Errors in Sight Reading Sight reading can frighten players due to the uncertainty of the unknown. I tend to enjoy sight reading new shows live because of the rush of adrenaline and the uncertainty of what might happen. You should also know that I enjoy catching five foot long snakes,…
These posts are written by: Bruce Chidester
WHY DO WE MAKE MISSTAKES? PART #8
Nervousness I would list nervousness as the most difficult condition to overcome when striving for perfection in your performances. Some people thrive on the added excitement while others fold under the pressure. Between these two extremes we find most of us constantly testing our limits. Playing in a nervous condition…
WHY DO WE MAKE MISSTAKES? PART #7
Environmental changes-Conditions and changes in conditions many times will lead to playing errors which we had not considered or prepared for. You might ask what kind of environmental changes could occur and I will list a few. Environmental changes- 1. Weather This is a true story. The names have been…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Part #6
Fatigue Athletes work to stem off fatigue and in doing so increase their endurance. Trumpet players are similar in that without strong chops or embouchure, a player’s amount of time being able to play music is limited. What I have noticed since beginning to play trombone is that most trumpet…
WHY DO WE MAKE MISSTAKES? PART #5
Equipment failure Fortunately the number of equipment failures can be listed on one hand so solving these issues can be easy to cover. List of possible equipment failures- 1. Valves will stick, period (THIS IS A RECENTLY USED WORD REVIVED FROM OBSQURITY BY YOUR PRESIDENT). The number of times a…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Part #4
Distractions As I stated earlier, distraction and the lack of concentration are usually related. The distractions I am going to cover here are the ones that creep into your playing even when you are concentrating to your fullest during a performance. #1. Where did my music go? You have practiced…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Part #3
Physical limitations “Not all horses are race horses” This was one of the many comments given to me by a former boss while teaching at UNI. This came from my first employer by the name of Dr. Myron Russell. I respected this older gentleman in many ways. He was intelligent,…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Part 2
Concentration We have all been there when at a moment of weakness, our mind wanders to something other than what we are doing and disaster strikes. This could be while driving a car, installing a new light switch or it could be in the middle of a perfectly good solo.…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Part 1
Learn Your Material Too often we think that we know our solo or orchestral passage and wonder why we made an error on the concert. A wonderful measurement of how well you are prepared for a solo or exposed part in a concert is to use this test. Are you…
Why Do We Make Misstakes? Introduction
Performing in a musical setting can be a joy and in many cases a frustration. When we are good, we are very, very good and when we are bad, it sucks! Even after months of practice we find ourselves making errors in a performance. This frustrating occurrence can come at…