Learning a skill by repeatedly rehearsing it.
11
votes
2answers
146 views
What value does practicing without paying attention to what you do have?
I've recently come across an interesting way to practice. I was asking a very accomplished guitarist on how he practiced technique, since his was amazingly effortless.
What he told me surprised me. ...
9
votes
4answers
304 views
Breathing practice for harmonica
What are some good breathing practices for playing the harmonica? I have been learning the harmonica for a while now, I can play small time rhymes and some songs.
But when I try to get into high ...
3
votes
2answers
224 views
Flatpicking: how can I make my floating-pick-hand less bouncy?
Can anyone suggest how I might improve my "floating fist" style flatpicking? I'm trying to clean up my pick technique for the sake of accuracy, feel, speed, and general ease-of-playing. I use the ...
2
votes
2answers
94 views
Finding the right rhythm for a tune
I have bought a CASIO CTK-4200 keyboard which has some 180 rhythms stored. I am new to such keyboards, and a beginner when it comes to playing music. I know some tunes which I can play on this ...
0
votes
3answers
189 views
What are the most common barriers to becoming proficient at playing an instrument?
What are the most common barriers to becoming proficient at playing an instrument, and how does one overcome them?
Multiple answers welcome :)
This question does not apply to a particular instrument ...
6
votes
3answers
411 views
Do music students find practice journals useful?
I use a calendar to keep track of my daily music practice, similar to the Seinfeld productivity method (http://lifehacker.com/281626/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret). This has been extremely ...
10
votes
5answers
2k views
Tips on counting and playing odd time signatures
I'm pretty interested in learning, composing and playing along to songs using odd time signatures (3/4, 5/4, 7/8, ...) and I'd like some advice on how to wrap my head around all this stuff.
For ...
3
votes
3answers
559 views
Trumpet - Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities Vol. 1 Exercise 1
I am trying to go through the whole Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities book. Here is an excerpt from the first exercise:
There are two ways I could interpret this. Since this book is about building up ...
10
votes
3answers
579 views
What is the (Practical) theory behind applying chords for a Song?
I love playing Guitar. I can play the lead for any song by listening to it. But often in our prayer meeting people sing different songs in different keys. I can track the major they sing, but I am ...
2
votes
2answers
151 views
Guitar overdubbing with headphones problem
I practise guitar at home with my headphones and using Boss micro BR 80 amp modeling device and its effects.
It works ok with one guitar but when I use a looper/delay to harmonize my solos or record ...
5
votes
2answers
480 views
Learning 4/5 trills on the piano?
This has got to be one of the hardest technical things to teach your hands. I'm looking for advice from someone who's already surmounted this particular obstacle.
To be clear, I'm talking about ...
4
votes
2answers
833 views
Do weighted keys on a keyboard lead to more expressive playing?
I use an acoustic piano to learn/play classical music. I use a midi keyboard to record/produce own music. My piano has weighted keys while my midi keyboard has a very light touch. I find that I am ...
6
votes
4answers
641 views
How can I learn to sing and play an instrument (like Piano) at the same time?
I find this a very difficult thing to do, and also not easy to put as much energy into singing, while playing piano.
I have started off by just trying the chords on the piano, though it is still ...
3
votes
1answer
93 views
Guitar Action for practicing and learning
I know for certain that a lower action on a guitar makes playing easier, but does having a high action makes you more skilled by overcoming the extra difficulty or is it just an inconvenience?
9
votes
4answers
1k views
How to learn many musical instruments?
It's absolutely possible for one to know how to play more than one instrument and even be good at or master some.
I currently know how to play guitar, keyboard and drum. Planning to start learning ...
8
votes
4answers
129 views
Is it better to practice a single lick / part exclusively until you master it, or to practice a number of things at once?
As the title states...
I am currently working at least one hour a day (which is my total practice time) on a single lick, and am determined to continue doing this to the exclusion of all other ...
7
votes
5answers
5k views
is there any free tab viewer for GuitarPro files?
I just want to view not edit tabs and I think paying 60 bucks to listen/edit is too much.
