Posted by tubatheorist on January 14, 2001 at 11:23:43:
In Reply to: Just wondering... posted by Carl L on January 14, 2001 at 10:08:33:
My practice routine, for what it's worth, usually begins about 6:30-7:00 AM. (When I can get into the music building!) If it's relevant, I am a grad student.
I try to get a physical workout (i.e. running, some days lifting) in anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30. After that workout, I feel more awake and ready to tackle my daily problems. The running stimulates my thinking, and gives me time to think about goals for the day, which I find to be an invaluable mental exercise. I know this isn't musically related, but the sense of accomplishment I gain through the physical workout carries over to my musical activity. This is important for me, because I tend to be a perfectionist, and am unfortunately very far from being anywhere near satisfied with any of my tuba-related skills. So I find the workout necessary to put me in a more positive mindset, as well as getting me thinking logically this early in the AM! (I think it helps breathing-wise too!)
I begin playing CC tuba, with my first practice block being warmups, scales, breathing exercises, sound study, technical things basically. I will take a break to do "non-tuba related" studying and homework, and return to contrabass after lunch, around noon. I use this time to play through all of my etudes applicable to C-tuba, whatever Arban studies I have left out, and excerpts. I then go to class, for an hour, and spend some time after class on my bass tuba working on my solo work and anything else fundamental that needs carried over to that horn. I always wondered how I could ever get in 4-5 hours a day of practicing, well, that does it for me! It is a hard balance sometimes when going to chamber ensembles, trying to be comletely fresh chop-wise. In the evening, I try to work on euphonium as much as possible, just to keep on top of what I need to be doing. I try my best to get to bed by 10 so I can get up at that terribly early hour, but then there always has to be time for the essential few minutes of internet and phone calls! Basically, I function best very early and very late. I do prefer the early morning though, I think it's the old habits thing... Everything changes on weekends though... when there is nothing to do after noon, the whole afternoon can be whatever. I do usually stick to the same sequence though. My instrument order, on any given day, (contra - bass - euph), will not change either, unless dictated by my class schedule.
Crazy, I know. This thread came at a good time because I am faced with having to restructure this schedule due to a now-double major.
Just my thoughts...