what to practice

[fusionjazzmadman]

well, i'm usualy a little short on things to practice, i have no problems practicing for 2hrs+ but i'm unsure of exactly what to practice on. Of course i do long tones, scales, mechanic exercises and some sight reading, but i feel i need to now how long to practice on each area, and so on. Whats your training schedule or do you know where i can find some other proffesional saxplayer who can give me a good practicing "plan"

[Peterk]

A flexible method is to divide your 2 hours up into half-hour blocks and you decide to do with each block every day.

1/2 hour - warm up and scales which you do all the time.

then topics for the other 3 blocks can be things like learning a new lick in each key, transcribing a tune, workng on a rolo out of a book, memorizing a tune, improv.

I don't know if you're comfortable with deciding your own practice regime but keeping it flexible ths way stops you from getting into a rut where you do the same thing day in and day out.

[Razzy]

Yes, a flexible routine is key. I allot about 30 minutes to 45 minutes for the warmup, which consists of long tones in varying order, dynamics, crescendo/decrescendo and the like. Some days I'll just decide to do them all pianissimo, other days, half and half, etc. Scales in varied articulations, sometimes start from the bottom, sometimes the top, but always the full range. Then about 3 or 4 half hour increments that go to studying etudes, learning tunes (melody, then chords, then tonal centers), running blues and rhythm changes in all 12 keys (or 6 one day, 6 the next; same thing: chords and tonal centers), jazz patterns, arpeggio patterns (what I like to call classical patterns), and more scales I may need to work on. Then I usually finish up with some improvisation and transcribing/piano work, then if I have the chops, some more etude study.

So don't be really rigid, but be organized with your routine. Give it a logical progression and ample rest between incredments. If you, say, really worked out your scales and arpeggios but didn't focus as much on etudes and solos, do some more etude work and lighten up the scale load; just play the especially difficult ones. Starting the same way every day, you may wear out your chops and never get to the last parts of your routine with any concentration; thus, those areas will falter in your playing. That's why it's important to pace yourself, give yourself a warmup that won't leave your chops destroyed, and switch up the meat of your practice.

[Lyle]

How about also making your practice enjoyable. Play some fun melodies. Play something you can put feeling into and hear the beauty of a great song. This comment is of course from a non-professional with no visions of fame. All that regimentation and study are of great value, I am sure. :)

[Tears June]

fusionjazzmadman

I'm a beginner, just learning for 14 months. Here is a typical 2.5 hours routine I'm using in ths last 10 months. If I don't have enough time, I reduce half on each item. I stick on this for the last 10 months and I can see the improvement is rapid.

1) Tone Development

- Long Tone exercise = 10 minutes by different approach (Constant Volume, Crescendo & Decrescendo)

- Overtone Exercise = 5 minutes to 10 minutes

- Altissimo notes exercise = 5 to 10 minutes


2) Expressive Technique
- Glow, lip bend, vibrato, Sub-Tone...etc = 10 minutes


3) Skill Development
Fingering Bluster exercise, Speed & Articulation Development = 15 to 20 minutes



4) Technique Development
- Patterns, Arpeggios, Interval & Chord notes = 40 mintues to one hour

Depends where you are, you can work on Major triad, Minor triad, Pentatonic Patterns, Diatonic 7th Patterns....etc
Work on each key. If not enough time, just play 6 keys on day one, another day work on the next 6 keys. Day 3 come back to day-1 key and so.


- Scale = 30 to 40 mintues

Depends what you're working on, you can work on Major, Minor, Blues, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor...etc.

Play the scale in whole range at the beginning. After familiar, play each scale in each mode.

Work on each key. Same as Patterns & Arpeggios if you have enqough time to work on all keys in the same day.

6) Play Song - 20 minutes
- Use a transcribed solo sheet if you have (as sign reading training), try to learn a new song each week/each two week.
- Or you can transcribed by yourself if you can. The song is not necessary for too long and to difficult for the beginner, only melody part is also OK. Just have a start.

During holiday if I have time, I'll double my practice time on Item 4 & 6. Or use 2 x 2 hours sessions, totally 4 hours practice.

Each item can be boring and painful if you don't have patient. Especially the first few times learning a new item. Many people skip those technical things because they cannot against such boring things. They just want to play song. However, some phrasing just to difficult for them. Finally they stay away.

