When You Cannot Practice/Play

[ECLtmpt2]

This NOT a medical post! I had eye surgery last week and they had to inject an air-bubble into the eye to keep the retina in place while it heals. Since the surgery the Dr. said no exertion, including trumpet playing until cleared by him.

My point, it's only been a week but I'm already climbing the walls waiting until I can play again. I hope I remember this lesson in the future when I'm thinking of doing my daily exercises/practice and I'm not really 'in the mood'. Who ever thought a week or more could feel so long...

[kehaulani]

ECLtmpt2, I've had medical problems off and on for several years during which I've had to gp through long periods of not playing, so can empathise. Here's a list of music-related things you can try:

- work on sight singing. Doesn't have to be solfege if you can sing accurately without Solfege but one use I got from it from Dick Grove was to analyse tunes, use a moveable Do and sing your music with the proper scale/chord relations in mind.

- ear training. You know the drill. The sky's the limit.

- relax and listen to music, trumpet and other instruments. Listen for the sheer pleasure of it and also listen analytically.

- read a good book or two on music. The fun stuff like biographical or anecdotal material and the serious, like music history, phrasing, etc.

- take in some biographical movies or films centering around music.

- play the piano.

Movies I liked: Amadeus, Round Midnight, Born to Be Blue, Lush Life, Bird. Youg Man With a Horn.
Books I liked: Jazz Anecdotes, Bill Crow. Sound in Motion, Straight Life, Art Pepper

Most of all. enjoy the extra time that allows you to take some time to visit/revisit different musical things.

-
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[Brad361]

And in addition to the great suggestions by keuhlani above, here’s one more:
RELAX. Time off is not going to kill you, you might even be surprised to find that you benefited from some rest.

Brad
_________________
When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[SMrtn]

Mess about with guitar or some other string instrument. Or better still, get a Theramin.

You're welcome.

[Grits Burgh]

I endured some dental issues that prevented me from playing for an extended period of time - very frustrating.

You can practice scales. Take the mouthpiece out of your trumpet to avoid temptation to play, and just finger the scales on the valves. It seems to me you can never practice scales enough.

Warm regards,
Grits
_________________
Bach Stradivarius 37 (1971)
Schilke HC 1
Getzen 3810 C Cornet
King Master Bb Cornet (1945)
B&S 3145 Challenger I Series Flugelhorn
Life is short; buy every horn you want and die happy.

[LittleRusty]

Singing might also be something to be careful with. It doesn’t involve pressurizing the oral cavity like trumpet playing though.

Take this seriously. I knew a fellow trumpeter in college who had a prexisting eye issue of some kind. Not sure exactly what but it was something he had for a long time, most of his life I believe. He ended up losing the eye due to playing pressure and ended up with a glass eye. He told us it was due to playing, and I have no reason to disbelieve him. (The change to glass eye was definitely real)

[kehaulani]

". . get a Theramin" . . and do a Plan Nine from Outer Space.sing along.
_________________
"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird

Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet
Adams F-1 Flghn

[cbtj51]

Re-introduce yourself to your family!

Life is short!

Mike
_________________
'71 LA Benge 5X Bb
'72 LA Benge D/Eb
'76 Bach CL 229/25A C
‘92 Bach 37 Bb
'98 Getzen 895S Flugelhorn
'00 Bach 184 Cornet
'02 Yamaha 8335RGS
'16 Bach NY 7
'16 XO 1700RS Piccolo
Reeves 41 Rimmed Mouthpieces

[ECLtmpt2]

These are some great suggestions. I closed up the practice room and didn't even think about playing the piano (Keyboard these days). Until this bubble in my eye clears reading any music is almost impossible but practicing intervals, voice, is an exercise I don't do enough of. Fingering scales is also a great idea , thanks.
But cbtj51 got me good, had to laugh...

[SMrtn]