6 Steps to an Organized Practice Routine

[m78w]

Hey Everyone,
Just wanted to pass along a guest article from my friend Steve Nixon, discussing ways to break up your practice routine for maximum effectiveness.

6 Steps to an Organized Jazz Practice Routine | MattWarnockGuitar.com

Check it out, cheers!

[JakeAcci]

Cool topic, I like Nixon's approach especially for those just starting to try to get the hang of jazz vocabulary. It's pretty similar to things I used to do.

I definitely agree that it can be good to have a game plan, and just jumping around from one thing to another is extremely inefficient for those who really are trying to achieve something with their practice. I also like to start with a warm up (I use reading as a warm up since I pick pieces I have to play relatively slowly) and then do some technical exercises briefly.

As it's a public discussion, I'd share another set of thoughts on the topic of coming up with a practice routine:

- What do you want to sound like?

- What do you feel your weaknesses are/what do you want to improve on?

- Develop a strategy to achieve those goals

- Record yourself frequently and check progress at intervals of several weeks or longer. If you're closer to the goal, great, if you're not, re-assess the strategy.

So transcription and lick-study may be an integral part of that or it may be irrelevant, depending on the player. Honest self assessment (and recording!) is important. Somebody might have a lot of vocabulary but not be executing that vocabulary cleanly. Or maybe he can solo great but is neglecting that his comping is really unmusical. (To be honest, I think a lot of players work on scales and licks when they should be working on rhythmic concepts, time feel, keeping time, etc. but that's just my personal perspective)

I try to only do maybe three things at a time. For example, for a while I was working on just reading (but I always work on reading,) odd time signatures, and uptempo vocabulary.

I really like Nixon's approach for those who are just starting out and trying to get some actual jazz vocabulary - I think it's essential and concise. Then the player decides at one point they want to get more specific.

I played for a long time before I started thinking about long term practice goals - they have helped tremendously, especially with technique.

On the point of focusing practice, I heard a very powerful quotation from Ted Greene that unfortunately I'm going to have to paraphrase. Something like "when it comes to deciding what to practice, you have to make the distinction between what you like and what you love." I think awareness of that distinction is what creates personal style, as opposed to players who just try to be "well rounded" but don't work on expressing anything personal. At a certain point we have to make decisions about what not to practice based on just being honest about what is not that important to us in terms of what we want to sound like.

Thanks for posting Matt, these big picture subjects always give good food for thought. Sorry for a somewhat disorganized commentary.

[m78w]

thanks Jake, I asked Steve to come over to the forum to jump into the discussion, since he wrote the article, I'm sure he has lots of good ideas to add to the thread.

[JakeAcci]

Cool. As a disclaimer, since I've gotten in trouble before - my comments are simply about the subject of organizing a practice routine. I like the article, and think it has a place for a player in a certain position but may get less relevant the more experienced a player gets. Sometimes my writing style gets interpreted as a personal flame, so let me just state off the bat that's not my intention - the subject of organizing practice time is something I have to think about a LOT for myself and my students, so I have a lot of personal opinions about the issue.

[fep]

Thanks Matt, that's a good article.

I think a great step is to write down your practice routine. That way you'll at least give it some thought.

[coolvinny]

Cool post/link. After reading it, I couldn't help but feel that to me it doesn't sound like 6 steps at all. I look at it as 3 steps...and really only 2 plus common sense. I always like to make things as simple as possible (but not simpler!) so this is how my brain synthesized the info:

- warming up a bit...this I group as common sense. So this isn't even one of the 'steps' in my mind. (and one could even warm up on a tune)

- transcription, vocabulary and improv...to me, these all fall under 'Vocabulary'. So this is one giant step that's about 70%.

- repertoire...yup, repertoire.

It might sound silly, but to some people 6 steps seems like too much and can be overwhelming. Breaking it down into 2 steps - vocabulary and repertoire - might make the concept of organizing one's practice time that much more digestible to some people.

Also, regarding Vocabulary, I find that sometimes one has to spend a few consecutive practice sessions on say transcribing, then on learning the vocab, then on applying through improv...and I feel like describing these as separate steps might cause people to spread themselves too thin on any one particular day (it can take a lot of repetition to really ingrain vocab! So sometimes the best use of a practice session is to play one lick in all keys and positions, varying the rhythm etc, until it's automatic).

Just some thoughts. I'd be interested to know what Matt thinks about my comment that doing all 3 of transcription/vocab/improv on any given day could be spreading oneself too thin. But great link and certainly timely at this time of year when we are all making New Year's resolutions!

[m78w]

Hey CoolVinny,
I think, like Jake said, this approach is good for people at different points in their development.

For me, I like to work through ideas over tunes as much as possible, so Rep is a big part of my practice routine, pretty much all of it.

What I like to do is take a concept, say 3 to 9 arpeggios, or a lick that I took from a transcription, chord-sub idea, whatever I'm working on, and then immediately run it through a number of tunes I'm practicing, starting with the Blues and working to more Standard rep from there. Both as a technical exercise if I need to review it, and with improvising using any given concept as the basis of my improv.

I just find, at least for me, that what I find most beneficial is to run exercises etc through tunes, then I'm learning tunes at the same time as technical and other ideas, and getting myself prepped to play those tunes on the gig, using the new material I've been working on.

That kind of approach isnt' for everyone, depending on their stage of development, but for me I just boil it down to learning the other 5 steps, or 2 depending on how you think of it, but done all through tunes. Even warming up. I don't have exercises to warm up, instead I like to blow through a slow blues in F or Bb, a comfortable key, to get my brain and ears warmed up at the same time as my fingers.

