A thought on practice

[benhall.1]

I'm just wrapping up a mammoth (for me) 3 and half hour practice session on flute.

Now, I wonder, have I made any progress in that time? I've played lots, and have half learnt half a dozen tunes. Yet I'm frustrated. Simply because there's nothing really to show for the time and effort. At the end of that 3 and half hours, I can't play any tune now that I couldn't before. The tone got pretty good today ('good tone day') after about 10 minutes of playing and has stayed at that level - better than average for me - all the way through my practice session. (For Jem's sake, I'll point out that, on 'good tone' days like today I don't do that humming into the flute thing any more. ) My low D crans started nice, and stayed nice. So I suppose that's a good sign.

But there are no new, fully learnt tunes, and the tone and technique isn't better at the end than at the beginning.

I have no idea what my question should be here. But fire away anyway.

[Lars Larry Mór Mott]

Ask someone you haven't met in a good while how *e finds your playing. I bet you a tenner *e will say 'Wow, you've really made some nice progress!'
When you're alone on that endless learning road you don't seem to get anywhere but that's mostly in your own mind. Just keep it up!

[benhall.1]

Thanks Lars. Very encouraging. I might just do that. I have a victi ... sorry, candidate ... in mind.

[jemtheflute]

Thanks Lars. Very encouraging. I might just do that. I have a victi ... sorry, candidate ... in mind.

Poor Deb.

[benhall.1]

Thanks Lars. Very encouraging. I might just do that. I have a victi ... sorry, candidate ... in mind.

Poor Deb.

Actually, I was thinking of you.

[david_h]

I'm just wrapping up a mammoth (for me) 3 and half hour practice session on flute. <snip> I've played lots, and have half learnt half a dozen tunes. <snip>
But there are no new, fully learnt tunes <snip>

So however long it takes you to learn them fully isn't that 3 1/2 hours down the road and isn't that good? Will your tone be better tommorow because of it?

[benhall.1]

I'm just wrapping up a mammoth (for me) 3 and half hour practice session on flute. <snip> I've played lots, and have half learnt half a dozen tunes. <snip>
But there are no new, fully learnt tunes <snip>

So however long it takes you to learn them fully isn't that 3 1/2 hours down the road and isn't that good? Will your tone be better tommorow because of it?

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Maybe it will, maybe it won't. This flute malarkey is all so intangible somehow. (I mean, not the flute itself, obviously - that's tangible enough. ) What if I'm at just the same level as today, or, heaven forfend, worse? I'll let you know ...

[MTGuru]

I'm just wrapping up a mammoth (for me) 3 and half hour practice session on flute.

I guess the unasked question is: why? What motivated you to such an extended (and presumably unusual) practice session in the first place?

If you think you just haven't been playing enough lately to keep up your flute chops to your satisfaction, then the time spent is its own mission accomplished.

If you were focusing on specific technical issues*, then you can probably judge for yourself whether you made any progress.

*(or ended up focusing on specific technical issues - which is what usually happens to me when I sit down for an open-ended toot/squeeze/pick)

If you ended up with a half dozen almost learned tunes, you're an experienced enough player for me to guess that that's basically what you intended. And nothing wrong with that. The next time you come back to them they'll be there, waiting for you to flesh them out. If you'd wanted to fully learn a new tune or two, you certainly would/could have done that instead.

If you just wanted to waste half a day noodling stuff, have some fun, and to hell with the rest ... welcome to the club.

[benhall.1]

Oh that's all very reasonable ... but I want to be TOTALLY BRILLIANT ...

NOW!!!

[jemtheflute]

Thanks Lars. Very encouraging. I might just do that. I have a victi ... sorry, candidate ... in mind.

Poor Deb.

Actually, I was thinking of you.

Hmmmmm.
Surely not! I'd never have expected that......

[clark]

A band mate sent me this.
https://www.facebook.com/clark.ratliffe ... 3025732353

[benhall.1]

A band mate sent me this.
https://www.facebook.com/clark.ratliffe ... 3025732353

Your link doesn't work for me clark ...

[jemtheflute]

It worked for me.... You obviously need to practice...... more..........
Try this:

[benhall.1]

Ah. That one.

[Nanohedron]

I'm just wrapping up a mammoth (for me) 3 and half hour practice session on flute. <snip> I've played lots, and have half learnt half a dozen tunes. <snip>
But there are no new, fully learnt tunes <snip>

So however long it takes you to learn them fully isn't that 3 1/2 hours down the road and isn't that good? Will your tone be better tommorow because of it?

Well, that's the thing, isn't it? Maybe it will, maybe it won't. This flute malarkey is all so intangible somehow. (I mean, not the flute itself, obviously - that's tangible enough. ) What if I'm at just the same level as today, or, heaven forfend, worse? I'll let you know ...

I recall once reading something on Matt Molly referring to having bad tone days himself. "A wayward instrument", I believe was his pronouncement on the flute.

If it's any comfort, anyway...