Getting Back in Shape: Intro to My Practice Diary

It is time to get back in shape for the fall performance season! I want to maximize my results while minimizing the wear and tear on my body. Sounds like I’m getting ready to run a marathon, doesn’t it? Playing an instrument for life is like running a marathon, you practice now so you can perform later. One of the ways that I am hoping to make my limited practicing effective is to keep a practice diary. I’ve done this in the past, and it really helps keep me on track, allowing me to build on the previous day’s work rather than repeating the same things over and over.

I’ve decided to up the ante by publishing my practice diary in the hope of motivating myself to move forward and maybe help other people along the way. Here is today’s entry. It isn’t long because I have to build up my playing time slowly because of physical limitations, but you’ll get the idea of how I work in my practice sessions. Exciting, I know, but I’m blackmailing myself into practicing better. Feel free to ask questions about or suggest solutions to any issues that catch your attention!

7/21
long tones, beginning on B2 and descending chromatically to B1
– hard time getting arms to be comfortable, some strain in right hand
– throat buzz on F to E
– concentrate on finding core of air stream so I can refine the embouchure size and on maintaining rib separation as air runs out
– pitch is getting flatter as notes descend
– if lower jaw is forward, there is less throat involvement, also the forward lean exercise opens the front of the throat, remember that openness

harmonics on C1
– rough ascents, but got up to Bb3
– took awhile to settle each level, but comparison pitches were good

EJ4 with tuner/drone
– got up to the triple-tonguing on Eb when time ran out
– D-Db-E, focus on finding the airstream direction through the flute, it is being disturbed
* do this with metronome to work on steadiness
– pitch is pretty good
* add more air bouncing and quick breath repeats into the routine, those are major weaknesses that need to be shored up quickly

Didn’t get far, but don’t seem to have hurt myself either, we’ll see how the neck feels when I get up tomorrow. This is a good start!

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