But that's just how I do it, it's not better or worse than any other approach I dont' think, just what works for me.

[freejazzlessons.com]

Hey everybody!
This is my first post here. Excited to share with the community.

Originally Posted by JakeAcci

I definitely agree that it can be good to have a game plan, and just jumping around from one thing to another is extremely inefficient for those who really are trying to achieve something with their practice.

As it's a public discussion, I'd share another set of thoughts on the topic of coming up with a practice routine:

- What do you want to sound like?

- What do you feel your weaknesses are/what do you want to improve on?

- Develop a strategy to achieve those goals

- Record yourself frequently and check progress at intervals of several weeks or longer. If you're closer to the goal, great, if you're not, re-assess the strategy.

I really like Nixon's approach for those who are just starting out and trying to get some actual jazz vocabulary - I think it's essential and concise. Then the player decides at one point they want to get more specific.

I played for a long time before I started thinking about long term practice goals - they have helped tremendously, especially with technique.

On the point of focusing practice, I heard a very powerful quotation from Ted Greene that unfortunately I'm going to have to paraphrase. Something like "when it comes to deciding what to practice, you have to make the distinction between what you like and what you love." I think awareness of that distinction is what creates personal style, as opposed to players who just try to be "well rounded" but don't work on expressing anything personal.

Thanks for posting Matt, these big picture subjects always give good food for thought.

Hi Jake,
Thanks so much for your comments. I think you raise some excellent points. I especially like the idea that you're starting from the "end point". By asking whom do you want to sound like and then working backward from there.
You are totally right in regards to recording yourself! That is unbelievably helpful as well. Musically life changing IMO....
I like that Ted Green quote too. I think when you decide who you want to transcribe, learn, and listen to you are hopefully making a conscious decision to find source material you love.
I always try to give my students options when they transcribe. I may want to teach them certain topics but I feel like they will really learn them better if they love the solo. Exploring what you love musically is a direct path to finding your personal style.

Originally Posted by JakeAcci

the subject of organizing practice time is something I have to think about a LOT for myself and my students, so I have a lot of personal opinions about the issue.

We all do

Originally Posted by fep

Thanks Matt, that's a good article.

I think a great step is to write down your practice routine. That way you'll at least give it some thought.

Hi Fep,
Yes, I agree. Organization is a huge part of trying to learn right brain concepts (music and artistry) into actual workable skills.

Originally Posted by coolvinny

Cool post/link. After reading it, I couldn't help but feel that to me it doesn't sound like 6 steps at all. I look at it as 3 steps...and really only 2 plus common sense. I always like to make things as simple as possible (but not simpler!) so this is how my brain synthesized the info:

- warming up a bit...this I group as common sense. So this isn't even one of the 'steps' in my mind. (and one could even warm up on a tune)

- transcription, vocabulary and improv...to me, these all fall under 'Vocabulary'. So this is one giant step that's about 70%.

- repertoire...yup, repertoire.

It might sound silly, but to some people 6 steps seems like too much and can be overwhelming. Breaking it down into 2 steps - vocabulary and repertoire - might make the concept of organizing one's practice time that much more digestible to some people.

Also, regarding Vocabulary, I find that sometimes one has to spend a few consecutive practice sessions on say transcribing, then on learning the vocab, then on applying through improv...and I feel like describing these as separate steps might cause people to spread themselves too thin on any one particular day (it can take a lot of repetition to really ingrain vocab! So sometimes the best use of a practice session is to play one lick in all keys and positions, varying the rhythm etc, until it's automatic).

Just some thoughts. I'd be interested to know what Matt thinks about my comment that doing all 3 of transcription/vocab/improv on any given day could be spreading oneself too thin. But great link and certainly timely at this time of year when we are all making New Year's resolutions!

Hi Coolvinny,
That's a good point. It can be hard to say where these steps begin and where they end. They relate so much to each other.

Originally Posted by m78w

I just find, at least for me, that what I find most beneficial is to run exercises etc through tunes, then I'm learning tunes at the same time as technical and other ideas, and getting myself prepped to play those tunes on the gig, using the new material I've been working on.

T

Hi Matt,
Yeah I like the idea of learning tunes and applying more technical aspects to them at the same time. That's a deep form of practicing right there.

[cosmic gumbo]

Nothing works quite as well as a good teacher who knows how to use a whip.

[freejazzlessons.com]

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Nothing works quite as well as a good teacher who knows how to use a whip.

Yeah I hear you cosmic gumbo. I always benefitted from the hyper focused intense teachers. Some other people like a softer approach from their instructors though.

[ten left thumbs]

Six steps? I'm screwed before I start. I can only count to four.

[augusjazz]

I found it very interesting and useful article.
I think it's a good way to optimize the daily practice.

Something that really helps me is listening to guitarists who are at a level similar to mine (youtube allows that), and gives me an idea of ​​things I do well and do things wrong.

[freejazzlessons.com]

Originally Posted by augusjazz

I found it very interesting and useful article.
I think it's a good way to optimize the daily practice.

Something that really helps me is listening to guitarists who are at a level similar to mine (youtube allows that), and gives me an idea of ​​things I do well and do things wrong.

Thanks augusjazz for your kind words.
You raise an interesting point. Learning from your peers can be a great method for learning. You hear about that alot when people are in college or university programs and benefit from being around many growing musicians in close proximity.
It's interesting to think that Youtube could potentially create that effect online.

[augusjazz]

Thank you for your interest.
Returning to the point, the comparison between pairs has the benefit of seeing a nearby target, because if only one is compared with a geniuses can become demotivated by the distant target.
I've learned a lot of different users to see forums like this with which exchange experiences and resources.