"I played pretty well today."

[tbdana]

Do you ever have those days when everything just seems to fall into place and playing becomes super easy? It's magical! I had one of those days today. A four-hour pit rehearsal on tenor and bass trombone, and it's a pretty big blow, but it was a blast because it just felt effortless and it sounded really good.

Lemme tell ya, I've played for a lot of years, and still these days come only once in a great while. But when they do, hoo boy, it's fun! I liken it to a duffer golfer who gets out and hits a hole-in-one then shoots below par for the round. It's the kind of thing that doesn't happen much, but when it does it just makes your day.

Do you ever have those days? Or do you have them all the time and I'm just out of step? Or have you never had one and don't know what I'm talking about?

office today.jpg

[chouston3]

Once in a long while it happens for me.

Its mostly a mental thing. If I am happy and I can focus, I play better and notice more of what is going on around me. I wish I could more consistently pull it off.

[WilliamLang]

I get a good and easy day maybe once or twice a year. The rest of the time it can feel like I'm relearning the instrument everyday (which I kinda love!)

[chouston3]

Something feels different every time I play.

With voice, my technique is such that even if it doesn't feel right (or even sound right from where I am). I can do certain things and still be fine.

I haven't hit this on trombone yet. My technique is not super solid. I don't know the certain things I can do to maintain a good sound even when things feel (and sound) upside down and backwards.

I had a piano instructor my first year of college call me out for playing by feel. She told me things will feel different when you perform than what they feel like in the practice room.

How do you not play by feel on the trombone?

[LeTromboniste]

They are not super frequent, maybe a few times a year where it's like oh this is working sooooo well. Probably there's actually more but some are on practice days at home and maybe less noticeable or memorable. Once in a blue moon they actually fall on the day of a high-profile performance, and then nothing compares to that feeling.

Also happens that the day doesn't start that way, but then it somehow gets there. I once had an absolutely awful morning dress rehearsal for a noon chamber music concert at a major festival with lots of exposed solo stuff, following ten days of intensive rehearsals and other performances with no rest time, and my chops that morning felt about as suple as a slab of concrete. Took some ibuprofen, had an espresso and a shower in the dressing room, walked on stage an hour after the dress rehearsal and everything fell in place, with about the best feeling in a performance I've ever had.

[tbdana]

Also happens that the day doesn't start that way, but then it somehow gets there.

Oh yeah, those are great days, too. I had them most with running. I used to run a lot, and I've run 21 marathons in my life. Some of my best runs ever started out terrible. I guess I've had a few of those on trombone, too, now that you remind me of it. Those are so satisfying.

[Burgerbob]

I think I can count on one hand the real moments like this... one in undergrad that sticks out, a couple more since then. When they have happened more recently, I am trying to take stock of WHY it feels so good- what is physically going correctly to make it feel like this? I never take it for granted.

[SwissTbone]

I think I can only count two days in that category. Both on bass trombone.

One was in a rehearsal with a 10 piece brass ensemble. The ensemble consisted of 9 professionals and me... I still wonder why they invited me but I decided to do my best. On that particular rehearsal they hired a high level MD and I practiced my butt off for a week. I got particularly in the overtone thing that Sam Burtis explained in a YouTube video. It somehow worked for me and everything fell into place. After the rehearsal the MD even asked for my number, he wanted to put me on the sub list for one of the major symphony orchestras here in Switzerland... when I explained him I didn't play professionally he was very surprised. The next rehearsal and the following performances with that brass ensemble were... humbling...

[Digidog]

Congrats to getting that rewarding feel! Congrats to really good playing!

I, myself, don't percieve or judge my playing on a good or bad scale. Every time I play, I try to pick up on how my playing reacts and comes to me, without connecting it to a certain physical feeling or mode - nor to an evaluation.

[harrisonreed]

Chop-wise I feel like every day is a great day (unless I've taken a long time off). But having a great chop day every day doesn't make me any more prepared to play difficult music, or perfectly in tune, or with better taste.

I could play all the notes with a good sound, but better musicians will win the day every time. I am jealous of the people who have real music dripping out of them.

[baBposaune]

I'm hoping today might be one of those days. When they have happened for me in the past it seems like (I never REALLY know the "why" or the "how") it was a combination of being well prepared and mentally focused, or in the zone. Prepared with chops and music and playing with great concentration. Rare? Yup, but it's a great motivator to try and repeat it.

[Posaunus]

I'm hoping today might be one of those days. When they have happened for me in the past it seems like (I never REALLY know the "why" or the "how") it was a combination of being well prepared and mentally focused, or in the zone. Prepared with chops and music and playing with great concentration. Rare? Yup, but it's a great motivator to try and repeat it.

[BrassSection]

It happened to me today, unfortunately primarily on trumpet. Used chord sheets only to check written chord progressions. Modified progression more than normal, really worked well. Difference primarily was we had our full band today, something we’ve lacked last few weeks. For the last umpteen weeks I’ve been using trumpet for one song. Today it got 3 out of 4 songs. (I try to match instrument to the songs…arrange all the brass parts on my own) At least my trombone was hitting just as good on the third song.