Saturday, November 29, 2008
Saturday 11/29
60 Minutes
Liedown. Working with release of the fingers in the left hand. Long, present Primary #1 (4-3-2-1), exhausting my attention. Observing the hand and fingers. Practicing letting the fingers be in a clear "non-position", going in and out of that position decisively.
Applying calisthenic practice to music, the first bar of a moto perpetuo.
Returning to "Batrachomyomachy", counting. Stayed in the practice room until I was able to count all the way through, once.
60 Minutes
Liedown. Working with release of the fingers in the left hand. Long, present Primary #1 (4-3-2-1), exhausting my attention. Observing the hand and fingers. Practicing letting the fingers be in a clear "non-position", going in and out of that position decisively.
Applying calisthenic practice to music, the first bar of a moto perpetuo.
Returning to "Batrachomyomachy", counting. Stayed in the practice room until I was able to count all the way through, once.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Thursday 11/27
60 Minutes
Liedown, continuing counting work with "Batrachomyomachy". My goal was to keep a solid count while playing the part; that is, the count and the work of the hands would be independent but related events. That's how I eventually thought of it, dividing my attention as though in counting and playing I was doing two different activities. Then, the same idea with foot tapping and "Flying Home" at 76 BPM. I don't think I'm quite good enough at either tapping or playing at that tempo to take on the two simultaneously.
More work with F Major triads.
60 Minutes
Liedown, continuing counting work with "Batrachomyomachy". My goal was to keep a solid count while playing the part; that is, the count and the work of the hands would be independent but related events. That's how I eventually thought of it, dividing my attention as though in counting and playing I was doing two different activities. Then, the same idea with foot tapping and "Flying Home" at 76 BPM. I don't think I'm quite good enough at either tapping or playing at that tempo to take on the two simultaneously.
More work with F Major triads.
For yesterday:
Wednesday 11/26
60 Minutes
Alexander liedown, working tonight with "Batrachomyomachy". Right hand exercise with the first section (bass tone thing - I have a tendency to play the C and G strings with the arm coming down, rather than with the wrist). Then, back to counting all the sections of the piece; stuck on 8's and 7's. I used the metronome to help me cheat, but that missing 3 inthe 7's causes confusion, as do the held eighth notes in the groups of sixteen. I noticed that as I was counting the 7's, I would hold the eighth note in my count, for example:'one...two...three...four...fiveeee...six...seven' etc. I worked on keeping them seperate, and I actually think the time feel is a little better for it.
After this, I worked on F Major triads in the first position, playing and singing the notes as best I was able.
Wednesday 11/26
60 Minutes
Alexander liedown, working tonight with "Batrachomyomachy". Right hand exercise with the first section (bass tone thing - I have a tendency to play the C and G strings with the arm coming down, rather than with the wrist). Then, back to counting all the sections of the piece; stuck on 8's and 7's. I used the metronome to help me cheat, but that missing 3 inthe 7's causes confusion, as do the held eighth notes in the groups of sixteen. I noticed that as I was counting the 7's, I would hold the eighth note in my count, for example:'one...two...three...four...fiveeee...six...seven' etc. I worked on keeping them seperate, and I actually think the time feel is a little better for it.
After this, I worked on F Major triads in the first position, playing and singing the notes as best I was able.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday 11/25
30 Minutes
Beginning with an Alexander liedown, going through the five relations of the body a few times. Right hand exercise, trying Primary #2 at 76 BPM in eighths and sixteenths. Returning to the body routinely with a sense of relaxation, letting it be and visualizing the pelvis as center of gravity, and a gentle nod of the head.
Discovered a certain use of the thumb which produces good tone, but I don't have a strong enough kinesthetic sense of it to hold onto it during play.
30 Minutes
Beginning with an Alexander liedown, going through the five relations of the body a few times. Right hand exercise, trying Primary #2 at 76 BPM in eighths and sixteenths. Returning to the body routinely with a sense of relaxation, letting it be and visualizing the pelvis as center of gravity, and a gentle nod of the head.
Discovered a certain use of the thumb which produces good tone, but I don't have a strong enough kinesthetic sense of it to hold onto it during play.
Monday, November 24, 2008
20 minutes
As a result of a private meeting with Victor last night, I am supposed to practice in the following manner for the next week to a month:
Play slowly and staccato as quietly as possible while still maintaining a firm grip on the pick and the left thumb in the middle of the neck. Also have the feeling of roundness like holding a ball in the left hand.
New finger exercise
Third Relation - A minor section
49 Notes
Flying Home
As a result of a private meeting with Victor last night, I am supposed to practice in the following manner for the next week to a month:
Play slowly and staccato as quietly as possible while still maintaining a firm grip on the pick and the left thumb in the middle of the neck. Also have the feeling of roundness like holding a ball in the left hand.
New finger exercise
Third Relation - A minor section
49 Notes
Flying Home
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
15 minute sitting (broken up into a morning and night sitting by Isabel waking up early from her nap)
80 minutes
2nd Primary - I observed a problem in my right hand angle that may be contributing to some digging and playing multiple strings when playing quickly.
