sevenhelz

I've heard it said that practise mutes can help improve stamina because of the extra air they make you use, but I haven't found this to be true. If anything I find it easier playing through a mute than normally, and I try to practise "properly" as often as I can. It helps to be in quite a large room, to hear my playing better and think about making a better sound. On the other hand I have sounded good the days after practising with the mute. I think in general my sounds has gotten more direct and bigger, which is good.
No lesson this week due to various conflicts. I'm still working on a new piece, Andante and Allegro, which is in bass clef. I have trouble reading that clef still but I have played the piano part myself, and gone through the first page with a pianist,so I am fairly confident with the notes (of the first page) now. It's a very sweet sounding piece, although it does have some sustained top notes which can be tricky. D. wanted me to make sure the different styles came through but that will be more evident when I get further into the piece.
I sang alto in the HUMSS charity concert on Saturday. It's relaxing, in a way, to sing in the lower register, but to do it regularly is difficult for my voice. This differs from euphonium, where I can play low for a long time and come back to he higher register with a better sound. It's interesting to do, either way.