[plainsong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin_amigo14 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i think voice majors probably practice the least amount, but have the most intense practice. voices wear out much quicker than a brass players mouths, or a pianists/string players hand. so they have to fit the same amount of practice in about 3 hours that everyone else does is 5+.

Well there's practicing, but depending on your path (mine was voice major and minor in theater, which means opera), you've got opera workshop as well, and you're rehearsing and then performing real operas. And then of course there's some choir you're bound to be in, and usually there's some decent little opera company that you can get experience with as well, outside of school. There's the once a week voice lesson, and then your studio gets together to rehearse their rep in front of a friendly audience.

I clocked a minimum of 4 hours a day simply because I had to practice not only my own rep for my own juries and recitals, but other stuff too.

I'm not trying to say we had it tougher than instrumental players, since they had juries and recitals to prepare for as well as various ensemble work. I guess what I am saying is that it's about the same. The only comment I can make about it as that I was on both sides of the fence for a little while, and that it's equally tough.

As for wear and tear on the voice, It shouldn't be too much of an issue as long as you are doing it right. It's when we sing wrong (and most people do, and that's why we have teachers) that we really put a strain on our chords. And no, it doesn't always go right.

Although singing wrongly did lead to an interesting situation once in opera workshop where I was cast in a mezzo part. I liked singing low so I didn't think it'd be any thang. But then we practiced more on the day of the performance, and that was enough to make me loose control of the bottom end of my voice. I went to the director (also my vocal coach) with terror in my eyes and she knew exactly the problem and blamed herself for taking that risk. I was put on strict orders to not talk for the rest of the day, and by evening it was enough to get us through ok.

The time is about the same, the main difference is that a lot of singers I know don't read music so well. How they got through theory is beyond me.

 

[boatman7]

3 hrs in the morning followed by 2 hrs in the afternoon . . . and that was just my drum set and snare. Piano, voice, composition, & theory also fit in somewhere . . . and of course . . . performance. Did I really have that much time back then??

 

[Computerpro3]

I am sitting in theory class right now at the cincinnati college conservatoy of music. I am a piano major and if you expect to attend a top flight conservatory, you had better be willing to put in 6 to 8 hours of solid, focused practice each day. If you are't practicing, your competitor is. The odd 10 hour day happens now and then as wel.

 

[AdamP88]

I was a piano major in college, and regularly practiced 3-4 hours a day. When recitals and performances came around 5-6 wasn't unusual.

 

[Computerpro3]

Yeah you're dreaming if you think you are going to survive on 1.5hours a day at a good school.

 

[Khanate]

Although not a music major myself, most I know are 4-5 hours daily. 1.5 hours might work if you're very naturally gifted, but most likely not. (I consider music majors to already be gifted in this aspect, I mean above and beyond that)

 

[Computerpro3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khanate /img/forum/go_quote.gif Although not a music major myself, most I know are 4-5 hours daily. 1.5 hours might work if you're very naturally gifted, but most likely not. (I consider music majors to already be gifted in this aspect, I mean above and beyond that)

For some instruments, 1.5 hours is fine. Not for piano though. Hell, Horowitz himself practiced more than 1.5 hours on average.

The first thing my teacher, a famous concert pianist, gave me when I met him was this article right here:

A Star Is Made - New York Times

 

[plainsong]

Yeah let's not forget that on top of practicing your major instrument, and all the solo rep required for it, and the ensemble stuff that goes with it, and the odd gigs outside school that are so important, there are also the theory classes, and the ear training classes (harder than it sounds), and the music history classes. Then there are all the other courses that they make you take that seem completely pointless for musicians and often are. And recitals you are required to attend, and your own that you have to prepare for - a knew one for each semester.

Music is a tough tough major.

 

[Computerpro3]

And accompanying, chamber music requirements, studio class, and masterclass, and SIGHTSINGING [size=x-large]GRRRRRRRRRRRRR[/size]

Do Re Me screw S*** la ti Damn

 

[EhJayKim]

Well, I'm a percussion performance major and I know that 1.5 hours is nowhere near enough time. Here is my typical day,

Wake up around 8, take a quick shower and eat breakfast on my way to the music building. Get there by 8:45, practice until my class at 11.

From there I go straight to my Piano class, then to theory for 2 hours, that takes me to 3 in the afternoon. After that I either have an ensemble or I practice/do homework until dinner.

I wait until dinner and then go with a few friends across campus to the dining halls, eat and then we go back to the music building and usually stay until it closes (midnight).

There are people there all the time, but I will say that percussionists and pianists are there the most (the best pianos in the building are next to the percussion rooms), but I don't know anybody who does anything near 1.5 hours a day. In high school, that was ok, but for college, you can't be at the level that you need to be without more time. I mean, There is tons and tons of rep that needs to be learned.

And, say you are going to take auditions you have to be able to play all those those exerpts/pieces perfectly, thats the base line. I mean, the guys going into professional auditions know their stuff and then its ok everybody played it perfectly but who had the most musicality? Who does the Music Director like? I mean, the LA Phil Timpani spot just got filled but the audition lasted 1.5 years. Lots of people who played with the orchestra played every note and technically played everything perfect. Seattle has an open spot right now in percussion and has a really long audition list that includes solo marimba and xylo rep. With 1.5 hours a day there just isn't a way to learn enough rep to be competitive and get ready for juries/recitals/performances. Then you also have to worry about grad school when you are in your senior year and you have to have that audition ready too.

Music isn't something that you can just cram, it takes time to develop touch. My percussion professor said an interesting thing; he's known a lot of professionals, and was in the LA Phil for decades and what he noticed was that it wasn't the most naturally talented people that were winning the jobs, it was the people who spent the hours with the instruments.

Just take a look at the number of people graduating with performance degrees every year and the number of spots that open, not just in ICSOM orchestras and thing like the President's Own band, but just jobs performing - so broadway and studio work, stuff like that. Most people aren't going to make it. But I guess that is the same in every field.

So back to the question, how many hours? 4 is the bare minimum that most people talk about around me, but that doesn't include time you spend practicing sight singing, doing theory, and any other music related stuff. And even though I say 4 is the bare minimum, my friends tend to practice more than that, but will always get in at least 4.

Oh, another aside, its also good to write down your goals, the more specific the better.