summer tuba playing woes

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
smurphius
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 362
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:36 pm

summer tuba playing woes

Post by smurphius »

okay. so, i'm a college tuba player at marshall univ. in huntington, wv.... yeah... WEST VIRGINIA.... the source of all world boredom, if you're a musician rather than white water rafter. school's out. the tuba looks up at me daily and says "play me!" and so i do. but, i am having a hard time with motivation. there are no concerts to work for in the immediate future. i am not sure that i'm going to be able to get anyone to give me any lessons, so i don't have anyone to even tell me if i'm sounding better from week to week. i've definately been doing studies to increase my range as i seem to have best success by myself on those types of studies. but, i guess what i'm getting to, is i am wondering what all of you other tuba folks do out there to keep motivated and such? the summer blues are hittin' hard!!! :D
User avatar
tubaspmcc
bugler
bugler
Posts: 37
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 2:34 am
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by tubaspmcc »

My teacher always tells me to take a couple of weeks off after a performance exam, so I do. When I do get back to the tuba, I make a point of enjoying the instrument again - I go to my favourite community bands where I just spread the love.

This is also a good time to get a few older/more fun pieces out and play through them.

Something I don't usually do, but something to DEFINATELY consider, is getting together with your buddies and do some duets / quartets / quintets / orchestral excerpts (NB invest in some of these- you never know when they may come in handy!).

Do you practice at home AND at Uni. during this period? If you have the opportunity of practice at Uni, it is a great place to socialise at the same time as keeping your chops in order.

Hope this gives you a few ideas,


Simon McCauley
3rd year Tuba
University of Adelaide (AUS)
TubaRay
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 4109
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:24 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Contact:

summer tuba playing

Post by TubaRay »

So West Virginia is where all that boredom comes from. I must confess that I very rarely am bored. In fact, the only place/time that I am consistently bored is when standing in line somewhere. Otherwise, I seem to have far more to do than I expect to ever get done.

As for motivation to practice, I think Simon gave you some really good ideas. About the only thing I can add would be to try to make sure that you have at least a little fun every time you practice. I will admit that not having a playing outlet can dampen one's enthusiasm for practice to a considerable degree. My first job after graduation from college left me out in the boondocks without a playing opportunity. I practiced consistently for about a year and then succombed to the situation. Since you don't have a period of years as an obstacle, I believe you have a good chance to keep it going over the summer.

Quite honestly, one of the largest motivations I have for consistent practice during those times is the knowledge of how badly I play after not practicing. For the period of time it takes to get my chops back, I can't stand myself. Knowing how much I detest that feeling helps keep me motivated to practice. Fortunately for me, I actually enjoy practicing. The most difficult part of practicing, for me, is just getting the motivation to pick up the instrument and get started.

Best of luck in your quest!
Ray Grim
The TubaMeisters
San Antonio, Tx.
User avatar
TonyTuba
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 228
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:31 am
Location: Just North of South of the Border
Contact:

Post by TonyTuba »

If you are staying in WV, I might suggest checking out the local british brass bands there. I think there are two in your vicinity...Mountain State and BB of the Tri State. http://www.NABBA.org might have some web info to check out for those bands. If you can get into that, it can be a very big challenge...learning to read treble clef. it will keep your head on its toes to keep up without screwin up too bad.

I usually use summers as a time to get back to basics. breating, tone production, technical exercises, and solo's that I have already played but really like to hack thru.

Just so you know, at least around here, there is not a lot of work in the summers for musicians, especially tuba players. You are lucky to have some if you can get into it. There are ways to pass the time if you are willing to work for it, though.

good luck!!!

t
Tony Granados
Triangle Brass Band and Triangle Youth Brass Band, Music Director

http://www.tonytuba.com" target="_blank
http://www.trianglebrass.org" target="_blank
User avatar
Steve Marcus
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 1842
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:18 am
Location: Chicago area
Contact:

Re: summer tuba playing

Post by Steve Marcus »

TubaRay wrote:The most difficult part of practicing, for me, is just getting the motivation to pick up the instrument and get started.
I can relate to that. There is always some other responsiblity or diversion that demands attention away from practicing. However...
Fortunately for me, I actually enjoy practicing.
It wasn't always that way for me, but it certainly is now. The second that I do pick up the horn, that "one-ness" with the instrument makes me feel great. I treasure every moment that my schedule permits for tuba practice. It seems ironic that it's so hard to get started with an activity that one loves. Perhaps that is because practicing cannot be done passively--you must devote your total concentration to the task in the block of time that you have to do it.

