What's your practice routine?

[subcitizen]

So? What do you try to go over everytime you practice? I'm trying to develop a practice routine of my own, but there are so many things i feel like i need to practice that it's hard for me to fine a set routine to adhere to. I'm hoping that by seeing what other's do i'll pick up some ideas of my own.

-andrew

[sal]

I'm a drummer, so my routine might not be as helpful to you if you are not a drummer. I usually start with warm-ups, which included getting my hands loosened up and running through a group of rudiments. When I first started playing, I could accomplish this in about 20 minutes, but now it takes me at least an hour to feel comfortably warmed up. After that, I work on whatever my private teacher has been assigning me. Usually some stick control exercises to work on my control, sound, and coordination. Then I work on rudimental snare drum solos to help develop the vocabulary needed to play jazz. And I usually finish up with exercises out of my jazz book, which helps develop my independence and creativity.

I try to cover a broad range of things each practice session, but if there is something I have been feeling uncomfortable with, I try to focus the majority of my practice time on whatever that is. And lastly but possibly most importantly, I try to go every week to a jam session. There's no practice better than playing with other musicians who are better and more experienced than you are.

[bombastic]

Sub-I play Tenor Sax-On weekdays I'll practice two hours per day-weekends 4 hours per day. What is your instrument?

[subcitizen]

bombastic-

i play guitar.


-andrew

[bombastic]

Sub-I'm in the fortunate position at the moment of having all the time in the world to practice my tenor sax. Treat learning your guitar as something that is fun. "Practice makes Better." Write that on the first page of your practice book, or put a sign on your wall telling you that. The more you practice, the better you'll get, but remember, you're doing it for yourself. Like all good things,it takes time to become a true musician. Be patient, and your determination will pay off. Just keep playing the instrument, everyday-don't give up.:smokin:

[sal]

Originally posted by bombastic
Treat learning your guitar as something that is fun. "Practice makes Better." Write that on the first page of your practice book, or put a sign on your wall telling you that. The more you practice, the better you'll get, but remember, you're doing it for yourself. Like all good things,it takes time to become a true musician. Be patient, and your determination will pay off. Just keep playing the instrument, everyday-don't give up.:smokin:


Amen, bombastic!!

[subcitizen]

I hear ya. I generally try to get at least an hour or so of practice in a day. It's not so much the practicing that's fun (well...ok it can be :D), but more so seeing the results from practicing. Like incorporating licks you've been practicing into solos or hearing your solos get more melodic. That's what i'm aiming for.

-andrew

[andreimatorin]

When Bill Evans was asked what material he covered when practicing he answered "as little as possible". Of course he doesn't practice as little time as possible, but what he meant is that he covered as little material as possible. If you take time to cover a precise problem you're having, you'll master it quickly and can move on... I think by trying to practice as broadly as possible, you dont get as much done. Be patient, you're not gonna master all the material at once, it takes time, A LOT OF TIME. work on one little thing, and when it's mastered move on. It's probably easier said than done, but i think it's a good philosophy.

[bombastic]

Also, Evans was an accomplished pianist by then, not a beginner.

[Muskrat Ramble]

I've been playing less than two years, so my practice routine has changed and evolved a lot--and still is. For a time, I ended up doing so many exercises every day (maybe three hours worth), that I didn't have much time, energy, or enthusiasm left for playing tunes. Nowadays, I rotate sets of exercises each day, so I can put a lot more time into learning, transcribing, and playing songs, as well as coming up with my own stuff and just fiddling around, which is a very good learning tool for me, actually. How much I play per day can range from about a half hour (usually at least an hour) to around five hours.

[Jakeweiser]

I think that practicing is a very personal thing, but also that you answered your own guestion, that you need a routine. There's no 1 way to practice and no set "i should practice 6 hrs a day" sort of story. People have lives and jobs and cannot adhear to the "I'm a jazz player and I practice 8 hours every day". I tried that for 1 month and it drove me insane and I actually came out of it worse then I was when i started.

I also am a guitarist, and have been playing for 7 years now. I find practicing now is brushing up and learning new skills but mostly I work on improvising and experiementing with new things. Practice is when you try new things, learn them, become comfortable with them and then go to the bandstand and try them out. I tried to split my time in half between practical practice and technicall. Practical being learning tunes, lines and transcriptions and Technical being voicings, scales, arpegieoes and the likes.