1st Primary
Batrachomyomachy
49 Notes
Flying Home - E section
Third Relation
Bicycling to Afghanistan
Invention #1
Hommage
80 minutes
2nd Primary - I observed a problem in my right hand angle that may be contributing to some digging and playing multiple strings when playing quickly.
1st Primary
Batrachomyomachy
49 Notes
Flying Home - E section
Third Relation
Bicycling to Afghanistan
Invention #1
Hommage
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
15 minute sitting
20 minutes
Flying Home - F section, w/ metronome at 60, 70, 80. At 60, it was ok, at 70 a lot of tension in the left hand, at 80, not as much tension, but a lot of sloppiness (playing two strings at once especially).
Askesis - Tricky section (this was giving me a lot of trouble today) and mirror.
2nd Primary
20 minutes
Flying Home - F section, w/ metronome at 60, 70, 80. At 60, it was ok, at 70 a lot of tension in the left hand, at 80, not as much tension, but a lot of sloppiness (playing two strings at once especially).
Askesis - Tricky section (this was giving me a lot of trouble today) and mirror.
2nd Primary
Tuesday 11/18
30 Minutes
Basic primary work for the right and left hands.
My bass tone has always sucked, and it is particularly evident in "Calliope". I spent some time working to improve the crispness of my playing in the lower register, and simply endeavoring to make the song not sound like a clusterfuck (two words?) of open C strings. I'll probably pick this up again tomorrow.
30 Minutes
Basic primary work for the right and left hands.
My bass tone has always sucked, and it is particularly evident in "Calliope". I spent some time working to improve the crispness of my playing in the lower register, and simply endeavoring to make the song not sound like a clusterfuck (two words?) of open C strings. I'll probably pick this up again tomorrow.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday 11/17
60 Minutes
Began with basic primary work in both hands, again focusing on the wrists and lightness of touch.
I then tackled counting on "Batrachomyomachy" and wound up working out fingerings for various places in the piece. Back on track, I played it with the aim of counting and using the fingerings I had found.
The sevens will require special attention, because counting downbeats feels weird when there's a downbeat left out on three.
Closing with some work with G Major arpeggios in the first position.
60 Minutes
Began with basic primary work in both hands, again focusing on the wrists and lightness of touch.
I then tackled counting on "Batrachomyomachy" and wound up working out fingerings for various places in the piece. Back on track, I played it with the aim of counting and using the fingerings I had found.
The sevens will require special attention, because counting downbeats feels weird when there's a downbeat left out on three.
Closing with some work with G Major arpeggios in the first position.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
For Saturday 11/15:
120 Minutes
I began with "Flying Home", playing slowly at 60 BPM with the aim of tapping my foot for the whole length of the piece. Oonce I became sufficiently comfortable, I bumped the tempo up to 72, and when I was challenged by that I pushed it further to 80. I went back to 72, trying to identify recurring trouble spots in regard to foot tapping.
Touched briefly on "Calliope" with the same theme.
The second hour was devoted to technique. Right now, I sense the best calisthenic work for me is in the wrists; both are constantly and subtly involved in the operation of the hands. Very small movements, but having contact with that makes such a drastic difference in theease of play and the sound of the instrument. Call it "working on touch".
120 Minutes
I began with "Flying Home", playing slowly at 60 BPM with the aim of tapping my foot for the whole length of the piece. Oonce I became sufficiently comfortable, I bumped the tempo up to 72, and when I was challenged by that I pushed it further to 80. I went back to 72, trying to identify recurring trouble spots in regard to foot tapping.
Touched briefly on "Calliope" with the same theme.
The second hour was devoted to technique. Right now, I sense the best calisthenic work for me is in the wrists; both are constantly and subtly involved in the operation of the hands. Very small movements, but having contact with that makes such a drastic difference in theease of play and the sound of the instrument. Call it "working on touch".
Friday, November 14, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
For yesterday:
Monday 11/10
60 Minutes
Right hand speed exercise, going in and out of sixteenths while keeping a kind of Alexandrian relaxation. Different variations on the same idea.
Then, technical work with "Flying Home", slowly applying hand shifts between positions. A lot of good work there...
And five minutes of maintenence on "Batrachomyomachy"!
Monday 11/10
60 Minutes
Right hand speed exercise, going in and out of sixteenths while keeping a kind of Alexandrian relaxation. Different variations on the same idea.
Then, technical work with "Flying Home", slowly applying hand shifts between positions. A lot of good work there...
And five minutes of maintenence on "Batrachomyomachy"!
Tuesday night
Who: Terry T.
Aim: Learning running line in Batrachomyomachy
Duration: 30 minutes
1. Warming up with 1st Primary
2. Doing a couple of variations on the 1st Primary. Basically the same as Jim Root's warm-up exercise here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag5cVhnPk2o (2nd exercise in video)
3. Making adjustments to finger positions to better execute each phrase of the running line. ie. changing hand position and starting the phrase with 4th finger.
