It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. This is mostly because I don’t have that much to say at the moment. I’ve been practicing sporadically and my chops are suffering for it. While I had expected to have time during this break from my normal routine to practice a lot, I’ve found myself caught up in family stuff. I’ve been averaging a meager 45 minutes to an hour a day and I’ve missed a day or two as well. So I’ve managed to lose lots of endurance over the holiday break. Sigh.
I’ve also found myself a bit bored with what I’m practicing and I think this due to several things. One, I’m not playing very well and that’s depressing and frustrating. I like the music that I’m working on a lot but it really isn’t fun when I miss more notes than I get. Two, when I’m only playing for 45 minutes most of that time is taken up by my warm-up which I’m getting pretty sick of. I’m going to have to, at the very least, change the order of what I play for my warm-up. Part of my problem with my warm-up is that it’s turned into something I do by rote just to get through it. Not good. Then there’s my latest problem – D above third space C through G are flat. I’ve been doing something differently over the past two weeks that’s causing this and I can’t figure out how to fix it. I don’t think it’s an air support problem but who knows, it could be. The rest of my range is okay.
Perhaps bored isn’t exactly the right word. Maybe saying my enthusiasm has waned just a bit is more appropriate. Hopefully when the holidays are over and my schedule gets back to normal my horn playing will also get back to normal.
Happy holidays to everyone!
Newhornist's Blog 
Hi Tina,
I never hear from you and wonder how it is going. Did you try the Brie En Crote? I think a bunch of us are in a slump after the Holiday programs. It is hard to keep going day in and day out with a strenous practice routine. I am scrapping by but have some difficult things coming up on the horizon. One of the things that is hard to accept is the lack of carry over of endurance. I have to work like a dog to keep the extremes in range. Then after long hours of playing (i.e. some days 4 or 5 hours to get the stuff prepared), I get a swollen lip. Half an Aleve helps but I wish I knew some other remedies for this. Got any suggestions for that and does it happen to you?
It is nice that you have gotten to know Johnathan Penny Horn. He said you guys are playing in the same concert band. I suggested he talk to you about the Hoyer horns as an option – provided he could find one that is not sharp.
I should hit if for three hours this afternoon to prepare some tunes for a piano and horn rehearsal tomorrow. So will sign off and see what I can come up with.
Dave in Colorado
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Hi Dave,
I’ve been in a bit of a funk. I actually miss our emails so I will try to write more. I have not tried the Brie yet but I’m planning to the next time I have people over. I actually played 4th horn for the Brahms Requiem in the middle of December and got paid! I’d love to find more of those gigs. At least band starts Monday. I was hoping to practice a lot during the holiday break since I didn’t have band or lessons and I actually played much less. I did get an hour and a half in today and the first hour was quite good. The half hour this afternoon, not so much. Oh well.
I have not experienced the swollen lip problem so I can’t really help with that. I do take Aleve daily for tendinitis in my shoulder so maybe it prevents the swollen lips. I do find that liquid vitamin E liberally rubbed on my lips fixes almost everything that I get that is lip related almost immediately.
Happy New Year!
Tina
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