TubeNet

listen to recordings of really good tuba players, whenever I do that I feel completely immasculated and feel the urge to practice.....

Bottom Line - you're heading off to college. You want to be at your best when you arrive to make a good impression on your teacher and studiomates. And, you'll most likely be auditioning for seating in ensembles. So, just get to it!

Bob1062 wrote:Learn trombone...
One of 3 things will happen-
-You'll get good enough to have what you learned transfer to euph.
-you'll be bad enough that you'll get frustrated and practice EXTRA hard on euph afterwards.
-You'll realize that there's no possible future in euph and become a successful trombonist.

As much as we bust Bob's chops around here, I think he has hit the nail on the head for a Euph player your age.

Greg wrote:

Scooby Tuba wrote:Here's some inspiration. You should start think about changing your major, because there is someone else out there who IS motivated to practice and succeed and they're going to eat your lunch very soon. No person should have to motive you to practice. Those who succeed are self-drive.

When a parent comes to me and ask ME to motivate their child (you're acting like a child, btw), I strongly encourage them to find a new teacher. I then call the next student on my waiting list.

Get your *** in gear.

Yeeouch! Scoob's right. If you are a performance major, you may want to look at Education or Business. However, if you are already a music business or education major, you can get the degree and get a job.....I truly believe the quality of your work will hing upon your level of skill on your applied instrument. A band director who can't shape a phrase musically will not be effective teaching students to do the same. This goes for intonation, rhythmic accuracy, etc.

However, with that being said, I do think a good kick in the pants from some private instruction never hurts.

Being a teacher I would never tell anyone to major in education, especially just because they couldn't hack it as a performance major. Being an ed major (any ed major, not just music) has to be something you are inspired to do, not just use as a back up in case you don't make it in something else. If that is the student's attitude going in then he/she is in for a huge shock. You have to want to be a teacher. It can not simply be a back up. Otherwise you will not enjoy it and your students will not be served. I get the same feeling when the jocks want to major in elementary ed so they can be coaches when they grow up... cut me a break.


I do like the idea of learning to play trombone. It will help keep the embouchure in shape and help develop your ear as well, assuming you are listening to what you are playing.

ken k

Euphbate wrote:Ok, so I'm headed to college in a month to study Euphonium, and I pulled a great scholarship at audition time. Now it's summer, I'm out of high school, and I've been finding myself hard pressed to pick up my horn and get some serious practice in.

I know deep down that I want to practice to ultimately get better. But, let's just say I've been known to be overly-complacent at times.

I know you people here have had similar situations that I'm in right now. How did you cope? Any insight...please! I'm desperate!

Wow-deja vu! That was me about 20something years ago. I went off to school anyway to study music. Didn't work out so good. I am now a chef. Still love to play, though. You need to do some real soul searching. If you do major in euph, what are your career options? Will you be happy in the Marines? And, most importantly, you need to discern whether you really have the 'IT' necessary to make a career in music. I didn't, and looking back, maybe majoring in economics and just doing marching band and concert band wouldn't have been such a bad thing.
If, however, you really do feel you have the 'IT', bite the bullet and pick up the damn horn. (yes, that's the father in me speaking)

I agree that learning trombone would be a good thing for any euphonium major to do. Some colleges actually require it. Trouble is you don’t have a lot of time between now and school actually starting up. You do, however, obviously need a “projectâ€

Euphbate wrote: I know you people here have had similar situations that I'm in right now.

I'm not sure I have - I mean, for me, there's some mystery about music, and education, and music.

Do you play anywhere, in a band or something? I'm guessing you don't, and maybe that the school system has accounted for all of the performance experience you have ever had. I hesitate to write that - because it seems so utterly weird, that someone would dedicate his or her life to music on that basis. But I think it may actually be fairly normal, in a statistical sense, and not a moral defect. My point, though, is that it seems like a sketchy foundation for career motivation.

If you get that duet thing together, get it out in front of an audience. At the post office, a shopping mall, whatever.

Scooby Tuba wrote:Here's some inspiration. You should start think about changing your major, because there is someone else out there who IS motivated to practice and succeed and they're going to eat your lunch very soon. No person should have to motive you to practice. Those who succeed are self-drive.

When a parent comes to me and ask ME to motivate their child (you're acting like a child, btw), I strongly encourage them to find a new teacher. I then call the next student on my waiting list.

Get your *** in gear.

As hard as it sounds, you need to take it to heart. You will not earn a living at this by taking summers off. Now is the time to get your dues paid. Vacations are for those who have earned them.

Had I listened to this advice when I was your age, I would not be trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage at age 48.

also, if you have a good ear, you might try getting a recording of your favorite songs (no matter what they maybe) and sitting down and working them out on your Euphonium. When i loose interest in practiceing I go and get a number of random CDs and try to learn every song on them. its fun and it really gives you a work out.

Another idea: If you don't already play the bass, you could work on learning the bass. It is hard to find work as a Euphonium player, but it seems everyone is looking for a bass player. You can make a lot of spending money for college while still making music. My dad paid his way through college playing bass. My wife points out that beer is often a fringe benefit.