[Trombone-l] Practice routine for "casual" player

[Wayne Dyess]

On Nov 28, 2005, at 7:55 AM, Trbnplyr wrote:

>  I'm more convinced than ever that most people waste the little bit
> of practice time that they have


Paul is right on the money if my students over the years are any 
benchmark.

For one thing, they typically don't know how to practice.  They have no 
idea what good fundamentals are, nor that the Remington routine I 
preach really does work.  Even when we've been doing it in lessons for 
a good semester, some of them still don't get it.  Periodically, I'll 
tell a student "let me hear your warm-up".  And off they go into la-la 
land.  Incredible.

Yeah.  I preach long-tones.  Slow and focused.  Start soft, build, 
decrescendo.  Use all your air.  And it's ALL about air.  
Flexibilities.  Scales through the entire range of the instrument.  10 
to 15 minutes; I'm good to go.

I have come to realize that 90% of the time, I'm teaching the same 
lesson over and over again.  (And that said after 32 years of 
teaching!)

I'd be willing to wager that I can get more done in 10 minutes that 
will sustain my embouchure and facial muscles than my entire studio of 
students can in an hour each.  Education is everything.  (grin)

--Wayne Dyess