2013.07.13 Practice Plan Changes

I was organizing my notes about my practice order and I had an epiphany.  I always start with scales - usually one or two or until I get annoyed or bored, which ever comes first. I was thinking about how certain pieces are easier if I play them in a certain order. The important variable seems to be which scales I practice first, which makes sense of course. So, I guess it's time to re-order my practice sessions. 

Practice Order:

Warm-up

Tuning - using the iPhone app: Tuxtuner

Tonalization [tone production]:

• Mis--si--ssip--pi   Stop -- Stop 
• 000 121 02 11 0

*Intervals [Red book] - sometimes
*Finger Patterns 

• need practice moving from D to C# [or C]
• moving from Ab to G

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Scale 1 - D Major Scale

• [Red book p.5 or Suzuki Book p.7]
• 1st finger-pattern used in TTLS [F# C#] and perhaps MHALL [just F#]
• Practice several times. Go very slowly the first time so that the sound is as perfect as you can get it. Watch the tuner. Make corrections immediately. 
• Increase speed when it seems too slow
• Remember: Don't practice mistakes. Unlearning sucks.

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Songs in D Major

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star [TTLS on D & A strings "Theme" - Suzuki Book p.9 - D Major Scale - F# C#] 
2. French Folk Song [FFS - Suzuki Book p.10 - D Major Scale - F# C#]
3. Lightly Row [LR - Suzuki Book p.11 - D Major Scale - F# C#]
4. Song of the Wind [SOFW - Suzuki Book p.11 - D Major Scale - F# C#]
5. Pachelbel's Canon in D [PC - solo and duet sheet]

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Scale 2 - C Major Scale

• [Red book p.5 or Suzuki Book p.19]
• finger-pattern used in TTLS when played on C & G strings [No #'s] 
• C3 - C4
• Practice several times. Go very slowly the first time so that the sound is as perfect as you can get it. Watch the tuner. Make corrections immediately. 
• Increase speed when it seems too slow
• Remember: Don't practice mistakes. Unlearning sucks.

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Songs in C Major

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star [TTLS on C & G strings "Theme in C Major" - Suzuki Book p.19 - C Major Scale 
2. Coventry Gardens [start with first 5 measures and then build on that]
3. Stay [Rhianna] - can do the whole song, some parts are better than others but it does sound like a song now.

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Scale 3 - E flat Major Scale

Songs in E flat Major

1. Sherlock Theme - sounds okay but go very slow

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Scale 4 - G Major Scale

Songs in G Major

1. Mary Had a Little Lamb [MHALL - F# - sheet]
2. Skyfall [Adele] - F# - Damn this song, it's so hard. I can do the first page but not very well. The best parts are: This is the end... and Let the Sky_fall, Let it crum_ble...

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I Still haven't Found What I'm Looking For [U2] - D flat Major - I can play: I have climbed the highest mountains...  and  I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

Hora Lunga - Sonata [Gyorgy Ligeti] - No idea what key this is in. There are so many notations that being in a key seems improbable. I can play most of it but I would call it my interpretation. This is my favourite song right now. I want more like this Sonata.

Callous Update

First finger is a go, second finger at step two, third finger still hurts like a bitch

2013.07.12 Progress

I took a bunch of video today because I wanted to check my posture, left hand position and overall sound. These videos are not edited so be forewarned.

First, I tuned my viola using Tuxtuner [iphone app] and then I practiced a couple of scales: the D major and the C major scales.

Then, I did my book warm-up which includes some intonation work, namely mississippi stop stop and the 000 121 02 11 0 thing. I have no idea what that thing is called but it's a great warm-up.

There are number of short pieces that I work my way through in no particular order. Including: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Coventry Gardens, Canon and the Sherlock theme song.


I've been working on 'Stay' by Rhinna everyday for about 20 days. I've finally made my way through the whole song. I actually found this great program called MuseScore that allows me to download midi files and turn them into sheet music. It's a great program. The more I fiddle around with it, the more I realize it can do.

I also try very hard to play 'Skyfall' by Adele but it is extremely painful - even more painful that Canon if you can believe it. But I'm determined to learn that damn song, even if it kills me. Nice attitude hey? I should probably seek professional help for that unhealthy level of masochism.

Anyways, that's all for today. I'll leave the rest off. Next time, I plan on recording my favourite piece called 'Hora Lunga' which is an ode to the C string.

2013.07.10 Progress

Progress Video for July 10, 2013



After reviewing my video of Mary Had a Little Lamb [MHLL] & Twinkle Twinkle Little Star [TTLS] I noticed that my wrist was quite bent. I'm pretty sure it needs to be straighter. I need to pay more attention to that in the future. Maybe, I'll put something around my wrist to remind myself.

On the positive side of things, I also noticed that holding the viola has become much more natural feeling. I no longer have to think about how and where to place in. Tuning is also a lot easier. 

Practice Order:

Warm-up

Tuning - using the iPhone app: Tuxtuner

Tonalization [tone production]:

• Mis--si--ssip--pi   Stop -- Stop 
• 000 121 02 11 0

Scales [Red book]

• D Major Scale [both books] - 1st finger-pattern used in TTLS [F# C#] and perhaps MHALL [just F#]

• C Major Scale [Red book] - C3 - C5

*Intervals [Red book] - sometimes

Songs in D Major

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star [TTLS on D & A "Theme" - Suzuki Book p.9 - D Major Scale - F# C#] then play on C & G 

French Folk Song [FFS - Suzuki Book p.10 - D Major Scale - F# C#]

Lightly Row [LR - Suzuki Book p.11 - D Major Scale - F# C#]

Song of the Wind [SOFW - Suzuki Book p.11 - D Major Scale - F# C#]

Mary Had a Little Lamb [MHALL - F#]

Coventry Gardens [first 10 measures]

Sherlock Theme - sounds okay

I Still haven't Found What I'm Looking For [U2] - i can play: I have climbed the highest mountains...  and  I still haven't found what I'm looking for...

Skyfall [Adele] - Damn this song, it's so hard. I can do the first page but not very well. The best parts are: This is the end... and Let the Sky_fall, Let it crum_ble...

Stay [Rhianna] - can do the whole song, some parts are better than others but it does sound like a song now.

Hora Lunga - Sonata [Gyorgy Ligeti] - I can play most of it but I would call it my interpretation. This is my favourite song right now. I want more like this Sonata.

Callous Update

First finger is a go, second finger at step two, third finger still hurts like a bitch