Practicing Cover Song Slower or Faster Than Recorded - Which is Better?

[jaywa]

So I just downloaded software that lets me play a recorded song and slow it down or speed it up without changing pitch. Pretty cool.

My question is, the song I'm learning has some very fast complex parts in it so I've been practicing it slower than recorded and am up to where I'm comfortable at about 90% of concert tempo. At the point I can get it up to 100%, I'm wondering if it would benefit me to just keep going and aim for 110 or 115% just to see if I can play it that fast... which in theory would then make it that much easier when slowing back down to concert tempo (kind of like using a medicine ball in basketball or "overtraining" on weights). Or to keep up with an overeager drummer when we play it live.

Is there any benefit to this approach or am I just wasting my time speeding it up that much?

[Mark Wilson]

My way of doing it, is practicing at a really slow tempo, like 40bpm, then I'll gradually build up speed, until i'm at tempo. Then once that's okay, I'll go back to 40bpm, then FASTER than the original tempo.

[Phalex]

Tempo is important. Slower to learn the hard stuff, faster to cement it, but be sure you can perform it at speed consistantly.

[Skitch it!]

Ime, is certainly isn't a waste of time practising it at a BPM above the recorded original. Playing live, take into account all the distractions, live instruments at higher volumes, crowd interest (keeping them interested) you might have had a little argument with the singer, or your girlfriend, the drummer may play it slightly 'ahead', and much more, take your pick ; ) Getting it together at higher T's will add to the capability of your concentration, more relaxed and able to deal with the 'unknown' quantities that may lie in wait. There's no confidence booster greater than feeling 'more than on top of it'. I've always done this, through experience

[Stumbo]

FYI: Sometimes, after slowing down a song, increasing the pitch an octave makes the bass line easier to hear/follow.

[cassanova]

Slower then increase tempo as you get better with the song.

[JTE]

It's not an either/or, so neither is "better". Doing both is important. Being able to play slowly and precisely is what enables you to play quickly and precisely. Working it out a slow tempo of course helps you learn it, and playing very slow after you learn it helps you focus on articulation and phrasing. Being able to play it above the target tempo allows you to have confidence that it isn't going to be a technical problem during a performance. And lots of bands do stuff too fast anyway live. Lots of stuff probably works better at a bit higher tempo for live dancing than it does for a recording to listen to, but it does change the feel of the song too.

So, being able to execute the parts well and musically at lower and higher speeds is valuable.

John