First thing's first, excuses! February was busy, I started work with Wakefield Music Services, joined a Motown/Northern Soul covers band and started work on composing for film. This meant that writing what I'd practiced during the day fell down my list of priorities (not that I had a list to start with). Any road I've (hopefully) settled in with all that now and feel motivated to get back to this blogging lark.

Scales/Arpeggios
30 mins. Went through the usual stuff.

Rhythm
2hrs (Split into 3x40 min sessions). Studied from the Jerry Bergonzi book on rhythm, note limitation per bar stuff and the 22 rhythms section (including rhythmic displacement). Doing this consistently now I think/hope is starting to have a positive impact on my time. In particular I feel it has opened up my phrasing possibilities. I can see a lot that still needs to be done however. Also like starting a practice session with this as I feel kind of more solid in my time for the rest of the day.

Transcript Study
2hrs (Split into 2x1hr sessions). Studied a transcription of Pat Martino's solo on Blue Bossa from his album Exit. Loved doing this today, took a lot from the 'flow' of his lines. Also interesting to see what substitutions he used. Rhythmic displacement becomes very obvious when written too. Felt like I took a lot from this today!

Wednesday

Usual scales and arpeggios to warm up, about 30mins.

Rhythm/Time
1hr 30. Usual subdivision exercises. Did the 22 rhythms stuff from the Bergonzi book and looked at moving the rhythms about so I'm playing over bar lines, enjoyed this and hopefully will be a good tool in helping me to play naturally in this manner.

Chops practice/Improvisation
1hr. Around Blue Bossa arpeggios and substitutions. Worked on phrasing and in particular articulation (mainly slides)

Creative Practice
1hr.Studied the Melodic minor scale, especially lydian dominant. Looked at using the arpeggios from the scale, from 4th and 5th degrees especially.

Harmony
30 mins. Continuation of the slash chord stuff from advancing guitarist. Compositionally this stuff could be a great tool.


Thursday

Very busy today did about an hour and a half. Scales, arpeggios and chops practice.

Friday

Set up my recording gear in the morning and have spent pretty much the rest of the day writing. Few notes...
Very linear, a bit like running down a corridor in the pitch black. Need to take a step back and plan pieces properly if I want to get the sounds and ideas out that I want. Saying that I have a few strong ideas just need refining and then planning out.

So, not been so hot at keeping up to this over the past few days, here's what's happened...

Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were spent practicing the same material I have been doing for a while now. I have however been filming improvisations based upon the material I have been looking at (I will put it up on here when I figure out a way that doesn't take hours on end) and this has brought up some things worth noting...

• Articulations: need to look at how I'm playing the notes. In particular I'm playing a lot of staccato, look at the length I hold notes for more. 
• Phrasing: I often carry on a phrase for a few notes too long. Also look at the impact of phrases, particularly with regards to rhythm and how different articulations change the feel.
• Always make sure the head is controlling the fingers.

On a general note I have been quite down on my playing over the past few days, again. I have a tendency to focus on the negatives. This in one regard is good as at least I know where my weaknesses lay, however it can make practicing daunting and an undesirable task. As I'm finding continually addressing my flaws can be a bit disheartening. Which is why it was quite nice today to stumble upon some old recordings of my playing from 2010, I could hear improvement in just about every aspect (facility, rhythm, note choice etc). This gave me heart and perspective. I'm practicing to improve, simple. However I may feel about my playing, is how I feel, I'm not sure I can change that. But if I practice objectively and honestly I can improve. Which is all I can do.

(Quite tired now so will write up today's practice tomorrow at some point)

Warm up
5 mins. Pumping Nylon exercises.

Scales/Arpeggios
25 mins. Maj, min, mel and harm through cycle of 5ths all over neck. Dom 7, maj 7, min 7 and min7b5 arpeggios. Major scale and melodic minor scale modes.

Rhythm/Time
1hr 10. Usual subdivision and broken meter stuff at 40 bpm and 60 bpm. Moved on through the '22 rhythms' section of the jerry bergonzi book as well. When I do this prior to improvising I feel I gain a lot more control rhythmically, think this comes from the broken meter stuff in particular.

Chops practice and Improvisation
1hr 30. Did the usual arpeggios with substitutions, could have concentrated a great deal better! Improvised a lot however after a while I grew unhappy with how I was playing, took a brake and came back to it and played much better.

Harmony
1hr. Continued study of triads over bass notes, enjoying this and it is opening up some new sounds to me. Making good progress on this front however to be able to use all this material freely will take a very long time I fear!

Tuesday

Usual warm up with scales and arpeggios.
Chops practice.
Despite my promise to get a lot done today I didn't! Oh well.

Wednesday

30 mins. Warm up, scales and arpeggios

1hr 30. Rhythm and time. Did the subdivision stuff at 40bpm and 60 bpm, note limitation stuff and '22 rhythms' from Jerry Bergonzi book. Really felt the benefit of this stuff today!

1hr. Chops practice and substitutions through Blue Bossa. Feel fluent with this now, more can be done still"

40 mins. Creative Practice. Imrovised with the diminished scale from the perspective of the four relevant dominant arpeggios. Like doing it from this perspective. Might say perspective a few more times...

1hr. Harmony. Studied from the triads over bass notes stuff from 'The Advancing Guitarist'. Want to use some of it as the basis for a composition.

Thursday

Busy day. Learnt a song by a metal band called Testament in the morning, standard fare E harmonic minor stuff. Mullets, leather and biblical references mandatory. Afternoon nipped on M1 down to Sheff to rehearse with Bridie, discussed that I should probably consider including our repertoire in my practice haha. Taught in the evening.

Saturday

Spent the daytime mainly with family then went out in the evening for a meal and a drink to celebrate a friend leaving to go live in Australia. I did practice on Saturday but I can't for the life of me remember what.

Sunday

Mainly spent bleary eyed and hungover. Had a jam with Danny B though writing some tunes which was good.

Today

Not felt 100% and have no motivation to practice. Teaching in the evening. Will practice like a fruit loop tomorrow to compensate!

Watched the documentary made on Bill Cuningham the other night, inspiring bloke.  

Today I practiced Mediterranean Sundance and sight reading. Was pleased with the sight reading after not doing much for such a long time. MS sounded fine and the interview/audition went well. I was particularly happy with some of the stuff I was doing in the right hand, must try and maintain this kind of disciplined approach with my right hand in all scenarios, gives me great control. Also felt well cool playing in a suit. It's the little things.