Bottom line--Smurphius, it may be hard to believe, but you are blessed with the time to practice. As you get older and have more activities and responsibilities, it may become a challenge to find all the time that you want/need to practice. If you truly love playing the tuba, take advantage of all the practice time you have NOW!
Steve Marcus
http://www.facebook.com/steve.marcus.88
Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia
TubaRay
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 4109
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:24 pm
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Contact:

summer tuba playing woes

Post by TubaRay »

Steve, I believe your bottom line has hit dead-center perfect. One must indeed give all of one's attention to practice. Furthermore, the demands of adult life often pose obstacles to doing the things we want to do.
Ray Grim
The TubaMeisters
San Antonio, Tx.
User avatar
Dean E
5 valves
5 valves
Posts: 1019
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:36 am
Location: Northern Virginia, USA
Contact:

Re: summer tuba playing woes

Post by Dean E »

smurphius wrote:what all of you other tuba folks do out there to keep motivated and such?
I would suggest teaching tuba--for free--to grade and high school students. Many would find it rewarding, as well as good for the resume.
:D
Dean E
[S]tudy politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy . . . in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry [and] music. . . . John Adams (1780)
User avatar
Chuck(G)
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 5676
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:48 am
Location: Not out of the woods yet.
Contact:

Post by Chuck(G) »

A very long time ago, I remember reading a book called "Bridge is My Game", an autobiography by Charles Goren (probably one of the best bridge players of the 20th century). What I took away from the reading was that Mr. Goren considered that playing bridge at any level was wonderful. He'd play it on the back of a truck, teaching people who didn't know how and he'd get a great deal of pleasure from it.

So--dig up any excuse to play that you can think of. Maybe it's playing polkas at a flea market wtih a pick-up group. Or visiting assisted-care facilities with whoever will come with you. Or playing with a really wretched community band. Or, as someone else has mentioned, teaching someone to play. It seems to me that if there's not pure joy in playing, regardless of the occasion, then maybe your heart's not really in it.
User avatar
Rick Denney
Resident Genius
Posts: 6650
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 1:18 am
Contact:

Re: summer tuba playing woes

Post by Rick Denney »

smurphius wrote: but, i guess what i'm getting to, is i am wondering what all of you other tuba folks do out there to keep motivated and such? the summer blues are hittin' hard!!! :D
I live in Northern Virginia which isn't that far. I'd be glad to meet you somewhere in the middle so that you can trade me some of the excess time you have in return for the unboring activities that are keeping me from practicing. Warning: This is not a good deal for you.

Rick "who'll gladly do your practicing for you if you provide the time" Denney
User avatar
SirCharls
pro musician
pro musician
Posts: 92
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 11:40 pm
Location: Pueblo, CO
Contact:

another idea

Post by SirCharls »

Get yourself to a place where you have a great stereo and play with Chicago, Cleveland, New York...any recording you have of any orchestra works (which you also have the sheet music for!)

Tuning might be a little off, but I have to tell you, sometimes, those recordings can be a lesson unto themselves.

I envy your free time.

cdo
Principal Tuba, Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra
Principal Tuba, Apollo Chamber Brass
Tuba-Euphonium Instructor- Colorado State University-Pueblo
------------------------------
https://sircharlso.wixsite.com/apollochamberbrass
smurphius
3 valves
3 valves
Posts: 362
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 10:36 pm

Post by smurphius »

haha. i am rather amused by everyone's envy of my free time. quite simply, my wife and i have just made sure to make a life for ourselves that doesn't require 40 hours of work a week from both of us. i work 4 days a week, for the soul purpose of being able to play my tuba. if only i can find some group to play in this summer. i was mentioning to my teacher today that i wish i could just find some sort of community group, nothing real hardcore to play in. just to be playing with other people i think would motivate me to work on the harder solo work that i have.

i'm learning quickly that college is about finding a happy medium between mediocracy and insanity. haha. you have to have a little bit of both to be a well rounded musician.

how might i go about getting students for lessons? i have a direct connection to the high school here in my district, but for say huntington high school, i don't really know anyone up there, teacher or students. what methods might i go towards to finding students? classifieds?

thanks for all the great replies by the way! you all have inspired me.
Post Reply