Musician's Slump

Lately, I have been attempting the dreaded altissimo range of saxophone. I have been working on and off with this register for about a year, and the most difficult part of this range is refusing to get frustrated and quit.

Today I did get frustrated.

I thought that I wasn't improving fast enough, and I ought to be at a higher level of musicianship. I compared myself to Julliard musicians, exclaiming that I should stop trying to get better because I will never be as good as them, and I will never be anything more than a mediocre instrumentalist. I sat in the practice room and cried because I was convinced that I will never meet whatever set standard I have.

It took an hour, and a Subway sandwich to get myself out. Typically, I need my boyfriend (who is also a fellow musician), to assist me in putting the saxophone down for bit, and gathering myself.

When you find yourself in the slump, it is often hard to come out of it quickly, or to stop discouraging yourself. Usually, I

1. Take a walk to ease my mind

2. Breathe, take whatever I am doing slower

3. Remind myself how far I have come in just the past year or two

4. There is always room for improvement