Applying practice to playing and jamming

Satriani · 2008-09-16T00:57:41+00:00

Ok, this is something that SOUNDS very simple, but actually isn't for undisciplined people. People like me in fact. I have never been a disciplined person, not at school, not even in music. Almost everything I know, and everything I play, has come from my ears and trying to play what I deemed at the time 'impossible to play music'. That being said, I am far better at TEACHING people to do things correctly, than I am at actually doing it myself. I cannot sit with a metronome for longer than 15 minutes doing an exercise without getting agitated, and eventually start noodling my way into a Satriani Cover very quickly ? That being said, I AM very disciplined when I wanna learn a new song, because that is the whole purpose of learning all this theory. IT helps you get to where you want to get a lot quicker. I practice legato for hours and hours just running through one Satriani song, because if I Can't do it, I Can't play it, and that's just unacceptable to me. That is MY form of practicing. IF you are one of those blessed few who can sit down for 4 hour without getting up and running exercises with a metronome, I applaud you, and you will go very far. If you are like me, and can't stay focused on an exercise, or perhaps some exercise that frustrates you, then listen closely.... While I may not 'practice' in the true sense of the word, as in a dedicated time each day, working on progress slowly, EVERY song I play presents a major challenge, and therefore I can play the way I do now. This is of course just my opinion, but if you struggle with disciplined approaches, learn LOTS of songs. Download a program called Amazing Slow Downer from Roni Music. It's free. You can slow the song down as much as you like, pitch remains unchanged, and you can even export as .mp3 or .wav. Even a small piece. If you're struggling with a particular solo, take just that piece you're struggling with (or less) and slow it down, export it, and have it on repeat on Media player or something. That's how I do it when I'm really struggling to catch notes with my ear that are whizzing by. The one thing tho, is to start getting certain things down NATURALLY. You cannot, and should not be thinking about how to play something when you're at the stage of playing for people, or for your cat for that matter. Your thinking on stage should be devoted to what's for dinner after your gig. It takes many many years and many many many hours of playing/practicing so that thing just become second nature, and by the stage you want to start improvising on stage, your theory kicks in without you even knowing it.

CDee

Arjun Menon wrote + with the man that walks.

I thought i was a weirdo, thinking up various time signature based on the click of the indicator light while driving. Thanks for proving me wrong. ?

I play some of my best drum solos on the steering wheel of my car. (The more traffic the heavier it gets...) ?arty:

themanthatwalks

I cant help bouncing my leg up and down.. does that count as a met.. as well? :roflmao:

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