Practicing on a (time) budget

[JS]

Like some of the folks who replied to the previous thread on practice, I don't have much in the way of large blocks of uninterrupted time. There are some good aspects to this: I'm still in the break-in period on my Casey Burns Rudall, so I can't play it for long at a stretch. (I did just get a bamboo flute I can switch off to, though.) And the limited time thing is probably fine for my relationships with the rest of the family, who don't have to listen to a lot of novice playing all at once. But I was wondering if any of you might have suggestions for how to make the most of doing several shorter practices a day, what mix of exercises or scales or tunes you'd recommend.

I've been reading this site since I started to get interested in the flute a few months ago, and it has been tremendously useful. Thanks, all.

(By the way, does anyone have an e-mail address for Aaron Heineg of Blisfful Bamboo Flutes. I wanted to write and thank him for filling an order, but his site seems to be down.)

Jordan

[Father Emmet]

I try to make use of otherwise 'dead' time while driving to listen to tunes I am trying to pick up, listening over and over again until I know them well enough to whistle along. This way I don't waste time sitting there flute in hand listening to CDs. Every little bit helps.

[le_koukou]

I do the same thing while driving except that I sing the notes rather than whistling them.

Just be prepared, many people will look at you thinking you are a little crazy if you do that.

[MurphyStout]

I don't know about specific practise tips but I think the best thing you can do is squeeze in as much time as possible (when you're not practising) listening to recordings of great flute players and other great players regardless of instrument. It will speed everything up dramaticall among which will be you're understanding of the music, your rthyhm, ornamentation, phrasing, and all the other good bits. That's the best advice I can give you.

and as a foot note some players are better for listening that others depending on what type of player you want to be. Listening to Matt Molloy and Kevin Crawford types might not cut it. I personally prefer the older styled players but that's just me.

[rh]

nothing specific, just some generalities:

a couple of pieces of advice from music school

1) twenty minutes a day is better than a couple of hours once a week
2) getting the instrument out of the case is half the battle

another good resource, from a guy who's put in a lot of practice time:

The 12 Rules of Practicing

by Wynton Marsalis

1.  Seek Out Private Instruction. It could take years to figure out what a good teacher could show you quickly.

2.  Write Out A Schedule. Include fundamentals always.

3.  Set Goals. Chart your development. Challenge yourself.

4.  Concentrate.  Develop the ability to FOCUS. Do not "just go through the motions.".

5.  Relax, Practice Slowly.

6.  Practice Hard Parts Longer. Confront your deficiencies.

7.  Play with Expression. Give yourself over to what you are doing. Do everything with the proper attitude. Do not be a cynic. The expression you play with is your style.

8.  Learn From Your Mistakes. Do not be too hard on yourself. Resolve to improve each day.

9.  Don't Show Off. Expression, not tricks or gimmicks. Showing off misses the point of group playing.

10. Think For Yourself. Respect your teacher, but think things through for yourself.

11. Be Optimistic. How you feel about living is who you are.

12. Look For Connections. The more you discover similarities in things that seem to be different, the greater the world you can participate in.

[jim stone]

neat

[fyffer]

Amen to all that! (especially the Winton Marsalis tips)
Plus a couple:
Some whistle along while driving.
Some sing along while driving.
I *play* while driving (only on the highway, on straightaways), holding the wheel with my knee. I have 20 minutes of pure highway enjoyment every day, in both directions. I do think it's actually safer than talking on the phone while driving.

If Yogi Berra were a musician, he would have said (and I think this is original):
- Don't play it faster than you can play it.

Think about it. It makes sense.

A couple of other tips:

The most important part of making music is *listening*.
- to yourself
- to your body
- to your breath
- to your fellow musicians (if playing in a group)

If you only have 20 minutes, try to make it the same time every day if you can. It will become part of your daily ritual - like brushing your teeth or making your coffee. It will be just *what you do*.

This will sound weird, but -- keep your mouth open while you play. I kinda learned this myself from playing the fife (and now that I think about it, this was something I heard back in my sax playing days). If you keep your tongue back in your mouth, kinda like a yawn, you will have a larger opening in your mouth, and this acts an an "extra" resonance chamber for your sound. Try it -- I think you'll be amazed. You may do it already, but perhaps not consciously. I found that was the best way to keep from squawking notes on the fife.

I'm sure there's more I can think of -- maybe later...

[Byron]

..Snip....If you only have 20 minutes, try to make it the same time every day if you can. It will become part of your daily ritual - like brushing your teeth or making your coffee. It will be just *what you do*.
...Snip...

Fyffer is spot on with this one. Not only does it become your ritual, but eventually those around you will expect this time as part of their ritual. Don't be surprised if you start hearing, "Go practice already".

Good tips.

Byron

[JS]

Thanks for all the good sense and good advice. Now that the Burns flute is past the first month of the break-in period, I should be able to up the ante some. And getting the bamboo flute (an E-flat, but I guess that's another thread) from Aaron Heinig was very helpful too; it's there and ready to go whenever I have a few minutes free (and sounds particularly nice with minor-key old-time tunes). And it's interesting to have two instruments with such different qualities.

Jordan

[sturob]

No offense to Fyffer, but I would seek to discourage anyone from the, in my opinion, irresponsible practice of playing while driving, even if it is only on the highway, and only on straightaways. Bad idea.

All it'd take is a tie rod to break, or a blowout, or something else funky. You'd have a hard enough time controlling a car at highway-velocities with both hands on the wheel, let alone with your knees cradling the wheel. And if, God forbid, you were to hit someone/something with a flute or whistle in your hands . . . imagine how chagrined you'd feel with a whistle through your palate . . . or with no teeth from a headjoint smacking into your mouth . . . if you live through it.

As someone else who drives on the roads in the US, please, drive when you're driving. If you want to play when you commute, RIDE in a carpool, or take a train. If you have to use the phone, get a handsfree setup for the car. Cars are weapons. If you were just putting yourself in danger, it'd be another question, but you're also potentially endangering passengers, other motorists . . . motorcyclists . . . pedestrians.

Sorry, off the soapbox.

Stuart

[fyffer]

Jeesh, Stu -- didn't mean to strike a nerve.
I'll be sure to keep my flute(s) in their respective cases while driving in Texas (if it ever happens). However, your point is well taken -- if not necessarily heeded.

[sturob]

Well, sheesh, I appreciate your reading my post, if not heeding it.

I guess I feel quite strongly about it because of my time working in an ER and hearing the circumstances around a lot of auto-pedestrian accidents (among other things). Now I sound melodramatic.

I love melodrama, it turns out.

Stuart