4. Continue learning the running line.
Who: Terry T.
Aim: Learning running line in Batrachomyomachy
Duration: 30 minutes
1. Warming up with 1st Primary
2. Doing a couple of variations on the 1st Primary. Basically the same as Jim Root's warm-up exercise here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag5cVhnPk2o (2nd exercise in video)
3. Making adjustments to finger positions to better execute each phrase of the running line. ie. changing hand position and starting the phrase with 4th finger.
4. Continue learning the running line.
Monday, November 10, 2008
50 minutes, split into two sessions of 20 minutes and 30 minutes.
Hommage
Batrachamyomachy
2nd primary and variations (just one string, across multiple strings)
16 bar exercise and variations (no fretting with left hand)
Calliope, medium tempo, then with PowerTab at 88.
Third Relation, medium tempo, then with PowerTab at 89.
Playing Calliope and Third Relation along with PowerTab was not the total disaster I was expecting. It's not yet music, but there is hope. I felt more tension in my right arm playing around 70 and 75 than at these higher speeds.
Hommage
Batrachamyomachy
2nd primary and variations (just one string, across multiple strings)
16 bar exercise and variations (no fretting with left hand)
Calliope, medium tempo, then with PowerTab at 88.
Third Relation, medium tempo, then with PowerTab at 89.
Playing Calliope and Third Relation along with PowerTab was not the total disaster I was expecting. It's not yet music, but there is hope. I felt more tension in my right arm playing around 70 and 75 than at these higher speeds.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Saturday 11/8
60 Minutes
Picking up "Moving Force" and "Batrachamyomachy" work from yesterday. For the former, counting and tapping the 7's while placing the accents accurately, in different sections. Then, playing the whole piece without the lead, counting to keep my place. I can do it, but I have trouble keeping the count during the dotted quarter section with the chords. I also find it challenging to play the accents without saying the extra (+) in the count.
For the latter, playing the counterpointed parts seperately for accuracy and then attempting to put them together. I still haven't quite got it, and this one is also difficult to count (even without the changing meters).
60 Minutes
Picking up "Moving Force" and "Batrachamyomachy" work from yesterday. For the former, counting and tapping the 7's while placing the accents accurately, in different sections. Then, playing the whole piece without the lead, counting to keep my place. I can do it, but I have trouble keeping the count during the dotted quarter section with the chords. I also find it challenging to play the accents without saying the extra (+) in the count.
For the latter, playing the counterpointed parts seperately for accuracy and then attempting to put them together. I still haven't quite got it, and this one is also difficult to count (even without the changing meters).
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday 11/7
A large chunk of time
Reprtoire work tonight, getting to know "Moving Force" and "Batrachamyomachy". For the former, the notes came quickly, but counting required a little investigation. Basically, it's all in 7 except for the first four bars (in 6), with accents all over the place; this will make an excellent and interesting foot tapping/counting exercise for tomorrow.
"Batrachamyomachy" will also provide interesting work, bringing out the counterpoint of the bassline. I suspect that if I can play everything with a good sense of four-note flow that the counterpoint will naturally come out.
A large chunk of time
Reprtoire work tonight, getting to know "Moving Force" and "Batrachamyomachy". For the former, the notes came quickly, but counting required a little investigation. Basically, it's all in 7 except for the first four bars (in 6), with accents all over the place; this will make an excellent and interesting foot tapping/counting exercise for tomorrow.
"Batrachamyomachy" will also provide interesting work, bringing out the counterpoint of the bassline. I suspect that if I can play everything with a good sense of four-note flow that the counterpoint will naturally come out.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
For yesterday:
Saturday 11/1
45 Minutes
Speed exercise with "Flying Home". I determined that my right hand needs more attention, so I spent time with that, too. Then, some fretboard knowledge work, beginning with F Major diatonic triads in the first position, and moving to C Major diatonic triads on the fourth position.
Saturday 11/1
45 Minutes
Speed exercise with "Flying Home". I determined that my right hand needs more attention, so I spent time with that, too. Then, some fretboard knowledge work, beginning with F Major diatonic triads in the first position, and moving to C Major diatonic triads on the fourth position.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
For yesterday:
Friday 10/31
30 Minutes
Rhythm exercise with "Invention #1", really trying to nail the 'a' in terms of rhythmic flow. I tried keeping my attention with the sensation of my foot tapping with the metronome, the weight moving, while I counted and played over it. Then I tried the same thing with body beat.
Also spent a few minutes working out fingerings to a moto perpetuo of my own, from GG&F, for a future solo piece.
Friday 10/31
30 Minutes
Rhythm exercise with "Invention #1", really trying to nail the 'a' in terms of rhythmic flow. I tried keeping my attention with the sensation of my foot tapping with the metronome, the weight moving, while I counted and played over it. Then I tried the same thing with body beat.
Also spent a few minutes working out fingerings to a moto perpetuo of my own, from GG&F, for a future solo piece.
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