TromboneChat

Hi everybody, have some of you experienced burnout.

Sometimes I feel myself not too far from this situation.

I try to do my best everyday, in term of time invested, concentration, and everything that can make me progress.

But sometimes when I can't play as much as I would or get hungry pretty fast, at the end of the day I feel frustated and guilty...

I know I never become a good national reconize musician, I just would make a living teaching and make money playing gigs and been a good local player.

If someone have some experience or some recommandation I will be grateful.

Thank you

Of course.

What I do is take joy in the little ways that I progress. Maybe it's literally sounding better on 1 note that day, but I will take that and run with it, every day.

Also, one important part of practice is to do things you are not good at- but that's not very good for burnout! I try to take time every once in a while to just relish in something I can do well and be happy about it.

Just remember, it's always for fun.

Play for fun every now and then. Everything doesn’t have to be aimed at improving.

When burnout approaches just play melodies...nothing else. Get the Alessi/Bowman Arbans and just play the simple melodies until you feel better.

Begin sessions with melody--end with melody. Flutes get it in every crappy beginner band book ---low brass never get it. Reward yourself with lots of melody. Buy a bass clef jazz fake book and just play melody.
Great for reading, better for the soul.

I have played golf for 35 years. My motivation was, it was hard, and I wanted to be good at it.
Now I'm good at it, and it's not a burning desire any more.
So I've taken up trombone because it's hard and I want to be good at it.

The fun is in the journey, not the destination.
Have you reached your destination ?

 

Quote from: lauriet on Jan 02, 2018, 10:43PMI have played golf for 35 years. My motivation was, it was hard, and I wanted to be good at it.
Now I'm good at it, and it's not a burning desire any more.
So I've taken up trombone because it's hard and I want to be good at it.

The fun is in the journey, not the destination.
Have you reached your destination ?

 
Oh no I've very far away from my destination

Quote from: lauriet on Jan 02, 2018, 10:43PMI have played golf for 35 years. My motivation was, it was hard, and I wanted to be good at it.
Now I'm good at it, and it's not a burning desire any more.
So I've taken up trombone because it's hard and I want to be good at it.

The fun is in the journey, not the destination.
Have you reached your destination ?

 

Funny, but that's what motivates me as well...No chance of me ever getting tired of the trombone...

Nanook

It can be fun to just play stuff you want to play, too.

Not necessarily just trombone stuff either. Hear something in movies, radio, or tv? Play it. Maybe make a fun arrangement out of it.
Or just have a fun ear training day by playing what you hear. Nothing wrong with purchasing music for other instruments or voice either.

Hint: this is why a lot of people play chamber music with their friends as well. Getting some people together to play quartets, or just playing duets with a buddy over a six-pack isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Quote from: Bassboy on Jan 03, 2018, 06:05AMHint: this is why a lot of people play chamber music with their friends as well. Getting some people together to play quartets, or just playing duets with a buddy over a six-pack isn't a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Bingo. This has been the key for me on trombone. We got a bunch of semi-retiree/home office workers and play quartets one afternoon a week. Lots of fun. Endless variety. You can even play out for people at the supermarket, nursing homes, hospitals, downtown, churches, weddings, funerals, patriotic events, etc.

At bedtime, when I can think of just one thing - however profound or minuscule it might be - that I have learned on my horn that day, I consider it to be a productive day and very motivating for me to get at it again the next morning.

...Geezer

Seems there is ALWAYS more ground to cover... even with golf, (lauriet!! )
Of course there's also the law of diminishing returns once you hit a certain point - but again, there's always new skills to be learned, more knowledge to be gained, new things to discover.... knowing that - though it may be frustrating sometimes when things don't seem like they're working out - can often help me avoid burning out.

I bought a Tromba and put it on its stand next to my TV. Don't have to worry about leaving it out or getting banged up.

As busy as I am, I usually have about 15 minutes a day to watch the news, which now becomes news/tromba practice. 

I bought a Tromba and put it on its stand next to my TV. Don't have to worry about leaving it out or getting banged up.

As busy as I am, I usually have about 15 minutes a day to watch the news, which now becomes news/tromba practice.