How to Practice – Part 3
Always break down the piece of music into manageable parts. This is also known as “chunking”. If you are learning by ear, listen to the entire piece first, without making a sound. When you listen to the entire piece, get the context of the piece right – what the music is supposed to communicate; its melody and chords; its dynamics; its arrangement, its groove, etc. Never jump onto the first note and start learning it without hearing the rest of the music.
On the contrary, if you are learning by reading, scan the piece first. Identify its time signature, key signature and its range. Mentally play the notes before you start playing on your instrument. More often than not, this will give you an idea of how you should approach your playing, in terms of your position, technique and difficulty.
Even if you use either method, it is important to “chunk” and work creatively. Resolve in manageable chunks. Never approach it on a note by note basis.
Practice with a conscience. At every moment, try to feel what you are practicing. You will be able to better express yourself if you work and gain more control and understanding over your intonation, articulation, tone-quality, dynamics and groove during your individual practices. More over, it will be better communicated and appreciated by your listeners if you get this right.
Review your practices. If you are alone, a simple recorder would do. Record your playing, then stop and do some critical listening to identify what could be improved on. If you need help, ask someone who could constructively criticize your playing. Make notes of these and work on them.
Pages: 1 2
June 25th, 2006 at 23:33
hey, can i have the tabs for your betrayal.. thats pure good stuff… same standard as steve vai!! joe satriani!! yngwei malmsteen!! pleassse?? when i heard it, i immediately fell in love..