Scales/Arpeggios
30 mins. Same as yesterday.
Chops Practice
1hr 20. Arpeggios and substitutions round Blue Bossa. Liking the diminished stuff, would be a good idea to record this stuff in the next couple of days and put it on here!
Rhythm/Time
1hr 15. Same stuff from yesterday but I moved on to the '22 rhythms' section of the Bergonzi book. Good for rhythmic displacement and what not
Creative Practice
1hr. Practiced intertwining the chromatic stuff with the intervallic stuff. Love the effect this has, don't be afraid of slipping in the odd 'out' arpeggio when doing this. Studied a transcription of Pat Martino's solo over Blue Bossa on 'Exit', he does this stuff quite a bit, not sure how he does it at those tempos though!
Whatever happens tomorrow I need t change it up a little! Felt a bit stale today.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Monday, 7 January 2013
Scales/Arpeggios
Maj, Min, Harmonic, Melodic and Diminished scales. Maj 7, Min 7, Dom 7, Min 7b5 arpeggios. Modes of Major and Melodic Minor also.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios and substitutions through Blue Bossa again. Getting good results from doing this now, spent a lot of time doing this today finding I prefer to stay focused on one or two things in a day than spending shorter amounts of time on lots of things. If this is the case I need to start planning my weeks out so that I'm covering all bases.
Time/Rhythm
Usual note limitation and subdivision stuff. MOVE ON THROUGH THE BOOK NOW MATE!!
Creative Practice
Looked at some of the Benson-esque stuff I came up with yesterday, I could really expand this stuff
Harmony
Short recap over voicings, must devote much more time to harmony and rhythm playing!
Maj, Min, Harmonic, Melodic and Diminished scales. Maj 7, Min 7, Dom 7, Min 7b5 arpeggios. Modes of Major and Melodic Minor also.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios and substitutions through Blue Bossa again. Getting good results from doing this now, spent a lot of time doing this today finding I prefer to stay focused on one or two things in a day than spending shorter amounts of time on lots of things. If this is the case I need to start planning my weeks out so that I'm covering all bases.
Time/Rhythm
Usual note limitation and subdivision stuff. MOVE ON THROUGH THE BOOK NOW MATE!!
Creative Practice
Looked at some of the Benson-esque stuff I came up with yesterday, I could really expand this stuff
Harmony
Short recap over voicings, must devote much more time to harmony and rhythm playing!
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Warm up
Usual stuff.
Scales/Arpeggios
Did the normal stuff but added all major scale modes and melodic minor scale modes. Also played through all twelve major keys using quaver notes without any pauses to get me concentrating.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios through Blue Bossa with substitutions. Listened to Pat Martino a lot today, one thing I gleaned from his playing in particular is I could maybe think about being a bit more adventurous with my substitutions haha. Trust my creativity and go nuts.
Creative Practice
Returned to double chromatic embellishments of major and minor arpeggios and improvised afterwards. Getting there!
Listened to George Benson and was inspired to rip off the mega fast triplet stuff he does, again getting there!
Composition
Came up with the basis of a new idea for a tune. Now got three strong ideas and a standard for the album. This is motivating me to practice which is a good thing.
Time/Rhythm
Usual stuff from the Bergonzi book, I still lack discipline.
Felt good today and I think this blog is giving me the continuity I've been after. Need to learn more jokes also.
Usual stuff.
Scales/Arpeggios
Did the normal stuff but added all major scale modes and melodic minor scale modes. Also played through all twelve major keys using quaver notes without any pauses to get me concentrating.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios through Blue Bossa with substitutions. Listened to Pat Martino a lot today, one thing I gleaned from his playing in particular is I could maybe think about being a bit more adventurous with my substitutions haha. Trust my creativity and go nuts.
Creative Practice
Returned to double chromatic embellishments of major and minor arpeggios and improvised afterwards. Getting there!
Listened to George Benson and was inspired to rip off the mega fast triplet stuff he does, again getting there!
Composition
Came up with the basis of a new idea for a tune. Now got three strong ideas and a standard for the album. This is motivating me to practice which is a good thing.
Time/Rhythm
Usual stuff from the Bergonzi book, I still lack discipline.
Felt good today and I think this blog is giving me the continuity I've been after. Need to learn more jokes also.