5
votes
5answers
206 views
How to keep practicing to compose music when you're too picky to listen to yourself playing
I'm a pianist, and I also compose songs in DAWs. My main spare time occupation is to improvise on the piano, and I've been doing it for several years now.
Even before I learned any instruments (when ...
3
votes
2answers
466 views
Is it dangerous to sing an entire song in falsetto?
Be it short-term or long-term. Is it true that if you use your falsetto on songs for more than those typical "uuhhhhs" and "oohhhhs" to give it a more sentimental/breathy touch, you could damage your ...
6
votes
5answers
415 views
What are the Five Most Important Things to Learn?
I'm reading "Practice Perfect" and the author recommends using the 80/20 approach in planning one's practice. For example, if 20% of "techniques" yield 80% of the results, what would be the 20% of ...
35
votes
7answers
1k views
Will learning to play another instrument help me to become a better guitarist?
I am a programmer and I do this for living. As a programmer, I've noticed how much difference it makes to learn another language - the quality of your work improves greatly, just because you know how ...
3
votes
2answers
154 views
What differences with an acoustic kit should a new drummer keep in mind when starting on an electric kit
After years as a bass player I'm thinking of getting an eletric drum kit and learning how to play. (I want to play an electric kit because I'm often home late and want to be able to practise without ...
15
votes
5answers
468 views
Creating a perfect “practice corner”
Only few of us are lucky enough to have studio or some other dedicated place to practice. I think most of the time, musicians are going through their daily practice routines at home.
I'm thinking of ...
4
votes
6answers
199 views
How to build up to playing an F chord? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How can I best learn to play barre chords?
I recently just got back into trying to learn to play guitar. I'm going through and learning all of the major chords in the ...
10
votes
2answers
274 views
Is reading notes without an instrument a good way to practice?
As an amateur self-learner pianist, I can't take my piano with me, but I can take the sheet music books.
On my current (low) level of skill, I need substantial time to read a musical piece; for ...
15
votes
7answers
317 views
Keeping track of problems during rehearsals
As a mostly untrained conductor, one problem I've always had is keeping track of problems with a piece as we work through it. Something will stick out and I'll want to go back, but all I could ...
3
votes
2answers
125 views
One at a time or all at once?
I'm relearning guitar after several years -- well, several decades -- away. I'm actually finding that not only is it coming back to me easily, but I'm learning more than I ever knew before due to all ...
2
votes
2answers
325 views
How can I avoid making unpleasant facial expressions when playing difficult chords?
When I'm playing (learning) difficult chords on guitar (ex: F,B7) my facial muscles (basically lips) form a weird action (I felt it and I saw it in the mirror).
I feel I'll get used to it as I go and ...
8
votes
5answers
2k views
How do I develop a good vibrato?
A crucial element for phrasing is vibrato, but while you can notate a great number of things, you can't really notate vibrato. I know it's important. I know B.B. King's butterfly vibrato is a big ...
8
votes
3answers
125 views
How do you keep your mental accuity up during an extended practice session?
When you want to practice for, say, 2 solid hours a day, how do you stay productive throughout the practice session? I find myself going off and noodling after a while of practicing something ...
4
votes
1answer
114 views
How to keep from tensing up when I click the metronome faster?
I've been trying to build up speed with my tremolo exercises, and the demon I keep fighting is a sort of negative feedback loop fed by worrying about deviations from the tempo, increasing attention on ...
41
votes
7answers
634 views
Ten Minute Practice Techniques?
Unfortunately I can't play everyday.
However, I am trying to grab at least 5-10 minutes here and there. What are some good theory or scale techniques/practice methods I should have ready to pull out ...
11
votes
5answers
196 views
When practicing a song with frequently changing time signatures, what is the best way to count in?
My percussion ensemble is working on a song with different time signatures, i.e. it is constantly changing between 4/4, 7/8, 5/16 and so on. During the rehearsals, we sometimes want to start somewhere ...
3
votes
3answers
218 views
How do you play C7 fast on a guitar?
