Sunday 4/5

60 Minutes

sixteenth note speed exercises, repertoire

Working to find the limit of my picking speed on a single string and across strings. I go by how accurate I am at gradually increasing BPM's. "Accuracy" includes:

time;

evenness of attack;

tone;

dynamic;

correct notes...

...along with how long and how easily I can maintain it. Noticing what my arm does when it gets stressed is also part of it. Right now, my frustration level with a single string is 80, and across strings is 66.

Once again, being able to access the quality of beginning rather than starting has been invaluable to me. Part of it is a notion of choice, andpart of it is an awareness of a larger present moment. As in, it's the same hand in the same moment when I'm not playing as when I'm playing.

Also went through some repertoire, including "Derailed", "Austurias", "Hope","Askesis", "Batrachomyomachy", and "Calliope".

Friday 4/3

40 Minutes

foot tapping with "Growing Circle", "Flying Home", "Batrachomyomachy"

Two things: I noticed that it's useful to be "critical" of pulse, and that the part where the foot raises is just as important as when the foot falls.

Wednesday 4/1

40 Minutes

two new left hand exercises, foot tapping with "Flying Home"

Practing the pull-off and anchor exercises to keep them fresh. I can only do them very slowly right now. I noticed as I was practicing them that I push out with my shoulder and elbow against the neck, when I should really be bringing the fingers to the fretboard.
More work with foot tapping, along similar lines to Sunday's session. The pulse has this weird character of being delicate but rock solid at the same time.