I think that it's really really important to practice proper posture and warm up properly every time. Some ppl don't think you need to on a Guitar like horn players, but it's just as important.

just a few thoughts

[Muskrat Ramble]

I think that it's really really important to practice proper posture and warm up properly every time. Some ppl don't think you need to on a Guitar like horn players, but it's just as important.

Definitely. Ask the guys with carpal tunnel syndrome and the like. I hurt my hand once by not being careful about my playing. Nothing permanent, but it taught me a vital lesson.

[subcitizen]

Yeah, everyday before i play i do this this chromatic exercise where i run up the neck and back down to warm up.

something like

e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|---------------------1-2-3-4--|
A|-----------1-2-3-4------------|
E|-1-2-3-4----------------------|

etc, all the way up to the high e and back down, and the move up a half step and repeat, all the way up to the twelfth fret and back down.

bleh, i hate communicating with tab.


-andrew

[Muskrat Ramble]

A great source of extremely practical guitar warm-up exercises can be found in Troy Stetina's Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar. It's geared towards metal players, where speed is pretty much a must, but the exercises are really useful for anyone who wants to move beyond chording into playing riffs and/or lead. I can't recommend strongly enough that beginners in particular check out the alternate picking exercises. Then there's plenty of advanced stuff to work up to later.

[iamsteve]

As a guitarist, I have three main aspects to my practicing: sight reading, technique, and literature (learning standards, transcribing, etc). There are definitely some overlaps between them. I usually only spend a short time on sight reading (although it helps a lot when you are on a gig or at a rehearsal and someone throws a lead sheet in front of you). I think the most time should be spent on whatever your weakest point is. For example, if you have great technical ability, it would not really be helpful to practice scales and arpeggios for 3 hours. If you don't really know what your weakest points are, record yourself playing a few different tunes. Listening back to what you played can really help. Working on your weak areas isn't generally as fun as what you are good at, but it will really pay off.

[Phat Boi]

Heres mine. I got a full time job so practicing must be efficient for me. Make the most of your time. If you have a lot of time (weekends) take frequent breaks (this helps your hands and clears your mind).


1.) Warm up. I do some yoga stretches and some other stretches I've learned. Then I run my hands under warm water (thanks for the idea Jake!). I then run some scales and arps or maybe a lick I'm learning. At first I go slow then I speed em up. This is done with the metronome.

2.) Once I'm warmed up I usually take some tunes and practice. They could be my tunes or standards. I like to make recordings of myself playing the changes then soloing over it. Maybe I will study the melody. Maybe I will figure out some licks to play on the tune. Maybe I will devise new ways of comping it. This is endless. I would advise you to record yourself frequently and listen back to your playing. This will reveal all you need to know about your weak points.

3.) Transcribing. This is great ear training. I don't like to slow stuff down unless I really have to. I just put it in my cd player and listen to it over and over again till I get it down. I never transcribe whole solos. Just lines I like. I work on this more on the weekends because I have lots of time to myself where I can just sit there and do it.

4.) Ear Training. I sing through progressions and also sing intervals. I'm trying to internalize changes that way and also internalize intervals. This is helping my improv a lot. Also working on sight singing is good. Use your instrument as a reference point.

[jazzfingers19]

Harmonic Applications over 1 of my 2 "Core Tunes"

Harmonic Applications: Triad Pairs...I mapped out every traid Chromatically(Maj,Min Aug) against a root traid and I learn the ones I find the most effective over dominant chords

Pentatoic scales...the Minor 6th Pentatonic Scale and the Minor 7th Pentatonic scale.

Melodic Minor Colors.

Apply these ideas over 1 of my 2 "Core tunes" When I say apply I've been trying to make a concious effort to use these ideas in conjuntion with the melody in some kind of way.
There is no time frame for any of this. I do what I can and make sure I hit those areas atleast once. I also try to voice lead the chords in a new way over that core tune every other day.

Technique....which can correspond with the above. Pentatoic Permutations has been one I've been doing alot. And playing through Melodic Minor scales in intervals. all of which I find pretty hard to do.

Noodling with a purpose. I might pick a Melodic Minor shape I like and randomly improvise and try to hear huge leaps by keeping a string in between each line.....this honestly has proven to be the best practice.

Pick one tune a day to sight read in the real book.
Transcribe.

Sometimes I won't get to Transcribe in which case I make sure I go at it on the weekend.

It all sounds like a lot but it really isn't every day since so much of the stuff corresponds.

Although I found when I had a day job in the summer and had a list this big I felt like I was progressing more.

