It's mental

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IrishRover

Guest
OK OK someone has to be first so I might as well get things started - can't stand to see an empty space so I'll ask the dumb question and break the ice. :)

When I'm practicing I use the part-whole technique, so I'll practice one or two bars until I'm comfortable and then move on the the next couple.  My problem is when I try to put them together I mentally want to stop where I have been when I practiced that part.  Then I have one of those commercial moments 'But wait! There's more!  but by then the rhythm of the song is in the tank.  I realize it's one of those questions I don't want to hear the answer to (practice, practice, practice) but I figured someone might have a trick or two up their sleeve.
 

ihorowitz

Blues Newbie
That is one of the drawbacks of part-whole practice, but in my experience that's the way to crack the nut.  Here's a thought- practice a few bars, then move on to the next few, after learning a new part play it with all the previous parts.  Like this- A, then B, Then A & B, then C, then A/B/C and so on.
 

stratogeezer

Blues Newbie
Thats what I do..just keep learning new bits and running back through from the beginning.
I'll loop the difficult phrases and hammer on them until I get it.
 

MikeS

Student Of The Blues
Staff member
Yep Ira, that's what I do. I practice part A getting it up to 80-90% speed then I drop down to 60% speed and add part B, get them both up to 80-90%  then add C...
 
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IrishRover

Guest
Thanks Guys, as I figured it's practice, practice, practice.  But at least I now have a program to follow.

Thanks again.
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
Always practice across the barline.... what?!

Let's say you are practicing the first 2 measures... practice the first 2 measure plus play the first note or 2 of the 3rd measure.

Then, when you practice the 3rd and 4th measures, you're duplicating the first couple of notes, but it puts a slight overlap in your groupings and should help with those natural spaces between chunks.

Great question!
 
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IrishRover

Guest
So then it would be A +B and a little bit a C then A+B+C and a little bit a D  etc.. Put 'em all together and ya get music!  :D

Thanks to all!
 
R

RichC

Guest
After you have finished learning the material in a bar,learn the next. Then go back and slowly practice both bars seamlessly. Once you can do that learn the third bar, again slow it down and practice the 1st second and third bars. Etc. Once you have the whole piece under your fingers, slowly increase your bpm etc untill you have a problem again; then slow it down get it right increase etc. Yeah more practice (but at least its being done a little differently!)   Also try not to think of the material between each bar line as a seperate entity. Think of bar lines a visual devices used  to  organize the timing of the piece (eg. four quarter notes eight eighth notes etc.) You can use this in conjunction to Griffs suggestion (which is very compelling). Good Luck.
 
D

davemoss

Guest
Great answer Griff - and an elegant solution. You're not just a pretty face are you? ;) That'll stop me slipping rests in where they don't belong which is what I think IR was talking about.
 
L

Lame_Pinky

Guest
Using Riffmaster I pick a spot to end the loop - a spot where there is a break or no play - not just try for the end of  1st bar + 1.Then when I'm going on to next piece I add that to it rather than play separatey.Its like beginning a running/jogging program today I'll go this far tomorrow I'll add a little more but you are keeping the original along the way jst adding to it.

LP
 

Tim

Blues Newbie
I do "no tempo" practice. Which means I am not trying to keep time. Just get the note(s) and/or chords and blend into the next measure. Once I feel I have it without tempo I try it with the backing track.

Tim
 
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davemoss

Guest
If you can get used to sight reading you will find that you can practice the timing at a slow tempo as you work on memorising the notes ;)
 

Steve G

St. Simons Island, GA
I tend to do a no tempo walkthrough, beginning to end, just to get a feel for the composition & where the big challenges are.  Then I follow the ABC technique that Ira & Mike described.  "A" might come in the first bar or the fifth or sixth, but when I hit it, I practice it to get somewhat comfortable & then add it to my runthrough.  I also try to do what Griff described(although I've never thought about it til Griff explained it) & that is to play past the end of one bar to get a feel for where the fingers need to be to smoothly transition to the next bar.  The other thing I do with practice, & I think this has been mentioned on a lot of other threads is not to stick with one piece to the point of frustration.  When I've had my fill of one lesson for the day I may go back or forward in the lesson book to reinforce what I already know, start learning something new, or just recharge the batteries a bit.  
 
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davemoss

Guest
I find it best to have 3 or 4 practice pieces on the go at the same time. I then do anything between 10 and 30 minutes on each of them every day, maybe over 2 or 3 sessions. For me the secret is little and often. And if it's one of those days when I don't seen able to play a thing :'( (like yesterday) I go and do something else ;D rather than flog a dead horse.
 

560sdl

Blues Newbie
Dave,

I am starting to adopt that strategy.  I am working on 2 lessons in BBG and two in BGU and play thru them before work, at lunch and at night.  That way I will be ready and able to play a gig at 6:15 am if ever needed ;)
 
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