They don't understand if we're more familiar on such technical things, our finger & ear will get tremendous improvement. Even you don't expect you can do improvisation or become a good player. At least, you sounds better and able to play song more easy than you don't work on these things.
You just stick on your routine, see the result after 3 months alter.

Good Luck & have fun !

:cry:

[Tears June]

fusionjazzmadman

I'm a beginner, just learning for 14 months. Here is a typical 2.5 hours routine I'm using in the last 10 months. If I don't have enough time, I reduce half on each item. I stick on this for the last 10 months and I can see the improvement is rapid.

1) Tone Development

- Long Tone exercise = 10 minutes by different approach (Constant Volume, Crescendo & Decrescendo)

- Overtone Exercise = 5 minutes to 10 minutes

- Altissimo notes exercise = 5 to 10 minutes


2) Expressive Technique
- Glow, lip bend, vibrato, Sub-Tone...etc = 10 minutes


3) Skill Development
Fingering Bluster exercise, Speed & Articulation Development = 15 to 20 minutes



4) Technique Development
- Patterns, Arpeggios, Interval & Chord notes = 40 mintues

Depends where you are, you can work on Major triad, Minor triad, Pentatonic Patterns, Diatonic 7th Patterns....etc
Work on each key. If not enough time, just play 6 keys on day one, another day work on the next 6 keys. Day 3 come back to day-1 key and so.


- Scale = 40 mintues

Depends what you're working on, you can work on Major, Minor, Blues, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor...etc.

Play the scale in whole range at the beginning. After you're familiar on it, play each mode in each scale.

Work on each key. Same as Patterns & Arpeggios if you have enqough time to work on all keys in the same day.

6) Play Song - 20 minutes
- Use a transcribed solo sheet if you have (as sign reading training), try to learn a new song each week/each two week.
- Or you can transcribed by yourself if you can. The song is not necessary for too long and to difficult for the beginner, only melody part is also OK. Just have a start.

During holiday if I have time, I'll double my practice time on Item 4 & 6. Or use 2 x 2 hours sessions, totally 4 hours practice.

Each item can be boring and painful if you don't have patient. Especially the first few times learning a new item. Many people skip those technical things because they cannot against such boring things. They just want to play song. However, some phrasing just to difficult for them. Finally they stay away.

They don't understand if we're more familiar on such technical things, our finger & ear will get tremendous improvement. Even you don't expect you can do improvisation or become a good player. At least, you sounds better and able to play song more easy than you don't work on these things.

You just stick on your routine, see the result after 3 months later.
If your goal is able to do improvisation, I don't think you should worry too much about this in the first 2 years. If you have good patient, stick on your work, you will have more chance to acheive your goal (of-course need to try at that time. If you don't do test, trial & error, you can never do this).

Good Luck & have fun !

:cry:

[Razzy]

Lyle, I'd have to agree on that. I always devote at least 20 minutes to just messing around, playing cool melodies, free improvisation, fun things, and it's usually by accident. But that is usually only after I'm done my regiment. We all need to have a little fun! And this is from someone with no visions of fame but who would like to make a living doing this craft: you've got to put in the time to be able to be considered a serious professional. :)

[MS]

For jazz students, there's a small paper back book by Jerry Coker titled: "How to Practice Jazz" that has suggestions for what to practice and how long for each segment. Might be helpful to you.

Available at:

www,jazzbooks.com

and other music stores.

[selmer33]

The best things I ever learned about practicing...

1. Go Slow!!! Slow enough that you play it perfectly, no matter how slow it is. My professor used to say, "You should never make a mistake when you're practicing, because you should be going slow enough not to make a mistake. Otherwise, you're just practicing mistakes." Then, when you can do it slow, gradually speed up the tempo.

2. Work on small sections. If you're having trouble going between two notes....just work on those two notes, hundreds of times, until they're perfect.

3. Repeat the small sections...many, many times, until it's perfect.

Too many people try to practice excercises top to bottom over and over again, when all they need to do is work on the small sections that actually need work.

4. Almost forgot...Always use a metronome. It is invaluable in development of good rhythm and time.

good luck, and have fun.

Doug

[milan]

- Overtone Exercise = 5 minutes to 10 minutes


Apologies for my ignorance - but what are overtone exercises?