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Did the usual warm-up scales and arpeggios. I really need to vary this now!
Chops Practice
Arpeggios round Blue Bossa ( the only song I know) and substitutions. Spent a lot of time on this today, think it went well. Like the substitutions on minor chords built from the 5th degree of the chord giving me 9ths and 11ths as extensions. Might be worth adding the chromatic embellishment ideas to the substitutions as well. Feel like I'm making good progress on this front now.
Time/Rhythm
Normal subdivision stuff, might be worth going back to looking at playing broken quintuplets?
Did the stuff from the Bergonzi book on rhythm with regards to note limitation. I struggle to maintain discipline doing this but feel it helps a lot particularly when I improvise freely afterwards. Think it gives me a good grounding. Must make a point of studying more of the stuff from this book!
On a general note I've done quite a bit of practice today but spent the time on only two significant areas of study. I'm torn a bit on this as I wanted to devote that time to them as I felt I was progressing however it has been at the expense of looking at a lot of other material. Also really really need to make more of my mornings when I get the opportunity!!
Chops Practice
Arpeggios round Blue Bossa ( the only song I know) and substitutions. Spent a lot of time on this today, think it went well. Like the substitutions on minor chords built from the 5th degree of the chord giving me 9ths and 11ths as extensions. Might be worth adding the chromatic embellishment ideas to the substitutions as well. Feel like I'm making good progress on this front now.
Time/Rhythm
Normal subdivision stuff, might be worth going back to looking at playing broken quintuplets?
Did the stuff from the Bergonzi book on rhythm with regards to note limitation. I struggle to maintain discipline doing this but feel it helps a lot particularly when I improvise freely afterwards. Think it gives me a good grounding. Must make a point of studying more of the stuff from this book!
On a general note I've done quite a bit of practice today but spent the time on only two significant areas of study. I'm torn a bit on this as I wanted to devote that time to them as I felt I was progressing however it has been at the expense of looking at a lot of other material. Also really really need to make more of my mornings when I get the opportunity!!
Friday, 4 January 2013
Warm-up
Same as usual
Scales/Arpeggios
Same as usual.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios round blue bossa. Added substitutions (arpeggios from third and dim. scale). Need to be braver and focus more on the substitutions now. Also when I feel comfortable in something I need to be braver in moving on. This applies to all areas of practice.
Time/Rhythm
Sub division exercises, practiced improvising freely and moving through them as well as a more dry approach.
Creative Practice/Composition
Worked on finger picking idea from before. Trying to work in a rhythmic modulation going from straight quavers to crotchet triplets and then taking the triplet and turning it into four straight crotchets. Want to "dive" straight into it but finding I need to set it up first. Hopefully it will come in time. Got another idea that incorporates a rest stroke in the thumb and free stoke in the fingers. Like it but can't quite get it up to the speed that I want yet.
As a general note I've been quite down on my playing today. Need to stop worrying!
Same as usual
Scales/Arpeggios
Same as usual.
Chops Practice
Arpeggios round blue bossa. Added substitutions (arpeggios from third and dim. scale). Need to be braver and focus more on the substitutions now. Also when I feel comfortable in something I need to be braver in moving on. This applies to all areas of practice.
Time/Rhythm
Sub division exercises, practiced improvising freely and moving through them as well as a more dry approach.
Creative Practice/Composition
Worked on finger picking idea from before. Trying to work in a rhythmic modulation going from straight quavers to crotchet triplets and then taking the triplet and turning it into four straight crotchets. Want to "dive" straight into it but finding I need to set it up first. Hopefully it will come in time. Got another idea that incorporates a rest stroke in the thumb and free stoke in the fingers. Like it but can't quite get it up to the speed that I want yet.
As a general note I've been quite down on my playing today. Need to stop worrying!
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Today has been spent mainly planning lessons and teaching, got a bit done...
Scales/Arpeggios
30 mins. Major, Minor, Harmonic, Melodic, Diminished. Maj 7, Min 7, Dom 7, Min 7b5. I'm not paying much attention when I'm doing this stuff now, like the grounding this gives me to a practice session but might have to change it up a bit.
Rhythm Guitar
1 hr. Inspired by Mike Outram, been looking at rhythms and applying them to guitar using plectrum style. Looked at Bossa rhythms from the rhythm bible book. Need to research this stuff a lot more!!!
