The idea behind this practice session is to create a template from which you can develop your own daily routine. I've always considered practicing to be about two things; 1) practicing music and, 2) practicing to become more proficient on your instrument. Practicing music to me is about learning tunes, working on chord changes, improvising, and even performing. All very important. But what's also important is to play your instrument as well as you possibly can.
The more we practice things that will improve our technique and the ability to control what we play the better we're going to sound. Think about a marathon runner. He or she can know all there is about their equipment, the course, how to stay hydrated and everything else they need to know about running a marathon. But if they don't put in the hours of training to prepare themselves for the race they don't stand a chance of finishing. We practice exercises on our instruments to gain control of our sound, pitch, breathe, articulation, you name it.
However, every player I've ever talked to about practicing who's playing I really admire has said the same thing. The way to become a great player is not to practice to gain speed but rather to practice to gain control. With each exercise I've recommended a range of BPM's (beats per minute) or metronome markings.
ALWAYS practice these exercises with a metronome. You'll realize quickly how much more control you'll have of your instrument if you practice this way. Check this page often because I'll change the routine periodically.
There are 2 things I like to do to begin every practice session, "long tones" and "chromatics". Each of the following practice sessions should begin with these 2 "warm-ups". Let's begin:
All Exercises Designed and Copyrighted by Eric Marienthal Inc. |