To you who are thinking about quitting the brass band club: You shouldn’t quit for reasons like these.

favorite_borderLast updated:2024/8/3

• createbloggerRyū

Introduction

If you’re seriously putting your all into it, anyone will feel like quitting once or twice.

It’s not just once or twice for me.

When I was a second-year high school student, I often felt like quitting.

I didn't quit.

• I chose this school only for the club, so if I quit, there’s no point in coming to school.
• I didn’t have the courage to quit.

For reasons like these, I kept going almost out of sheer stubbornness.

Even so, by the time I graduated I truly felt glad that I hadn’t quit and kept going, and there are many things—beyond the instrument—that are proving useful to me now.

Of course, I'm not telling you to force yourself to keep going.

However, there is something to be gained by continuing.

Let's think carefully once more about whether to quit.

Reasons why I want to quit

1. I can't keep up with everyone's skills
2. I can’t find time to study.
3. Wind ensemble isn’t fun anymore.

It seems there are things like this, but if that’s the reason, you shouldn’t quit.

I can't keep up with everyone's skills

There were also people who left the club I was in, and I feel like this was the most common reason.

This was also the reason I wanted to quit.

Even though I practice as hard as I can in my own way, I hardly improve and my teacher scolds me all the time.

If this keeps up, I’ll want to quit.

Because I chose to keep goingI looked into what kinds of practice I should do to get better.

There are plenty of practice books for each wind band instrument for sale, and these days you can find out a lot just by googling.

By finding your own issues and working to improve them like that, you'll gradually get better.

In my case, I realized that the problem was that I was putting too much force into it when blowing.

This book is recommended for improving your instrument skills.

While it’s primarily aimed at wind instruments, much of the content also applies to double bass and percussion, and it includes instrument-specific tips that are very helpful.

The rest isTry leaning on othersis also important.

People who worry about not being able to keep up with everyone else's skills are probably putting in more effort than anyone else—for example, staying late every day to practice.

Everyone has seen you like that and surely acknowledges it.

So if you try discussing what you're struggling with, they'll readily offer their cooperation.

Wind bands are a team effort.

There isn’t a single person who isn’t needed.

Let's not struggle alone—let's all improve together.

I can’t find time to study.

It’s pointless to quit for this reason.

You absolutely should not quit.

Suppose you quit your club activities and ended up with that much extra time.

Will you use all that time for studying?

I end up spending the time playing instead of studying.

As a result, even after quitting the club, I just ended up with more time to hang out, my study time didn’t increase much, and my grades haven’t really changed.

In that case, you’d be much better off joining a club and then focusing on your studies in the time after you get home.

And actually,If you work hard at your club activities, it creates a synergistic effect and you’ll find yourself getting better at studying too.

You might find this hard to believe, but the solution isn’t quitting for the sake of studying—it’s taking your club activities seriously.

Wind ensemble isn’t fun anymore.

This is likely to be temporary.

No matter how much you love something, if you do it every day, there will be times when you start to dislike it.

One possible reason it stops being enjoyable is that the practice method is poor.

Aren’t you repeating the same practice every day?

Because of that, the stagnation and falling into a rut might be the reason it’s no longer enjoyable.

Practice is something you do to increase what you can do.

You won’t improve by only doing what you’re already able to do, and you’ll just get bored.

For example, if you try adding dynamics (crescendo and decrescendo) even to long tones, or if you practice the high register every day to expand your range, reviewing the way you practice will increase what you’re able to do.

Then you’ll start to feel your improvement—things you couldn’t do before become easy, and it becomes fun.

And then I was practicing almost every day.being tiredcan be considered.

It might be difficult, but,Try taking a break from club activitiesIn some cases, this can help restore motivation.

Summary

It may sound like the complete opposite of everything I've said so far, but if you feel you've reached your limit, it's important to stop without pushing yourself.

I kept going out of sheer stubbornness and ended up feeling glad I didn’t quit, but not everyone will end up that way.

Some people don’t fit well in the concert band.

Even if it’s not the brass band, I’d like you to work hard at some club activity.

When I look back on my high school days, all I remember is club activities.

Club activities will become an asset.

For those who are struggling, it might be a good idea to take another look at your club activities.