So, you took the summer off from your instrument. Maybe you traveled to some far-off land. Or maybe you had a relaxing staycation and did little else but barbeque and chill out on your patio. However you and your family spent the last couple of months, you're now thinking about the autumn.
Yes, back to school and back to non-stop activities are already here. You're already getting ready to sign up for lessons again or maybe even preparing to join a music group, but WAIT - I haven't played all summer! What do I do?!
First of all, don't panic! Breaks are very important to everyone including musicians. Having a chance to reset your mind and body can bring back that passion for music that got you into playing in the first place and letting your body reset itself is very powerful as well. There is absolutely no shame in a break from your instrument and anytime.
So now that we got the mindset out of the way, how does one restart playing their instrument? This depends on your instrument of choice, of course, but there are a few universal things to do.
I admit it - I barely touched my saxophone this summer. I'm okay with that. Not having a band to play in right now has been hard and very demotivational but, I made up my mind to play more for the rest of the year. So what did I start with? Listening. Yes, I've been listening to a ton of jazz again. I'm reminding myself of why I want to play again, of all the songs that were so fun to jam to, and to hash out some goals for the coming months. Fall in love again with your instrument and the sounds it makes.
This leads nicely to my next tip: pull your instrument from the case and make a sound. Okay, I know what you're thinking, “This woman is silly!”, but hear me out. The act of getting our instrument out and set up to play is also powerful. It's a meditation that you're restarting today. Prepping your reeds, tuning your strings, rosining your bow: do this with mindful attention. Take notice of how your instrument looks and feels again. Make your first sounds. Feel the resonance of the sound through your body and in the air as your first note carries through the room. Don't judge it! Just enjoy it.
Now, for the hard part. Not that mindful meditation is easy. For some, including myself, it can be very difficult to quiet the mind but, as I was reminded after playing my sax for the first time in weeks, all instruments require a certain physicality that we can lose after an extended break. Don't rush back into it! For me, just some noodling around, mainly in the middle range of my sax, was enough to feel my lip hurt a bit. Were I to go to a rehearsal right away, I would have been really sore and unable to play again so soon. Gentle warmups for a short amount of time are where you need to start. If you're a string player, warm up your left hand with simple fretting exercises going up and down the fretboard. Your right hand will always be happy warming up with arpeggios. Keep it simple and for a short amount of time. Be gentle with yourself.
Lastly, don't worry about jumping right back to where you left off. You don't even have to go back to any of what you learned before. At least, not right away. Pull out your favorite songs. The same songs that you've played 100 times and know by heart. In other words, have fun! Remind yourself again why you love playing so much. Bring that passion back into your life!
Don't force yourself back into playing. We don't want any injuries before you even get to your first lesson or rehearsal back from summer vacation. Take it slow and easy. And most importantly, be kind to yourself because you rock!
Summary:
- Listen to music again from the musicians that made you want to play that instrument.
- Put your instrument together again and make your first notes.
- Start with simple, and gentle warm-ups for a short period of time.
- Play some of your favorite songs and remember why you love playing.
- Have fun!