Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2000 07:54:47 +1000
From: Andrew Del Riccio <andrewdr@chilli.net.au>
Subject: Re: [TPIN] NEW ThReAd!  Routines!!

Hi Trent

My routine (that should be 'routine') is rather varied. I have various factors that also determine how it goes.

First is time. I teach full time, conduct a few ensembles and play a fair amount. It's just not possible to have a full-on daily routine.

Second is my playing condition, as it varies from day to day, and over time - busy at work teaching = less time to practice and a lowering of playing levels, etc.

I do do the following:

1.    Warm up & basic production. These take as long as it takes to get a comfortable response.

Get lips and air going through 'floppy' buzzing. a-la Bobby Shew.
Some lip buzzing for pitch, air-attack accuracy and intonation.
Mouthpiece buzzing for the same.

These can all be just enough to get going, or they can get extended to work on developing extra response, range, air support, etc.

2.    Production on trumpet.

I try to alternate stamp routines with pure lip flexibility. In a perfect world this would be changing day about. In reality, it alternates when there is time. i.e. this week I managed to warm up on Monday, Tues, Thurs and Sat (briefly).

3.    Weaknesses.

I try to look ahead a little and find out which of the deficiencies in my playing are going to make performances in the near future more difficult (pardon the woeful use of language there). Recently it has been focusing on very fine soft double tonguing (that nasty bit in ActII of Aida) and keeping an open singing tone (on Concone etudes) for solos in Porgy & Bess.

If I had any more time, I'd go play some golf...

But seriously, with time a major constraint, I have to be efficient and flexible as possible. One day I will have to warm up at a rehearsal, the next I can blow myself out before I even drive out! I'll use any material and adapt it for my use - On Tuesday it was short pieces from Standard of Excellence with one student, I just used it to work on my 'K' attack. (And Ben never noticed!   ;-)   ).

If there is a secret, it's adaptability, identifying what needs practising, and working efficiently!

Cheers

Andrew