I definantly try to listen to something in an analytical matter everyday. It's been Tom harrel's solo on Bill Evan's Peri Scope of late. the anticipations and runs are beautiful.

[Phat Boi]

Oh yeah I forgot sightreading. That means I should do it more!

I always try for an hour a day. I read random tunes and I work from the following books.

Rhythmical Articulations - Some of this book is soooo bloody hard but it's worth the frustration.

Melodic rhythms for Guitar by William Leavitt - Great book

[dosuna11]

Check this out.
http://www.davidosuna.com/html&swf/practice.html


Here is a sample of my 1979 practice schedule of 1hr 30 min. on guitar using time frames and an egg timer. If you have more or less time just scale down the time frames. This way you visit each thing to practice on a regular basis and don't get caught up on one thing.

2 min 5 patterns Harmonic minor
2 min 5 patterns Melodic Minor
2 min Diminished Scale
2 min 5 patterns mi7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns maj7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns dom7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns mi7b5 arpeggios
2 min 5 whole tone scale

7 minute break

Chord neighborhoods
2 min mi7
2 min maj7
2 min dom7
2 min mi7b5
8 min chord licks

7 minute break

5 min Static minor licks
5 min diminished licks
5 min octave dispersal licks

9 minute break

5 minutes intervallic licks
10 minutes Loosewalk solo Pat Martino

90 minutes

Now I practice tunes and write. Have Fun!
D.

[Wolfgang]

1. practice the modes of all scales i know
2. try to figure out some tunes
3. practice some chord inversions
4. practice some argeggios
5. practice sight reading (i can actually tell what the notes are when i look at them for 10 minutes now :D)
6. practice the notes on the guitar neck - way useful with scales and stuff, eventually i wont have to know any of those stupid patterns as ill just know which notes are in the scale. neato.

the last step takes up most time

[Aaron Saunders]

I don't have any routines...if I'm setting out to practice, I'll only practice a few things -- maybe 4 or 5 things really -- but I do them as indepth as possible. That said, almost all of my practice is also done on upright bass.

That said, things I try to spend some time on in practice lately have been:

-Learning tunes. Right now I'm learning tunes because I'm playing for two degree students for their juries with my drummer buddy. As well, my ensemble class will be playing slightly after a performance exam in another class so I have to get those solid. After that, I'm ultimately looking at building a repertoire for a cruise ship gig.

-Technique. Right now my technique practice is very focused on what we're doing in class. Tomorrow, I'll be spending probably an hour or two practicing because I've got a lot on my plate. This includes 2 octave harmonic minor scales in all 12 keys, 2 octave m7b5 arpeggios in every key, arpeggiated dom13, maj13, and m11 chords in all 12 keys, and the 5th mode of harmonic minor, two octaves, with a passing tone added.

-Time. I've been trying to really focus and pay a lot of attention to where I place notes rhythmically. Really trying to get my time tight, my odd-meter chops up, and overall vastly improve my feel. My ensemble teacher Don Palmer has made a huge difference in this regard. I basically want to be able to hook up with a drummer and lay the thickest layer of grease on the music I can. Also practicing uptempo stuff more for longer periods to get my uptempo walking ideas clearer and to break out of patterns.

-Focus and authority. This goes right hand in hand with time, but I mean to be absolutely concentrated and focused on what is happening around you. Also, I find it much easier to play with authority and surety when I'm totally focused on the material at hand. Even minor slips can be a huge pain in the ass, because they can really mess with the time. A slight distraction can drag a line just enough to make the whole boat wobble, you know?

-Really want to start playing rhythm changes and blues changes in 12 keys. Just trying a RC song for the first time the other day in a serious manner (Anthropology) and it's really fun to walk over. As well, busting out the electric some more starting this week.

[jazzlearner]

I start playing scales from the Jody Fisher Beginner book, I play the scale then move it up one half step until I have played a chromatic scale of that pattern, then back down. I do four scale patterns per day, two I'm familiar with and two I am trying to learn.

I am learning the triads and inversions and I am learning chord scales. I alternate days on these.

I practice a couple of the etudes/short melodies that I have been working on.

I work on something new. I just started to use the scales to improvise over the short melodies in the lesson book.

I have lessons every other week and I try to be ready. I usually spend between an hour and a half to two hours practicing and I try to practice every day.

