new trombone, new house, new car

I drove in my new (used) car to my new pink house today and played my new trombone in the living room and I loved it loved it loved it.

I'm gonna roll around in the space, it's so big (for me). The trombone sound just resonated.

I've been having trouble with this instrument with C, C#, D - I get this vibration. Jack was wondering in my lesson if the slide lock is loose or the nut on the slide is loose. So today playing in my new pink house I really kind of cranked 'em down and I didn't get that vibration. Man, if I could solve that problem with this horn the jury might come right back in, because I like the sound of it a lot, but can't stand that bad thing on those notes.

When I go back out I'm going to bring my stand and practice some of my student symphony music. I have a lip trill thing that I need to try to do, and there are a few of the pieces that I have not even played yet because I've been hitting rehearsals spottily.

I think my practice space in the new house will be the living room. I walked all over the place playing and so far that space has it. Fun, fun, fun.

Sweet rehearsal

When I started typing Sweet in the Title line, it brought up a couple of other "sweet" titled postings I'd done. Sweet's a word I like associated with playing my trombone because it is a sweet thing. It is a sweet sound when it is what I want.

It was really interesting playing tonight in student symphony rehearsal.

1. I liked my sound (when I hit the right notes, of course). You know, I've said that my jury's out on my new instrument still, I still am not real sure about it, but tonight, playing it there in the church, I liked what I was hearing on my end and I could hear myself blend. It sounded good to me. It made me want to record myself on my new instrument and also on my Yamaha and listen to myself. I liked the sound there and I have been a little bit worried about it here in my apartment.
2. I thought in rehearsal about something I read on the Trombone Forum, I can't remember who wrote it or where I read it, but it was about performance anxiety. It was about putting our focus on the music and the time. Subdividing the time and putting all of your mental energy on that, that if you do that you don't have any room left for anxiety. I focused on that tonight. It's true. And it is also true that anxiety and fear of failure crowds in all the time and you just have to frigging ignore it.
3. I sang stuff in my head before we played it as much as I could and it works.
4. I was bold and courageous as I could be and pushed myself into the notes and passages.
5. I love playing in student symphony because I don't feel intimidated by all the good musicians around me, so I can be bold and courageous.
6. Jared's a really good little musician and he is just plain fun to play with. He really, really likes music and likes playing and likes his instruments. He is bold and courageous, and interested. So if I can play in this pops concert and help in whatever way to support his growing musicianship, what better additional reason for playing?!

OK, that's enough for tonight ... it was a good rehearsal.

tiny practice

Had a symphony board meeting tonight and got home late, so just got in a little warmup and practice.

I'm going to play in Student Symphony for the pops concert but won't make all the rehearsals, so it'll be manageable.

Fine playing tonight

I played a lot tonight, in two separate sessions. I stopped at 9:30, figuring I had better take pity on Tim upstairs. The new instrument is way easier on my hand though it hurts now - but it seems to stop hurting much more quickly.

I'm still getting used to the new instrument and my jury's still out on it. The C (middle C), D, Eb are ... edgy. But I want to work on them, work on my embouchure with this horn to see if I can bring these notes into shape. I just feel like it is worth it.

frustration not

I used to get really frustrated trying to work on a piece, not being able to play it, and just playing it awfully. I'd quit my practice a lot in a frustrated state.

That's not happening these days. I'm just slowing it down and it makes it work. I really can play it better the next day. I'm working the passage and the area around it. I'm working the piece and hitting it each day. I'm not taking on too much, but I'm playing quite a bit, working out of three books simultaneously, but two or three things from each book.

I like it a lot. Frustration goes nowhere because it makes you play worse, so it's this vicious feedback loop. Plus what's the point of feeling bad about yourself? None. None that I can see.

Having frequent lessons is great, too, because my feedback is coming quickly and I have motivation right in front of me to work on my material. Wow, if I can play it well in my lesson! Great if I get a couple of pieces marked off and the next ones marked to play!

I told Rick that if he doesn't have his low brass section, I can fill in for him for his summer pops concert, maybe not make all of the rehearsals. It's really a gruesome rehearsal schedule and I know it's kind of designed for the kids, returning from vacation and headed off into school. It's every evening for two weeks. OUCH.

a little bit out of shape

I haven't played a lot for the last couple of days, just a few scales, because I have this crazy mountain climbing challenge going on. I just grabbed up the horn as a break from working on this final exam and I like how I'm playing but I am a little out of shape. I put it down when my notes started falling apart but I want to pick it back up later on tonight.

Now, back to the exam. Sigh.

transition

It happened so gradually that I didn't see it. I don't know when it occurred, actually. Sometime in the last six or so months, I guess.

I've gone from needing to find motivation to practice every day, to needing to play every day. Instead of having to find time to play every day and making sure I can fit it in, I just - play. I pick up the horn just as soon as I can in each day. I listen, listen to myself. I work hard but I listen and I love it.

Something's changed and it is cool.

Love those lessons

Just had a great lesson tonight. Some of the stuff that I've been working really hard on, I need to keep working on, with specific tips. Some of the duets I did so well on that I surprised Jack - he was delighted! How utterly gratifying!

I'm getting much better at hearing what the piece should sound like and then emulating it. It pleases me. My ear keeps getting better but oh, it has so many lifetimes to go before you could call it good.

I need to play my notes whole. It's hard to describe what I do but I know exactly what it is and Jack knows exactly what it is. I start them timidly and then build them, but I do this note by note. Jack's calling me on it whenever I do it, though, so I'll get past this.

So. Work on legato. Play my notes whole. Don't play my E natural and A natural (2nd position) flat, which I tend to do. When it says dolce, play it beautifully. :)

feedback - sweet sound

I ran into Leona at the store and she told me she can hear the difference in the instrument and that my instrument sounds sweet. She says she likes the sound. COOL, UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK!

It will be interesting to hear what Jack thinks. I have a lesson tomorrow.

3 practices

I picked up and played three times today. My chops feel it but I like building them up. What a great way to practice. I am working thoroughly on my material, slowing it down, working and repeating my tricky passages. Spending this time is making me happy though I still wish my high range was a little more reliable. :)

Technical stuff

Tonight with my new horn, I stopped mid-practice to put grease on the tuning slide. I haven't greased the tuning slide and it needed it; it was stiff.

I really like this aspect of playing an instrument, the painstaking, almost obsessive care you take of your instrument. I like the way we trombonists are with our slides (well, should be, except for the time that I dropped Larry Walsh's slide!), with holding the instrument. You develop an utter sixth sense for the space it occupies. I like being in tune with the needs of the instrument, cleaning the slide, learning and then knowing the techniques for caring for it.

I like caring enough about the instrument that I take that kind of care.