There is a somewhat difficult chord near the beginning of Isaac Albinez's Austurias. I will post it in tablature form for the sake of convenience:
Ｅ｜－１２－｜ ４
Ｂ｜－８－－｜ １
Ｇ｜－９－－｜ ２
...
-1
votes
2answers
60 views
Seeking resource of melodies for purpose of acquiring fluency in all the keys [closed]
I am developing software for acquiring musical fluency (http://toneme.org/)
At the same time I am attempting to acquire such fluency.
What I think would help me beyond measure would be a daily ...
2
votes
2answers
238 views
Hannon or Czerny
What are the best exercises for someone who had played the piano for 3 years but has had a 4 year break and wants to get back into playing, Hannon or Czerny?
3
votes
2answers
533 views
Is it possible to use video games to help improve one's singing?
I've decided that I want to improve my singing. In order to give me incentive to practice (and regular feedback), I thought getting a video game might be of help. I know that it's no substitute for ...
3
votes
7answers
447 views
I am bored with a metronome, should I get a drum machine?
I'm a big fun of using a metronome while practicing, but after a while it just gets boring to hear all this solid ticking. When you play scales and stuff like that, it's ok, but when you are playing a ...
5
votes
5answers
2k views
Is singing a matter of talent or practice?
This is something I have always wondered.
Is singing a matter of talent, that is, only people born with the 'proper instrument' can sing properly, or is it a matter of practice?
I know that practice ...
0
votes
3answers
150 views
How can I play this passage on classical guitar?
I'm trying to teach myself classical guitar. I've got a fair bit of experience chording and strumming. But this passage is giving me problems:
My problem concerns the highlighted portion. Even ...
7
votes
4answers
474 views
How do you prevent injuries from bad posture while playing classical guitar?
I'm tagging this as specific to classical guitar since that's what I am familiar with. The correct posture is very important which playing classical, including the footstool, the position of your ...
8
votes
0answers
206 views
How to get back on track after long absence [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Get back into an instrument after long break?
I have been playing Guitar for more than 8 years now and I was working as a Electric Guitar Teacher while I was Studying ...
2
votes
2answers
188 views
How do violinists manage headphone wires?
I've been playing acoustic classical violin for years, and I recently bought my first electric violin: A Yamaha SV-200. Right now I'm making do with the pair of in-ear phones that came with it. I plan ...
2
votes
5answers
993 views
Electric Guitar | Right hand position
I find it difficult to decide on where to position/rest my right hand (picking hand) when playing electric guitar. I started with acoustic and i have a habit of resting my pinky finger on the guitar ...
2
votes
3answers
209 views
Practice amp for a flute/piccolo
My wife is a fairly accomplished flautist who has recently taken up the piccolo. Already practicing the flute is probably affecting her hearing, and the piccolo promises to be an order of magnitude ...
19
votes
4answers
751 views
How can I be sure that I am singing effortlessly in my natural voice ?
By now , I have years of vocalization practice but I still start straining while singing—especially if I am not vigilant. It happens imperceptibly and is a hard habit to break.
Is there a reliable ...
21
votes
10answers
4k views
As a guitarist, how can I learn to sight-read music?
I'm learning guitar right now, mostly from Justin Sandercoe's free online lessons, starting from the beginner's course. He has a lot of good tips for how to practice and drill chords, and scales, but ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
most effective guitar practice schedule?
I've Googled this question and there is a jumble of answers out there with long articles with complicated answers, so I thought I'd ask for more personal opinions.
I learned the guitar about 13 ...
7
votes
5answers
860 views
Fingering for octaves on the piano
Another question about playing octaves (as in Schubert's Erlkonig, Chopin's A-flat Polonaise, etc.):
I practice Hanon exercises, and Hanon recommends using the first and fifth finger on white keys ...
8
votes
3answers
808 views
What can I do to minimize damage to my picking hand wrist as I practice guitar?
My right hand (picking hand) is showing signs of carpal tunnel syndrome, and is slowly, but surely, degrading. I continue to practice guitar, but it's beginning to be difficult to do so.
What can I ...
