Originally Posted by
jazzyjackrabbit
Here is what is works for me, doing since 2 years and now sometimes... maybe... I would like to think... there are some barely noticable results. (Before that, I had no concept about how to improve)
I know it is a bit general: listen your play. I do not mean record then replay. That would be a cruel thing :-). I mean always listen while you play, make listening the sound what you produce a very deep habit. If you are not satisfied, slow down. (again a general "saying nothing") But I mean it, really.
Some examples:
- When I practice scales, never, never do it unplugged. I always plug my guitar to my amp, to hear the sound quality what my pick, left/right hand produces, including the not wanted noises and bad sounding notes. The goal is never the speed, instead sounding good.
- When I practice Donna Lee, say I could play it at max speed 200 bpm (not too fast I know). I play it one or twice at that tempo, but I play it at 150 bpm ten times. This tempo allows me to really enjoy, I have time to listen and I have time to make fun with very little phrasing nuances, experiment new little tricks just for fun. All those things will not happen if I practice in my full speed.
Hopefully one year later in 2018 my max speed will be 220 and I can practice my phrasing, rhythm with joy at 170 bpm.
Kenny Burrell, Jack McDuff, How High The Moon...
Yesterday, 10:38 PM in The Songs