TOPIC: Keeping Motivated

demons?

just pick it up for five minutes..."


I'm an advocate of scale playing, playing something extremely slow, and playing something slightly faster than I am capable of playing it. Use 5 min. I've been using my time on the G scale. I can play it fast in 1st and 2nd position and am starting to do arpeggios (3 note intervals). It has become really fun because I am seeing progress from months of doing it 5 mins. at a time. It will also help with lead playing. In addition, if you take a lead that you need work on, play it at a painfully slow pace. Do this through the whole song. You might find yourself snagging here or there but focus on efficiency of motion. FM had us do this one time in class. I've taken that "lesson" home with me. A lot of times when we learn something, it becomes so unconscious that we don't even "really know it". If we can play it super slow, we're more likely not to make a mistake in forgetting it. Mentally, this will help. Then play it slightly faster than you're comfortable with, even if it's sloppy. When you come back down to normal speed, it'll seem easier. Just don't spend too much time playing it sloppy- just use use this for short bursts. This type of approach might get you past the dread of the "same 'ol same 'ol.

P.S. Don't rule out working on rythmn play'n and walk ups and walk downs... beginnings/ endings.



Lots o' stuff for 5 minutes:woohoo: