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Author Topic: Developing a 1-hour/1-hour schedule  (Read 448 times)
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sidereal
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« on: January 27, 2003, 01:29 AM »

So I'm thinking that I need a practice regimen, something I can devote myself to on a daily basis. I figure I can devote 2 hours to practice every day and I'm thinking that I could concentrate an hour to the practice pad, followed by an hour on the kit.

Anyone have any tips for what would be a good daily regime? I'm thinking general, well-rounded exercises to improve the chops and inject some inspiration into our normal playing.

Ideas?
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felix
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« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2003, 05:46 AM »

hey man

Abba song starts "knowing me knowing you...aaahhhHHH"

If you are of the pad mindframe, which you really have to be I would split my hour up like this:

15-20 minutes reading exercises with metronome (get your subdivisions really happening)

20 minutes of rudiments
 
and 20 minutes of working on a snare solo or some of your own patterns you have written...but that might not be your bag so I would just do endurance exercises and maybe some stuff to get your hands really smoking.  Practice your technique in this hour.  I have 3 practice pads.  One a can strap to my knee and practice anywhere, a real feel pad and a gel pad on a stand which gives my wrists and fingers, forearms a great workout

For the set I would spend 20 minutes working on linear funk/diddle patterns, 20 minutes of jazz, shuffles and triplet stuff and 20 minutes of your cover, rehearsal material that you have for your different band obligations.  I would also noodle some of your own stuff when you get a chance as well.  Save the fun stuff for last.

Peace
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Bart Elliott
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« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2003, 07:24 AM »

I think you know my thoughts already from my articles, The Fine Art of Practice, which I thought I'd mention for all the new folk.

In a nutshell, I would do one of two things:

Cover all four areas (see my article), allowing 15 minutes each ... so that you are done in an hour, then do it all again with your next hour of practice, but new material obviously.

or

Cover all four areas, allowing 30 minutes for each.

Either way, you'll get 30 minutes of each ... which will give you a good rounded amount of practice time ... and you'll see the most productivity ... in my opinion.

Whatever you do, even if you feel devoting 30 minutes for warm-up stuff (for example) and want to shorten that, make out a schedule for you to adhere to. If you just wing it each day, you may find yourself wasting precious time, playing things you can already play, and not working on the things you need to work on.

Some disciplined individuals have good results making a schedule of what they will practice on a daily basis. This allows them to address problem areas as the occur.

For me, planning and writing out a schedule well in advance helps me set good goals. Without goals, it's hard to have a clear vision for what we are trying to achieve specifically.

If you can get two hours a day in ... you'll be slammin' bro! You can get a LOT done in that amount of time.
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My doctor says it's bad for my blood pressure if my mind is blown for more than five minutes at a time.
Tony
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« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2003, 09:06 AM »

I would spend about an hour working on technique/chops, though not necessarily on the pad.  I would do 30 minutes of pad exercises to get really warmed up, then work on your mobility around the kit.  I found when I was trying to build chops playing that I could play patterns very fast and smooth on the pad, but had to slow down significantly when I would try the same things around the drumset.  Allow some time to work these movements out physically on the kit.

Then I would use the other hour to work on groove and set playing in general.  I pick an area I am unsatisfied with and really work it, such as samba grooves or 4 way independence (2 recent areas I spent a considerable amount of time on).  
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The techniques, though they play an important role in the early stage, should not be too restrictive, complex or mechanical. If we cling to them, we will become bound by their limitation.  Any technique, however worthy and desirable, becomes a disease when the mind is obsessed with it.
felix
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« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2003, 05:28 AM »

Bart, your philosophies of teaching drums are amazing.  I'm going to take a few of those concepts to heart.

The only thing I can add is, and maybe I didn't see it, but I have a little digital kitchen timer that I set when I am in full on practice mode.  So if I want to do 20 minutes of something,  well, I set my timer and do 20 minutes.  This keeps me focused;  sometimes that 20 minutes lasts FOREVER, let me tell you.  
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Ratamatatt
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« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2003, 10:09 AM »

So I'm thinking that I need a practice regimen, something I can devote myself to on a daily basis. I figure I can devote 2 hours to practice every day and I'm thinking that I could concentrate an hour to the practice pad, followed by an hour on the kit.

Anyone have any tips for what would be a good daily regime? I'm thinking general, well-rounded exercises to improve the chops and inject some inspiration into our normal playing.

Ideas?

I don't think it is necessary or even desirable to practice your entire regimen every day.  I think there is a benefit to having off days between practice - like workouts.  A musicians skills are in the brain.  The brain sends signals to limbs.  Of course the muscles of the limbs need to be conditioned but skills are learned b/t the ears.  Off time gives the brain a chance to assimilate new skills and information.  If you are working on say 6 different skills you could practice each for an hour per day on a 3 day rotation.  

IMHO, that's more productive than spending 15 minites on each of your skills every day.  

Ratamatatt
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