[Mario Abbagliati]

Does practice makes perfect? Stephen Nachmanovitch's Free Play anwers that question very clearly. That way of thinking about practice creates a dangerous dycotomy between who we are and what we do.

http://www.freeplay.com/Graphics/fpcov3c.gif

We all have to practice something. There's no great art without skill. For years I worked on technique and never got any better. One day I gave up and focused on music instead of exercises, suddenly my chops got better. Practice has to be fun, like a child playing without a sense of time going by (five more minutes please, and then five more and so on...). If it is not fun something is wrong. If we get in a competition of will power with ourselves (I must practice x amount of hours, such and such scales, etc.) it can severely block us up.

We are what we eat, therefore we play how we practice. If it's stiff that's how we sound. That's been my personal experience and what I have noticed about the good musicians I have been around, everything is music. A few years ago I attended a three day seminar with Pat Metheny and I can't put into words how beautiful his major scale practising was. It was music, and it sounded like him. To this day that puzzles me.

Good teachers and books do help, but it is mostly a personal journey of inner knowledge. I must stop here, I don't want to get too mystical about. Once again check out Free Play. The website is loaded with good stuff. http://www.freeplay.com/

[EdByrne]

Check this out.
http://www.davidosuna.com/html&swf/practice.html


Here is a sample of my 1979 practice schedule of 1hr 30 min. on guitar using time frames and an egg timer. If you have more or less time just scale down the time frames. This way you visit each thing to practice on a regular basis and don't get caught up on one thing.

2 min 5 patterns Harmonic minor
2 min 5 patterns Melodic Minor
2 min Diminished Scale
2 min 5 patterns mi7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns maj7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns dom7th arpeggios
2 min 5 patterns mi7b5 arpeggios
2 min 5 whole tone scale

7 minute break

Chord neighborhoods
2 min mi7
2 min maj7
2 min dom7
2 min mi7b5
8 min chord licks

7 minute break

5 min Static minor licks
5 min diminished licks
5 min octave dispersal licks

9 minute break

5 minutes intervallic licks
10 minutes Loosewalk solo Pat Martino

90 minutes

Now I practice tunes and write. Have Fun!
D.

Holy sh*t, dos, you're even more anal than I am! Pays off, though, don't it?:

:banana: :clap: :tanz: :gavel: :tearhair: :banana:

[Phat Boi]

It would be even more anal if you played everything in all 12 keys. Good practice regime thanks for posting dosuna!

[EdByrne]

It would be even more anal if you played everything in all 12 keys. Good practice regime thanks for posting dosuna!

I do EVERYTHING in all 12 keys--the entire range of the instrument (5 octaves+)!

(I get the feeling that dos does too.)

[Phat Boi]

Ed,

Do you go through the keys cycle five or do you do it some other way?

[EdByrne]

Ed,

Do you go through the keys cycle five or do you do it chromatically?

Phat,

It really doesn't matter. I start at the bottom of the instrument and go up chromatically, however. I had to keep track of the key de jour somehow (lest I leave something out), so I arbitrarily got used to doing it that way.

The RATE at which I modulate is another issue althogether, though.

[Phat Boi]

I'm going to start doing it more chromatically because it's probably a fresh way to go about it. I've been doing it cycle 5 because the way the guitar is set up it is good to practice the licks on different sets of strings in different ranges rather then just sliding it up a fret and moving chromatically. Transposition on guitar is cheating imo!

[EdByrne]

I'm going to start doing it more chromatically because it's probably a fresh way to go about it. I've been doing it cycle 5 because the way the guitar is set up it is good to practice the licks on different sets of strings in different ranges rather then just sliding it up a fret and moving chromatically. Transposition on guitar is cheating imo!

I think the challenge for a guitarist and pianist is to devise exercises on the vocabulary that don't allow your fingers to merely do the walkin'--in addition to the more expedient way. I'd work things out in all different viable positions.

Perhaps dos, jake, ed, and others will enlighten us on this.

I'd also sing everything I'm practicing--at the same time I'm playing, and without the instrument.

[Hot Ptah]

Here is my eleven year old daughter's practice routine. She is in her second year of violin and first year of flute:

Parent: You haven't practiced violin or flute in three days and the lessons are tomorrow. Let's go practice.

Child: I won't! I won't! You can't make me!

Parent: But you will do poorly at your lessons if you don't practice.

Child: I don't care!

Extended discussion ensues with raised voices, doors slamming, threats of mild deterrents applied (such as only two visits to pre-teen clothing stores this month instead of the usual very many visits), cajoling, pleading, begging, tears, hugging.....

