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Gospel Instruments => General Music Hangout => Topic started by: 1-AChord on November 12, 2006, 08:25:35 PM

Title: Daily Routine?
Post by: 1-AChord on November 12, 2006, 08:25:35 PM
If someone could bless me with a great pratice routine so everyday I can become a better musician. It will be greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Daily Routine?
Post by: Cherri on November 13, 2006, 11:21:53 AM
A practice regime is really something an individual should design for self. Write down some of things you need/want to improve for each and committee to them... Write out your goals... 
Title: Re: Daily Routine?
Post by: rspindy on November 13, 2006, 03:55:50 PM
If someone could bless me with a great pratice routine so everyday I can become a better musician. It will be greatly appreciated.

It is true that you will ultimately derive your own practice routine that works best for you, here are some suggestions to get you started.

1.)  Warm-up -- Just as an athlete wouldn't compete without first warming up, it is good for us to do the same.  Warm-up is not meant to be taxing.  It should help to get your fingers and muscles moving and to focus your mind.  Here, some five finger stuff (a la Hanon) or some scales or arpeggios that you know well.  This isn't the time to have to think about anything but the sound.

2.)  Technic -- this can come anytime in your practice.  This is the time to develop your scales and arpeggios for speed or tone quality.  It may be something derived from a piece that you are learning -- a tricky pattern that you turn into a technical exercise by practicing in all keys.  In that instance, you would want to practice it just before you work on that piece.  Technic is all about developing the mechanics of playing to produce the desired sound at the desired tempo.

3.)  Repertoire Learning -- I like to have at least three pieces going at a time -- One that I am working on the finishing touches (this one is basically ready to go -- just getting the finer points together), One that is mid-way (Is mostly under my belt, just a few technical spots left to iron out), and one that I am starting.

4.)  Tune learning -- I include this separately from the repertoire learning because there are times when I will just learn the tunes and harmonies to have that much at my fingers to improvise on that I may not completely work into arrangements at this time.  I will at least have it under my belt to pull out if in need it.

5.)  Practical theory / Keyboard theory -- this is applying any theory that you are learning.  The theory does no good if you know what it means but can't put it into use.

6.)  Repertoire Review -- Spend a few moments each day playing the pieces that you know.  I try to keep a list of the music that I Know in the various styles and work my way through it just to keep it in shape.  There may be things that you know that for some reason you haven't been called upon to play for a while.  This keeps those up so that on that day that you need it, you won't suddenly realize that you haven't played it for awhile and can't even here the verse, or middle part, or whatever in your head to even fake it.  For you young 'uns out there, you'll know what I mean as you get older.

As far as the order, the only thing that needs to happen first is the warm-up, everything else depends on the amount of time that you have, your particular goals at any particular time, etc.  If you have a period where your practice time is limited, I would at least do a little warm-up and some review.  At least that way you won't be moving backwards.

Hope this helps
Title: Re: Daily Routine?
Post by: 1-AChord on November 13, 2006, 07:30:03 PM
God Bless you 2. Thanks for the advice.
Title: Re: Daily Routine?
Post by: flojo4jc on November 13, 2006, 10:09:13 PM
It is true that you will ultimately derive your own practice routine that works best for you, here are some suggestions to get you started.

1.)  Warm-up -- Just as an athlete wouldn't compete without first warming up, it is good for us to do the same.  Warm-up is not meant to be taxing.  It should help to get your fingers and muscles moving and to focus your mind.  Here, some five finger stuff (a la Hanon) or some scales or arpeggios that you know well.  This isn't the time to have to think about anything but the sound.

2.)  Technic -- this can come anytime in your practice.  This is the time to develop your scales and arpeggios for speed or tone quality.  It may be something derived from a piece that you are learning -- a tricky pattern that you turn into a technical exercise by practicing in all keys.  In that instance, you would want to practice it just before you work on that piece.  Technic is all about developing the mechanics of playing to produce the desired sound at the desired tempo.

3.)  Repertoire Learning -- I like to have at least three pieces going at a time -- One that I am working on the finishing touches (this one is basically ready to go -- just getting the finer points together), One that is mid-way (Is mostly under my belt, just a few technical spots left to iron out), and one that I am starting.

4.)  Tune learning -- I include this separately from the repertoire learning because there are times when I will just learn the tunes and harmonies to have that much at my fingers to improvise on that I may not completely work into arrangements at this time.  I will at least have it under my belt to pull out if in need it.

5.)  Practical theory / Keyboard theory -- this is applying any theory that you are learning.  The theory does no good if you know what it means but can't put it into use.

6.)  Repertoire Review -- Spend a few moments each day playing the pieces that you know.  I try to keep a list of the music that I Know in the various styles and work my way through it just to keep it in shape.  There may be things that you know that for some reason you haven't been called upon to play for a while.  This keeps those up so that on that day that you need it, you won't suddenly realize that you haven't played it for awhile and can't even here the verse, or middle part, or whatever in your head to even fake it.  For you young 'uns out there, you'll know what I mean as you get older.

As far as the order, the only thing that needs to happen first is the warm-up, everything else depends on the amount of time that you have, your particular goals at any particular time, etc.  If you have a period where your practice time is limited, I would at least do a little warm-up and some review.  At least that way you won't be moving backwards.

Hope this helps

Wow, this is good.  I especially like #6.  I never thought about that... Thanks  ;D