Practice Blog
PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT
Welcome to my practice blog.
My first goal is to practice 100 hours, and here I'll write down my thoughts throughout the process.
It will probably be very nerdy and honest...
I'll practice 3 hours a day: morning, afternoon and evening.
So far these are the components that I know are beneficial to progress:
- Steadyness
- Metronome
- Scales
- Video
- An observer
Motivation also plays a big role. Setting the right goals is key to nurture motivation.
The joy from experiencing progress is beyond comparison. (:
2nd November - My new portable accompanist...
... it can play loud. Loud enough to play with my cello.
(Danish design)
I have been wanting to buy something like this for years, and today I finally got it in a store around the corner.
It is so tough to play solo pieces like Bach and my own compositions. You are the only one making a sound. To play a nice melody on top of an accompaniment is pure luxury, and I'm going let myself do that more often. Maybe not for real concerts, but when I go out and tell about my tournees mixed with pieces of music.
I practiced a lot today. probably more than 3 hours. But all the time taking breaks every half hour, because my left arm is not at it's best.
1st November - It happens too often
Today I actually practiced all day. Taking it easy with lots of breaks to make sure that my left arm would not start to get inflamed.
BUT for some reason, whenever I'm a bit stressed about playing, it just happens no matter how careful I am.
Hopefully it will be better tomorrow.
The photo is a drawing I made in the afternoon. - Shared it as a 'story' on facebook.
31st October -
No chance for practicing today. Violin makers seminar day 2 and travelling back to Copenhagen.
Maybe I can catch up with some hours tomorrow.
30st October - Violin maker seminar
I performed at a violin maker seminar today. Learned a lot about violin making, bur again I only practiced like 20 min before the performance.
I really want to get 3 hours a day. I'll have to either decide to really get up an hour earlier and give up social things or decide that it is not always possible to practice 3 hours.
29th October :(
The last day for the little cat. Gosh one of the hardest things I know of.
I only managed to play a little bit today. Felt to empty.
28th October - counting hours
I'm looking for an app to track your practice hours.
Right now I'm just using my metronome, keeping it open on my phone all the time while practicing. Then my phone can tell me how many hours it was open.
I don't believe in just practice hours, but the muscles have to be trained. And as long as you are focused you do some progess.
27th October - Coffee helps
One more day of performance. I'm grateful that I have so many opportunities to play for people.
Here I'm on my way to Hundige Church drinking coffee in the train.
I'm quite sad these days. To be honest I have been for a while.
For three weeks my parent's cat has been struggeling with health. I have been there on vacation and every day trying to get it to eat and drink.
Coffee helps when you have to go on stage and smile.
26th October - Practice to perform
Today I had 2 performances. One in the morning and one in the evening. I doubt that I have been playing 3 hours in total, but somehow performances count double or more.
You are always focused in a different way while performing and I don't consider a piece mastered before I can perform it for an audience.
I once had a masterclass with Anner Bylsma, who said: "You have to practice, but you also have to practice to perform."
Music is after all ment to be shared.
25th October - Scales - Is it worth it?
I have been playing scales and arpeggios every day for 3 weeks now. A few days ago I started to also play music again.
I must say that I have been wondering if it pays of at all, to play scales. - Why not learn some pieces instead, that you can use for something - play for concerts.
Is it really important to know the geography of the fingerboad that well?
But today I felt just a little change while I was playing music. As if my fingers knew where to go in a different way. It makes me very happy. I takes so much repeated effort to make new nerve connections in your brain.
Here is a few bars of one of my Bach inspired pieces that I will premiere November 7th in Birkerød Church:
24th October - C7
C-major 7th chord.
Dominant 7th chords are nice because the 7th step leads so strongly to the next chord.
I think that is a good start for a 100 hours of practice.
My main focus while playing scales and arpeggios is to map the fingerboard.
Therefore I say the tone names in my head for each tone, knowing its exact position. Playing slowly enough to stay focused.
It actually took several takes to make this short video, because playing, focusing on tone names and looking in the camera aparently takes a lot of effort.