Valerie, You and I have much in common. I started playing the horn about 6 years ago after a 30 year layoff. I found that when I first started my improvements were dramatic. I would improve a lot and then plateau for a while and then improve again. After a while the improvements were not as noticeable but most definitely there. I find that if I take breaks sometimes and just play for fun it helps me to get back on track and sometimes breaks me out of the plateau. Sometimes when I think I haven't seen any improvements in my playing for a while, I'll go back and play something that I haven't played in a long time that had previously been a struggle for me. Usually I am pleasantly surprised to find that I can now play the piece quite well. So I guess I am trying to say that sometimes you may be improving even when you don't realize it. Be patient and it will come.
Another amateur going back to lurkdom now, Nancy message: 1 date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 10:28:47 -0700 from: "Valerie WELLS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> subject: [Hornlist] Help w/ practice management? I've been playing for about 18 mos. now after being off horn for some 33 years. I've developed a lot of skills rather rapidly due to heavy duty practice (2 - 3 hours a day the first year) and excellent instruction, but I've hit "the wall" and don't know how to get over it. I've got so much I'm trying to keep going--technical drills & skills, etudes, excerpts, range studies, tone building, performance stuff, repertoire, just for fun stuff, etc. -- I'm overwhelmed and don't know how to manage it all. Here lately I actually feel like I'm backsliding in several areas just because I'm not managing well as a whole. Any tips, links, readings, strategies, etc. on how to organize & manage all this so I can continue to develop would be greatly appreciated. Valerie, Balanced Embouchure Student _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
