Put in an hour. Exercises with ties are still getting easier.
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The PRACTICE Journal
- Thread starter wompwomp
- Start date
last nite was too warm to sleep... I ended up on the couch with my trusty jaguarillo and consolidated a bunch of work that i've done lately with the circle of fourths. I was probably working away for ~4 hours or so it went really well
I finally got back to my bass after a week of out-of-town field work. 
However, I still feel tired from all the traveling. I only managed to put in thirty minutes. Practiced playing the original bass line for the head of Blue Bossa first, then tried to think about making some new bass lines for a bossa nova song I wrote before, then proceeded to practice Autumn Leaves with backing track from iReal Pro for an open jam tomorrow. I still forget that the A part needs to be played twice, but I'm really tired. I'll try to remember it.
However, I still feel tired from all the traveling. I only managed to put in thirty minutes. Practiced playing the original bass line for the head of Blue Bossa first, then tried to think about making some new bass lines for a bossa nova song I wrote before, then proceeded to practice Autumn Leaves with backing track from iReal Pro for an open jam tomorrow. I still forget that the A part needs to be played twice, but I'm really tired. I'll try to remember it.
I got through all my exercises in 45 minutes. I can't move on to the next exercises due to technical restraints, and didn't feel like going over anything more repititiously than I already had, so decided to cut it short. I will see if I can get another session in later.
Put in an hour. I'm trying to convince myself to do a second session, but so far it hasn't happened.
I think I practiced for one hour and thirty minutes. But tonight, I practiced playing guitar since one of my vocalist friends wants me to accompany her and another friend to an open jam. We'd be playing jazz standards, although it'd be at an non-jazz open jam so it's fine to play guitar at my (mediocre) level. XD
I first practiced Autumn Leaves. First I tried to figure out the most efficient way to play the chords. Then I played the melody and also thoughts of how to arrange the head for our performance (although I failed to record my idea and send it to my friend.) Then I thought of how to comp, which was prolly the hardest part for me to figure out, until I used iReal Pro.
Then I got distracted and played along my two compositions on my guitar. One is bossa nova and the other one is jazz fusion.
Then I played the other song that my friend requested, which is Tea For Two. It was a good thing to have practiced it since I found out that I have a hard time transitioning along the diminished chord in the D part. I've wrote songs with a diminished chord before, but I'm not used to playing it with quick chord progressions.
I wanted to practice for a longer time but my eyes feel weary. I think I still haven't fully recovered from my field work fatigue. When I woke up this morning, my eyes still want to remain closed even though I slept for almost eight hours.
I first practiced Autumn Leaves. First I tried to figure out the most efficient way to play the chords. Then I played the melody and also thoughts of how to arrange the head for our performance (although I failed to record my idea and send it to my friend.) Then I thought of how to comp, which was prolly the hardest part for me to figure out, until I used iReal Pro.
Then I got distracted and played along my two compositions on my guitar. One is bossa nova and the other one is jazz fusion.
Then I played the other song that my friend requested, which is Tea For Two. It was a good thing to have practiced it since I found out that I have a hard time transitioning along the diminished chord in the D part. I've wrote songs with a diminished chord before, but I'm not used to playing it with quick chord progressions.
I wanted to practice for a longer time but my eyes feel weary. I think I still haven't fully recovered from my field work fatigue. When I woke up this morning, my eyes still want to remain closed even though I slept for almost eight hours.
Practiced guitar for forty-five minutes. Played Autumn Leaves first, ran down the melody, the different chords and arpeggios, and tried to improvise while playing along iReal Pro. Then I practiced two of my original compositions, played the chords first, then the head. Then I played along Tea For Two, using the same processes I did for Autumn Leaves. It was a little bit difficult for me to improvise because of the stark key change but I'll probably get it next time. I also try to run down the other jazz song that my vocalist friend ask, I Can't Give Anything But Love. I'm still having a hard time playing the diminished chord in quick chord progressions. I also tried to determine the melody by looking at a music sheet, but I still didn't get it. Maybe next time I will.
Then I practiced the bass for thirty minutes since I have a practice session tomorrow with my funk band. I improvised along the A Phrygian mode (or F Major scale) again for the song I was practicing some time ago, then I practiced two songs with fast slapping. I practice them almost every time I practice our funk band songs to build up the stamina of both my left and right forearms, since these songs used to exhaust my arms.