Tarrega's Arpeggio Study
30 mins. I am no classical guitarist! Trying to get better continuity in my right hand finger style playing. Hopefully paying attention to detail will help. Playing rest strokes with the thumb and free strokes with the fingers is tricky but I'm getting there. Paying attention to what type of stroke I'm playing is slightly alien to me but it does seem to make a huge difference!
Scales/Arpeggios
30 mins. Major, Minor, Harmonic, Melodic, Diminished. Maj 7, Min 7, Dom 7, Min 7b5. I'm not paying much attention when I'm doing this stuff now, like the grounding this gives me to a practice session but might have to change it up a bit.
Rhythm Guitar
1 hr. Inspired by Mike Outram, been looking at rhythms and applying them to guitar using plectrum style. Looked at Bossa rhythms from the rhythm bible book. Need to research this stuff a lot more!!!
Tarrega's Arpeggio Study
30 mins. I am no classical guitarist! Trying to get better continuity in my right hand finger style playing. Hopefully paying attention to detail will help. Playing rest strokes with the thumb and free strokes with the fingers is tricky but I'm getting there. Paying attention to what type of stroke I'm playing is slightly alien to me but it does seem to make a huge difference!
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
So, it's been Christmas and unfortunately I've been too fat and drunk to get to the computer to write blogs. However a new year is upon us and I'm going to try my best to give this blogging lark a good go...
Warm-up
5 mins. Pumping Nylon left hand exercises.
Scales/Arpeggios
35mins. Min, Maj, Harmonic, Melodic and Diminished scales. Min 7, Maj 7, Dom 7 and Min7b5 arpeggios.
Chops Practice
40 mins. Arpeggios round Blue Bossa all positions. Very fluid now, possibly time to move on to doing the same things with substitutions.
Time/Rhythm
2 hrs. Played through sub-divisions at 40 bpm and practiced going between broken demi-semiquavers to broken semiquaver triplets at 60 bpm. Been noticing sometimes in improvisations when I move triplets they can sometimes be slightly rushed, need to spend more time practicing improvising and changing between the two. I'm fine in 'dry' practice but sometimes when I'm 'playing' I rush them a bit like a div.
Played the note limiting stuff from the Bergonzi book, 3 and 4 notes. Then improvised freely through 'Blue Bossa' afterwards. Listened back and think that practicing in this manner, really counting every quaver beat, is having a good impact on my time whilst improvising. Especially accenting offbeat stuff.
Composition
30 mins. Got plans to try and put a solo album out this year, worked on some ideas over Christmas. Worked on a finger-picked idea today. I like it but its tricky to play, may be worth revisiting pumping nylon for some right hand exercises.
Harmony
30 mins. Recapped a lot of inversions. Realised I don't spend nearly enough time working on my rhythm playing as I should!!!
Warm-up
5 mins. Pumping Nylon left hand exercises.
Scales/Arpeggios
35mins. Min, Maj, Harmonic, Melodic and Diminished scales. Min 7, Maj 7, Dom 7 and Min7b5 arpeggios.
Chops Practice
40 mins. Arpeggios round Blue Bossa all positions. Very fluid now, possibly time to move on to doing the same things with substitutions.
Time/Rhythm
2 hrs. Played through sub-divisions at 40 bpm and practiced going between broken demi-semiquavers to broken semiquaver triplets at 60 bpm. Been noticing sometimes in improvisations when I move triplets they can sometimes be slightly rushed, need to spend more time practicing improvising and changing between the two. I'm fine in 'dry' practice but sometimes when I'm 'playing' I rush them a bit like a div.
Played the note limiting stuff from the Bergonzi book, 3 and 4 notes. Then improvised freely through 'Blue Bossa' afterwards. Listened back and think that practicing in this manner, really counting every quaver beat, is having a good impact on my time whilst improvising. Especially accenting offbeat stuff.
Composition
30 mins. Got plans to try and put a solo album out this year, worked on some ideas over Christmas. Worked on a finger-picked idea today. I like it but its tricky to play, may be worth revisiting pumping nylon for some right hand exercises.
Harmony
30 mins. Recapped a lot of inversions. Realised I don't spend nearly enough time working on my rhythm playing as I should!!!
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