A view from my early 70's, having picked up the horn 9 years ago after a 45 year hiatus. Older muscles can be strengthened, but it's a slow process. I now have more endurance and range than I did when I was young. I now can do a Short Call and an occassional Long Call in the privacy of my home. In concert I'm comfortable with A or Bb above the staff (when I'm fresh). This is not to brag, but to give encouragement. It can be done, with patience and perseverance.
When you're young your advantage is raw muscles and reflexes. Later, much later, your advantage is maturity. Use it. Work for efficiency. Listen to your body. Push yourself, but quit for the day before doing any damage. Find the tight muscles--they sap your energy. Equipment does make a difference. I gave up my beloved 8D because it was taking too much out of me. Herb Foster --- Larry Jellison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > A view as an amateur in my late 50's... additional > suggestions: > > Horn playing is an athletic activity, so consider what > you would do if you were working hard or working out > lifting weights in a gym and feeling stiff. Proper > diet, not overeating with weight gain, but plentiful > raw vegetables and raw fruits and quality protein. > Plentiful sleep-- I find this to be very important and > does wonders for horn playing. Good workout-rest > intervals. Rest frequently during horn practice; > actual "blow" time should be about half of the > practice session. Endurance needs to be pushed at > times by playing through a long passage, but this > endurance stretching should be done judiciously and > not be one's standard practice mode. > > Chronic lip tiredness could be a symptom of > overplaying, and lightening one's playing routines for > a day or two will improve the condition. I think > playing every day is important, even if all you do for > a day or two is a light warm up workout for 20 - 30 > minutes, not playing loud nor going too high. > > Regards, > Larry > > > > __________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. > www.yahoo.com > > > _______________________________________________ > post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > unsubscribe or set options at > http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/herb_foster%40yahoo.com > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page. www.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] unsubscribe or set options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
