One Hour A Day by Urbie Green

[Bach5G]

After post-rehearsal chit chat about Urbie Green yesterday, I dug out my copy of One Hour A Day.

I don’t how long I’ve had this or even where I got it from. I haven’t spent much time on it in the past.

Definitely took more than an hour for me. More than a warm up. A Technique and Embouchure Maintenance Manual is the subtitle, which seems pretty accurate.

Anybody spend any time with this?

[Chatname]

Yes. I actually keep my copy in my summer house, so in summer time I use it daily. It actually takes around an hour or less I think, if played in the given metronome markings, but they are very very fast. The single tongue studies are difficult for me to do in tempo, also the high arpeggios. I think the exercises are really great and the whole method truly rewarding! Fantastic book that more people should know about and use!

[JLivi]

I don't know anyone that can finish his book in an hour. Any time it gets brought up we all joke about how long it takes all of us. Great book, I'll have to pull it out and play through it this week.

[Chatname]

I just played through this book, clocked in at 58 minutes. I followed all the metronome markings, and did not repeat when I made mistakes, so in reality it would take me longer as a practice session. In the beginning the 1 minute rests feel too long but after half an hour I was glad I had timed even the early rests. As a ballad at the end of the book I played the first page of the Bozza Ballade. Not what Urbie would have had in mind, but it happened to be on my music stand so it seemed appropriate.
This is not a warm up. But it’s a great hour or more of practice. Highly recommended!