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Post by christoph on Aug 13, 2016 22:37:22 GMT
But what is down on you're practice schedule please
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Post by delb0y on Aug 14, 2016 8:16:11 GMT
Thumb-Picking!
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leoroberts
C.O.G.
Posts: 24,665
My main instrument is: probably needing new strings
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Post by leoroberts on Aug 14, 2016 8:17:46 GMT
nose-picking!
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Post by martinrowe on Aug 14, 2016 8:41:05 GMT
I'm trying to learn the mandolin but the principles apply to any string instrument I think. Scales using the little finger so that I can play in any key. This involves posture, relaxation of the back, shoulders, arms, and especially the wrist. Listening to the sound (the tone) that I'm making. Placing the fretting fingers as close as possible behind the frets when fretting a note, and keeping the fingers that aren't actually on the fingerboard as close to the fingerboard as possible so that there is not a lot of distance for them to travel when they do fret a note.
And probably the bit that I'm finding the most difficult: patience, because this means playing slowly - because you have to be precise before you can be precise quickly i.e. fast.
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Post by vikingblues on Aug 14, 2016 13:00:12 GMT
I'm not very good at the idea of planned practice routines with guitar. Which probably explains a lot! If a practice routine starts to feel like work and not pleasure then I'd rather bin it. I spend far too much time doing things in real life that I don't enjoy and I do not want toadd anything in my favourite hobby that brings it down to that level. Currently my practice consists of :- 1) Playing through a number of pieces I'd like to get better at. Concentrating on listening to the sound and the flow - hearing where are the hurdles I trip over too many times - concentrating a bit on those difficult bits and getting surer about getting just the notes correctly. 2) Working on improvisations - trying to pick up on bits that work on the fly and either repeating them or working in variations on them. Taking existing tunes and trying to play variations around those notes on the fly to try to create something a bit different ... call it semi-improvisation. I have found thatthe further I have progressed with guitar playing, and the more it becomes work needing done on interpretation rather than just technique needing motor skills, the less basic practice is involved. If the area you are wanting to improve can have the saying 'Practice makes Perfect' applied to it, then a more structured practice plan makes more sense to me. Things like putting the fingers in the right place, changing from one chord to another smoothly, playing scales, or bending a note to the right pitch. When you get more into the realms of interpretation and nuance of your playing it becomes a case of 'Practice makes Better', but never, ever 'Perfect'. Whatever sort of practice you do there's a very important rule - if the practice session isn't going well then take a break or practice something else. Practising something over and over again when it's going wrong only teaches you, and reinforces your muscle memory with, how to keep doing it wrong. Mark
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Post by grayn on Aug 14, 2016 17:10:38 GMT
My 2 motivations for practice are compositions and discovering new styles.
The main styles, over the years, have been pop, classic rock, prog rock, metal, early music, folk, blues, surf and 50s rock 'n' roll. Not mastered any of them but can draw on their influence.
Since I learnt my fist, half-dozen chords, I started writing songs. I've had to progress my playing to improve my composing and visa-versa.
Never practiced scales, except to improve my fingering (very occasional).
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Post by andyhowell on Aug 14, 2016 20:14:13 GMT
I split my practice up into discreet chunks.
1. Practice of fingerstyle compositions and arrangements.
2. Space to try out new ideas, turnings, new keys within existing tunings.
3. Practicing for performance - singing and playing.
Ideas often switch between one and another. For example, new tunes and runs in the experimental section will often suggest an idea for a song or even verses or chorus sequences.
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mandovark
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Post by mandovark on Aug 14, 2016 20:50:27 GMT
Trying to write a tune for mandolin. I have a beginning and an end - it's just that pesky middle that's the problem.
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Post by andyhowell on Aug 15, 2016 7:49:35 GMT
Trying to write a tune for mandolin. I have a beginning and an end - it's just that pesky middle that's the problem. Make sure you do a rough recording. That middle bit will appear from nowhere - next week or next year. I often find lovely little bits of tunes and then can't remember them the next day!
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Post by creamburmese on Aug 19, 2016 17:41:23 GMT
tremolo
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