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