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I have a question about your suggestions on practice daily schedule. We have concerts scheduled throughout the year. How do work your concert music practice time with practicing your fundamentals? How much time should be spent on each? A breakdown please.

The more time I spend on fundamentals the less time I need to practice concert music. Unless you cannot sight-read. I am heavy into solo literature right now and am working an several "heavy" pieces. The more time I spend on the basics, the easier the harder parts become. Right now about 30% is done in Fundamentals.

Oldschooltuba wrote:The more time I spend on fundamentals the less time I need to practice concert music. Unless you cannot sight-read. I am heavy into solo literature right now and am working an several "heavy" pieces. The more time I spend on the basics, the easier the harder parts become. Right now about 30% is done in Fundamentals.

Absolutely right!!

Once upon a time, my daily routine was about two thirds of my practice, and the practice time was ample. After a semester of really drilling the routine, my dad told me I sounded "different", and he was surprised by the change. I don't practice as much now, but it's more daily studies than anything else.

I agree that raising your general level so that the concert music is not a challenge, is the way to go for most of us. I do know someone who is so unbelievably coordinated that he can take the concert music the day of or before the concert, practice the hard parts, and get them right. In general he does not practice at all except to get his lip in shape (older person, amateur trumpet player.) I am not so lucky; basically if I can't sight read it reasonably well, I have to raise my entire level until I can. That of course turns you into a monster sight reader over time.