidromero New Member
Joined: 30 Dec 2019 Posts: 6 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:25 pm Post subject: strategies for practice on the road |
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Hi folks,
I'm curious to know what folks do practice wise while on the road.
I'm the sole trumpet for a band that does weekend tours around the US 2-3 times a month. As somewhat of a comeback player I'm trying to build as close to daily routine as possible and the travel definitely has it's challenges when at hotels. I usually use a practice mute in hotel but was curious what others do while on the road/at hotel.
thank you! _________________ StudentofTrumpet/SingerSongwriter/SocialWorker
Michael D. Romero, LCSW
MrMichaelGroup.com |
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ayryq Veteran Member
Joined: 16 Feb 2019 Posts: 354 Location: Rochester, NY
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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I'm heading out tomorrow for a week of hotel practice. I phone-photographed ("phonetographed"?) the page of Claude Gordon Systematic Approach that I'm working on, along with the corresponding pages of St. Jacome. I'll bring the Clarke Characteristic study I'm on - too hard to read on the phone/tablet screen and that book isn't too big. I'll bring an etude book too, but I'll be pretty happy if most days I get through the Gordon stuff. The purpose of the trip is not to sit in a hotel room practicing.
So I'm bringing Silent Brass rig, one trumpet, and two books. I can jury-rig a music stand in a hotel room, and I don't anticipate any sudden gigs while traveling, so no mutes or other horns. The day I get back is an orchestra concert, so I have to keep playing for the week, but luckily it's all on B♭ so that's the horn I'll bring.
Long story short, I'm planning to be able to practice the same material as I would at home, but doing what I can to avoid lugging extra stuff, mainly by copying pages. _________________ Yamaha YTR6345HGS Bb
Bach "Philly" C
Bach 239 Eb/D
DEG Signature 2000 Bb/A picc
Yamaha YTR-9835 Bb/A picc
Yamaha Bobby Shew flugel
Yamaha Neo cornet
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michaeldavidromero New Member
Joined: 30 Dec 2019 Posts: 6 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks ayryq!
Digitalizing is a good call, I'm going to add that to the packing list of to dos.
I haven't tried the silent brass for a while, but it seems to be fairly common to use for folks. _________________ StudentofTrumpet/SingerSongwriter/SocialWorker
Michael D. Romero, LCSW
MrMichaelGroup.com |
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harryjamesworstnightmare Veteran Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2010 Posts: 167
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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Something I did when I traveled a lot was to find as many community bands as I could. When their rehearsal schedule coincided with my travel I would stop in and ask to sit in. I was very rarely (in fact only once) denied the chance. It sure beat sitting alone in a hotel and I made a bunch of new friends. A couple of the band directors kept asking me to join them on concerts but I was never able to do that. It was a blast and I miss doing that. _________________ Brian James
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King Super 20 Symphony
Bach Strad 43 Sterling Silver Plus
Getzen Proteus
Yamaha 6335HS
Olds Super
Olds Mendez
Getzen Custom 3850 Cornet
Conn 80A
Getzen Eterna Flugelhorn |
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JoseLindE4 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 791
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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In order of preference:
1. Best: find a place to play open (hotel conference room, nearby park)
2. Pretty good depending on availability and weather: practice in a car
3. Still good but not ideal: make a pillow fort practice room for your bell in your room and play open into it
4. Worst but usually better than not playing: practice mute |
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Dayton Heavyweight Member
Joined: 24 Mar 2013 Posts: 2042 Location: USA
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 1:12 pm Post subject: |
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For me, there are two issues with practice when traveling: What to practice and how to practice it.
In terms of "what," I have a scaled-back maintenance routine that works well for me when I am traveling.
As for "how," ask at the hotel if they have a place for you to practice. They may have unused conference space away from guest rooms that you could use to practice without a mute. I use a practice mute when I have to practice in my room. It is really quiet, so I can practice early in the morning without complaints, but adds considerable resistance. Some colleagues use a bucket mute, which is louder but offers much less resistance. It's a trade-off.
Good luck!
Last edited by Dayton on Sun Jan 19, 2020 3:50 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9030 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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There's a difference between practicing while traveling and vacationing, and practicing while "on the road" with professional performances.
When I was on the road/touring, I did very little practicing. I usually did routine warm-ups and warm-down playing, some soft, gentle playing like the Chicowitz Long Tones, and maybe some work on certain passages and/or improvisational chord changes that needed refreshing or cleaning up.
Then it was time to hit the town, get some sleep and start all over again. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
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michaeldavidromero New Member
Joined: 30 Dec 2019 Posts: 6 Location: Austin, TX
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2020 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you all! This is incredibly helpful. Thank you each for taking the time. _________________ StudentofTrumpet/SingerSongwriter/SocialWorker
Michael D. Romero, LCSW
MrMichaelGroup.com |
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