Meditation is perhaps the practice most associated with mindfulness. In my opinion, it’s also one of the aspects of mindfulness that turns the most people off to the practice as a whole. I have certainly found myself among the ranks of those who have trouble meditating, and/or don’t get much out of it. I have since found a use for it (in small doses) as part of my overall mental health routine. But in addition to regular old sitting-still-with-eyes-closed meditation, I have also begun to think of certain musical exercises as a way of meditating in the practice room.
One such exercise/meditation that I do every day is based on long tones. Nearly every brass player has a favorite long tone study, and many of us incorporate them into our daily practice in order to improve our tone consistency and endurance. But because of their relative rhythmic simplicity, most long tone exercises also work well as musical meditations.
My daily long tone study is adapted from two of my former teachers: Mike Roylance and Andrew Hitz. I first play an eight-count hairpin (crescendo followed by decrescendo). Then, after four counts of rest I play an eight-count decrescendo. Both long tones are played with no articulation, or a “breath attack.” This, along with the order and range in which I play the notes, comes from Mike’s routine. I added on eight quarter notes at the end based on an experience in a lesson with Andrew. He noticed an inconsistency in my ability to play detached quarter notes in a steady crescendo pattern. After I tried several times to achieve steady articulations and dynamic growth, Andrew noted that “This exercise will get even harder when you do it in the opposite [decrescendo] pattern.” Challenge accepted. I began to incorporate detached quarter note hairpin figures into my daily long tones routine with the idea that playing consistent dynamic figures first on long tones would make playing the same dynamic figures on quarter notes slightly more natural. I envision the quarter notes simply as smaller parts of the long tones I just played. I still have not mastered the skill, so I continue …
This long tone study can easily become routine and boring to the point that I zone out instead of focusing on achieving the best tone and dynamic range possible. So I have tried to re-conceive of it as a musical meditation: an exercise so simple that I can climb inside it, hang out for a while, and have an up-close look at the most foundational elements of my playing. As I would in meditation, I try to notice as my mind wanders (which is ok), and bring my focus back to the present moment (that is the practice). There is nothing to listen to aside from my articulation, tone color, and volume. The goal of the exercise is only to give myself an accurate snapshot of my playing on any given day–no part of it is meant to be repeated, even if I feel that it needs improvement. I will repeat it tomorrow, and the day after. This aspect of the exercise–observation without qualitative judgement–is the key factor that allows for a present-in-the-moment, meditative state.
Below I have included a version of this study in treble clef that is probably more readable for other wind instruments or voice.
