Recovering from Vacation Series: No. 1, Getting Started

[@IgorOdaryuk]

When I saw your post about a family vacation on Instagram, my first thought was, "What a perfect opportunity to create some 'back in shape' content!" And you're doing it-thank you so much for that! You're truly inspiring!

[@markeybone]

Thanks so much-and that was…kind of…the larger plan. :) Glad you’ll find these helpful!

[@michaelquillen2679]

Not bad. For all the years I played (37), I did the Remington set-ups/warm-ups (and some of my own stuff) 5-6 days a week. When I would lay-off for a few weeks, I would just go back to them and start slowly. 10 minutes day one, 15 minutes day two, etc. until I could do the whole series again. Was very particular in making sure that I was playing with the correct embouchure and not compensating for the time off. Worked like a charm. Thanks for the video!

[@DemBone93]

Thank you as always for your videos! There is always something interesting to take. ❤

[@trombonegamer14]

These videos are great for someone no longer in school. Also great to send to students!

[@markeybone]

Thanks, glad you find them helpful!

[@monestelmusic_]

Thank you for this advice!! Just today I was coming back to the horn after a break and now I'll know what I can focus on during this couple of days to be back in shape once again. I want to thank you as well for your inspiring videos, you may not know but I consider you as a teacher of mine since I've learned trombone by myself through KZbin a couple of years ago and now thanks to that, I'm half way on my bachelor on trombone.

[@markeybone]

You are very welcome! And I’m glad to have been able to help you in your journey

[@sash2590]

This is helpful, when coming back after a long time sometimes has resurfaced my bad habits. So this is an amazing resource Maestro!

[@tjshistle]

Thank you Mr. Markey! A very helpful video, as I took a break before school started back up!

[@DarrenBradyTrombone]

I took a week off my horn after the semesters end and need to get back in shape for festival apps, couldn’t have released this at a better time🙏🏻

[@JamieTheAfroBone]

can you record variations on barnacle bill the sailor? 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@craigsproston7378]

If you have no orchestral rehesrsal how much do you practise per day?

[@markeybone]

@@craigsproston7378 it varies with what my life affords me, or rather what I make time for based on what else is going on in my life. Two 40-50 minute sessions would be ideal (if I don’t have an imminent recital), but whether or not that happens depends on a lot of other circumstances.

[@BassboneNelson]

I know you've never done an extended break like this but is the short amount of playing mostly because you want to get back in shape or because you want to prevent any possible bad habits/injuries that could creep in by jumping back into it? Maybe a bit of both

[@markeybone]

@@BassboneNelson Great question! I’m probably not so much concerned with injury as with easing myself back in over the first day or two. Coming back there will be a lot more swelling than usual, as you may be able to tell from my reaction in this video! So the answer is both, but probably trending to the former (getting back in shape). That’s also why I played twice over the day here, and will continue in future videos. But yes, using the mirror also allows me to make sure that I’m using the best habits I can, since everything just feels weird…

[@alistairbarrow9688]

These play along videos are great! I just used your low range videos to get my face back into shape. I went from over 50 cents sharp with the tuning slide all the way out on my edwards bass back to nearly all the way in and feeling much more comfortable - still lots of work to do to become more passive and centred and I still don’t know what went wrong… An aside question; what grip do you use for your left hand?

[@markeybone]

@@alistairbarrow9688 it’s a get-a-grip knockoff; and glad the other series has been helpful!

[@craigsproston7378]

Whilst a fantastic video and I have taken some great ideas from it. But remember, like fitness, if prior to a break, ones chops etc are mega strong having a break will only weaken surrounding muscles by let us say 20%. So after 13 days not playing the chops are still probably 75%-80% strong whereas someone who practises 3 or 4 times per week for 30 minutes at a time, would problem play much worse after the same break.

[@markeybone]

@@craigsproston7378 as to fitness I can’t respond, as it’s well out of my field! And I wouldn’t suggest that the muscles have really lost any mass, tone or definition after a break of two weeks. However, their ability to deal with the stress of playing is definitely affected, whether through the buildup of fluid (lactic acid, I believe, though I’m happy to be corrected), or the temporary loss of endurance. My goal over this week is to constructively get over that temporary hitch, while also making sure that the fine coordination of the muscles of the embouchure, tongue, air and slide all get back running as they did prior to the break.

[@craigsproston7378]

@markeybone thank you for such a detailed answer. I was poorly for 3 weeks over the Christmas period I couldn't play for that time frame. It felt I had no muscle tissue whatsoever when i restarted. My embouchure muscles initially started wobbling uncontrollably particualrly around ist line Bb and took me a week before I started feeling any control. That said, as a brass teacher I don't get time to practise regularly except with the children who are mainly beginner to intermediate level. Please keep making the videos. I learn a lot and I always share them with my brass pupils

[@markeybone]

@@craigsproston7378I’m really glad you find them helpful. And yes, what you experienced can be very frustrating! But sometimes getting back into things can help establish, or re-establish, good habits. Cheers to you for your work as a teacher!