Finally, the first instrument is removed from the case. The first music book makes its way to the stand, having magically acquired the same weight that it would have on the planet Jupiter, thus making the transferral of the book to the stand an operation which would be helped along by the use of a large construction crane. But the book finally gets on the stand.

Then the playing starts. It's quite good, with beautiful tone. Much verbal praise ensues, and a warm, happy feeling is shared by all.

To be repeated at the next practice session.

[Phat Boi]

A lot of the lines a guitarist plays are based on patterns and chord forms. Even if the guitarist is advanced at some point he/she practiced patterns. I personally always practice vocabulary with whatever chord form I'm playing over in mind. This way it comes together with my chordal knowledge. If you move through inversions this way it really helps. When I get to a chord in a tune I will have access to a bunch of lines that correspond directly with the voicings I play in whatever position or inversion I chose. It's just my way of relating everything together mechanically. Then when I improvise I can mix this stuff with the melody and rhythms of the tune I'm playing.

[Jakeweiser]

What's my Practice routine this week? Oh boy

My last lesson was a bit of an episodic one in terms of "making changes". It came to my attention through my teacher that I need to take care of the changes a bit more and resolve things stronger. I might be able to use all sorts of cool devices now with a good degree of confidence he and I both feel that it has been at the expense of consistency playing over changes. So he's prescribed

1 - Playing over a standard (How Insensitive and Stella By Starlight) tune only using the arpegios of the triad on 1 string at a time and subsequently through all 6 strings. Play the tune, 6 choruses one on each individual string. No repeating notes, no extentions, no chromatics allowed unless they exist between the chord tones (apparely I'm overly chromatic)

2 - Playing over a standard tune (How Insensitive and Stella By Starlight) only using the notes in the fully extended chords in 3rds. Meaning once I play a note my only two options are to go up a third or down a third as it appears in the chord/scale. This must be done in position.

3 - Playing over a standard tune employing both techniques simultaneously

4 - Learn a Bob Mintzer Jazz Etude front to back

5 - Compose a piece based off the chord progression of any two standard jazz tunes of my choosing

This is for Monday... mixed with papers and deadlines and preparation for me being out of town come next Tuesday finding time to practice all of this will be a miracle at best :D

It was one hell of a lesson. I really wish that I could work on this stuff. But hell why am I posting?

Oh right, waiting for lunch.

[Jakeweiser]

I say Practice in 4ths or in 3rds. Chromatic practiceing of scales or other technical things can be a joke cuz you can just move your hand up a fret and play the same patter. Try 3rds, you can get some cool sounds. If you practice scales/arpeggios chromatically but all in position then that could be nice and helpful, help you grab some of those angular Martino like things he does time to time.

I still play scales in my warm up through the circle of 4ths in two different ways, single shapes I like and then positionally. 3rds is something I started a month ago and I really dig it.

[Phat Boi]

Yeah yeah chromatic while in position is the way to go. I do that and I also take a tune and go through the arps in position. That has helped me a ton. Regarding cycling in 3rds I'm going to have to try that.

[dosuna11]

Holy sh*t, dos, you're even more anal than I am! Pays off, though, don't it?:
Thanks for the compliments Ed. Who led me to this way of practicing was Howard Roberts. What really struck me was how much could be done in so little time. This gave me back a life in the world of people. IMHO music is about life. If all I do is sit in a practice room and play all day then the music I write or play sounds like that. The excitement generated by the interaction of ideas with people makes for me better music. Pat Martino at 15 in a jazz club and learning to absorb the environment around him speaks so clearly to me. What a great opprtunity! Why do Russian string parts sound so good? Mance Lipscom "A Well Spent Life." When I saw that I finally understood what the "Blues" really was. He was setting the viewer up right from the start of the video.
As far as keys go I have done that on some tunes but when I heard Miles version of Green Dolphin Street in Eb that key just sounded better to my ears than others. At that point I found I have favorite keys for certain songs and decided that I don't like the way Body and Soul sounds in B. Thanks for the thought. Just a tidbit about practicing that Joe Pass told me. "I don't know about anybody else but I practiced my butt off!"
The grand idea is have fun, be creative, and the more you play the better you get.

[dandan]

Just a tidbit about practicing that Joe Pass told me. "I don't know about anybody else but I practiced my butt off!"
.

so thats how he did it. Most of my practice is related in some way to tunes.