Then I practiced the bass for thirty minutes since I have a practice session tomorrow with my funk band. I improvised along the A Phrygian mode (or F Major scale) again for the song I was practicing some time ago, then I practiced two songs with fast slapping. I practice them almost every time I practice our funk band songs to build up the stamina of both my left and right forearms, since these songs used to exhaust my arms.
Practiced for an hour. Made lots of little mistakes and had to repeat exercises multiple times to get through them with no errors.
Last night, I practiced playing the guitar again and I've seen some improvements from my previous practice.
First thing I practiced was I Can't Give You Anything But Love. Practiced the chords, tried to know where they can be played all over the fretboard, and practiced the relevant arpeggios. Those diminished chords became easier to play. Also managed to be familiar with the keys and the form and where the 251s are. I also tried improvising along iReal Pro backing track.
Did these drills with Tea For Two and Autumn Leaves, with the added convenience of knowing how to play their melody on guitar. The former became also easier for me.
I think my practice session lasted for one hour.
I have a practice jam with my vocalist friends tonight as preparation for an open jam two weeks from now..
First thing I practiced was I Can't Give You Anything But Love. Practiced the chords, tried to know where they can be played all over the fretboard, and practiced the relevant arpeggios. Those diminished chords became easier to play. Also managed to be familiar with the keys and the form and where the 251s are. I also tried improvising along iReal Pro backing track.
Did these drills with Tea For Two and Autumn Leaves, with the added convenience of knowing how to play their melody on guitar. The former became also easier for me.
I think my practice session lasted for one hour.
I have a practice jam with my vocalist friends tonight as preparation for an open jam two weeks from now..
I still wasn't in the mood to practice. What I did was play some songs that I used to play along a few years ago, before I migrated. It brought back some memories and feelings that I haven't reflected upon for a long time. I was also in a mood to write about these on my personal journal, or even write a song about them. I think this session lasted for one hour.
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Most of the time spent today for music was for other stuff, like listening to songs and deciding which ones will be played for an upcoming gig for my jazz-leaning band, learning the chords by ear of one of the songs that we'd cover, putting the chords of that song on iReal Pro and set it to swing since it's a metal song that we want to play in a swing style, chatting with bandmates, and practicing a new song for my funk band.
still writing. this is my first songwriting in quite some time...
it used to be rare for me to write but I think it is my primary focus going forward. I have a much clearer idea of the work than I did before.
i'm working remotely with another guy who is mostly an ear player it's been a really fun fruitful experience so far
it used to be rare for me to write but I think it is my primary focus going forward. I have a much clearer idea of the work than I did before.
i'm working remotely with another guy who is mostly an ear player it's been a really fun fruitful experience so far
this thread has gone a bit fallow but i'll revive it by talking a bit about my practice as of late;
rn i'm on holiday with the fam celebrating a birthday! we're at a resort on the coast, I brought my sweetie army-navy mandolin... for practice!
rn I'm doing a basic tonal dissection of the string on the mando which means scales/modes along a string and across strings it's been fruitful. my main instrument is guitar/bg so i'm sort of just re-learning the buttons on a fifth-tuned instrument it's been really pretty interesting. i'm coming at this as a writer rather than a player so in a way i'm really universalizing the issue BUT
on a guitar I think about things in terms of the circle of fourths it just seems very very natural to me, maybe that is a part of the architecture of the instrument I don't know and tbh couldn't care less. I still have the well of the fifth waiting for me if I ever get around to it but on a mando things are quite different and I think I might use the fifths as a basis of writing on that instrument. we will see!
rn i'm on holiday with the fam celebrating a birthday! we're at a resort on the coast, I brought my sweetie army-navy mandolin... for practice!
rn I'm doing a basic tonal dissection of the string on the mando which means scales/modes along a string and across strings it's been fruitful. my main instrument is guitar/bg so i'm sort of just re-learning the buttons on a fifth-tuned instrument it's been really pretty interesting. i'm coming at this as a writer rather than a player so in a way i'm really universalizing the issue BUT
on a guitar I think about things in terms of the circle of fourths it just seems very very natural to me, maybe that is a part of the architecture of the instrument I don't know and tbh couldn't care less. I still have the well of the fifth waiting for me if I ever get around to it but on a mando things are quite different and I think I might use the fifths as a basis of writing on that instrument. we will see!
