The Framework

I practice about 2 hours a day, split into three sessions. Here’s the breakdown:

Morning (45 min) — Fundamentals

  • Long tones: 10 minutes
  • Lip slurs: 10 minutes
  • Scales and arpeggios: 15 minutes
  • Flow studies: 10 minutes

Afternoon (45 min) — Repertoire

  • Current performance pieces
  • Orchestral excerpts
  • Sight-reading (something new every day)

Evening (30 min) — Fun Stuff

  • Improvisation
  • Transcriptions of non-horn music
  • Whatever I feel like playing

The Rules

  1. Warm up before you play. Always. No exceptions.
  2. Rest as much as you play. Your chops need recovery.
  3. Practice what you can’t do, not what you already can.
  4. Record at least one take per session. Keeps you honest.

The most important thing? Show up. Every day. Even if it’s just 20 minutes. Consistency beats intensity every time.