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aberkok · 06-07-2006, 07:44 PM

Musicians practice to get good and maintain their level of playing. I am interested in what you do to keep your chops up. What are you doing to expand what you can do? What sort of curveballs do you try and give yourself to keep things interesting and challenging.

I'd like to hear from everyone who plays or creates music. If you create music digitally what do you do for brain input? What do you do to make sure that your creative well is overflowing? Singers...what do you do? Turntablists?

I'm even interested in non-traditional practice...I've heard of people who never sit down alone and get better only by playing gigs and jamming.

To get the ball rolling, here's a little blow by blow of what I like to do:

Lately I've been doing about half an hour to an hour a day at the piano (not enough for what I'm trying to achieve, but I'm happy I do at least that). I'll spend about 10 mins. on Dohnanyi finger exercises and lately I've been exploring "mirror technique" (will get into that if anyone cares to know). Then I'll play some voicings around in different, usually related keys (15 mins). Next I'll do a diminished scale pattern in the right hand and a diminised voicing in the left hand (15 - 20 mins). If I have time, I'll take a standard tune and play it in a non-standard key and do it in an odd meter as well. I'm a big fan of mashing different concepts together. If I have more time, I'll try and practice some sight-reading for about 15mins.

Keep in mind this routine seems to morph over time. Some sessions I'll do nothing but technique...some I'll do nothing but play a tune.

Also to get the ball rolling, I have a question for others - how do you sabotage your procrastination instinct and "just get on with it" when practicing?

06-07-2006, 07:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
aberkok “Wrong is right.” Location: toronto	The Practicing Thread Musicians practice to get good and maintain their level of playing. I am interested in what you do to keep your chops up. What are you doing to expand what you can do? What sort of curveballs do you try and give yourself to keep things interesting and challenging. I'd like to hear from everyone who plays or creates music. If you create music digitally what do you do for brain input? What do you do to make sure that your creative well is overflowing? Singers...what do you do? Turntablists? I'm even interested in non-traditional practice...I've heard of people who never sit down alone and get better only by playing gigs and jamming. To get the ball rolling, here's a little blow by blow of what I like to do: Lately I've been doing about half an hour to an hour a day at the piano (not enough for what I'm trying to achieve, but I'm happy I do at least that). I'll spend about 10 mins. on Dohnanyi finger exercises and lately I've been exploring "mirror technique" (will get into that if anyone cares to know). Then I'll play some voicings around in different, usually related keys (15 mins). Next I'll do a diminished scale pattern in the right hand and a diminised voicing in the left hand (15 - 20 mins). If I have time, I'll take a standard tune and play it in a non-standard key and do it in an odd meter as well. I'm a big fan of mashing different concepts together. If I have more time, I'll try and practice some sight-reading for about 15mins. Keep in mind this routine seems to morph over time. Some sessions I'll do nothing but technique...some I'll do nothing but play a tune. Also to get the ball rolling, I have a question for others - how do you sabotage your procrastination instinct and "just get on with it" when practicing? __________________ !check out my new blog! http://arkanamusic.wordpress.com Warden Gentiles: "It? Perfectly innocent. But I can see how, if our roles were reversed, I might have you beaten with a pillowcase full of batteries."