Playing improvement, your guides and compasses.

[2nd tenor]

I was chatting to a respected and very able pal in the Brass Band that I play in. Apparently my playing have improved over the years that I’ve been with them, and that concurred with my own perception too. So I’ve progressed in the journey we make to become better players, a long way to go yet but respectable enough for what’s asked of me. How did I make that progress? Slowly and without much particular guidance, just grinding along picking apart what I can understand and seeing how I might do it better. When I’m next to one I listen carefully to what better players do and then I try to emulate them. I listen to the conductor(s), trying to be responsive to their requests and I try to learn from places like this too - I have picked up on some helpful stuff here, thank you.

There has to be a better way, or at least an improved way forward - without paying ‘teachers’ money that I can’t justify for uncertain benefits. I wonder what inspires, what guides and what directs others here as they progress? I’m looking at things at a different level of planning that doesn’t include doing 26 hours a day of Arban. What are your guides (the things that guide your endeavours) and what are your compasses (the things that point you in the right direction)?

[iiipopes]

I am probably the music world's worst when it comes to regular practice. I just don't have the self-discipline to give X hours a day. This is how I play: when I am presented with a new piece of music, I will study it, start practicing on it at home, and when a passage, whether technical or lyrical, presents itself as needing some attention, I drag out my fundamental lesson books and find something analogous to practice to "get it right." And then I practice that section of the piece until I get it right, then repeat until I can't get it wrong. That may take an hour, or it may take several sessions over the course of time. The rest of the week is keeping the embouchure in order for the next weekly rehearsal. The practicing and repeating until I can't get it wrong is what separates the mere button pushers from the folks who really want to support the rest of the ensemble properly. (And as an aside - self-preservation - the goal of every tuba player - to not get called out by the conductor at rehearsal)

[bloke]

Play with people who play better than you. Pay attention, when doing so.

If they won't, practice at home until you can demonstrate to them that they should allow you to do so.

At home, play with superb YouTube recordings with the sound cranked up (external amplification) to make it seem as close to real as possible.

When I was in grade school (even though I had no interest - at that time - in being a "tuba player", and was actually focused on the guitar) I lucked into being thrown in with an incredible (so-called) "natural talent". (Truth be told, he worked VERY hard to hone his craft - *walking home or riding his bike with the sousaphone, practicing SEVERAL hours every night, was VERY adult-minded - as his father had died from leukemia when he was in the primary grades, and every Sunday at church he sang out of shaped-notes hymnals with NO organ/piano, everyone singing their heart out, and the adult men really "laying down the bass"...so he KNEW what "the bass" was supposed to sound like, and just how it functioned...He never had a "tuba lesson" until he was - as required - put through the "School of Music", after auditioning into the Army - with a 36K fiberglass sousaphone.)
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*He didn't have to walk or ride his bike all that far...2-1/2 miles...but (again) with a sousaphone, and EVERY SINGLE DAY.

[C J]

What inspires me to take up the tuba and start practicing is the music itself.
Once I was a tuba player who thought he didn't need to practice much because he could play the music the director threw at him. I was lucky that in that time I had a professional player next to me so that thought me how the music should sound like.

But music outside my community symphonic wind band I didn't know that excised.

I have heard about the Gregson and the Williams and when I did find the notes I wanted to play them. So I had to practice.

Then I bought my F tuba and found a teacher for a couple of lessons and he provided me with more music: Effie, Plog, Ricercar, Cello suites and more.

Now I want to practice because I want to be able to play all those pieces.
I think there is no substitute for tuba time.
You can play on the mouthpiece when you commute,
sing the pieces when you are at work

Arban in no goal, but a tool to be able to play the fun stuff. A teacher is a tool for you to play the fun stuff right.

Good fun practicing

[bloke]

Buddy Rich claimed to not "practice", but spent a TREMENDOUS amount of time PLAYING.

[2nd tenor]

Just a word of thanks to those of you who have supported the thread. I always appreciate and value comments, thank you for taking the time and trouble to share your thoughts.

[martyneilan]

Have a sound in your head - Arnold Jacobs, Warren Deck, Sam Pilafian, John Flecther, et al. or a style - Maurice Andre, Yo-Yo Ma, Sinatra - and strive to emulate it. The clarity and precision of Pat Landolfi still serves as an aural guide.

Jacobs would often say, “Play this like Bud Herseth would play it,” or he would take the student’s tuba, demonstrate something, and ask the student to imitate him, or he might sing a phrase with his marvelous, resonant voice and ask you to imitate that.

[Mary Ann]

I think once you reach a high level on ANY instrument, you "know how to learn an instrument." I start with all the scales and arpeggios, then move to melodies I like. The harder stuff, I admit, I don't bother with until I have to. But the advice to sit with / next to someone quite a bit better is excellent. If you don't have already the musicianship end of things developed, or the more subtle aspects of playing well, that will do it. And the occasional lesson with someone who does have something to teach you is invaluable. But those people are hard to find, and may even be reluctant to try to teach you. I don't think musicianship can be taught. "Interpretation" can.